KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R (2016-2023) Specs, Performance & Photos

The Austrian KTM 1290 Super Duke R is a naked motorcycle manufactured by KTM in 2014 and continues production until the present (2023). The bike has a 1,301cc V-twin engine at its core that can push it to 289 kph (180 mph), and it has gained the reputation of being the most powerful LC8 engine with the 2017 upgrade.

The bikes produced between 2014 and 2016 were considered to have too soft suspension, which was addressed with stiffer springs with the 2017 upgrade that also made the LC8 engine the most powerful unit ever built by KTM.

The 2017 upgrade brought technical improvements, such as Cruise Control as standard and upgraded electronics, including the lean angle sensitive traction control, ride-by-wire, and an optional Track mode alongside the previous model's cornering ABS, riding modes, and quick-shifter.

In 2016, the Austrian motorcycle manufacturer released the KTM 1290 Super Duke R, which perfectly embodies KTM's philosophy: endless power, highest precision, perfect ergonomics, finest ingredients, not a gram too much, simply "Ready to Race.”

Underneath its fuel tank, the 2016 KTM 1290 Super Duke had installed a 1,301cc four-stroke liquid-cooled two-cylinder engine managed by a fuel injection system, delivering 173 hp and 144 Nm (106 lb-ft) torque.

The bike's 17-inch wheels were fitted with two 320 mm Brembo discs on the front with four-piston calipers and a single brake disc coupled to a dual-piston Brembo caliper, offering excellent stopping power.