KTM has revealed the 2023 iteration of its 1290 Super Duke RR (previous one due in 2021). As before, the Austrian marque used the already insane 1290 Super Duke R as a starting point and dialed it up to 11.
The most notable detail about the 1290 Super Duke RR is that it weighs 180 kg (dry), while pushing out 180 hp from its monstrous 1,301 cc V-twin engine. Those specs claim a 1:1 power-to-weight ratio in this machine, if you don’t carry any fluids or fuel in the bike.
This lightweight figure is achieved using specialized components such as a full carbon fiber-subframe, lightweight bespoke fully-adjustable WP suspension components and a plethora of CNC machined components scattered throughout the bike. The bike comes with an Akrapovic slip-on exhaust as standard, and if that doesn’t do it for the customer, a titanium full-system exhaust is available as an optional extra.
To help the rider harness all this power, the 1290 Super Duke RR comes with a comprehensive suite of rider aids and gets a track pack as standard. It is available as an extra on the standard bike.
For 2023, there is a new paint scheme on offer that combines a glossy black/carbon base resplendent with white and orange highlights.
As was the case with the 2021 iteration, the Super Duke RR is limited to just 500 units worldwide and is available for purchase only through select KTM dealers.
While the 1290 Super Duke RR is all about no-nonsense performance, KTM has an interesting new model in the works that looks set to combine performance with utility – the revived SMT or Super Moto Touring. Like the older 990 SMT, it is based on the ADV bike but gets 17-inch wheels at both the ends. The new SMT shares the body style and low slung fuel tank of the existing middleweight KTM adventure bikes.
The bike could also be the first KTM model to debut the upcoming 990cc parallel-twin engine, which has been spotted testing overseas as the RC 990. In earlier days, KTM sold a V-twin 990 SMT, which used the underpinnings from the predecessor 990 Super Duke (its flagship at the time). The bike featured a wider front fairing, a seat suitable for long days in the saddle and provision for luggage mounts.