VOL. 52 ISSUE 25 JUNE 23, 2015 P59
Accessing the
dash is done via
the switches on
the left and gets
real confusing
if you're trying
to change
something in a
hurry.
size. The stance is roomy,
almost lazy, and equals day
rides into the 10-hour mark
are scarier to contemplate
than actually undertake.
Get going and the mas-
sive face-stomping torque
of the 1301cc V-twin engine
is hidden away in a mas-
querade of polite throttle
response and delightful
comfort. It's all so… nice.
It's like KTM's taken the
old 990, beaten the anger
out of it and sent it to the
gym. Everything is bigger,
tighter and more refined. It
really is quite amazing the
and still eat you at any given
chance.
Two things immediately
stand out when you first
climb onto a Super Duke.
The first is that fantastically
padded seat – perfect for
my big 'ol ass – and the
second is the low 'peg
position that means riders
above six feet won't feel like
they've been jammed into a
box and sent on their way.
There's a hint of KTM Super
Adventure in the riding posi-
tion, and compared to the
Kawasaki Z1000 the Super
Duke feels almost twice its
job the factory has done on
the throttle mapping. For a
twin this size that has any hint
of sporting potential, hav-
ing such a sublime throttle
response is a masterpiece.
The docile nature at low rpm
makes the Super Duke's
power easily accessible
without feeling like you're
going to throw yourself head
first into a bus. There's wads
of massive torque avail-
able below 5000 rpm – it
makes more torque at 4000
rpm than the RC8 makes at
6500 rpm – and this equals
a bike that's so easy to live
