3000 miles on my new one, nothing is more fun to ride than a KTM. I think it is the best kept secret for sport tourers. I'm getting over 50MPG if I don't flog it !! I think the Japanese bikes feel cheap and tinny in comparison!! You missed the boat Dude!!
Had my 2022 gt from new, no reliability problems at all. It's personal choice for me it's perfect, trip to the tt last year proved It's total all round ability and all the tech you could want.
Fair assessment on the SDGT. I own a '17 model with now 42K miles on it. I really cannot fault the bike in any regard. It does everything so well. Lots of the YT reviews compare new prices on these bikes but I have never bought a new motorcycle. I let the PO suffer the depreciation which in the US, KTM suffers. IMO the BMW/DUCATI/KTM European brands outclass the Honda/Suzuki/Yamaha in raw feel and quality of construction. Just a higher end product. Not more capable, just a higher more refined feel. If that means anything to you.
I bought my gen1 SDGT 2nd hand with 900 miles on the clock for £10k the bike was 10 months old,massive saving over the new price,that was 4 years ago now,still have the Duke & won't be selling it,most fun bike I've ever owned,Mega bike.
Brilliant! A friend of mine took delivery of his GT last Saturday. I love that 1290 engine in my SAS, you can ride that bike like a hooligan but it can also be very docile with the right settings. Cracking review, as always! Cheers, Lupo
Hi Lupo, Thanks, glad you enjoyed the review 👍 It is an awesome engine, so characterful. Enjoyable to ride at any speed. I would have the SAS over the GT. Cheers
Great video mate, I've been following you for a minute now, awesome to see the great content coming. Just a small correction; this monster is the ultimate everything. It's soooo good. Oh, and KTMs rule, they get a ton of flack but I think they make bikes that are still FUN. They inject their DNA in all of their models in a way few manufacturers can.
Totally agree with you, I tried one and found it top heavy, whilst the heat from the engine scorched my thighs. Also, I think there was damage to the side panels where it had been dropped.
Ok! This needs to be said, right now. A high screen, will not necessarily kill the buffeting. It could make it worse, try dropping the screen, it may surprise you.
It's a fantastic bike for small twistys. Lots of power and super handling. I ride dirt roads, twisty mountain roads, small country roads all the time. Almost never highways and I ride alot. 20 000 km my first year on my first gen 2018 gt. When It's time for a new bike It's probably going to be a newer gt
Hi, thank you for the video. I owned a 2021 SDGT and I bought it new. From the engine ,suspensions and frame structure the behavior was flawless. The two side cases for luggage are big enough (room for a full face helmet inside) and they don’t mess with the aesthetics of the bike. They’re practical to use, but for a sport tourer, the ergonomics of the pillion seat and leg position wasn’t compatible with comfort on longer rides, so it was somehow a deception on that touring aspect. The main reason that made me sell it was both, the electronic bugs and the random malfunction messages that annoyingly insisted to pop up from no where, without a real cause, and the dealership difficulties to deal with those issues. I didn’t expect to spent such a significant amount of money on a bike that I bought new, and gave me all that trouble. She had to go, unfortunately. If KTM solves this reliability issues, the Brand can get to a far more important position than what it already has achieved in the ranking of the most prestigious names in the Industry, but it didn’t accomplished to get there yet. That (ad)venture with The Chinese motorcycle industry brought them some nice sales figures but they carried along with it, some nasty “real world” results, that are blurring the Brand’s name, I think. If that relationship doesn’t get assertive, fast, I think the brand will get injured for a long laps of time, as we know, a bad owner’s experience is hard to forget and it’s happening a little too much, everywhere…within almost every sales territory. I hope they can fix it, because KTM has real value and merit on a wide range of product solutions in the motorcycle world. It’s something alike the Italian brands. The products are enthusiastic and exciting… but that feeling doesn’t last long and soon “regret” takes their place and becomes the central reference taken from the experience? When I watched your video I first felt some amount of nostalgia but right after it, the feeling of relief came out strong and steady 😅
I had a bad experience too. Bought 890 duke brand new from showroom noticed oil leak around 300 miles. What an unreliable brand. I will never buy the brand again.
I also had a 2021, loved it in every way. However, the electronic gremlins were occurring way too often as the miles accumulated. Twice leaving me stranded over 1000 miles from home.
Hey Red,good vid. I like the chunky look but don't like the front lights. I do miss riding but don't have anywhere for a bike. The more I watch the reviews it comes back to a traditional sports tourer, the 1000 1000 wins for me. Ps, I get the riding for mental health reasons👍😎
Hey, thanks glad you enjoyed it 👍 It is a chunky looking bike, I agree something is a bit off with the front end looks! I personally prefer the Suzuki gsx s1000gt, with the silky smooth 4 cylinder engine. Cheers, it is such a great form of therapy to clear the head.
