Brabus is a well-known European builder of cars. It mostly specializes in modifying Mercedes-AMG machines, but we do get the occasional Porsches, Rolls-Royces, and even Range Rovers. Oh, and these guys also have a side business dealing with boats. But how about motorcycles?
Brabus does not produce bikes on its own, and it doesn't modify them either. But, as of 2022, it does lend its name, some of its expertise, and even engineers to the Austrians over at KTM.
The collab first started in 2022, when the Brabus 1300 R motorcycle broke cover. It was a heavily modified 1290 Super Duke R Evo made in just 154 units with some very special tweaks. It was a bike so impressive it sold out in just two minutes after the configurator went live.
Fueled by the success of the ride, one year later, the Brabus 1300 R Edition 23 broke cover, again as an altered variant of the 1290 Super Duke R Evo. This one was made too as a limited edition bike, this time with production capped at 290 units - and it too went out the door in mere minutes after the order books were open.
Both bikes were shown by KTM in the spring of their respective years, so we were expecting the same to happen in 2023. For some reason, it didn't, and we kind of got used to the thought we wouldn't have a Brabus bike this year. Boy, were we wrong.
Enter the 1300 R Masterpiece Edition, the bike that will put the nail in the rare Brabus-altered KTM bikes coffin for good. That's right, KTM said this 1290 Super Duke R Evo-based two-wheeler will be the last to be made together with the German tuner. Separately, it will also be the most exclusive, with just 50 bikes to be made.
The Masterpiece packs in its trellis frame a 1.3-liter LC8 V-Twin engine rated at 180 horsepower and 140 Nm of torque, being capable of shooting the bike to a top speed of 270 kph (168 mph). 62 mph is reached from a standstill in just 3.2 seconds.
Photo: KTM
That's the usual engine on this particular ride, and not the thing that makes it special. It's all those aftermarket parts the bike was fitted with, together with the fine touches seen all over, that do that.
The first thing one notices when looking at this ride is the abundance of carbon fiber. The material can be seen, exposed or otherwise, on the covers of the single-sided swingarm, some of the frame's sections, and various covers that go on the bike.
Another place where carbon is clearly visible is on the headlight visor. It goes over a headlight that's all Brabus and completely different from the production version 1290 Super Duke R Evo, a round LED piece that contributes greatly to giving the bike a distinctive look.
The wheels on which the bike moves are made by Brabus as well. They are of the Monoblock Z variety and both are sized at 17 inches. Wrapped in performance tires, they are supported by WP semi-active suspension.
Whereas the engine is the stock one, the exhaust system is made by Brabus. The system ends in decorative gold rings around the mufflers. The shiny color is also used on the wheels, the badge on the fuel tank that reads "1 of 25," and the badge on the seat, it too an element added by the German tuner. As a touch of extra cool, when the bike starts, its TFT display lights up with special graphics.
As said, KTM and Brabus will make just 50 of these babies. The production run is divided down the middle, with half of them to be offered in Onyx Black and the other half in Diamond White. The starting price for each of them is 41,930 euros, which is roughly $44,000 at today's exchange rates.
Photo: KTM
For that, riders get the bike itself, but also a custom-made indoor cover, a floor mat, and a carbon box to hold the keys of the ride. The cherry on the cake, each buyer of the Brabus 1300 R Masterpiece Edition will get the chance to tour the Brabus facility in Bottrop, Germany, and witness engineering magic.
Although high, the price is probably not something that will scare true fans away. We are now only left waiting to see how long it'll take for KTM to announce the special version is sold out. There is no mention as to when the motorcycle will become available for purchase, but chances are by the time you read this there will be no Brabus 1300 R Masterpiece Edition left to buy.
The full list of Brabus elements that make the 1290 Super Duke R Evo an Austrian-German ride on steroids can be studied in the press release section below.
Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies. Full profile
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