The Beast 3.1 - 2022 KTM 1290 Super Duke R Evo Ride Review

[Hugh Janus]

A more aggressive Super Duke R comes with more performance but less comfort. But will you care about comfort when the front wheel is climbing and the scenery is a blur? (Jeff Allen/)

We’ve always loved the European manufacturers’ pride in the outright performance of their motorcycles. Case in point: naked bikes. While the Japanese approach is a well-rounded bike with nonthreatening power, the Europeans have basically given us what many were always screaming for; take the bodywork and clip-ons off the superbike, stick on a standard handlebar with more comfortable ergonomics, shave just a bit off the top of the powerband, and let ‘er rip.

Because the European manufacturers mostly used V-twin engines up until about five years ago, when the performance wars heated up the development of the twin-cylinder configuration did as well. It didn’t take long before we had twins with power outputs in excess of 150 hp, and we were all the better for it. But eventually most of the European factories ditched twin-cylinder engines for their flagship sportbikes, seeking ever-higher horsepower through more cylinders.

In 2020, KTM’s 1290 Super Duke R got a redesign. The 2022 Evo model builds on the Super Duke 3.0. (Jeff Allen/)

KTM has been the lone holdout, using its V-twin engine in its 1290 Super Duke R and 1290 Super Adventure ADV models. The latest and strongest edition of its LC8 75-degree V-twin engine powers the 1290 Super Duke R, which underwent a major revamp in 2020. About 90 percent of the bike was redesigned for lighter weight, better handling, or more power, along with a more sophisticated electronics suite; CW’s Don Canet was very impressed in his First Ride Review. The bike has been dubbed “The Beast 3.0″ by KTM, the number designating the model’s third generation. And the Austrian V-twin certainly lives up to that billing, with an absolutely stonking engine coupled to an upgraded chassis providing incredibly agile yet stable handling at even racetrack speeds.

All of which brings us to the new 2022 1290 Super Duke R Evo. All the beastly goodness of the latest 1290 SDR is present, but with the added upgrade of WP’s new Apex Semi-Active Technology (SAT) suspension. The addition of a six-axis Bosch IMU along with other improved electronics in 2020 made the WP semi-active suspension an easy upgrade, as the IMU helps determine what damping adjustments to make to the magnetic valves in the fork and shock. And as you’d expect with a performance-oriented manufacturer like KTM, the electronics suite was upgraded to match. To be fair, most of the added features require the $800 Tech Pack option, as equipped on our testbike.

WP’s Apex semi-active suspension on the 1290 Super Duke R Evo has five options: Sport, Street, Comfort, Auto, and Advanced. (Jeff Allen/)

The Suspension Pro menu offers a fairly wide range of adjustability, especially when it comes to spring preload. Riders can pick between the automatic preload settings of High, Standard, and Low; the SAT system will automatically set the spring preload for a specific chassis attitude. High is for more aggressive riding with very little sag in the rear; Standard puts the chassis in a more neutral position; and Low provides, according to KTM, “a lot of sag on the rear wheel for a low seat height and low riding geometry.” The 1290 SDR is intended to handle even racetrack riding, so the spring rates are pretty stiff. Even with my 160-pound weight, the Low auto-preload setting didn’t exactly make the bike feel like a chopper. In fact, I remarked little difference between Standard and Low settings, although I wasn’t able to do any track riding where aggressive chassis pitch might make those differences more noticeable.

Spring preload on the WP Apex semi-active shock has multiple electronically adjustable options. (Jeff Allen/)

Riders can also manually select preload settings in six different percentage increments. To illustrate how stiff the spring rates are, consider that I did most of my riding with the preload in its lowest, or 0–20 percent, setting. Anything more than that and the rear suspension felt like it was sitting too high in its stroke; the ride also became harsh because the SAT system automatically changes the rebound damping to compensate for the preload.

