1290R “Pikes Peak” ?

Arsey

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Interesting

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If I was shallow enough to buy a bike just on looks it would be the Ducati every day. BTW I’m not that shallow - I bought a Multistrada 1000DS and loved it, especially when it ran.
 
If I was shallow enough to buy a bike just on looks it would be the Ducati every day. BTW I’m not that shallow - I bought a Multistrada 1000DS and loved it, especially when it ran.

I like the concept. The V4 Multistrada isn't exactly pretty but it sure as hell looks better than that! Arsey's R looks nice in those colours but the S and this thing just don't do it.

I also had a 1000 DS, mine ran ok, good enough to do John O Groats to Lands End in 16 hours and also round Morocco without any breakdown cover.
 
No different to KTM previously offering 990 Adventure/Supermoto/SMT/Super Duke all at the same time.

Will be interesting to see what they really come up with ;)
 
Could be just what I always wanted...

...Top quality conventional suspension, road tyre sizes, extra suspension travel (over road bikes) for the shit UK (and Belgium) roads and some of the more gnarly mountain roads of the UK.

Although if they release this and all I have to do is buy the front wheel and mudguard and pop it into the front of my 18 model then that will save me a £6k - £7k of trade in cost :)
 
This looks like an exciting bike if KTM decide to release it, could be trading my XR in for one.

Tried a 1290 SAS? I think they have the beating of an XR in almost every department, and especially the engine, although I just cannot be bothered to rev a 1000/4 to the billion rpm they need to pull the skin off a rice pudding.
 
2017 1290 is shite
2021 onwards is in a different league.

Although I could barely tell any difference riding back-to-back-to-back with my 2018 Model.

Biggest difference to me was riding position, much better for shorter folk, but a bit less leg room than mine, which I prefer.

I am sure the suspension computers work faster - not that I noticed a lot of difference except it felt a smidge softer - or maybe it was just more compliant due to the uprated suspension?

Power and torque felt identical.

Handling felt different, but not necessarily any better / worse, maybe with a test track and 2 bikes I could find some noticeable difference, but riding on roads near me it seemed fairly equal.

The ability to fine tune the suspension and the easy to get to air filter were the things I felt I would most like.

Think 17-19 is a good idea if you wanna save some cash, but I doubt there is much between a used 20 and 21 and I would defo pay a bit extra for the later bike.
 
Although I could barely tell any difference riding back-to-back-to-back with my 2018 Model.

Biggest difference to me was riding position, much better for shorter folk, but a bit less leg room than mine, which I prefer.

I am sure the suspension computers work faster - not that I noticed a lot of difference except it felt a smidge softer - or maybe it was just more compliant due to the uprated suspension?

Power and torque felt identical.

Handling felt different, but not necessarily any better / worse, maybe with a test track and 2 bikes I could find some noticeable difference, but riding on roads near me it seemed fairly equal.

The ability to fine tune the suspension and the easy to get to air filter were the things I felt I would most like.

Think 17-19 is a good idea if you wanna save some cash, but I doubt there is much between a used 20 and 21 and I would defo pay a bit extra for the later bike.

For me, I think the 2021 engine is MUCH smoother than the 2017.
The fuelling is so much better, especially low down.The quickshifter also seems slicker.
The handling is in a different league and is totally different to the earlier bike.
The new ‘pannier tank’ layout, copied over from the 790/890 has lowered the c of g and the new bike tips naturally into corners where the older bike never did.It has transformed the bike in this department.

The backlit switchgear has a better layout than the old bike and the new TFT is also much more advanced.

For me, the new bike is VERY different from the old bike.
I didn’t really gel with the previous bike but the new one is fabulous .
 
It's probably a great ride, but compared to the PP (or anything really), It's pig ugly and the wheels are totally out of proportion to the bodywork.
 
Funny enough I had started looking for one. Thinking of trying a 2017-2019 model to see what they are like..

Well I got a nice Black/Silver 2019 model to get me into KTM ownership - very little orange colour on it :augie

Great fun to ride but very different to my Gen2 XR. It bangs and judders, doesn't really like going under 3,000rpm without shaking and can just about hold 65mph in top gear. Because I am always in a lower gear than normal i.e. 3rd through towns etc, it loves to wheelie out of them. And it suits my "slightly larger than it used to be" frame.
 
get it remapped by that bloke on the hill and it will comfortably pull 50 mph in top. As will the new model as it happens.
 
get it remapped by that bloke on the hill and it will comfortably pull 50 mph in top. As will the new model as it happens.

Had mine done "on the hill" and it will not sit comfortably in top at any speed under 55. Splurts and judders.
 
Had mine done "on the hill" and it will not sit comfortably in top at any speed under 55. Splurts and judders.

These people https://bsd.uk.com/dyno-ecu/ are very knowledgeable when it comes to the LC8 models. Had my 2007 990 done by them a couple of years back, it was truly shocking at low speed. It is now like a different bike, cost about £350 at the time, great bunch of people.
 


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