1290 Super Duke GT review
VISORDOWN Editor Steve Farrell has just been on the launch of Yamaha’s MT-03 and says it’s the latest small bike that’s fun, engaging, and yet has a power figure that’s unlikely to allow you to get into too much trouble with the law.
VISORDOWN Editor Steve Farrell has just been on the launch of Yamaha’s MT-03 and says it’s the latest small bike that’s fun, engaging, and yet has a power figure that’s unlikely to allow you to get into too much trouble with the law.
In other words, it’s absolutely nothing like the KTM 1290 Super Duke GT I’ve just ridden which has 173hp, over five times as much torque as the Yamaha, and is more than capable of getting you a tasty driving ban before you’ve even made it out of first gear.
Despite the abysmal riding conditions at the press launch in Majorca, we did make it out of first gear, nobody got a driving ban, and the KTM even managed to change my opinion on sports tourers. I'm certainly no longer under the impression that they’re just diluted, neutered, and compromised versions of other faster machines.
In fact the GT isn’t diluted at all, it’s based on KTM’s 1290 Super Duke R with a few sensible tweaks to make it better at that touring stuff, and that’s really about it - no lazier handling (The GT and SDR share the exact same chassis geometry) and not a detuned engine in sight. After all, KTM’s brand motto is ‘Ready to Race’, so it’s only right they take the ‘sport’ in sports tourer seriously.
Click here to read the rest of our KTM 1290 Super Duke GT review.
VISORDOWN Editor Steve Farrell has just been on the launch of Yamaha’s MT-03 and says it’s the latest small bike that’s fun, engaging, and yet has a power figure that’s unlikely to allow you to get into too much trouble with the law.
In other words, it’s absolutely nothing like the KTM 1290 Super Duke GT I’ve just ridden which has 173hp, over five times as much torque as the Yamaha, and is more than capable of getting you a tasty driving ban before you’ve even made it out of first gear.
Despite the abysmal riding conditions at the press launch in Majorca, we did make it out of first gear, nobody got a driving ban, and the KTM even managed to change my opinion on sports tourers. I'm certainly no longer under the impression that they’re just diluted, neutered, and compromised versions of other faster machines.
In fact the GT isn’t diluted at all, it’s based on KTM’s 1290 Super Duke R with a few sensible tweaks to make it better at that touring stuff, and that’s really about it - no lazier handling (The GT and SDR share the exact same chassis geometry) and not a detuned engine in sight. After all, KTM’s brand motto is ‘Ready to Race’, so it’s only right they take the ‘sport’ in sports tourer seriously.
Click here to read the rest of our KTM 1290 Super Duke GT review.
