BEASTY

The Super Duke has long been regarded as slightly crazy, with its manufacturer’s encouragement. Back in 2005 the original 990 Super Duke established KTM as a maker of hardcore streetbikes, notably when terrorising urban Japan in a famously feisty promo video. Six years ago the 1290 Super Duke R upped the stakes in similarly wheelie-happy fashion with the help of its much-hyped Beast prototype.

Hyper-naked bikes’ popularity has inspired a flurry of activity, with new arrivals including Ducati’s Streetfighter V4 and MV Agusta’s Brutale RR joining a host of others in combining a wind-blown riding position with four cylinders and outrageous horsepower. KTM’s revitalised contender keeps its traditional V-twin layout to take them on. The Super Duke’s distinctive knifeedge look is subtly revised; its riding position slightly sportier thanks to a lower and more forward-set handlebar, but still comfortably upright for street use. A new TFT instrument panel is part of an electronics revamp that includes more easily used switchgear plus updated Bosch traction control and cornering ABS.

Changes to the 1301cc, 75-degree V-twin engine begin with a new intake system. A duct between the headlight’s aggressively angular halves, instead of one each side, feeds new top-mounted injectors via a larger airbox. Many internal parts and the crankcases are lightened. Peak power goes up by 3bhp to 177bhp; more importantly the eight-valve unit kicks out a hefty 100Nm-plus of torque everywhere above 3500rpm.

Biggest changes are to the chassis, whose retained layout of tubular steel frame and aluminium swing-arm masks a complete redesign. The frame uses larger-diameter tubes and employs the engine as a stressed member for the first time, trebling rigidity and saving 2kg.

The engine is held higher in the frame, which KTM say aids handling and gives a 5mm higher pivot for the single-sided swing-arm, which is also substantially stiffened. A new rear subframe of cast aluminium and carbon-fibre replaces saves more weight. The WP forks are revised and now fully adjustable. More importantly the WP rear shock gains a rising-rate linkage that allows a longer action, while reducing the excessive rear wheel travel (from 156 to 140mm) that was a hangover from the original frame’s origins with the dual-purpose Adventure.

Straight-line performance is not dramatically different, which is fine because that means it’s as barkingly entertaining as before. The big V-twin lump is wonderfully flexible, regardless of which mode (Sport, Street and lower-output Rain) it’s in. Throttle response is refined, low-rev running civilised – and the charge from 4000rpm threatens to dislocate your shoulders.

On the road that makes the Super Duke huge fun as well as outrageously fast. It revs smoothly, nonchalantly hoiking its front wheel if required, and despatching gears with help from efficient two-way shifter. At least, it does if you’ve paid extra for the shifter and the Track Pack that allows the anti-wheelie function to be disabled. Cruising at 80mph-plus is effortless for the KTM, if not always for its rider, who has nowhere to hide up near the 160mph-plus top speed. Whether the lack of wind protection or reduced, 16-litre fuel capacity are drawbacks is debatable. More of both would be ideal, but wind-blast is part of a naked bike’s appeal on the road, and the range of about 120 miles is tolerable.

The Super Duke always handled fine on the road and it’s now better still: slightly sportier and more composed even when its rider is shifting weight or battling the wind. Unlike some rivals there’s no semi-active suspension option, but the forks are manually adjustable via knobs at the top of each leg, and the shock has an equally useful remote preload adjuster. On track the new chassis is a notable improvement, as a launch blast around the swoopy Potimao circuit in Portugal's Algarve confirmed.

The KTM felt sharp on its way into turns, its frame’s extra rigidity beneficial especially when slowing with the eyeball-bulging force of Brembo’s Stylema front calipers. And when exiting bends the Super Duke was more firm and controllable. It no longer squatted under power but stayed taut, steering more accurately and delivering its V-twin grunt more controllably to the fat Bridgestone rear tyre. That chassis improvement means that for the first time the Super Duke is as capable on a circuit as it has always been on the road. It’s competitively priced, too (at £15,699 in the UK), even though most riders will pay extra for the quick-shifter and Track Pack. Keyless ignition and cruise control come as standard; accessories range from heated grips and tank-bag to rearset footrests and an Akrapovic silencer.

This Beast 3.0 update is an effective and timely reboot for KTM’s hyper-naked contender. Its four-cylinder rivals are gathering with menace, and the 1290 Super Duke R is fighting fit to take them on: slightly more refined, distinctly more composed and bursting with as much crazy V-twin character as ever.