1701 RF final

have some headshake at each upshift, though
once I relaxed a little and put less input into
the bars it almost went away. This indicates
that it was mostly my fault, and not the bike.
Incidentally, the SDR does have a nonadjustable
WP steering damper tucked under
the lower triple clamp.
The six-speed gearbox is still the
same exemplary Super Duke R, and
goes unchanged. Sixth gear is
unnecessary on the street, as the
spread of power is so broad and
strong low-down that
you have to be doing
well over 80 mph
in top gear in
order to avoid
lugging the
motor. Sporttouring
riders
will appreciate
the new
cruise control,
tyre pressure
monitoring system,
and Bluetooth connectivity on the bike, as
well as the gorgeous new TFT color display
instrument pod that is super-easy to read and
now position-adjustable.
Electronics
The most significant change is to the
electronics suite. Although the standard bike’s
price will be pretty much unchanged, you
will probably want to add the two optional
software packages—the Performance
Pack and the Track Pack. Pricing is to be
announced, but expect them to be around
R6000 each. Both packs supplement the
standard rider aids that include the three riding
modes—Sport, Street, and Rain. They change
the power output and level of traction control,
while cornering ABS modulates braking
appropriately based on lean angle.
The Performance Pack adds a muchneeded
quickshifter and it includes a flawless
blip-downshifter, as well as a back-torque
limiter—an additional electronic rear wheel
slip control that supplements the mechanical
slipper clutch.
26 RIDEFAST MAGAZINE JANUARY 2017