2023 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT Review [13 Fast Facts]

November 16, 2023

The 2023 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT is different. It’s different in many ways, but above all else, the sport aspect of this sport-tourer shines brighter than most. Coming from the Ready To Race brand, that might be as shocking as a revelation as water being wet or the sky blue. As such, the Super Duke GT borrows much from its brother, affectionately referred to as The Beast, otherwise known as the 1290 Super Duke R. To that end, its mighty 1301cc V-twin and eye-opening performance figures propel it to heights that make supersport-touring a more fitting title.

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves and paint the 1290 Super Duke GT as a one-trick pony. Nay, KTM’s machine gives road riders the versatility to don accessory luggage, rack up the miles, or tear up canyon roads with their knee-dragging buddies all the same—a mission statement set in stone at its introduction in 2016. After a brief hiatus, the SDGT returns to the US, bringing Euro 5 compliance updates to its LC8 V-twin, a new seven-inch TFT display, and lighter wheels to seize the headlines.

We got to know the 2023 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT, a motorcycle that makes commute slogs far more entertaining than usual, tackles canyon twisties, and even works as a high-powered grocery-getter—a testament to what’s in store.

A beast at heart—the 1301cc LC8 is a powerhouse from start to finish. There is genius in taking an unhinged super naked motorcycle and making it the basis for your sport-tourer. Sportbike fans will be pitching tents outside dealers when faced with 175 horsepower at 9750 rpm and 104 ft-lbs of torque at 7000 rpm, with the majority of massive low-end delivered a sniff off the line. Mighty as it is, KTM has retrained The Beast’s sibling with model-specific tuning to use its crayons instead of simply eating them to color a marble-slap-flat torque curve. Fortunately, its fangs aren’t dulled, and a good grip twist is enough to unleash ferocity laying beneath a sport-touring veneer, one that will easily loft the front wheel skyward. Vanilla, this is not, and the only downside is that this creature runs hot-blooded.

A spacious gearbox leans into the torque curve eloquently. The R and, therefore, the GT, feature long gearing, making settling into a rhythm with the engine relatively easy. As a result, the well-programmed optional up/down quickshifter doesn’t get too much of a workout. Riders can flick their wrists, relying upon brawny low-end and enormous midrange to scoot them around nicely. Sixth gear is so tall that the mill barely turns 4k rpm at freeway speeds, highlighting it as a true overdrive cog. There is a flip side to all this, as it can get a little clattery at ultra-low rpm.

The Tech Pack on the 2023 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT we tested unlocks numerous essential features. The $860 Tech Pack provides a plethora of features, which consists of the Track Pack—advanced traction control, Track and Performance ride mode, ABS, wheelie control adjustment, and launch control—and adds the quickshifter, engine braking management (Motor Slip Regulation), and touring-oriented hill hold control. Seeing as the SDGT rests at the upper echelon of sport-touring machines, it’s disappointing that KTM continues to charge extra for features that are commonplace on not its main rivals, such as the Kawasaki H2 SX SE+ and Ducati Multistrada V4 RS, as well as other motorcycles well below this price range.

Five riding modes are available. Three preset riding modes are standard—Sport, Street, and Rain. Each adjusts the throttle map and engine performance accordingly. Fueling is spot-on in any mode, while Sport’s zest is perpetually attractive. Track and Performance modes kick open the doors, allowing riders to customize TC settings on the fly, select any of the aforementioned throttle maps, switch ABS modes from Road to Supermoto (because we’ve all wanted to back-in our Sport-Touring machines), and allow disabling wheelie control, which is almost mandatory for anything bearing the Duke name. All of those can be fiddled with via the crisp seven-inch TFT display.

Speaking of rider aids, plenty is here to keep the shiny side up. Nine levels of TC are available, letting riders get as rowdy or as buttoned up as they like. We’re all looking for nannies that step in when indispensable, though not a moment earlier, which describes what we’ve got here—ditto for cornering ABS.

Brembo provides braking power. When dealing with Brembo Stylema calipers and a spiffy radial master cylinder, you can probably guess where this is going. The brakes offer great feel and enormous stopping power.

