Motorcycle Sport & Leisure

Is KTM’s Super Duke R able to deliver the ride of your life?

Remember the feeling as a kid when the fair came into town, stepping on the Ghost Train ride for the first time not knowing whether to be frightened or whether it was going to be an absolute blast? Well, getting hold of the only Super Duke R in the country gave me a very similar feeling. The aggressive styling alone gives you the sense it’s going to be an animal that needs taming and you would be forgiven if the thoughts of fear ran through your mind.

I get the feeling talking with my neighbour that you either love it or hate it. He wasn’t so keen but to me it’s different and stands out from the crowd, which appeals very much to my tastes. I mean... would you want something that every Tom, Dick or Harry’s got in their garage?

Sitting on the SDR for the first time, with a seat that feels like you are sitting on a patio slab, gives you the impression you are on a machine that is built very much for the entertainment value as opposed to any concessions being made for mile-munching easier-paced hauls.

Now, I am not what you’d call the best rider in the world, so I figured it was best to do some research into this bike before just turning the key and riding off into the distance not knowing what the grumbling 999cc, 75 degree twin cylinder unit had in store for me. Everything I read on KTM’s website seemed to be reassuring; fully adjustable WP suspension and Brembo brakes both front and rear, and then I read ‘75ft-lb of torque at 8000rpm’.

Hell... knowing how twin cylinder machines like to deliver their grunt, and how different to the run of the mill in-line fours that I had got used to over the years, it was time to put a sensible head on before the bike got the better of me. One saving grace was in knowing that I had Pirelli rubber between me and the Tarmac, a brand of tyre that had given me a lot of confidence on previous machines I have ridden.

Turning the ignition key and watching the rev counter go through its sequence I thought that the clock layout was pretty plain but informative and easy to understand – unlike the RC8 I rode last year which had just about every technical bit of information displayed that you could imagine.

The only downside to the digital layout is when the sun is glaring it becomes a little hard to read and with Gatsos all over the place it’s paramount to ensure you are travelling within the correct speed limit. Starting the throbbing piece of Austrian engineering up you can tell instantly what you have ahead of you, an animal that needs taming is definitely the right turn of phrase.

With a seat height of 865mm and with me being only 5ft 5in I found the bike quite high, having to use either the tips of my boots either side or leaning the bike over slightly to give me a secure feeling.

This will not be the case for all riders I know, but it is something to bear in mind if you are vertically challenged like myself. In reality this was probably the only thing I could say I would change with a bit of seat foam out or dropping the bike on the suspension front and rear – other than that, I couldn’t really find anything else to complain about.

Pulling out of my street early one morning (being particularly worried about how many of the neighbours I was going to wake up, this thing is pretty loud right from stock), it was apparent how much power was on tap.

But needless to say in the wrong hands it’s a licence killer The bolt up-right riding position and wide bar arrangement gives you full control of what the bike is doing, it wasn’t long before the fear had gone from my head and I started to enjoy what the KTM had to offer. In a straight line the wind tends to keep your speed down even though you want to give it a fist full of throttle at every opportunity. Through the twisty stuff is for me where the bike comes alive, the amount of grip this well balanced machine gives is like no other I have ridden, again a fantastic chassis paired with Pirelli rubber is a confidence builder (and feels very KTM with its balance and precise handling) and as the miles racked up I found the amount of feedback from both the front and rear were superb.

As standard the Duke R comes with a WP steering damper to eliminate any steering wobble/tank slapping from the front end. The suspension set-up from the factory was a little stiff for my liking but the WP system is fully adjustable and with slight adjustment to soften everything off the bike was performing in a way I felt more comfortable.

The power delivery is on tap from just about every gear, as long as you keep the revs over 3000, under this the engine seems to labour a bit and it feels like the pistons are jerking up and down rather than gliding internally – it feels very rough.

The more miles I get under my belt the more constrained I had to be because that power delivery brings out the worst in you. I found myself slowing down just so I could go down the box and open the throttle again, just admiring the sound from the rear end was addictive enough.

The brakes are what can only be described as fantastic, plenty of feel through the levers with not too much travel, no ABS here though and to be honest I think if it did have, it would take a lot of the fun away. Weighing in at 186kg it matches the standard Super Duke and rivals most sports bikes in the current marketplace, but with extra power available from the twist of the right wrist.

Fuel economy is surprisingly good, when you use it in a conservative way, delivering over 55mpg, open the taps and it’s a different case altogether, dropping below 33mpg, it’s pretty much as expected – but the 55mpg figure seemed quite good – but ride it hard and the consumption is bound to go down.

Am I converted from sportsbikes?

Yes I think I am. The fact that you can have so much fun without smashing the speed limit to bits has got to be a bonus in anyone’s books, the only downside is that pillion riders are not an option, so you have no one to share the fun with.

It’s all very well talking to your colleagues and friends about how good something is but unless you are prepared to give them the keys they will never know. And to be honest I don’t think anyone who shells out to purchase one will be too willing to do so. It’s just too addictive to give away to a friend. Trusted or not.

I have definitely warmed to the KTM, and in this current climate with everyone talking about recession I think this is a machine that is well worth spending those savings on. With limited numbers being brought to the UK you are guaranteed to be one of very few owning the orange and white beast.

MSL OVERALL RATING

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* MSL August 2009 - Issue no. 587

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