KTM is reportedly developing a semi-automatic gearbox for its next generation of 1290-powered bikes, according to recent patents.
KTM’s upcoming semi-automatic gearbox to benefit the 1290 range.
The semi-automatic gearbox is not similar to Honda’s DCT.
Unlike Honda’s DCT system, KTM’s approach will use rocker arms, a centrifugal clutch, and a separate gear control unit to shift gears fully autonomously or with rider input. The semi-auto system will also feature a unique parking brake, which could serve as an additional anti-theft measure.
The patent suggests that the system could be featured in KTM’s 1290 Super Adventure S, Super Adventure R, 1290 Super Duke R, and 1290 Super Duke GT models.
However, it’s unclear how riders will manually shift gears with the new system.
The KTM system’s L-shaped lever physically locks driven gears in place and can’t be deactivated unless the bike is switched on, adding an additional layer of protection against motorcycle theft.
The 2023 KTM 1290 Super Adventure R gets a minor update for 2023, focusing on refining the Austrian brand’s flagship adventure bike.
The KTM 1290 Super Adventure R gets minor update similar to the 2023 Super Adventure S.
The Super Adventure R makes 160hp and 132Nm of torque.
The “R” nomenclature represents the most ‘off-road’ capable variant of the brand’s big-bore adventure bike, designed to overcome the most extreme terrains.
Coming in new for 2023 is a new 6D lean angle sensor from Bosch, a new WP XPLOR suspension which now features a split cartridge technology in the front fork.
Additionally, the 2023 1290 Super Adventure R gets Bridgestone AX41 tires as standard and a new ‘Turn-By-Turn’ navigation system previously introduced on the 2023 Super Adventure S.
However, the most visible update is the new colour scheme, with the 2023 KTM 1290 Super Adventure R donning a more standout white paint job.
Mechanically, the 2023 KTM 1290 Super Adventure R features the tried and tested LC8 V-Twin engine that makes 160hp and 138Nm.
KTM was recently spotted testing a new variation of the Super Adventure.
While it may look like a typical 1290 Super Adventure, some components are clearly designed to mimic the likes of Ducati’s Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak.
Like the Italian Pikes Peak edition, KTM has fitted the 1290 Super Adventure with road-going 17-inch front and rear wheels, replacing the 19-inch stock front rims.
The different wheel size also lowers the bike and helps to shift the weight onto the front, which speeds up the steering to ensure better cornering ability at high speeds.
The smaller front also allows for sportier tyre options and turns the 1290 Super Adventure into a supermoto.
While the suspension setup appears to be the same fully adjustable WP units, KTM fitted the new Super Adventure with a lighter swingarm.
However, maintaining the same suspension kit might be a backward move from Team Orange as the Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak gets the yummy semi-active electronic suspension.
Nonetheless, other key highlights on the new variants is a carbon fibre front mudguard, shorter windscreen and the fancy Bosch radar sensor technology.
However, the test mule does create some questions as to why there is a need for a Pikes Peak killer build from the 1290 Super Adventure when the Austrian firm has the Super Duke GT in its stead?
A prototype KTM 1290 Super Adventure was spied undergoing road tests.
It appears to carry the fuel low and forward like the 790 Adventure.
Carrying the fuel low and forward results in lower centre of gravity.
A prototype KTM 1290 Super Adventure was spied undergoing road tests over the weekend. According to Australian Motorcycle News, the mule was being tested alongside the new BMW R 1250 GS.
The first we spotted in the pictures were the large bulges down below, ahead of the rider’s shins. They indicated the Austrian manufacturer’s recent initiative in moving the bulk of the bike’s fuel to a more forward and low position. The idea was first implemented in the 790 Adventure and 790 Adventure R that we tested in Morocco, recently.
Moving the mass forward and low gives the bike a lower centre of gravity, consequently promoting stability and easy handling. It’s perhaps one of the most important revisions to the 1290 Super Adventure because of its tall height due to the 75o V-Twin engine.
Additionally, the radiators are split into two units, with the front cylinder head poking through. That could mean that KTM has shortened the fuel tank on top hence the frame, since the fuel’s moved to another location. Doing this allows the rider to move his weight further in front for an easier reach to the handlebars, but more importantly, better balance when standing up when riding off-road. Again, this design concept made was applied to the 790 Adventure.
