Covering 15,000 miles in five months aboard a KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo | MCN long-term test

#ktm #1390superduke #mcn

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[nickrider]

Anything with Neevesy is worth listening to/watching, this was no exception 👍🏻

[Bikesandbikesandbikes]

Neevsey is my favorite and I immediately watch anything with him in it. That said, it’s odd to hear him say this one bike not breaking down is proof KTM has turned things around. I really really want one of these or a 990R but I have 3 other bikes so I can afford to take my chances with the reliability.

[fearme]

Had my 24 1390 r (non evo) for a month now and absolutely love the thing! Had a Tuono previously and was going to upgrade but thought I’d try the Duke, better pillion option was a big factor. Paying for the tech pack is a bit annoying and you can’t upload it when purchasing the bike, it has to be done at the first service after the run in period. Only issue I’ve had was the quick shifter not working but that was just a simple software fix at the dealer.

KTM threw in the Akra slip on and a tail tidy for free and I definitely went with the extended warranty (4 years total)

I’m 6ft1 and the thing that’s impressed me the most is how comfortable it is on long rides, planning my first long trip and getting my luggage setup asap

[dsofe]

Let's hope KTM have the stamina to keep this trend going for another 10+ years. At least that's how long it'll take me personally to even consider setting foot in a KTM dealership again.

[ExtremeMustang]

Driving a naked style bike around the world like it's a common adventure bike takes some courage! My hat's off to you for that accomplishment 🫡

[greybeard]

The last 8 years I have had two Super Duke GT 30, 000 miles on the first one 20, 000 miles and still adding more and no plans to change it yet on my present 21 plate everything from two up touring around Europe and track days they have been perfect bikes for me (I’m 63 years young 😁) and have been super reliable glad you have enjoyed the Super Duke Micheal great review. 👍👍👍😁

[clayman]

"Built down to a price" is a phrase I would not expect to hear in a review for KTM's flagship naked model and one that looks at £20, 000 and smiles. And they want you to pay for the Tech Pack...

[fahadladha]

I went to the orange side from a Tuono and while the Aprilia was a great bike, never have I missed it. Since then had the Gen 3 SDR and now 1390 and there isn’t a bike out there that makes you smile and laugh as much, whether it’s a 15 commute to work, a fast road ride or a track day. Having test ridden the Gen 3 back to back with my Aprilia several times there was only one winner and the Aprilia had to go. It felt heavy, slower steering and didn’t really get going till above 6k. It doesn’t matter if I’m cruising at 30mph on my KTM it’s still so much fun just popping instant wheelies from 2k rpm and having instant power. The 1390 has moved the game on, it does everything so well now and even the fuel economy with the cam shift is incredible. I generally hate KTM looks but this 1390 is the first one I actually like the look of.

[adrianwatkins]

Incredibly in-depth analysis from touring to track, I’m seriously looking at another SDR having previously had a gen 2. Riding a KTM 1290 SAS at the moment and I have also had the issues with the C1 and C2 buttons, Thanks guys for taking the time to provide an excellent insight into the 1390 SDR, absolute gold for anyone thinking of buying one!

[SJBD]

I had a brand new 1390R. Problem after problem with electronics. Gave up after 6 months and bought a new Speed Triple 1200RS

[UsernameKate]

Loved this assessment 👏 so good to see you two together in a vid 😊

[leanit]

I love my 1390. I've only had it a few months, but it has been trouble free so far. Best all around street bike I have owned in 42 years or street riding and dozens of motorcycles.

[witchdoctor]

I'm so glad to hear both of you mentioned the occasional stalling... it happened to me few times on SMT and of course my first thought was please not camshaft issue

[ninjalawbreaker]

I'm on my second superduke R. Second hand obviously. Still to this day, my most expensive motorbike was a brand new Yamaha YZF 1000R Thunderace in '95 @ £9607. These 20K bikes are too expensive and usually an expensive way to find out they are not worth it. My gen 2 was stolen in Brighton this summer BEWARE OF BRIGHTON. I now dread the insurance this year for my gen 3, looking at 3K insurance. Previously 20+ years no claims. A fantastic professional review as always. Gonna have to ditch my SDR soon I suspect

[TwinPotMan]

I had a gen2 1290SDR and really enjoyed riding it over 10, 000 miles and 18 months, including touring to Europe to the Italian Lakes and Swiss mountain passes, until the electronic gremlins started to appear: Random and incorrect error messages on the dash and then temporarily refusing to start on several occasions. So after 18 months I moved it on because I could no longer trust it. Neevesy's experience on this latest bike feels strangely similar and so would still make me wary of buying another.

[branthurley]

Superb. MN's typically candid/transparent yet polite/diplomatic. Thanks for this, guys

[howardfreedman]

Great review by two great editors as always. I had a gen1 1290R special edition for one season. Too much bike for my riding skills and could never use it as a commuter as it couldn't keep a constant low rev. Had to be accelerating or deacclerating all the time or keep the revs above 6k. I tried fueling dongles and SAS delete with no success. Fun when rolling on the throttle but just not for me. The SE version was gorgeous.

[andyb]

Great review - I`ve got a 2019 gen 2 SDR owned from new, now with 27k mileage - it has never missed a beat - toured Europe, done track days on it - its the absolute dogs bollocks!!

[Aprival]

Once again the reference in long term review. The french journalists who call themselves journalists just because they seat on a motorcycle should take example on this great piece!!! Keep them coming and hopefully see you a track in Spain or Portugal over the winter!!!

[wiwwee]

On the Bridgestone S23 I did a ride from Finland to Brno on my Duke 890R.
A track day at Brno.
Followed by the Cannonball Bike Run 2024.
And then rode back home from Sunny Beach Bulgaria, going around Ukraine and Belarus, for obvious reasons.

9000 km on the S23 and it handled all that beautifully.

For comparison did a similar trip year before on the same bike on M9RR and that tyre wore out much faster.

That trip was Travemünde to Neukirhen Motorcycle Festival + Cannonball Bike run 2023 + ride home.