2017 KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R
FIRST TEST
P68
school. Don't keep a constant
rpm but rather rev it—bam, bam,
bam, bam—and as the light goes
green, drop the clutch and catch
the engine's revs as they rise,
hopefully about 6-7000 rpm.
Launch control is different.
The KTM's ECU will hold the
revs at about 6500 rpm, and
once the light turns green you
feed the clutch out fast, keeping
the gas on. Once you hit third
gear, the system will turn off.
Remember how I said keep the
throttle pinned? The reason be-
ing if you back off, even a touch,
and then give it full throttle
again, the system disengages
and you get—you guessed it—
full power! Depending on your
chosen anti-wheelie map (many
journos ran with it off, includ-
ing me), you'll get a face full of
front wheel as the bike tries to
loop itself and you do your best
Max Biaggi impersonation. It
happened to the guy I was drag
racing.
Despite the on/off nature of
the launch control, the overall
electronic suite is vastly im-
proved on the 2017 1290 Super
Duke R. The traction control has
a deft touch, the wheelie control
works well but can be a little
abrupt, launch control works if
you follow those guidelines and
the three engine modes give
you plenty of customization op-
tions. The electronics give the
Super Duke a more refined feel,
and bring it a little further into
the 21st century.
Overall, that's what the new
Super Duke is about—refining
an already brilliant package into
something that can play ball
with all the tech heads of the
class but still remain relevant
to its brutal, in-your-face V-twin
roots. The best thing is KTM
hasn't chopped the nuts off the
Super Duke in any way when
they created the new version.
The engine is still sublime, the
chassis too, and now the elec-
tronics have joined the party.
KTM's made a great bike even
greater, and we are all richer as
a result. CN
I am Super Duke. Destroyer of worlds. Approach if you dare.