There are, naturally, a number of choices for suspension damping: the standard Sport, Street, and Comfort settings; Auto, which lets the SAT suspension change the damping according to the riding situation; and Advanced, which allows manual setting of the damping in the fork and shock. Street was firm enough for even the most aggressive canyon riding, with Sport being so stiff that any sharp-edged bumps would upset the chassis and tire grip; that setting should be reserved for the racetrack. The Comfort setting is a relative term; while it took the edge off some smaller bumps, anything larger, like frost heaves or sharp bumps, will be felt in the back and wrists.

Auto suspension setting works well for nearly any street riding. (Jeff Allen/)

The Auto suspension setting worked well for any street riding situations encountered, including spirited canyon runs. The SAT system does a good job of sensing when to firm up the suspension, and the reaction time is lightning-quick; try tricking the system by cruising at a good clip up to a corner and then just flicking the bike into the turn, and the suspension immediately firms up as the chassis settles into cornering mode. There wasn’t time to thoroughly try out the manual suspension damping settings, which unfortunately do not include separate compression and rebound, but this setting is likely only fit for trackdays. At any rate, the SAT system worked well enough that the manual modes weren’t really a temptation.

Like the 1290 SDR, the Sport, Street, Rain, Performance, and Track ride modes return with the SDR Evo. In the Sport/Street/Rain modes, the traction control, wheelie control, and throttle response are all preset. Because of the 1290 SDR Evo’s outrageously powerful engine (our testbike churned out 161 hp at 10,100 rpm and 93 pound-feet of torque at 8,300 rpm, with 80 pound-feet of that torque occurring at 4,200 rpm) coupled with its light weight and short wheelbase, the TC and WC intervention is pretty frequent even in Sport mode. Although both are transparent in their action, power can be felt getting reined in at even moderate lean angles, or for aggressive throttle openings in the first three gears. Lean angle can practically be used as a throttle; as the bike is picked up, power can be felt increasing.

Traction control intervention is frequent when leaned over, but the lean-sensitive system works well. (Jeff Allen/)

The Performance and Track ride modes are where the 1290 SDR Evo’s engine and chassis can really be enjoyed, because every parameter becomes adjustable. Wheelie control can be turned off, which may be preferable given its tendency to dial back power just when riders might want to use it. Traction control can be adjusted on the fly using thumb/forefinger paddles on the left handlebar switch gear to any of nine levels, and throttle response is available in Street, Sport, and Track levels of responsiveness. With the 1290 SDR Evo’s new quicker-turn throttle (seven degrees less rotation), most will prefer the response of the Sport throttle level, as the Track setting is perhaps too aggressive in the middle portion of the throttle turn for the street. The Performance ride mode allows all the adjustability of Track mode, but retains the cruise control and Bluetooth connectivity for the MyRide app.

The KTM engine is a continual reminder of just how good modern performance V-twins are for the street. Yes, the four-cylinder competition has a little more top-end horsepower, but that advantage can’t really be exploited in the day-to-day world. The 1290 SDR Evo has far more responsive power that is more controllable in the vast majority of riding situations encountered on public pavement, making it easier and more fun to ride quickly. Fueling and throttle response are much smoother than previous-generation 1290 SDRs, with no burbling or hiccups even during slow-speed city cruising. Add the KTM’s upgraded chassis, which provides surprisingly nimble handling with a sure-footed stability that complements the engine’s stupendous power, and this bike has a grin factor that’s hard to beat.

While a V-4 may make more peak horsepower, nothing is much more fun than a high-powered V-twin. And the 1,301cc LC8 unit in the 1290 Super Duke R Evo is a blast. (Jeff Allen/)

Bleeding off the KTM’s speed is ably handled by Brembo’s Stylema Monoblock four-piston calipers biting 320mm discs up front and a twin-piston caliper with 240mm disc out back. The front brake is crisp and responsive without grabbiness in the initial bite and has excellent feel through the lever pull.

The ABS threshold is not only fairly high (a contributing factor here is the excellent grip from the OEM-spec Bridgestone multi-compound S22 tires) but very transparent when it does intervene. There is a Supermoto ABS mode that disables the rear ABS to allow more rear-wheel slippage into corners, which riders may prefer as it feels like the front wheel ABS threshold is higher in that mode.

