2016 KTM 1290 Super Duke R - WHAT I’VE BEEN RIDING

In preparation for the upcoming launch of KTM’s 2017 1290 Super Duke R, I’ve commandeered the keys to a 2016 Super Duke R test bike we had sitting around. A true back-to-back comparison isn’t in the cards, but I figure a few weeks spent on the 2016 model should give me something to base my opinion on the new bike around.

It’s also been a good reminder of how the Super Duke strikes a perfect balance between too-much and just enough, with massive power and still a very controllable feel.

Oh, and wheelies. Yeah, there were lots of wheelies in the making of this What I've Been Riding. Because torque!

"What I've Been Riding" is a new segment for editors who may not have already written about a certain bike to toss their personal opinions in. Because it's fun for us, hopefully interesting for you, and a great way to create some more discussion around the stuff you're asking us about. The bottom of the page will give you links to things like first ride reviews, comparison tests, dyno runs, and other content we've run - all of which gets the broad-based and objective evaluation techniques you've come to expect from us. If you're dying to check out the specs or have a more technical question, we'd suggest perusing those before getting upset that these "reviews" don't contain our normal, rigorous efforts.

Starting from the beginning, I used the Super Duke mostly for commuting to and from the office. This includes about four to five miles of city street riding and 22 miles of highway. Creeping past traffic as bike and I warm up in this "cold" Southern California weather, the Super Duke feels smooth and mild-mannered. Traction control and ABS provide the safety net I want and need in the first few miles, even if they're more heavy-handed than I’d prefer once the roads clear up.

In the past, I’ve been pretty vocal about KTM’s dash and what it takes to turn those electronic rider aids off, but after three weeks I’ve come to grips with the button/dash setup. And actually don’t mind it much at this point. It turns out that, while in the "Favorites" screen, scrolling to the MTC line and holding the "Set" button will automatically take you into the rider-aid settings screen. From there, you don't even have to take your finger off the button. Just leave it pressed until told to do otherwise, and boom, TC is off. There's still some navigating needed if you want to turn ABS off or transfer over to the supermoto setting, but overall, it's not as bad as the hyper-critical person in me believed it was. If I time it right, I can get everything switched off at a stoplight and have some fun as I merge onto the freeway.

That said, it's still unfortunate that, on this model, TC is conservative enough that you have to turn the system off to have any real fun; with horsepower comes great responsibility I guess.

What did I come to like most about the Super Duke? Probably that it didn't mind how I wanted to ride it. Unlike high-strung naked bikes of yesteryear (looking at you, Ducati Street Fighter), it’s been just as happy cruising around town as it's been ripping down a tight canyon road. It’s a bike that can be whatever you want it to be: nice, mild-mannered, or the thing that gets you in more trouble than you can talk your way out of. I think it’s that versatile nature that has kept me on it for so long now.

The bike is more comfortable than I remember it being too. I thought at first I’d hate the narrow bar, but it actually puts my arms at a nice bend, and doesn’t seem to have a disadvantage in terms of steering leverage. Footpeg to seat gap is good for six-foot-tall riders, and the seat is flat, which is a nice change compared to a lot of sloped seats I’ve come across these days, which slam you right up against the tank. Perhaps the only issue is with the lack of wind protection and helmet buffet created by the headlight unit (new for 2017). Yeah, I know, it’s a naked bike, and you can't ask for much in the way of wind protection. But there are naked bikes that flow air over the headlight in a smoother manner.

Compared to that competition—think Aprilia Tuono V4 1100, BMW S 1000 R, Yamaha FZ-10, etc.—I’d say that the chassis isn’t quite as planted and confidence inspiring. I love the way that the Tuono sets into a corner, for example, and how it provides near perfect feedback from the contact patch. The Super Duke’s trellis frame feels like it moves around a bit, by comparison, zapping some confidence at corner entry and through the middle of the corner. The more miles I racked up, the more I realized this is one of those bikes that loves load; ride it harder, and it gets better. Regardless, I don’t think this is the absolute best chassis in the category. Maybe those guys racing them in the Super Twins class would disagree... But that’s my honest opinion.

At super low revs (below 3000 rpm) there’s a hint of big-twin roughness, but the Super Duke R’s powerplant is otherwise as good as they come. The bike leaps off the line, fuels smoothly, and has so much torque that you’ll never, ever get bored. That's a promise. Transmission is slick, and clutch feel is nice, too. I averaged right around 165-170 miles before filling up the tank (185, max), which I thought was okay considering the power figures and my general disregard for proper fuel consumption. That equates to an average of around 41 miles per gallon.

On the new bike, there’s even more power (a claimed 177 hp vs. a claimed 174 hp), plus updated styling, revised ergonomics, and new electronics. And while that power will be interesting to play with, I’m most interested in how the electronics have been improved. With a more up-to-date traction control/wheelie control system that doesn’t cut the power in as aggressive a manner, the list of shortcomings will be cut to...just about nothing.

Whatever the case, if you’ve ever got a chance to throw a leg over a Super Duke, I highly recommend it. For me, it’s been a great commuter, fun bike for weekend rides, and a whole hell of a lot of fun for everything in between. I'd throw some soft bags on the back, a windscreen up front, and be happy as a clam. Because torque!