This week, we’ll steer away from good ole ‘Merica and head across the pond to see what those crazy Austrians at KTM are sending our way.
If you handed me $25,000 and asked me to find you the most fun motorcycle possible, I would tell you all about the brand new 2014 KTM 1290 Super Duke R.
Let’s start with the name. How cool is the name “Super Duke?” It rolls right off the tongue. Suuuuuuper Duke. When I hear the name Super Duke, I imagine myself as John Wayne, handsome as could be zooming around corners and fighting the good fight.
When pressed to give out details about the Super Duke, our conversation would go something like this:
YOU: Is it the fastest motorcycle?
ME: No.
YOU: The most agile?
ME: No.
YOU: The most comfortable?
ME: Well, no.
YOU: Well is it at least a reasonable price?
ME: Sorry, again, no.
The 2014 KTM 1290 Super Duke.
About now, you’re probably considering navigating to another page because this seems to be going nowhere fast, but hear me out. No, the Super Duke isn’t the fastest, lightest, most technologically advanced, or most comfortable motorcycle on the market, but it IS the best combination of all of these.
I can certainly argue that it’s the most fun motorcycle. I say this because you will easily keep up with any sportbike on the road, you’ll blast past cruisers, and you’ll do it in a sitting position that doesn’t put much of your body weight on your wrists, as is often the case on sportbikes. Some would consider part of the fun of owning a motorcycle is being noticed by a passerby who has a longing look on their face of fun times cruising the great U. S. of A. Without doubt, the Super Duke is a bike that will stand out and get noticed no matter where it goes or what company it keeps. It is one of the most unique looking machines on the road, and there’s just something about being different that draws so many to the motorcycling world.
The big Duke features a 75 degree 1,301cc liquid cooled v-twin engine that pushes out 180 horsepower and a mountainous 106 lb.-ft. of torque. The engine is pulled from KTM’s RC8 superbike, but expands the bore from 105mm to 108mm and increases stroke from 69 to 71. It weighs 417 lbs dry, and seats the rider in a more upright, sport-touring position. This is ideal for riders who are seeking performance while maintaining comfort, or are getting older and just can’t assume the fetal position required to operate a standard sportbike.
The engine is pulled from the RC8 superbike, and strengthened.
I mentioned that it wasn’t the fastest motorcycle on the road, and it’s not. BUT, KTM claims that the Duke will go 0-124mph in 7.2 seconds. That’s fast. Unless you’re a professional motorcycle racer, you won’t ever come close reaching the Duke’s limit on the street or the track. So don’t let that line fool you. It’s not slow.
Up front the KTM sports WP Suspension inverted forks and a pair of 320mm brake discs wrapped by top-of-the-line Brembo monobloc four-piston calipers. In the rear, a WP Suspension fully adjustable shock keeps you firmly in control. The electronics package features selectable drive modes, ABS, and traction control.
If you’re looking for a more affordable, possibly safer option, be sure to check out the Super Duke’s little brother, the 690 Duke. KTM drops the “Super,” but maintains the fun. The little Duke is physically smaller with a 16mm shorter wheelbase and a dry weight of 337 pounds, 80 less than the Super Duke. It packs 70 horsepower from its single-cylinder engine and hits 48.9 lb-ft. of torque at 5420rpm.
The 690 Duke is down on power, but not on fun.
Both of these bikes are considered “naked” which basically means that they lack side fairings. They are nearly as fast, just as fun, and a solid option for a new rider (naked bikes in general, NOT the Super Duke. It is not squid-friendly.) For whatever reason, this distinction of plastic or no plastic only matters to insurance companies and can lead to a greatly reduced insurance charge. Add another plus for the Dukes. A lack of fairings can also reduce your cost to get back on the road if God-forbid you happen to crash. A new set of plastics from the factory can run upwards of $1,000, so invest in a couple engine case covers for the Duke and if you do crash, you’ll spend about $100 replacing broken parts.
By any measure, the Super Duke is not a traditional “sportbike,” but I’m writing about it because I personally think it’s one of the coolest bikes in the world and has the perfect combination of power, style, agility, and comfort. This is the funnest bike you could buy. Now, pricing hasn’t been officially introduced yet, but it’s safe to assume this beast won’t be cheap. Some numbers have leaked from the U.K. of a price near £13,999, which equates to just over $23,000. The official number should be released soon as these machines hit showroom floors as 2014 models in the coming months. The current-generation 690 Duke has been around since the 2012 model year, after taking a few years hiatus from the production line. The starting price for one of those is a tidy $8,999.