Photo: visordown.com
While we already discussed quite a lot about the newest and most dynamic segment of the two-wheeled industry, the sport-adventure class, things are far from being settled. That is, KTM is going to throw in their own top-displacement machine in the fray, up against Ducati's Multistrada 1200 and BMW's S1000XR. The name of the Mattighofen champion is 1290 Super Duke GT.
Peering eyes managed to spot the 1290 Super Duke GT in Spain, in an area where KTM has established a base for road testing new motorcycles. The bike was spotted before, but this is the cleanest photo of it we got so far. Even more, the 1290 Super Duke GT is only partially camouflaged, so we can get a better glimpse of what the autumn will (hopefully) bring.
The bike is derived from the Super Duke R, also known as The Beast. This means a 1,301cc displacement, and 180 horsies to fool around with. The Beast can wheelie in almost any gear and is a real asphalt scorcher, but we can expect that its sport-adventure version was tamed a bit.
So far, nobody knows whether Mattighofen decided to leave the engine untouched, or tamed it down a bit, like pretty much everybody does with their premium superbike power plants when switching classes.
180 horsepower for a sport-touring bike does indeed sound a bit on the overkill side, and with this KTM being a v-twin, great torque deployment in the lower rpm range is already assured. We, can, however expect some engine tuning for a more streetable, less fatiguing character that's more suitable for longer rides.
The photo visordown shows does not bring too much info, save for the fact that the rear subframe of the 1290 Super Duke GT seems to have been reinforced. The move is easy to understand, as the GT is expected to be able to haul a lot more luggage than what the R can handle.
Now, that the 1290 Super Duke GT looks like almost ready to roll, we can really expect it to hit the dealerships this year, with KTM possibly not even patient enough to wait for the Intermot or EICMA to launch the bike.
After all, it's only mid-May, and the KTM 1290 Super Duke GT seems almost finished. Mattighoffen could gain a lot by offering it in mid-season (if possible), with good several months for long trips remaining this summer/autumn. Stay tuned for more info soon.
The 1290 Super Duke GT looks like serious road fun, just like its rivals
So far, it's hard to tell how the upcoming KTM machine will stack up against the rest of the big-bore bikes in the segment. What is, however, certain is the fact that the 1290 Super Duke GT promises to be exceptionally fun in the hands of experienced riders.The bike is derived from the Super Duke R, also known as The Beast. This means a 1,301cc displacement, and 180 horsies to fool around with. The Beast can wheelie in almost any gear and is a real asphalt scorcher, but we can expect that its sport-adventure version was tamed a bit.
So far, nobody knows whether Mattighofen decided to leave the engine untouched, or tamed it down a bit, like pretty much everybody does with their premium superbike power plants when switching classes.
180 horsepower for a sport-touring bike does indeed sound a bit on the overkill side, and with this KTM being a v-twin, great torque deployment in the lower rpm range is already assured. We, can, however expect some engine tuning for a more streetable, less fatiguing character that's more suitable for longer rides.
The photo visordown shows does not bring too much info, save for the fact that the rear subframe of the 1290 Super Duke GT seems to have been reinforced. The move is easy to understand, as the GT is expected to be able to haul a lot more luggage than what the R can handle.
Now, that the 1290 Super Duke GT looks like almost ready to roll, we can really expect it to hit the dealerships this year, with KTM possibly not even patient enough to wait for the Intermot or EICMA to launch the bike.
After all, it's only mid-May, and the KTM 1290 Super Duke GT seems almost finished. Mattighoffen could gain a lot by offering it in mid-season (if possible), with good several months for long trips remaining this summer/autumn. Stay tuned for more info soon.
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