New Super Duke 1290R Evo | GTAMotorcycle.com

New Super Duke 1290R Evo

Shaman

Shaman

Well-known member
This 3rd-generation Super Duke has become a bike to rival all the other super-nakeds and as a bike designed from the ground-up to be a naked bike it exceeds the usability of many of them in my opinion. This could easily be the best street bike on the road and I would not be surprised after 800km of riding.

A bike that sets its own suspension sags and can be configured manually, automatically or by setting? That you can disable the rear brake ABS? Heck yes. But more than that, all the settings make real differences and are noticeable. There's no slack or slop in the electronics as I've seen in other bikes, where you're wondering what the difference really was.

In the interests of break-in I haven't been hard on the gas for more than a few seconds at a time (and it's superbike fast so that's not nothing). With 180hp, 103tq and a fully-wet weight of 442 pounds, this thing is fun, fast and loves a cheery little power wheelie even with me trying to be relatively sensible about it. "Sport" mode allows them.

This will probably be my last sporting street bike, so I wanted to make it a good one. Not disappointed. If I'm really, really picky I'd say the steering damper needs a little thicker oil in it, and the turn signal is really a pressure switch and so it takes some getting used to. Other than that, everything is great.

Pics:


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I feel like it looks better in person. Somehow the camera makes the bike look shorter than it really is and the side fairings don't make the same impression as you get beside it. But hey, if everyone liked the same thing they would make them all grey or something. :p
 
Amazing. Big congrats.
 
I'll honestly say that compared to my 2007 Tuono it is more nimble and of course the engine is a massive step up from an old early 2000s EFI twin in terms of power production and fuelling. The brakes, well ... it's a wash but the KTM has ABS. As far as comfort and suspension quality it's also a big step up from the old Tuono, though the seat is better on the KTM it's a bit wider so it's overall similarly comfortable for me. I'm used to race bikes and supersports, so it's good.

As for the Tuono, that is what I wanted, complete with the Factory electronic suspension. But a) the KTM is actually a little more advanced, though may not be better and b) the KTM out the door with all the Tech Pack software options and heated grips was less than the base list price on the Tuono Factory. That would make it about $7000 cheaper, maybe a bit more.

The Tuono is a better track bike and might handle a little better in many circumstances but for smiles per mile, the KTM will be hard to beat. It's a beastly v-twin with a bad attitude when you want it and a faithful dog when you don't. The electronics really make BIG differences with this bike. When you put it into "comfort" mode it really is a sloppy old thing and when you put it into "sport" it's just a little too harsh for half of Ontario roads, completely jeckyll/hyde. But you don't have to choose, it can watch how you ride and adjust on the fly. You can set your sags either automatically, manually or semi-automatic. There's 5 ride modes + Advanced. 5 throttle maps + Advanced. 7 base suspension settings + Advanced. There's 9 traction control levels and 9 engine back-torque settings. Up/down quickshifter. Cruise control. Supermoto mode to disable the rear brake ABS. Two custom quick-select settings with a toggle. There's on-screen navigation using your phone's bluetooth capability, along with headphone pairing, so you can keep your phone somewhere out of sight as long as there's GPS resolution, and not have to mount it right up on the handlebars. It's just so damned full of features, I haven't done more than skimmed the surface of finding the combinations I like.

Plus, I've had a RSV4 for 11 years and still have one as a race bike. So, time to replace my old Tuono that is still great but, time has moved on. I think I've had my last race-replica for the street.
 
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I feel like they would look so much better with a round front headlight... I think KTM is missing the mark on their front end design... fantastic bike other than that. A local guy just bought one of those with a full SC Project system... really mean sounding.
 
Fahugwagaads said:
I feel like they would look so much better with a round front headlight... I think KTM is missing the mark on their front end design... fantastic bike other than that. A local guy just bought one of those with a full SC Project system... really mean sounding.
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The vag face has got them this far

Sent from the future
 
Deal's Gap trip complete. Bike worked flawlessly, was fast enough to harass a ZH2 in a straight line and handled so well that I got lazy with body position. Very happy with this bike.

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ZH2 has about 15-20hp advantage but probably weighs more. Even with how it makes power with that SC; you could probably could harass one all day and stomp it in the corners.
 
