We have been seeing for some time now evidence that KTM was set to bring a more touring-focused variant of the KTM 1290 Super Duke R to market, and now today we have confirmation of that fact.
Releasing photos of the still camouflaged 2016 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT, KTM is leaving a little something to the imagination and EICMA, but the company is also confirming that another touring model will enter its lineup.
The KTM 1290 Super Duke GT is an interesting bike, especially considering that the KTM 1290 Super Adventure is already in the Austrian brand’s lineup. Like rival BMW, KTM seems intent on saturating the market with overlapping models, giving buyers few reasons to swap to another brand.
The move is a little weird from a consumer perspective, but it’s a sound business decision.
Sir Alan Cathcart has ridden the machine already, along with several other “media partners” who also moonlight as motorcycle publications of record. In the long-view, they are slowly eroding away the motorcycle industry, but that’s in exchange for the short-term gain of helping spill the beans on the 2016 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT’s details.
According to Cathcart’s report in Cycle News, the Super Duke GT is basically a Super Duke R that has been beefed up to tackle the rigors of touring, all the while balancing the increasing pressures put on sport bikes, with aplomb.
Where the KTM 1290 Super Adventure has some very modest off-road chops, the KTM 1290 Super Duke GT is a pure road machine. That’s a good thing, since despite having to retune its 1,301cc LC8 engine for the upcoming Euro 4 emission standards, KTM has managed to keep power in the 180hp range, maybe even adding to this figure.
Suspension is said to be from WP and features electronically controlled semi-active forks and rear shock. Like on the Super Adventure, KTM has fitted cornering lights, an eight-way adjustable windscreen, and a four-mode throttle map set. With 6.5 gallons of fuel capacity, you can do some serious touring…the KTM way, the company says.
We can expect to see the KTM 1290 Super Duke GT unveil at November’s EICMA show, where hopefully it looks better than it does now with its urban warfare camouflage. We are sure there are some heads turning over at BMW Motorrad right now.
Source: KTM
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