Just spotted at RAD Moto the KTM1290 Superduke

[Bensien]

When the Japs dominated the bike scene, they were at war with each other, each trying to outdo the other with the biggest, baddest, most radical  new products.  Then it became a chess game. Every year, if one launched a new bike, the others would respond with one that weighed a kilo less or had one hp more and they did not notice that the rest of the world had caught up and overtaken them.

So now, even a traditionally conservative company like BMW builds a bike that outhandles and outruns the best they have to offer. If they carry on like this they are soon going to lose share to the Chinese as well.

[Bensien]

Just received a message to tell me that the 1290 is ready for my test ride. Damn, I'm in Hazyview till Monday. Gonna be a long weekend.

[BryanOC6]

Here are some of the orange 1290s, this is for the purist KTM supporter. All KTM orange

Riding position is a lot more comfortable than the usual sport bikes

[JMG]

Now check those knoblies.....

[JMG]

Also if the 180k price tag is correct it's 20ish k cheaper than the new 1200 GS...... Indeed it may be a different type of bike but it does make you wonder....

[KaTooMatt]

The European's are on a roll, and the concervative Japs are loosing more market share by the year. This is not only for bikes but also cars. One who has never swinged his leg over a Ducati, Ktm of now days or MV and even some Triumph models will never know what they miss in life...

I am inclined to agree with you , they may not be faster but they have more soul/character/feel good sensation , a friend who raced a Ducati took a CBR600 round the track and his lap times were faster , but he just didn't feel happy doing it .
I liken it to shagging a blowup doll , it gets the job done but leaves you with an empty feeling .

So what you are really saying is we should all feel sorry for 2SDan and his empty blaasoppie

[BryanOC6]

Now check those knoblies.....

Those tyres would roost the shit out of your mates ! Hahah

[McSack]

The European's are on a roll, and the concervative Japs are loosing more market share by the year. This is not only for bikes but also cars. One who has never swinged his leg over a Ducati, Ktm of now days or MV and even some Triumph models will never know what they miss in life...

I am inclined to agree with you , they may not be faster but they have more soul/character/feel good sensation , a friend who raced a Ducati took a CBR600 round the track and his lap times were faster , but he just didn't feel happy doing it .
I liken it to shagging a blowup doll , it gets the job done but leaves you with an empty feeling .

Couldn't agree more . My other baby ...

[McSack]

... and what she replaced ...

[ETS]

What is the hype around this bike?

Is it it's looks? Is it it's performance?

Considering that this sort of performance have been around in the Jap bike market for sooooo long, it cannot be performance?

Is it the less informed D/S biker learning of high performance bikes in a round about way?

Ai ou Daan, daar is ook GEEN Yamaha wat dit vir my doen nie---- maar ek verstaan dat jy dhulle like.

[Dux]

The European's are on a roll, and the concervative Japs are loosing more market share by the year. This is not only for bikes but also cars. One who has never swinged his leg over a Ducati, Ktm of now days or MV and even some Triumph models will never know what they miss in life...

I am inclined to agree with you , they may not be faster but they have more soul/character/feel good sensation , a friend who raced a Ducati took a CBR600 round the track and his lap times were faster , but he just didn't feel happy doing it .
I liken it to shagging a blowup doll , it gets the job done but leaves you with an empty feeling .

So what you are really saying is we should all feel sorry for 2SDan and his empty blaasoppie

2SDan is an old toppie , and I was told to respect old people , so maybe we shouldn't be so harsh , Yamaha do make good piano's 

[2StrokeDan]

I must absolutely agree with the Japs being very conservative, always been, and this is not a bad thing altogether. Except that currently there does not seem much in the line of exciting new models coming from the big four.
Dux, taking a bike with big torque around a pass fast is much easier than on a multi. The lowdown torque is just easier out of the corners. HOWEVER, if you go out to be fast, then
a superbike will always beat anything else, it is the riding style that changes. You will find that the superbikes you were dicing, were all probably also shortshifting.
4stroke multi is like a 250 2stroke twin, no use trying to not rev it out, have to be where the power is.

