Two years ago, we saw the KTM 1290 Super Duke R getting a bevy of upgrades for the 2020 model year. Then last year, the KTM 1290 Super Duke RR broke cover, with no shortage of go-fast parts for 2021.
Now, we are getting ready for next year’s machines, and our Bothan spies have been busy searching for clues for what we could see during the new bike season.
With that, we can confirm that “The Beast” will get another upgrade, coming as the 2022 KTM 1290 Super Duke R EVO.
To earn that extra “EVO” at what has already become a mouthful of a name, the KTM 1290 Super Duke R EVO features a quick-turn throttle (65 of twist), and higher spec active suspension pieces from WP. And of course, there is the “bold new graphics” of the blue colorway.
All of this is coming to the USA next year with a $19,599 MSRP, available in dealerships in January of next year.
For the $900 this model commands over the current KTM 1290 Super Duke R, the EVO model is a strong compromise for the fact that the RR machine never came to US soil.
For starters, the semi-active suspension from WP is a nice upgrade from the previous model’s mechanical pieces, and helps keep KTM competitive against the Aprilia Tuono V4 Factory, which gained Öhlins semi-active suspension for 2021 (at a $100 cheaper price point, we might add).
KTM claims that this latest iteration of the WP semi-active suspension is faster and more precise in its adjustments, and KTM will offer an optional “Suspension Pro” package, which will allow for individually adjustable front and rear damping and an anti-dive feature.
It’s not clear how much extra that will cost, but it certainly will make the Aprilia Tuono V4 Factory look the better option against the KTM 1290 Super Duke R EVO when it comes to price and features.
One thing is certain with today’s news, however. It is a good time to be a buyer in the streetfighter segment – there is no shortage of great machines on offer, the KTM being among them…and it just got better.
Source: Bothan Spies
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