RideFast Magazine March 2020

9. Enough homework—tell
me how the electronics work
already! Road ABS works
well, but can be conservative
at times, especially for a bike
with this type of performance.
I would like to see a more
aggressive ABS mode that
retains cornering support,
acting as a middle ground
between Road and the
racetrack-ready Supermoto
setting. Supermoto mode
performed superbly, letting you
trail brake deep without a hint
of intervention on track. The TC
is quite linear, allowing more
wheelspin and slip as you bump
down from level 9 to 1. I found
level 5 most comfortable on
track; it subtly reigned in power
when I needed it, and gave
me some rope when I wanted
it while riding the undulating
circuit that is Portimão. Levels
1-3 are recommended with slick
tyres, and I’d agree with that, as
it lets the leash out.
“The Super Duke R is
seemingly designed to do
wheelies, as all that torque
will quickly point the front
wheel to the sky.”
10. To wheelie control or
not wheelie control, that is
the question. The Super Duke
R is seemingly designed to do
wheelies, as all that torque will
quickly point the front wheel to
the sky. On the street, I kept WC
on, and Sport mode will let you
loft over rises for a laugh. On
the track, WC will restrict power
and help keep the front end
planted when cresting over the
many massive hills throughout
Portimão, as it’s intended
to do. Although my wheelie
game needs work, I was able
to manage the Super Duke R’s
gentle skyward rise between
the throttle and rear brake. With
WC off, I found my exits to be
much stronger. Interestingly,
the 1290’s WC lacks multiple
settings like many of KTM’s
competitors; it’s either on or off.
The WC setting asks riders a
pretty simple question: Do you
want to wheelie or not?
11. An all-new, stiffer
chassis has imbued the Super
Duke R with greater track
chops, without sacrificing
street prowess. KTM engineers
wanted more front-end feel,
greater chassis rigidity, and
improved handling—they got
it all. Visually, the all-new
steel trellis frame is a stark
contrast to its predecessor,
with additional bracing points
towards the front of the engine,
while also being 4.4 pounds
lighter. Three millimeters of
offset was added to the newly
designed triple clamps, too. To
improve anti-squat properties
when on the gas, the swingarm
was raised 5mm, in addition
to being 15 percent stiffer.
The shock also gets new
linkage. The longest-in-class
wheelbase grows 0.6 inches
to 58.9 inches. Meanwhile,
the rake has increased by 0.7
degrees to 25.2 degrees. Finally,
the engine is 38mm higher,
raising the center of gravity,
giving the rider greater leverage
to overcoming those sizeable
geometry dimensions.
12. Those chassis changes
have a considerable impact.
From the moment we hit the
street, it was apparent how
much easier the Super Duke
R steers and initiates a turn,
even at low speeds. The stiffer
chassis has traded some
comfort in the name of stability,
but that’s a compromise I’ll
gladly make. When met with
compression bumps and other
inconsistencies, the Super
Duke R is solid, gobbling them
up and pressing on. All of that
translates to the track, where
the higher center of gravity
makes it more agile, quickly
getting on and off the edge
of the tyre. At the same time,
the new swingarm improves
mechanical grip dramatically
and helps cornering when hard
on the gas. The front-end feel
is superior, letting you put your
faith in it as you barrel into
turn 1 from, slowing from 160
mph. In short, this chassis is
fantastic.
56 RIDEFAST MAGAZINE MARCH 2020