Brembo Stylema Monoblock calipers and 320mm rotors offer excellent feel. (Jeff Allen/)

In a nod to the front brake’s power, there is an electronic anti-dive feature for the front fork. While this feature might be useful for track use, it keeps the front end higher than usual under braking, which affects steering into the corner while trail braking. Testers turned that feature off and left it off.

As absolutely enjoyable as the KTM is, it’s by no means wart-free. Navigating the menus on the 5-inch TFT display is not very intuitive, and the owner’s manual is not much help. For example, a small C1/C2 toggle switch on the left switch gear that allows quick access to features or menus of your choosing; a nice touch, but nowhere in the owner’s manual is it explained how to program that switch. The transmission has been improved with crisper and lighter shift action, but it’s still not easy to find neutral at a stop, and the quickshifter could be smoother on auto-blipping during downshifts.

Ergonomics are more aggressive on the Super Duke R than on past models. (Jeff Allen/)

But perhaps the biggest gripe with the KTM is a matter of being careful what you wish for. There is a lot to love about the 1290 Super Duke R Evo’s performance, but the continuing pursuit of those higher levels of performance has inevitably tilted the chassis into the racetrack realm. Besides the stiff suspension rates, the ergos are now more aggressive to help the chassis cope with that added power and provide better racetrack performance. The first-gen 1190 Super Duke was a bike that could be ridden all day long, but the 1290′s riding position is a little more cramped and puts a little more weight on your wrists.

But should any of those minor gripes prevent anyone from laying out $19,599 for the 1290 Super Duke R Evo if they have the cash? Not a chance. KTM’s Beast 3.1 is just too much fun.

2022 KTM 1290 Super Duke R Evo Specifications

MSRP:	$19,599
Engine:	DOHC, liquid-cooled, four-stroke 75-degree V-twin; 8 valves/cyl.
Displacement:	1,301cc
Bore x Stroke:	108.0 x 71.0mm
Compression Ratio:	13.6:1
Transmission/Final Drive:	6-speed/chain
Cycle World Measured Horsepower:	161.1 hp @ 10,100 rpm
Cycle World Measured Torque:	93.0 lb.-ft. @ 8,340 rpm
Fuel System:	EFI w/ 56mm throttle bodies, ride-by-wire
Clutch:	Wet, PASC slipper; hydraulic actuation
Engine Management/Ignition:	Keihin EMS/dual-spark ignition
Frame:	Tubular chromoly steel
Front Suspension:	48mm WP Apex SAT inverted fork, electronically adjustable; 5.1 in. travel
Rear Suspension:	WP Apex SAT shock, electronically adjustable; 5.5 in. travel
Front Brake:	Brembo Stylema 4-piston Monoblock caliper, 320mm floating discs w/ Bosch ABS
Rear Brake:	2-piston caliper, 240mm disc w/ Bosch ABS
Wheels, Front/Rear:	Cast aluminum; 17 x 3.50 in. / 17 x 6.00 in.
Tires, Front/Rear:	Bridgestone S22; 120/70ZR-17 / 200/55ZR-17
Rake/Trail:	25.2°/4.2 in.
Wheelbase:	58.9 in.
Ground Clearance:	6.3 in.
Seat Height:	32.9 in.
Fuel Capacity:	4.2 gal.
Average MPG:	35.4 mpg
Wet Weight:	437 lb.
Contact:	ktm.com

Cycle World Measured Performance

Quarter-Mile:	10.59 sec. @ 139.08 mph
0–30 mph:	1.56 sec.
0–60 mph:	3.19 sec.
0–100 mph:	5.65 sec.
Top-Gear Roll-On, 40–60 mph:	4.05 sec.
Top-Gear Roll-On, 60–80 mph:	2.78 sec
Braking, 30–0 mph:	32.77 ft.
Braking, 60–0 mph:	132.27 ft.

There are many parameters to adjust on the 1290 Super Duke R Evo. (Jeff Allen/)
While being honed for the track, the 2022 KTM 1290 Super Duke R Evo is so much fun on the street. (Jeff Allen/)

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