Also apparent were the sidepanels enclosing the subframe beneath the rider. KTM used to leave this section exposed but has again taken the cue from the 790 Adventure to cover them up. Doing so adds storage space inside those panels. The 790 Adventure’s tool kit is carried in the left side.
Although unspecified and unseen in the photos, the new 1301cc LC8 engine will probably boast a power boost, too.
Some spy shots of the 2019 KTM 1290 Super Duke R have made their way onto the Internet.
Apart from a few styling cue updates, the new 2019 model can be seen sporting a reworked chassis and exhaust system.
Expect the new 2019 KTM 1290 Super Duke R to be launched at the end of the year during EICMA.
KTM’s top of the line super naked machine that is the KTM 1290 Super Duke R is heading towards some serious upgrades set for its next upcoming generation. For 2019, it’s more than just styling updates for the already “Super Hooligan” 2017 KTM 1290 Super Duke R. (more…)
Rangkaian KTM 1290 Super adalah rangkaian utama untuk KTM.
Dijana oleh enjin 1301cc, DOHC, sejukan cecair V-Twin 75 darjah dengan beberapa talaan yang berbeza, motosikal-motosikal ini adalah jentera yang amat mengujakan untuk ditunggang.
Keluarga 1290 Super terdiri daripada motosikal lumba naked, sport-tourer, dan adventure-tourer.
The KTM 1290 Super family is the flagship range for KTM.
Built around the 1301cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled, 75o V-Twin in different tuning they are exhilarating to ride.
The 1290 Super family consists of a naked sportbike, sport-tourer and adventure-tourer.
KTM’s 1290 Super family represents the pinnacle of motorcycling, not only in terms of engineering but also in design. But most of all, it’s the thrill of being on two wheels that they provide, never straying from the Austrian giant manufacturer’s “Ready to Race” philosophy.
Apart from a fully-faired sportbike, the 1290 series consists of the types of stupendous motorcycles that not only provide entertainment and smiles every kilometre, but also practicality in virtually any situation.
With the assistance of KTM Malaysia, we’ve assembled the power family for Christmas and the new year.
1290 Super Duke R
The 2014 KTM 1290 Super Duke R broke new grounds in providing a real kick to any rider, be they new or seasoned ones. Even veteran motojournalists who have ridden hundreds of bikes in their careers and lifetime swooned over it.
This was the start of “The Beast” and the “super naked sportbike” category.
But as if the 1290 Super Duke R could not be improved further, KTM went ahead and bettered even themselves. For 2017, the 1290 Super Duke R was built from the ground up.
The first thing anyone notices about the 2017 model is the fierce and distinctive split headlamp. The channel which splits the two sides actually performs as a cooling duct to reduce the temperature of the LED headlamps. Additionally, the main beam will come on automatically when the motorcycle is coming to a stop during daytime running.
The 1301cc, 75-degree, V-Twin engine was reworked and retuned for more power, yielding a horizon-bending 177 bhp and 140 Nm of torque. Specs on paper doesn’t reflect on the true character of the new 1290 Super Duke R, however.
While the 2017 model is faster than ever, it builds its speed in a smoother and controlled manner. Riders will not find a sudden burst of speed as if the bike has a hidden NOS injection system. This encourages confidence and smoother riding for even greater enjoyment. KTM did this by designing resonator chambers on the cylinder heads to smoothen the torque output.
The frame, chassis and riding position of the new 1290 Super Duke R have likewise been revised. The new frame is stronger yet lighter, the state-of-the-art WP suspension is fitted for total control. The brakes are Brembo all around, with M50 Monobloc four-piston calipers up front for maximum safety.
The new handlebar is 20 wider, 5 mm lower and 18.5 mm more toward the front. It also features a 22mm adjustment range to fit riders of any physique. Such placement puts more weight onto the front wheel for maximum control, besides provided better wind protection.
What’s a powerful motorcycle if not to be enjoyed in safety, correct? The KTM 1290 family are technological wonders and the 1290 Super Duke R is no exception. Gracing the bike are a plethora of electronic aid including Motorcycle Stability Control (MSC), Ride-by-Wire throttle, Ride Modes, Motorcycle Traction Control (MTC), ABS, Race On System, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), and Cruise Control, among others.