The engine braking management system does its thing while backing through the gears and hard on the binders, aiding the slipper clutch’s quest to prevent rear-wheel locking. While it definitely introduces some inconsistent feel on the Super Duke R, it is more agreeable in this less-pointed application.

WP semi-active suspension works its magic with a few button clicks. We’re not hunting for lap times aboard the GT, though I wouldn’t blame anyone for doing a track day bike on the SDR Evo, which shares similar suspenders. Keeping things simple and direct for the average street rider is a good call here since we have three distinct damping modes available—Sport, Street, and Comfort—bolstered by four shock spring-preload settings. Damping-wise, the suspension modes live up to their namesakes. Sport mode allows the GT to scythe through canyon curves confidently, while Street soaks up battered city potholes and acts as a happy medium. Comfort takes a relatively billowy approach that’s excellent for droning highway hauls, though it can get a little loose once you’re leaned over.

The steel-trellis frame abides. KTM’s spicy sport-touring geometry is aligned with its class compatriots and, oddly enough, its figures are slightly tighter than the 1290 Super Duke R. What’s clearer these days, with Super Duke R/Evo’s even racier aspirations per the last platform update, is that there are far more distinct personalities in play. The GT doubles down on stability and gains your trust on that foundation, though it is no slouch when flicking the 526-pound bike onto the edge of its grippy Continental ContiSportAttack 4 rubber. Aiding in that notion are 2.2 pounds lighter wheels, shaving off precious unsprung weight and rotational mass, likely livening things up a hair.

Tour long, far, and fast—that’s the 2023 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT mantra. That narrative feeds into the relaxed seating position, which, if you wanted to cite the largest disparity between its supremely naked brother, the SDR, you’d like to look no further than its casual riding position. While the 32.9-inch seat height seems a bit lofty on paper, remember that the V-twin packaging is slim; my 32-inch inseam has no issue reaching the deck. Beyond that, the wide handlebar provides all the leverage you need to hustle the SDGT around curves, while wind protection is aplenty thanks to the beefy fairings and adjustable windscreen. Of course, all the touchpoints are adjustable to suit riders of different sizes, and the new backlit switchgear is a great addition.

Touring amenities go a long way in expanding this machine’s scope of work. Sport is underlined, bolded, and shouted from the heavens, but this GT has nearly every creature comfort we’d want for a grand tour. An adjustable windscreen is followed up by LED cornering headlights, along with a 6.1-gallon fuel tank. Thankfully, cruise control (not adaptive cruise control), heated grips, handguards, self-canceling turn signals, and a key fob are all standard. New to the party are two discreet storage compartments tucked away inside each side of the fairing; this is where I stash the fob when riding. However, one item is curiously missing from that list of standard equipment.

Side cases are an option now. GT stands for Grand Tour, so one assumes you’ll be packing your toiletries on an epic journey. As the prior generation boasted luggage as standard, we know KTM agreed—before this year. Making the cases optional keeps the SDGT’s MSRP below the foreboding 20k mark at $19,799. That’s dandy for the marketing department, but it’s $825 extra for swish saddlebags. The sturdy KTM PowerParts luggage is quickly taken on or off. While I couldn’t manage to stuff a medium full-face helmet in there due to an angular design, there’s room for a long jaunt or a respectable grocery bounty. If the OEM bags don’t tickle your fancy (there are aftermarket GT side cases available) or you just want the GT as a superb day-use sport bike, you won’t be paying for something you won’t use.

The sportier side of sport-touring is well taken care of with the 2023 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT. KTM isn’t a brand known for its subtlety, and the Super Duke GT perfectly represents that. Its 1301cc engine is one of the legendary mills of our generation. With its on-demand torque and superb performance, it deserves all the gushing it gets. Of course, we have a sporting chassis that is highly adaptable and decked out with many touring features, so this Beast variant keeps up with the Joneses on the feature front. Complaints about its performance are hard to come by, though we can still raise an eyebrow or wag a finger at should-be-standard electronic options or features that were once standard. Still, when its performance is considered, we suspect many owners will be busy lofting their front wheels off into the sunset and doing it comfortably.

Action photography by Don Williams
Static photography by Nic de Sena and Don Williams

RIDING STYLE