KTM Super Duke 1290 R
Discussion
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Never felt confident on mine cranked over. My mate reckoned I wasn't cornering any slower but it felt like it. Had the suspension set up but that never helped. In actual fact I changed it again on the front after a bit of geeking and that improved it slightly. always felt like I was fighting to get it turned in where as my 950/990 always dropped in nicely.Had M7RR's on it but didn't have anything to compare them to on the SDR. They never let go but they seemed to lack feedback and that makes you think they may just go if they were going to. Always felt more confident on Michilen Power 2ct despite being an older tyre. A quick bike but never quite felt 100% happy on it.
Richyboy said:
Get the exhaust, its mental with it.
Random stuff I can put forward after owning for some time. The ktm tail bag is very useful, you can have a usb cable come up from the hole in my picture, below the pillion seat. The under pillion seat mobile phone holder is a bit redundant, I use a quad lock mount for my phone and have a cable that reaches to the under seat USB port. The rabbit ears look terrible so I replaced them with CRG lanesplitters, that are excellent. I don’t use the cruise control as much as I did with the s1000r, I think it’s because I like the engine feel a lot more.
The evotech crash bar things actually look good on this bike, like an oem part.
I had the suspension setup, which improved it massively.
Wind protection is probably the best for a naked. The bike is very comfortable on long rides.
You have to make sure the battery inside the keyless key is supported by a grey cover, if that isn’t there the battery moves and isn’t registered by the bike. TPMS warned me of a rear puncture but I think the front sensor is faulty.
I was thinking of selling mine when the new s1000rr comes out but I’m not sure that bike would entertain as much as the KTM on the road.
You have almost everything on your bike that I want to get when I buy one.Random stuff I can put forward after owning for some time. The ktm tail bag is very useful, you can have a usb cable come up from the hole in my picture, below the pillion seat. The under pillion seat mobile phone holder is a bit redundant, I use a quad lock mount for my phone and have a cable that reaches to the under seat USB port. The rabbit ears look terrible so I replaced them with CRG lanesplitters, that are excellent. I don’t use the cruise control as much as I did with the s1000r, I think it’s because I like the engine feel a lot more.
The evotech crash bar things actually look good on this bike, like an oem part.
I had the suspension setup, which improved it massively.
Wind protection is probably the best for a naked. The bike is very comfortable on long rides.
You have to make sure the battery inside the keyless key is supported by a grey cover, if that isn’t there the battery moves and isn’t registered by the bike. TPMS warned me of a rear puncture but I think the front sensor is faulty.
I was thinking of selling mine when the new s1000rr comes out but I’m not sure that bike would entertain as much as the KTM on the road.
I've heard a few comments about the front end being a bit skittish, has anyone added a steering damper and did that help ?
jackh707 said:
mak -
Is that a standard RC8R or is it the one I’ve seen about with the 1290 engine in it?
I was getting mine serviced and there was a white one in that had been rebuilt with with 1290SD engine, looked interesting?
Not mine mate, I have heard of that bike, the rc8r came out in 2011 ( mine is a 2013) so its old technology now but it still quotes 175 bhp with 98 ron fuel . Is that a standard RC8R or is it the one I’ve seen about with the 1290 engine in it?
I was getting mine serviced and there was a white one in that had been rebuilt with with 1290SD engine, looked interesting?
The engine in the 1290r is massively different, even though its only a bit bigger, the rc8r is very linear like my old rsv4 factory but with more torque .
I honestly believe the 1290r engine in the rc8 would be horrible, you don't wont that kind of grunt in a sports bike, saying that I wouldn't turn down a go on the thing
anonymous said:
[redacted]
The front end is fine, like I said before its a bike you cannot take out for an hours test ride and try and rag the pants of it round the twisters, it will kill you 
I purchased my mk1 without a test ride, after running the thing in I started pushing on through my favourite Sunday road rides and it became apparent it doesn't turn to quick and will push out wide with any hint of throttle, it also squats like a b
h under hard acceleration and keeps the front light.I needed a plan because trying to keep up with my idiot mate on his 2016 tuono factory was pushing my luck, more rear preload to stop it squatting , forks dropped a tiny bit and the bars moved forward on to the ktm track setting plus some tweaks from the manual for compression and rebound transforms the bike. The 2017 is the same although strangely enough ktm sells them standard with the bars forward.
It still requires a few months learning how to ride it quick but for me its rewarding, I've had so many bikes over the last few years that are so capable of easily assessable performance that rolling them back in the garage after a run out on the road leaves you cold
In this league of bike I don't thinks there's much to choose from to be honest, what do we have ? bmw 1000r/ 1290r/ MT 10SP / Tuono . What else is there to consider ? I may be tempted by a v4 Ducati if it ever comes out .
