2020 KTM 1290 Super Duke R; New details revealed

KTM has released a second teaser video of the new 1290 Super Duke R that’s set to debut globally on November 5, 2019. The video reveals a few details about the new sport-naked, like the bottom-half of the engine, aero wings on the tank extensions and an Akrapovic race exhaust. This particular teaser shows the new KTM 1290 Super Duke R undergoing data-testing at the Circuto De Almeria in Spain. There are shots of tyres wrapped in warmers, an engineer recording the track temperature, and a bunch of people setting up the bike before it heads out on track. How’s that for getting your adrenaline pumping?

KTM has been testing the new 1290 Super Duke R for a while now and a number of spy shots on the interweb have revealed a few details about KTM’s upcoming flagship sport-naked. In fact, if you take a close look at the first teaser video, you’ll see that the 2020 Super Duke R gets a brand-new trellis frame. Attached to this frame is a new bolt-on subframe that seems to be made of cast-alloy. This could possibly result in a lighter motorcycle than the current 1290 Super Duke R (195kg dry), which employs a steel trellis frame and subframe.

Other visible changes include new dual-exhaust pipes and wider tank panels. We also expect KTM to plonk in a Euro-5-compliant engine, keeping the upcoming international emission norms in mind. Whether that would lead to a drop in the power figure, from the current 1290’s 177hp, can only be confirmed when KTM releases the specifications of the 2020 model. That said, since the 1290 Super Duke R is the pinnacle of the company’s sport-naked model line-up, expect the 2020 model to deliver cracking performance and handling, along with advanced electronics

The current KTM 1290 Super Duke R is powered by a 1,301cc, V-twin engine that develops 141Nm. It features a host of electronic rider aids that include traction control, rider modes and lean-sensitive ABS. Expect the new bike to feature similar or more refined electronics.

We will be going to EICMA 2019 to bring you more information about the new KTM 1290 Super Duke R and a number of other motorcycles that will be showcased at the event. Stay tuned.