VOL. 53 ISSUE 10 MARCH 15, 2016 P49
BY BART MADSON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MILAGRO
L
ong established as a jug-
gernaut in the off-road world,
in recent years KTM has
enjoyed significant growth in
its street lineup. The Austrian
marque's 2008 debut of the
RC8 superbike heralded a new
era of road-going KTMs based
off the LC8 V-Twin powerplant.
The latest generation Adventure
models source a version of the
RC8's 75-degree twin, which
after getting punched out to
1301cc also powers the 1290
Super Duke R aka "The Beast"—
with the latter bike redefining
street performance expectations
for KTM. The latest design to
utilize the LC8 is the 1290 Super
Duke GT, which will arrive on
U.S. shores later this year as a
2017 model.
Based off the 1290 Super
Duke R streetfighter, the GT is
KTM's take on sport touring. And
while it's tempting to simplify the
GT as "The Beast" with bags and
a windscreen, the changes are
more comprehensive. Headlin-
ing the GT updates is the WP-
sourced semi-active electronic
suspension, which debuted on
the Super Adventure. The GT
also features several touring-
friendly additions, like cruise
control and a generous six-gal-
lon fuel load.
The GT's 1301cc twin has
changed as well to meet more
stringent Euro 4 emissions
standards—a hurdle which, to
Is the 1290
Super Duke GT
just a Super
Duke R with
bags and a
windscreen?
Not quite.
WITH BAGS?
