New Super Duke 1290R Evo

Evoex said:
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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I'm glad you enjoy it as much as I do mine. At around 3500km now I still have no complaints with the way the bike works minus a software issue that a few people have also had (options disappear in the menus) and is fixed by an update. It's hard on rear tires, though!

It really is a jekyll/hyde bike and the best part is that the KTM power parts catalogue will let you make it into lots of different sorts of bikes if you want, like touring, more mixed riding, track-oriented, they really spoil us for choice.

I'll have my bike into GP in a week or two for that software update, oil change, possibly tires and an install of the heated grips which came in from backorder. I'm going to add a small flyscreen (I like most of the wind tbh) and a Leo Vince slip-on. I may take the exhaust servo out, depending on whether tuning is available as I'm worried about taking a lean Euro4-targetted fuel map and making it even leaner by opening up the exhaust.
 
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Probably the last ride of 2023. Some good quality riding despite the 10C temps and the sand on some of the roads (River Road East out of Tamworth in particular). The heated grips were great and I would probably have bailed on the ride without them. As always the bike worked fantastically and once again the ZH2 was unable to drop it in a straight line, much to the chagrin of its owner (not really, we're good friends). Both bikes found it pretty easy to spin up the tires (Ross Corsa 4) at the temperatures involved.

Bonus points if you know where this picture was taken.
 
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Flashed the bike with a BT-Moto tune. Here are the list of changes (from the web site)

  • More horsepower and torque through per cylinder fueling and ignition targets optimized
  • Plug and play mapping for popular, proven modifications
  • Per-cylinder fueling the OEM way
  • Cooler engine temps
  • Better and smoother throttle response
  • No "magic" box needed for signals/lights to work
  • Injector cutoff modified - Stock deceleration is too aggressive
  • Optional Extra RPM range for longer acceleration and less shifts for the track / canyon focused (I did)
  • Completely plug-and-play and customized for any mod combination
The KTM 1290 in stock format isn’t very restricted, lean, rich, nor under-timed. While still a stock bike, including tune, you should feel a drastic change in overall rideability, response feel and rev-range, with power increases you can feel. With modifications we can extract larger power gains.

NEW ECU NEW FEATURES FOR 2020+ KTM​

  • Quick shifter torque limit adjusted
  • Cruise control speed limiter adjusted
  • Top speed limiter off
  • Optional RPM limiter adjusted to 11,000 RPM (I did)
  • Quick shifter upshift limits adjusted to 11,000 RPM
  • Exhaust valve limits opened for more power and fuller sound
  • Throttle TPS limits opened from 80%
  • Throttle mapping 15% quicker, 0-100% for shorter throttle grip response
  • Smooth deceleration off
I've only had a chance to ride the bike about 50km (last night) but I can attest that this changes the attitude of the bike pretty remarkably. Not only is the power delivery much more aggressive, but I actually think that Track mode might be just a little too aggressive for the street now. The bike sounds different, the exhaust pops and crackles now (I now have a Leo Vince slip-on) and overall the bike is more smooth and more fun... the deceleration makes a real difference, I often felt like taking my hand off a hard throttle run was like hitting the brake hard enough to make the back tire bark sometimes (and it did more than once).

In "sport" throttle mode, the bike is probably about right for most street use with this tune, and makes the bike just ... smoother. The added revs are something I'll only use if I'm doing something that the law would frown on, and of course I would never break the law (299,792,448 meters per second, it's not just a good idea, it's the law)
 
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A couple of pictures of the bike with the Leo Vince pipe and flyscreen on (also, removed the rear pegs). I have an Evotech plate hanger to install but I've been procrastinating...
 
Shaman said:
View attachment 68552

Flashed the bike with a BT-Moto tune. Here are the list of changes (from the web site)

  • More horsepower and torque through per cylinder fueling and ignition targets optimized
  • Plug and play mapping for popular, proven modifications
  • Per-cylinder fueling the OEM way
  • Cooler engine temps
  • Better and smoother throttle response
  • No "magic" box needed for signals/lights to work
  • Injector cutoff modified - Stock deceleration is too aggressive
  • Optional Extra RPM range for longer acceleration and less shifts for the track / canyon focused (I did)
  • Completely plug-and-play and customized for any mod combination
The KTM 1290 in stock format isn’t very restricted, lean, rich, nor under-timed. While still a stock bike, including tune, you should feel a drastic change in overall rideability, response feel and rev-range, with power increases you can feel. With modifications we can extract larger power gains.

NEW ECU NEW FEATURES FOR 2020+ KTM​

  • Quick shifter torque limit adjusted
  • Cruise control speed limiter adjusted
  • Top speed limiter off
  • Optional RPM limiter adjusted to 11,000 RPM (I did)
  • Quick shifter upshift limits adjusted to 11,000 RPM
  • Exhaust valve limits opened for more power and fuller sound
  • Throttle TPS limits opened from 80%
  • Throttle mapping 15% quicker, 0-100% for shorter throttle grip response
  • Smooth deceleration off
I've only had a chance to ride the bike about 50km (last night) but I can attest that this changes the attitude of the bike pretty remarkably. Not only is the power delivery much more aggressive, but I actually think that Track mode might be just a little too aggressive for the street now. The bike sounds different, the exhaust pops and crackles now (I now have a Leo Vince slip-on) and overall the bike is more smooth and more fun... the deceleration makes a real difference, I often felt like taking my hand off a hard throttle run was like hitting the brake hard enough to make the back tire bark sometimes (and it did more than once).

In "sport" throttle mode, the bike is probably about right for most street use with this tune, and makes the bike just ... smoother. The added revs are something I'll only use if I'm doing something that the law would frown on, and of course I would never break the law (299,792,448 meters per second, it's not just a good idea, it's the law)
Click to expand...
All we really want to know is, does is still lug the engine in 6th gear @120 😆

I assume this is more gearing than anything.
 
Evoex said:
All we really want to know is, does is still lug the engine in 6th gear @120 😆

I assume this is more gearing than anything.
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100% this is gearing. The 1390R changed the gearbox to address this, but for us you'd need a final drive change. Which I'll do next year, I think, when the chain is nearer its end.
 
Need to spend time on the new speed triple to see how it compares 🤔
 
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