KTMdoesnt really
dosensiblebutthe
SuperDukeGTisaboutas
closeasit hasmanagedto
date.Theresultisa
fantasticmachinefor
makingthosemilesflypast
witha smileonyourface.
Featuringanelectronics
packagethatincludes
semi-activesuspension;
angle-sensitiveABSand
tractioncontrol;a
quickshifter;cruisecontrol;
corneringLEDlights;
heatedgripsandpower
modes;theGTisn’tleft
lackingintermsof
technologywhencompared
tootherpremiumrivals.
Howeverwhat it addsisa
typicallynaughtyKTMspirit
aswellasa thumping
V-twinengine.
Producinga claimed
17 0bhpthatisbackedupby
106lb·ftoftorque,KTM’s 7 5°
V-twinistheheartandsoul
oftheGT.A stormingmotor
forhavingfunwith,inGT
guiseit alsodemonstrates
itsversatilityandwhenyou
aren’tinthemoodforgoing
bonkersit isremarkably
refinedandsmoothwith
littlevibration.
GettheGTontotheback
roadsandit comesalive.
Considerablysportierthan
somerivalsthankstoits
DukeR heritage,thisisa
bikethatismorethan
happytobethrownthrough
thebendsandresponds
withgleetothiskindof
behaviour.It’spriceybut
theGTisa thoroughly
addictivesportstourer.
Whyyoudon’t
Disappointingly,whiletheGThasinbuiltpannier
mounts,youneedtopay£7 00 extraforhardluggage.
ThecorneringLEDlightsarea sourceofdebate,assomefind
themextremelyirritating(asdootherroadusers)whileothers
thinktheyarea realbenefit.Buildqualityisalsoa little
disappointingwithsillyfaults(thesidestandlugfelloffearly
models)a commoncomplaint.It canfeeltop-heavyatslow
speedandthecruise-controlsystemisawkwardtouse,asit
islocatedonthethrottle-gripside.
Besttweakfortouring
WhiletheKTM’sscreenisadjustable,it isalsoquite
shortanda talleritemalongsidea comfortseatisvery
welcomeonlongjourneys.
EXHAUST
Theexhaust valveis
locatedrightnextto
thebackwheel.
Checkitismoving
freelyasthisisa
primepointforitto
getcoveredindirt
andseizeasa result
LUGGAGE
ThelidonKTM’s panniers
doesn’tclosethatwell,
allowingwaterto getin
Touring
BIASBAR
Sports
KTM 1290
Super Duke
(2016-2018)
> 171bhp > 230kg > From £8000
Putting the fun into
sports touring
60 | JULY 2019
OVER £10K
