If the KTM 1290 Super Duke R wasn’t enough bike for you, good news! The Austrian manufacturer just revealed the up-specced RR version of the bike, with less weight and track-biased electronics package.
It seems the engine itself is mostly unchanged from the Super Duke R that Dustin rode last summer. That means about 180 hp on tap, and around 105 lb-ft of torque. None of the Euro mags seem to indicate any big changes to the liquid-cooled 1301 cc V-twin, but the on-bike electronics are updated. There are new Track and Performance riding modes, allowing the rider to adjust the engine braking, launch control, throttle response and other systems.
KTM also ditched the standard subframe, going with a carbon-fibre version including a solo seat arrangement. There’s also the usual coating of carbon-fibre bodywork, and a set of forged wheels. The standard battery is replaced with a lighter lithium-ion unit. The bike drops 9 kg as a result; KTM claims a weight of 180 kg. That’s a dry weight, far as we can tell.
If you want to customize further, or cut even more weight, KTM also has a large selection of factory accessories, through its Powerparts catalogue.
Finally—KTM also put new suspension on the 1290 Super Duke RR. There’s a new WP Apex Pro fork, shock, and steering damper. There’s all sorts of built-in adjustability with this equipment, allowing you to tweak your settings for track days or the street.
For now, KTM hasn’t indicated Canadian arrival dates or MSRP for this machine. Considering the current R model is priced around $20k, it’s hard to imagine the RR won’t be priced around $25k. KTM says it’s only going to build 500 of these for the global market, so that will drive up price as well.