Owners can also upgrade the bike with the optional Quick Shift +, Motor Slip Regulation (MSR), My Ride connectivity suite, besides the Performance Pack and Track Pack.
1290 Super Duke GT
The 1290 Super Duke GT is KTM’s answer for a big bore sport-tourer that not only gets you places but flies to your long-distance destination while blasting other sport-tourers into the paddy fields. Yes, a bike has that effect when it’s built on the 1301cc 1290 Super Duke R’s engine platform.
However, the 1290 Super Duke GT differs from the 1290 Super Duke R in terms of comfort. The GT features a large frontal bodywork with an adjustable windscreen for wind protection on long rides, while mounting points for the panniers have been built in.
Likewise, the suspension uses the WP Semi-Active electronically adjustable variety, which varies its damping rates on the go. You could choose between Sport, Road and Comfort damping modes, besides the load for one rider, rider with cargo, rider with passenger, and rider and passenger with cargo. The system will keep the bike in optimum chassis balance for optimum handling at all times.
And handling (besides the speed, of course!) is where the 1290 Super Duke GT truly excels.
If there’s a bike in this world that seem to self-steer through a corner at blinding speeds, this is the one! No other large capacity sport-tourer has the propensity to steer into a corner and blast away like it, while remaining superbly composed over anything the road throws at it – all the while you’re seated comfortably on it.
Just like its 1290 brethren, the 1290 Super Duke GT is laden with the some of the best motorcycle technology available to the public. The electronics suite includes Ride-by-Wire, Ride Modes, the aforementioned WP Semi-Active Suspension, Motorcycle Stability Control (MSC), LED Cornering Lights, Motorcycle Traction Control (MTC), Quickshifter, Cruise Control, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), ABS and many more.
You could upgrade your 1290 Super Duke GT by adding the optional Hill Hold Control (HHC) and Motor Slip Regulation (MSR).
1290 Super Adventure S
Along with offroad bikes, adventure bikes have been the hallmark of KTM.
The 1290 Super Adventure S and its more offroad-oriented 1290 Super Adventure R brother are the flagship KTMs.
Although the 2017 model had evolved from its predecessor, the 1290 Super Adventure T, KTM had almost entirely revised it.
The most obvious change is to the design. KTM had wanted a look that doesn’t replicated other bikes in the market and something that’s unmistakably KTM. When the designers split the LED headlamp to incorporate the cooling channel in between – voila! – the result was something never seen before.
The engine is based on The Beast but retuned for overall smoothness and absolute reliability such as DLC coating on the cylinder bores and a long service interval. It still punches out 160 bhp and 140 Nm of torque. But to demonstrate its flexibility, 108 Nm are already available from as low as 2500 RPM!
Its chrome-moly steel trellis frame is again, strong and light, weighing only 9.8 kg. Both ends are suspended by WP’s Semi-Active Suspension, update for this bike to carry almost any load you wish.
The 1290 Super Adventure S is also a technology-laden adventure-tourer, but has additional features specific to it. In addition to the usual fare, the bike has Offroad Ride Mode, Offroad Traction Control, Offroad ABS, lean angle sensitive Cornering ABS and Combined Braking.
You could upgrade your 1290 Adventure S with a suite of features as part of the optional Travel Pack which includes Quick Shift +, Hill Hold Control (HHC), Motor Slip Regulation (MSC) and My Ride.
Lebih banyak gambar intipan KTM 1290 Super Duke GT 2018 telah tersebar di atas talian baru-baru ini.
Model bagi tahun 2018 tampak seperti akan mendapat pelbagai kemaskini pada bahagian hadapannya terutamanya dengan lampu hadapan, reraup, dan penghadang angin yang baru.
Motosikal Super Duke GT 2018 ini dijangkakan akan dilancarkan pada penghujung tahun 2018 bagi mengemaskini motosikal berkenaan untuk setara dengan rangkaian KTM 1290 Super.
More spy shots of the 2018 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT has made their way online just recently.
The 2018 model seems to carry a lot of updates to the front end especially new headlights, fairings and windscreen.
Expect the 2018 Super Duke GT to be launched in late 2018 to bring it up to date with the rest of the KTM 1290 Super series.