The ZH2 weighs a lot more. The 1290R Evo is 442lbs full of fuel and liquids. Without the electronic suspension, about 4.5 pounds less.

A quick Goog on the ZH2 says they're 529lbs. Not sure if that's with or without fuel.
 
Congrats!
Do they still have 'track' mode? (extra) It was the most aggressive fun as I recall.

Shaman said:
The ZH2 weighs a lot more. The 1290R Evo is 442lbs full of fuel and liquids. Without the electronic suspension, about 4.5 pounds less.

A quick Goog on the ZH2 says they're 529lbs. Not sure if that's with or without fuel.
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interesting, maybe they lost 20 lbs with the evo model?

My 2020 was always quoted at around 460-467 on the road, it never felt heavy but it never felt super light either.

How do you find the vibrations? I always had annoying vibes in 2nd gear, felt usually at corner exits, after speaking to other owners its apparently more present in the right foot peg. (supposedly because the muffler/exhaust bracket is touching or connected somehow to the foot peg bracket?)
 
They lost significant weight for their 2022 and 2023 models, yes. The frame itself is something like 3.5# lighter, but that's just one of many things they've done to lighten the bike. KTM has some of the details on the site, but even the engine cases got lightening for the 3rd gen model.

I don't feel any unpleasant vibes unless the bike is in a higher gear and is under 5,000 RPM. These big sporting v-twins, just like my Tuono, want to be hovering somewhere around 5,000 RPM or so to be happy. Which is fine, they'll rev to over 10,000 rpm so that's halfway up the tach. I get good fuel mileage in 4th around 120kph so I'm OK with that.

The stock gearing is tall, though. Forget 6th gear, I can't really use 5th for regular riding, it's really only good at 125kph+ or you get that low-RPM vibe going on telling you the engine is lugging a little. This isn't a lot different than the stock RSV4 gearing, so I'm unbothered by it. I'm sure that I will be doing a 520 X-ring chain conversion at some point to drop a few pounds and add a couple of rear teeth + a link to lower final drive. I'd like to be able to use 5th gear, as I think two teeth should put 120kph right bang on 4800 RPM, which should make the short-stroke, big-bore mill happy all day.
 
Whelp,

After some 300kms of spirited riding I can attest that @Shaman and @bigpoppa are correct. This is the best street bike I've ever ridden, full stop.

I'm probably most impressed at just how cheerful it is being docile at 15kms and 10x that.

As far as I'm concerned this bike disserves all the praise it's been getting here/reviews and more.
 
Its certainly the most fun.

7thxey.jpg

Evoex said:
Whelp,

After some 300kms of spirited riding I can attest that @Shaman and @bigpoppa are correct. This is the best street bike I've ever ridden, full stop.

I'm probably most impressed at just how cheerful it is being docile at 15kms and 10x that.

As far as I'm concerned this bike disserves all the praise it's been getting here/reviews and more.
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Shaman said:
They lost significant weight for their 2022 and 2023 models, yes. The frame itself is something like 3.5# lighter, but that's just one of many things they've done to lighten the bike. KTM has some of the details on the site, but even the engine cases got lightening for the 3rd gen model.

I don't feel any unpleasant vibes unless the bike is in a higher gear and is under 5,000 RPM. These big sporting v-twins, just like my Tuono, want to be hovering somewhere around 5,000 RPM or so to be happy. Which is fine, they'll rev to over 10,000 rpm so that's halfway up the tach. I get good fuel mileage in 4th around 120kph so I'm OK with that.

The stock gearing is tall, though. Forget 6th gear, I can't really use 5th for regular riding, it's really only good at 125kph+ or you get that low-RPM vibe going on telling you the engine is lugging a little. This isn't a lot different than the stock RSV4 gearing, so I'm unbothered by it. I'm sure that I will be doing a 520 X-ring chain conversion at some point to drop a few pounds and add a couple of rear teeth + a link to lower final drive. I'd like to be able to use 5th gear, as I think two teeth should put 120kph right bang on 4800 RPM, which should make the short-stroke, big-bore mill happy all day.
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I have noticed it's pretty much unhappy in 6th, lol.
 
Evoex said:
I have noticed it's pretty much unhappy in 6th, lol.
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You would have to be doing silly speeds to feel at home in 6th 😂
 
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