S3<£V~'il!.!4,~
McGRAW INSURANCE· USA ROUND
Stunt Rld.r
Brakes are the latest Brembo hardware,
with a single 320mm rotor and four-piston
caliper providing the majority of the
stopping power, The ~mm WP
conventional forks replace the old 40mm
units and are valved for greater
compression damping.
_ A l r o e......
World'. B. .t
edged appeal ill its revised form,.t:hough
it till is by no means a SUpern1ono race
replica: Think streetrod, not sportbike.
The front wheel stays planted in turns,
while you slide the back end around on
the brake or on the throttle - though the
Pirelli street-enduro tires fitted to the
Supermoto are arguably better suited to
this kind of bike than the grippier
Bridgestones; maybe a front Bridgie and
rear P-type would be the hot tip. Bu t
whatever the choice, the Duke is a bike
tha t in viles - even commands - you to
work hard at riding it. This is not a
motorcycle you can hop aboard and just
cruise around on - not that you'd want
to anyway. Using the engme's torque to
propel you out of a tum invites the front
wheel to pop up and the bike to get all
quirrely - just as it did on the way in if
you stepped too hard on the back brake.
The improved Brembo brakes and the
bike's light weight give excellent stopping power (the single front disc is more
than up to the task, without heavying
up the steering by fitting its twin), and
while the suspension is not as supple a
it was previously, I preferred the 640
Supermoto's fork ettings, as they're
more compliant and responsive, and
also improved ride quality over bumpy
roads. It makes the Duke even more of a
tarmac tool than ever before, only one
that requires even more commitment
from the rider en route to taking full
advantage of KTM's evident design
objective, which is to deliver the streetweeper supreme - a guaranteed grinbike.
Overall, then, the Duke U's makeover
has been a success - and if you don't
agree with all the changes that KTM has
made, the Supermoto or even the Six
Days street-enduro versions of the LC4
family provide a viable alternative.
Really, what KTM has done here is to
offer the fullest possible range of fourstroke street singles to sa lisfy every po sible taste... well, all apart from'an outright cafe racer.
Singles to go. You to decide how you
want 'em!
e-
Kid'. Co".1
SaruNay July '0, '9911
at the
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Tickets on sale now! Call your local TiiXiiJ'~~
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