Every manufacturer, whether blenders, batons, or bikes, cultivates an identity through their marketing and products. What’s being penned in the Mattighofen marketing offices today and slapped on the side of every orange beasty is “Ready To Race”, which holds more than a few grains of truth. KTM likes its racing, and enjoys sharing certain fruits of those labors with customers directly. That alone isn’t unique to the Austrian brand—more than a few manufacturers from neighboring Italy imbue race-developed technology in their consumer offerings, knowing that it only improves the breed. Still, KTM is different.
Let’s look at the anatomy of their 30 Years of Duke press trip earlier this year, which celebrated the heavily updated 390, 990, and 1390 Dukes. The marketing tagline attached to various Duke ad campaigns was concise and unambiguous as possible: NO BULLSHIT. Within those apparently BS-free ads, KTM-branded riders are ripping wheelies, lighting up the rear with smokey burnouts, and participating in all the great anti-social behaviors that resonate with anyone who doesn’t suck. As you read this, you might think, “Well, we’ve seen that stuff in ad campaigns before,” and you’d be correct. But did it also coincide with plastering NO BULLSHIT all over a hotel in Almería, Spain, let alone most of the global motorcycle media? It didn’t.
That mentality doesn’t simply trickle down into its products—it’s mainlined into the proverbial arteries and the lifeblood that fuels them. Take “The Beast”, which has entered its fourth generation, and its moniker is still as accurate as ever. Scratch that; it’s amplified within the 2024 KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo. The North American market will forgo the conventionally suspended R-model, bringing in the Evo variant with semi-active WP suspension.
Unlike its hyper-naked compatriots who are superbike-born, The Beast is arguably the purest sport nudist among them. It came into this world without fairings and shall forever be a model that embraces the core tenants of the class: comfort, sportiness, and hooliganism ad nauseum.
The updates for this model year are sizable, not least of which the monstrous V-twin engine growing to 1350cc, wielding a claimed 190 horsepower and 106 ft-lbs pounds of torque, aided by variable valve timing (CamShift). The Beast is burlier, yet smarter, too, with the WP semi-active suspension gaining a wealth of modes over its predecessor, along with refined electronics and additional features. The styling is updated, having the appearance of something that consumes other motorcycles for sustenance. Those are the highlights that can be devoured here.
As this tale starts sounding suspiciously like a review, I’m obliged to pull the rug out now. Our initial greeting with the 2024 KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo at Circuito de Almería went splendidly until the heavens opened and tried to spoil the fun in Europe’s only desert. Riding on a cold, wet track isn’t fair to KTM’s burliest street model. We opted to wait until it landed on home turf to let it prowl both the street and track, just as any SDR owner should. That story will be out soon enough, having just spent quality time with The Beast.
Instead, this serves as something else. As I said, KTM is different, and so is this story.
Admittedly, I did get to spin a handful of dry laps, and what’s set in stone is that Super Duke R Evo’s operative word is gnarly in a thousand-year-stare kind of way. It sticks with you; above all else, its ridiculousness is addictive. That concept is underscored until the ink runs out with the 2024 model—the engine pulls harder and has a broader power spread. When the CamShift hits smack in the middle of the revs, it rages toward the redline with newfound anger.
Then came the rain. We put on a brave face and spun a few laps until KTM representatives devised a far safer solution than simply riding: wheelies and burnouts for the cameras. In fact, it most certainly was the right choice because street tires on a cold, damp racetrack led to trepidatious tiptoeing at best.
I’ve never met the legal department at KTM, and hopefully, I never will, bless their hearts. There seems to be a different philosophy in that KTM’s legal department doesn’t look at what they can’t do as a brand but what they can do. That might seem like two sides of the same coin, but the Austrian firm does crank the fun factor to 11, regardless of time, place, or conditions.
Needless to say, this went over well among the North American contingent of journalists. Parked two corners back from Almería’s enormous back straight, it was there that I realized two things: I’ve never done a burnout, and I’m terrible at wheelies.
Despite those two activities being staples within motorcycle media, I have avoided them due to my somewhat cautious nature. Also, the idea of spraying rubber across the subframe and the shock of a press bike has always filled me with guilt. Someone will have to clean it at some point, and it undoubtedly won’t be me. So, I’ve avoided both situations.
Assuming learning to wheelie takes time, I opted for the second—a burnout. What better way to break the cycle than with the sage advice from former KTM’s overly qualified PR man Chris Fillmore (multi-time Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Champion, AMA Supermoto Champion, and former AMA Superbike racer), and KTM development rider Jeremy McWilliams (former MotoGP and BSB racer, multi-time North West 200 Winner, King Of The Baggers winner).
After a quick tutorial, it was off to let The Beast eat some Michelin rubber. Luckily, the racetrack surface was still damp, and the grip was much lower, making breaking traction much easier. That said, the SDR’s silly amount of torque wouldn’t have let that happen, no matter the circumstances. Grab the front brake, rev it up, and dump the clutch. Houston, we have a mildly smokey burnout.
The rain stopped, and we salvaged a few more wet laps before packing it up. KTM isn’t shy or mild-mannered and it’s a philosophy that’s directly seen in its products, regardless of the category. Just like racers, they blow off steam with the best of them when the checkered flag is waved—their lead photographer also knows his way around a set of turntables. You do the math. That’s just what they do, and there’s honesty in that. We’ve all got that one friend who likes a bit of trouble, and frankly, those are the nights worth remembering. Like I said, KTM is different.
Nic de Sena
Senior Editor
Ultimate Motorcycling
