Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1462250
RIDE REVIEW I 2022 KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R P108 Super Duke to the track (shame on me), but I feel I'd want conventional suspension if I did. On the road, however, electronic suspension is king, in my book. And WP has made a damn good first of it for the first time on a Super Duke. I've ridden more Ohlins electronic bikes that I can think of, but this was the first time I tried WP on a super naked (not including the KTM Super Adventure). Sport setting is indeed very sporty, and not that pleas- ant over a long ride. It's fine for real canyon scratching, but most of my rides were com- pleted in Street mode, as it offered a far more compliant ride over SoCal's shithouse road surfaces. The suspension, combined with that stiffer, more responsive frame, makes the Super Duke a dynamo in corners. Load that front Bridgestone S22 rubber up, release the pressure on the Brembo brake package and let the chassis orb its way around the corner. It's not as telepathic as an Aprilia Tuono V4 Factory, but it's pretty close. Given it's a skinny V-twin, the Super Duke doesn't feel as big as it is in corners. The Super Duke has lost a bit of the rawness I fell in love with all those years ago, but refinement is not a bad thing at all. There's a degree of added sophistication with the new Super Duke, but it still uses that infuriating proximity key that seems to work when it wants to, as well as the dash that still doesn't recognize a full tank of gas until about five miles into the ride. Little tech things like that are super an- noying, but the ride is absolutely brilliant, so you can't stay mad at it too long. I bought my 2015 Super Duke race bike and I sold it in 2019. I still miss it. And some day, if the financial gods shine in whatever form, I will heavily consider another Super Duke. It's a massive supermoto, a bruiser of a bike the brattiest brats could be proud of. And I want another one in the garage. CN SPECIFICATIONS 2022 KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R ($19,599) ENGINE 75° V-twin DISPLACEMENT 1301cc TORQUE 103 lb-ft at 8000 rpm BORE X STROKE 108 x 71mm COMPRESSION RATIO 13.5:1 FUEL SYSTEM Keihin EFI, 2 x 56mm throttle bodies POWER 177 hp @ 9500 rpm EXHAUST 2-2-1 TRANSMISSION 6-speed CHASSIS Chromium-Molybdenum-Steel trellis frame, powder coated FRONT SUSPENSION WP 48mm fork, semi-active, fully adjustable REAR SUSPENSION WP shock, semi-active, fully adjustable FRONT-WHEEL TRAVEL 4.9 in. REAR-WHEEL TRAVEL 5.5 in. FRONT BRAKE Brembo Stylema Monobloc 4-piston, radially mounted caliper, 320mm disc, ABS REAR BRAKE Brembo 2-piston, fixed caliper, 240mm disc, ABS FRONT TIRE 120/70 ZR17 in. REAR TIRE 200/55 ZR17 in. HEAD ANGLE 64.8° TRAIL 4.17in WHEELBASE 58.9 in SEAT HEIGHT 32.8in. FUEL CAPACITY 4.23 gal.s WEIGHT (DRY, CLAIMED) 416 lbs. COLOR White/Orange, Black