2018 KTM Super Duke 1290 R,

Unleash the Beast;

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This is our punk record - pure, raw and straight to the point: speed. Its V-twin, the most powerful one we ever muscled into a street bike, beats the battle drums at 177 hp, while its purebred chassis is set to stay ahead when the straight is devoured. When corners become prey. Even on a bad day, thanks to state-of-the-art rider assistance systems. No, scratch that. Grin amplifiers.

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• Fast just became faster. This is our punk record - pure, raw and straight to the point: speed. Its V-twin, the most powerful one we ever muscled into a street bike beating the battle drums at 177 hp.
• Engine: This engine, in its latest incarnation, pumps out an arm wrenching 177 hp while its torque figures reach for the sky between 6,750 rpm (140 Nm) and 7,000 rpm (141 Nm). So it’s stronger than ever, but we made it run smoother than ever as well thanks to overhauled resonator chambers. All in all, weighing in at around 62 kg, the extremely slim 4-valve unit is one of the lightest big twins in the world.
• Titanium inlet valves: Another reason for the outstanding performance of the 1290 SUPER DUKE R 75° V-twin are the state-of-the-art, machined titanium inlet valves with chromium nitride PVD coating. Their flat design combined with the smaller combustion chamber offer a compression ratio of 13.6:1. Interesting fact: The titanium valves only weigh 39 grams each, which is 19 grams less than the steel inlet valves we used before.
• Cylinder heads: Thanks to the resonator chambers on the cylinder heads, designed to polish the torque output in the lower to mid-range rpms, the 1290 SUPER DUKE R power train runs smoother, consumes less fuel and cuts down on CO² emissions by about 10%.
• Slipper clutch: Not only does the slipper clutch open when the engine back-torque becomes too high, it also assists when you open up the throttle. The former prevents destabilizing rear wheel chatter when braking sharply or decelerating; the latter reduces the hand force required for changing gear, allowing the clutch to be controlled with one trigger happy finger.
• Ride-by-wire: Instead of the electronic injection system's throttle valves being controlled by cables, ride by wire generally processes throttle twist grip movements with