A SPECIAL BEAST
“ALL THE THINGS THE PASSIONATE TRACK JUNKIE WOULD HAVE ON THEIR WISH LIST… ”
180 horsepower, 180 kilograms: that’s a formula for extreme performance, which the KTM Super Duke 1290 RR delivers, in spades.
Usually only found in race-replica superbikes, those sorts of power-to-weight ratios are at the cutting-edge of production bike performance. To get those numbers in a naked bike that is also suitable for sporting day rides on public roads is a formula which had 27 Australians ordering their $38,000 specials within minutes of the bike going on sale online. The entire production run of 500 units was sold out in hours, if not minutes.
With incredible performance and top-shelf components, this limited-edition machine is more than just fast; it’s designed and built to set incredible lap times too. KTM’s target was a bike that could run with litre sportsbikes on a closed course.
The design brief was to take KTM’s “Beast” and make a special version that would be more stable at high speed, more agile, more adjustable and with more consistent suspension performance. As a road bike, it loses some of the all-round ability of the R model thanks to stiffer standard suspension, and there’s no pillion seat or significant load-carrying ability.
WHAT’S IT GOT
The LC8 engine and frame are common to both Super Duke R and RR models, but the RR has a
