KTM’s new-for-’22 hypernaked is here. The 1290 Super Duke R EVO hits the market with latest-generation fork and shock paired with newly-updated semi-autonomous suspension management.
Performance suspension
The 1290 Super Duke R EVO gets KTM’s latest “smart suspension” management. With new sensors, new management electronics and new valve internals, the suspension now self-adjusts more quickly, adjusting damping settings on the fly to react to changing road surfaces, or changes in acceleration.
The updated smart parts are paired with new hard parts from WP, with the latest-generation shock and fork combined with KTM’s semi-autonomous tech. The suspension also has 20 mm of preload adjustability, all managed by electronics through the TFT dash.
In stock form, the Super Duke R EVO comes with Comfort, Street and Sport smart suspension modes. Buyers can upgrade to the Suspension Pro package, which adds Track, Advanced and Auto, which allow users to either set their suspension for track-day use with Track mode, make fine adjustments to damping with Advanced mode, or let the computer take over with Auto mode. Suspension Pro also adds Low, Standard and High. Standard pre-load settings, and offers an anti-drive function for the front end (which users can disable, if they don’t like the lack of front-end feedback).
The rest of the bike
It seems the rest of the bike is mostly the same as the standard R model: Same LC8 engine with around 180 hp and 103 lb-ft of torque. It comes with Street and Sport riding modes, and riders can add Track and Performance modes.
We expect the new EVO in Canada this year; it’s on KTM’s Canadian website, at a base price of $20,599. Head over there for more specs and details.
As technology mounts and is added into models. Prices & complexity climb higher and higher. The virtues of simplicity are buried under a mud slide of broken supply chains and unfulfilled promises.