Would be interesting to see how fast this Katoom will lap Killarney. This is the true test. It has a 1minute 13sec to beat.

[JustBendIt]

I must absolutely agree with the Japs being very conservative, always been, and this is not a bad thing altogether. Except that currently there does not seem much in the line of exciting new models coming from the big four.
Dux, taking a bike with big torque around a pass fast is much easier than on a multi. The lowdown torque is just easier out of the corners. HOWEVER, if you go out to be fast, then
a superbike will always beat anything else, it is the riding style that changes. You will find that the superbikes you were dicing, were all probably also shortshifting.
4stroke multi is like a 250 2stroke twin, no use trying to not rev it out, have to be where the power is.

Would be interesting to see how fast this Katoom will lap Killarney. This is the true test. It has a 1minute 13sec to beat.

I am sure you can do a 1 min dead on it ...

The older you get the faster you were

I will organise a demo from KTM Cape Town and then meet you at the track with my Casio - please wear ATTGATT - oh well at least your jean pant and T hemp - helmet optional

Onthou jou brille, pille en trille

[Dux]

Dux, taking a bike with big torque around a pass fast is much easier than on a multi. The lowdown torque is just easier out of the corners. HOWEVER, if you go out to be fast, then a superbike will always beat anything else, it is the riding style that changes. You will find that the superbikes you were dicing, were all probably also shortshifting.

I personally found myself to be faster over the first section of Franschhoek pass and over the Rooiels road on a Superduke / SpeedTriple / CB1000 type bike than a full out sports bike and trust me I have ridden plenty of bikes over both passes , especially during my time doing road tests for Drive Times / IOL , so I have probably ridden a bigger variety of bikes than most people . But both these passes have low to medium speed corners , when the speed picks up as in the Villiersdorp side of Franschhoek pass then sports bikes are king .
Those sportbikes I came across while riding in the RC8 were all overtaken under braking or just riding round the outside , having a good bike of course helped a lot  .

[BLK]

KTM should stick to dirt where they are best.

[Just Blip It!]

Can't wait to see a video of Dave Griffin on this beast!

[2StrokeDan]

I must absolutely agree with the Japs being very conservative, always been, and this is not a bad thing altogether. Except that currently there does not seem much in the line of exciting new models coming from the big four.
Dux, taking a bike with big torque around a pass fast is much easier than on a multi. The lowdown torque is just easier out of the corners. HOWEVER, if you go out to be fast, then
a superbike will always beat anything else, it is the riding style that changes. You will find that the superbikes you were dicing, were all probably also shortshifting.
4stroke multi is like a 250 2stroke twin, no use trying to not rev it out, have to be where the power is.

Would be interesting to see how fast this Katoom will lap Killarney. This is the true test. It has a 1minute 13sec to beat.

I am sure you can do a 1 min dead on it ...

The older you get the faster you were

I will organise a demo from KTM Cape Town and then meet you at the track with my Casio - please wear ATTGATT - oh well at least your jean pant and T hemp - helmet optional

Onthou jou brille, pille en trille

Ha ha  , if you cannot come near an old top at Macassar, what makes you think your ass is not gonna get whipped at the big K?

[JustBendIt]

I fully agree with you 2SD - I have no hope in matching your skills at the big K

You will be riding and I will be timing with my Casio .... the only thing the Japs still make that is the best in the world   

[2StrokeDan]

The Japs laid the groundwork, and the Europeans has only now caught up.

At least thie KTM uses Japanese electronics, wise choice.

[ETS]

The Japs laid the groundwork, and the Europeans has only now caught up.

At least thie KTM uses Japanese electronics, wise choice.

The MT-09 looks good as well-- maybe pit that against our KTM? No matter how fast or how it looks-- if it sells, it works. Take the 1200 for example.