Edited by mak on Thursday 20th September 20:29
Edited by mak on Thursday 20th September 20:33
Bit disappointed by reports on the handling. I thought the whole point of a bike like this was the flat bars would give the leverage to drop it into a corner with sports bike handling and power. I also like the tall seat as I’m quite tall and all legs.
My Benelli TNT 1130 handled well but it was unreliable. I guess it’s back to the drawing board.
My Benelli TNT 1130 handled well but it was unreliable. I guess it’s back to the drawing board.
Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 20th September 20:50
wormus said:
Bit disappointed by reports on the handling. I thought the whole point of a bike like this was the flat bars would give the leverage to drop it into a corner with sports bike handling and power. I also like the tall seat as I’m quite tall and all legs.
My Benelli TNT 1130 handled well but it was unreliable. I guess it’s back to the drawing board.
My 1290GT handles lovely. I run the suspension in street mode with 1 rider and luggage preload to raise the rear a little and it's cock on. My Benelli TNT 1130 handled well but it was unreliable. I guess it’s back to the drawing board.
Edited by wormus on Thursday 20th September 20:50
wormus said:
Is the suspension on the GT more adjustable than on the R ?
The GT is electronic and semi active so you can alter preload and damping via a setting where as the R uses traditional suspension I believe.The GT has three damping modes, comfort, street and sport. I was on a French tour last week and on our way home through Wales found the comfort mode to be perfect on a steady ride in the rain on smooth fast A roads. Was too soft for anything bumpy or when you want to wind up the pace, then you just select street. Sport is too hard most of the time for my riding so I don't bother with it.
The R is most adjustable in that front and rear and comp and rebound can be adjusted individually.
The semi active bit of the GT seems to work well but without being able to turn it off it's hard to tell how much difference it makes.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I know who you mean with the R, there is another of my lot that also has the R. Its got alot more initial punch but if both in the right gear there is very little in it and as you said the Tuono edges above 140
Having ridden one I've said a few times the SD is an amazing bike but makes me think of a big Yank muscle car with electronics to try and tame it a bit where as the Tuono is more like a Ferrari and does things when pushed just a little more composed
For me the sdr is like birky says, a muscle bike like the mt10 in a way, has way better suspension than the stock mt10, massive motor and massive acceleration.
The tuono is definelty more track focussed and has a creamier engine, The speed RS is similar to the tuono where it shines on track and holds its speed well. But the superduke down hanger straight at least makes ground on the speed I can catch up in the corners.
The s1000r is brilliant but the engine is too vibey for me anyway.
The tuono is definelty more track focussed and has a creamier engine, The speed RS is similar to the tuono where it shines on track and holds its speed well. But the superduke down hanger straight at least makes ground on the speed I can catch up in the corners.
The s1000r is brilliant but the engine is too vibey for me anyway.
clen666 said:
I’ve liked the idea of these for a while, never ridden one but seriously considering one.
Are the updates on the mk2 worth stumping up the extra over the mk1?
Was the vague front end improved on the mk2?
Not ridden a mk1 but the dash is defo much nicer on the MK2, one of the many reasons I bought one, though the keyless start is a fAre the updates on the mk2 worth stumping up the extra over the mk1?
Was the vague front end improved on the mk2?
king ball ache, I've had mine a month and it was recovered to the dealer on sat as it's completely dead. The ignition button has been intermittently playing up and now just won't turn on at all, I'm not happy.
When the bike is running, it's f
king ace, bit this has put a proper dampener on it for me, hoping once it's sorted, all will be well.foxsasha said:
My 1290GT handles lovely. I run the suspension in street mode with 1 rider and luggage preload to raise the rear a little and it's cock on.
I have the 2019 GT, my preference is for the suspension is single rider, no luggage, comfort with engine in sport, it's sublime, I hover over bumpy roads floppy armed, great fun.ollie05 said:
Not ridden a mk1 but the dash is defo much nicer on the MK2, one of the many reasons I bought one, though the keyless start is a fking ball ache, I've had mine a month and it was recovered to the dealer on sat as it's completely dead.
The ignition button has been intermittently playing up and now just won't turn on at all, I'm not happy.
When the bike is running, it's fking ace, bit this has put a proper dampener on it for me, hoping once it's sorted, all will be well.
The only thing I want keyless ignition on is my lawn mower. Its going to be a real issue for me when I'm faced with having to buy a keyless bike or car. king ball ache, I've had mine a month and it was recovered to the dealer on sat as it's completely dead. The ignition button has been intermittently playing up and now just won't turn on at all, I'm not happy.
When the bike is running, it's f
king ace, bit this has put a proper dampener on it for me, hoping once it's sorted, all will be well.Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff