$45,695 high spec naked beast officially revealed

Back in November last year a type-approval filing published in Europe revealed that KTM was about to launch a high-spec ‘RR’ version of the 1390 Super Duke and while it’s taken a few months that bike is finally here – complete with improved suspension, less weight and a substantially higher price tag than the Super Duke R it’s based on.

Sliding in at a hefty AU$45,695.00, the 1390 Super Duke RR is more than AU$10k pricier than the 1390 Super Duke R Evo (AU$35,495) and AU$13k more than the standard 1390 Super Duke R (AU$32,595), but that extra cash doesn’t get you any additional horsepower. The 190PS output from the 1350cc, 75-degree V-twin is the same as the other two versions, but the RR gains a performance edge by slashing its weight and adding uprated chassis parts.

The weight loss starts with extensive use of carbon fibre in the bodywork, which includes a carbon tail similar to that of the exotic Brabus 1400R that shares the same Super Duke basis. In total the RR is a claimed 11kg lighter than the R at 189kg without fuel, and importantly a chunk of that – 1.5kg – comes from forged alloy, seven-spoke wheels that also slash the un-sprung and rotating mass of the bike, promising improved acceleration and handling as a result.

The chassis might be the same steel trellis as the rest of the range, but it’s equipped with race-oriented WP Pro Components 8458 closed cartridge forks, fully adjustable for compression and rebound damping of course, and a WP Pro Components 8750 rear shock that’s similarly adjustable. The bike will come with a set of KTM recommended suspension settings to get owners on the right track.

The lighter wheels are fitted with Michelin power Cup 2 rubber, 200/55-17 at the rear and 120/70-17 at the front, and the Brembo brakes are the brand’s latest HyPure calipers, each around 100g lighter than the previous Stylema M4.30s. There’s a new MCS adjustable brake lever, and around 10% less lever force and 50% reduced lever action from the updated system.

While the engine output is unchanged, the Super Duke RR gets an Akrapovič titanium slip-on silencer as standard, again reducing weight, and it’s paired to updated electronics – with KTM claiming the new bike has the ‘most comprehensive electronics package aver installed on a street-legal KTM motorcycle.

That package includes a new 8.8-inch touchscreen dash with new design layouts, operated by redesigned, backlit switch cubes with an improved feel to let you know when you’ve clicked a button. Also new is an RR-specific riding mode, dubbed ‘Beast Mode’, that configures rider assists to the minimum that’s legally allowed.

While the RR is pricy, it’s likely that some of the usability updates – the switches and dash, for example – will eventually filter down to the more affordable versions of the Super Duke if you’re prepared to wait.

SPECIFICATIONS

ENGINE

Design: 2-cylinder, 4-stroke, 75° V-twin
Displacement: 1350 cm³
Power: 190 PS
Torque: 145 Nm
Transmission: 6-speed
Cooling: Liquid-cooled (water/oil heat exchanger)
EMS: Keihin EMS with RBW, twin ignition
Engine oil: Motorex SAE 10W-50
Silencer: Stainless steel primary + titanium secondary silencers, with two catalytic converters
CO₂ emissions: 5.9 g/km

CHASSIS

Frame: Chromium-molybdenum steel trellis frame, powder coated
Rear subframe: Cast aluminium / carbon
Front brake: 2× Brembo HyPure Sport monobloc 4-piston calipers (radially mounted), discs
Rear brake: Brembo twin-piston fixed caliper, disc
Brake disc diameters (front/rear): 320 / 240 mm
Chain: 525 X-ring
Steering head angle: 65.3°
Trail: 101 mm
Wheelbase: 1,491 mm

SUSPENSION

Front suspension: WP PRO 7548 closed-cartridge fork
Front travel: 130 mm
Front adjustment: Compression, rebound, preload
Rear suspension: WP PRO 8750 shock
Rear travel: 140 mm
Rear adjustment: Compression (high/low speed), rebound, hydraulic preload

DIMENSIONS & WHEELS

Seat height: 837 / 847 mm
Tank capacity (approx.): 17.5 L
Weight (without fuel): 189 kg
Wheelbase tolerance: ±15 mm
Wheels: Forged
Front wheel: 3.5 × 17 in
Rear wheel: 6 × 17 in