The KTM 1290 Super Duke GT has been in the market for a couple of years now and while the rest of the 1290 family has gone through some very much needed modern updates, the Super Duke GT remains uncertain as of bringing it over into 2018. (more…)
The KTM 1290 Adventure S was launched to a great following.
As a special year-end promotion, KTM Malaysia offers the Travel Pack as a complimentary package.
The promotion is available via authorized KTM Malaysia dealers.
The 2017 KTM 1290 Super Adventure S was launched in Malaysia just a few months back and has already enjoyed a huge following among adventure-touring enthusiasts.
KTM already has a winner when the Austrian and largest European manufacturer launched the 1290 Super Adventure (later renamed as “Model T”) in 2015. It was promptly named the “Best Adventure Touring Motorcycle” by many reputable motorcycle publications around the world.
The 1290 Super Adventure T was both a mechanical and technological marvel, and became THE high-performance adventure-tourer, bar none. It was also the basis for the 2017 1290 Super Adventure S and 1290 Super Adventure R. The 1301cc, DOHC, 8-valve, 75-degree, LC8 engine (based on the insane 1290 Super Duke R) punches out a whopping 160 bhp and 140 NM of torque. But that’s just part of the story because the engine is already producing 108 Nm at 2500 RPM. That’s why the bike pulled like the clichéd freight train.
The bike features technological advancements such as MTC (Motorcycle Traction Control), MSC (Motorcycle Stability Control), ABS, LED Cornering Lights, and WP’s Semi-Active Suspension.
The 2017 KTM 1290 Super Adventure S utilises the same, albeit uprated features. But more telling, it had been totally redesigned to reflect a new KTM identity, starting with the headlight.
The headlight is now split into two sides with a cooling “channel” in between to address concerns of the LEDs getting too hot. The consequence of this redesign produced a headlight design unlike any other motorcycle in the market, and for KTM themselves, as well.
Other features were uprated, including the engine and electronics for more refinement and even more reliability. New for the 1290 Adventure S is the 6-inch TFT display, which the owner may install the My Ride option which includes hands-free audio playback via Bluetooth.
The latest TFT meter panel for the 2017 KTM 1290 Super Adventure S
All these electronics make the KTM 1290 Super Adventure S sensitive, right?
Not so. We saw how reliable they were firsthand during the recent KMOG Borneo Ride 2017. Not a single bike broke down despite being trashed in arduous riding conditions including earthquake-damaged roads, no road, mud, gravel, sand, rain or shine. They just kept going and comfortable for the riders and passengers to boot!
As 2018 looms, KTM Malaysia is offering the 1290 Super Adventure S with a special promotion.
For a limited time only, KTM Malaysia is throwing in the Travel Pack option, worth RM 5,424 – FREE! With the purchase of a new 1290 Super Adventure S.
The Travel Pack includes the aforementioned My Ride, Quickshifter+, Hill Hold Control (HHC) and Motor Slip Regulation (MSR).
My Ride allows the rider to connect his mobile phone to bike via Bluetooth, allowing for music streaming and making/receiving calls hands free.
Quickshifter+ is an evolution of the run-of-the-mill quickshifter. It allows for smoother and positive clutch-less gear changes not only for upshifts but for downshifts as well. A novel feature of KTM’s Quickshifter+ is the absence of an “activator” on the shift connector shaft.
As any veteran rider can tell you, taking off on an incline is never easy, requiring the rider hold on to the front brake and slip the clutch like mad! Hill Hold Control (HHC) holds the bike on a slope during idle, even if the transmission is neutral. This is a very useful feature especially on a tall bike, laden down with luggage and passenger.
Motor Slip Regulation works in tandem with the other traction control features for a safer ride. While the MTC and slipper work to relief the rear wheel from hopping, MSR limits back-torque to the rear wheel by increasing the engine’s speed. A useful feature in low-grip situations. (It’s akin to riding MX, where the rider needs to keep the engine spinning at higher RPM for more consistent traction compared to fully shutting off – no doubt learned from KTM’s heavy involvement and success in offroad competition.)
The Travel Pack features bring additional safety and entertainment to an already great bike, so hurry to your nearest authorized KTM dealer today!