Great reply. May I add that low expectations of other drivers is critically important to peace of mind and safety on the road, especially when biking. As long as you anticipate the foolish, the inept, the inattentive you'll be able to keep your cool and your life. 2wheels down. Happy cruising.
Thanks for the honest review - it’s refreshing to see a negative review. I have been considering the 1260gt due to the higher riding position- currently have the ninja 1000 sports tourer and I find it uncomfortable after 90mins (6ft 3)
I think it’s a bike you need to spend more time in the saddle on before the grin factor kicks in. An hours test ride isn’t really enough. I went from a Street Triple RS to my Gen2 GT and it took a while getting used to the gearing and power delivery. First ride for me was Bristol to Oxford in torrential rain and gale force wind and not once did I feel unsafe on it. Following day was Oxford to Norfolk and it was dry and sunny and I had an absolute blast!
Yes fair enough. I had half a day on it but still not enough to get to know a bike well. I am a huge fan of the engine, so guess this bike has lots of potential
For what it’s worth I still haven’t put mine in Sport mode after owning the bike for the best part of a year. That’s how long it’s taken me to get fully confident with the bike and learn its peculiarities. Even in street it will easily lift the front wheel in second and third gears. This year I fully intend to try sport mode although it’s already warps time in street mode. I’m kinda glad you didn’t like it because they are the best kept secret and only owners really understand how good they are. I wouldn’t change it for any of the current bikes on the market because none can do it all like the GT can.
I bought a left over 2020 in 2021, and luckily in the USofA sport tourers aren't all that popular. 12K USD out the door. I've done over 20K miles on mine and love the heck out of it. My ex-gf had the Ninja 1K SX (sports tourer designation here) and i found it was way too sports oriented and by the time we got anywhere she was just knackered from the riding position as it was a lot sportier. She ended up with a whole new bar set up etc. The SDGT is a bit quirky, and top heavy feeling, and it's not for everyone, but holy hell is it great at gobbling op tons of miles at a stretch.
👍 sounds like a great buy you made. Such a fun and practical bike for touring on. An absolute beast as well haha. Hope you continue to enjoy it. Cheers
I hear a lot about ktm engines leaking oil... is that a recurring theme in all ktms? or only on specific engines? kinda want one, but I am not liking tha potencial reliability issue....
Standard tyres here are Continental SportAttack 4's. They don't gell with this bike. Try the RoadAttack 4. It wil transform the bike to the best sports tourer by far. Me and my mate ride 2017 SD GT's. Four times a year we do Eifel, Black Forrest, Alps and Dolomites. We ride there from Holland so it has to have both touring and twisty capabillities. And believe me it does. Ride the twisties as if it were a naked. Stupid fast, silly leaning angles, trailbreaking like mad till the apex. Blasting out of corners on the monster torque. Mind you, with the sidecases, buddybag and tankbag! Best sports touring bike? You bet. Btw, wet weight is 235kg not 225
I'd vote second best. Caveat: I ride my wife on back 90% of the time--I have other lighter, smaller bikes for solo/local hooliganisms. I traded my GT for a 2023 Ducati Pikes Peak V4 and this is my favorite for two-up--maybe solo too. The Ducati feels much more stable and actually more nimble side-to-side. Yeah--it costs about $9000 more--but at this point, the GT is literally a old parts bin Superduke with a much flimsier frame and swing arm than the latest Superduke--which is already being geared for replacement/update. I believe the flex is part of what I felt was making the GT feel relatively squirmy/unsettled on corner. Keep in mind I have owned every single Super Duke ever made (4 of them) and three of their big adventure bikes--plus a Duke 890R...a SMC 690R -12 KTMs before trying the Pikes Peak. 1290 motor still king of roll-on in-gear torque.
That is a very good point, I did find it a bit unsettled in the corners! Just not filling me with confidence. Sounds like you enjoy a KTM 😂 Such a brilliant engine, great at any speed. Cheers
I own one 2023 and this is my issue. Doesnt it power-drop on second gear, under 60kmh / 40mph? I get this every single time. I can only normally throttle hard in under 60kmh, in 1st gear. otherwise it will like stop providing power for a second, and then re-give power. you must know whats going on.
Good initial review. I've only ridden The Beast a couple of years ago and that was great but so much power and torque on public roads was scary. I reckon if had bought one I would have lost either my license or life by lunchtime which begs your question is it the best sports tourer? Agree with you. No. I shall stick with either my Triumph Sprint 1050ST or Honda VFR800 each cost me around the £3-4k mark and have colour coded manufacturer luggage as well. My VFR has only 60% of the power of this but it is more than enough for touring on and it is very comfortable. My Sprint has 123bhp and is quicker and even more spacious. Each have great engines V4 and smooth triple. I think to buy this KTM 1290 Super Duke GT you have to really want it and have DEEP pockets.
Thanks 👍 I agree, I think it is a bit much really. I much prefer the Kawasaki Ninja or Suzuki gsx s1000gt, plenty powerful enough and lovely silky smooth engine. At a fraction of the cost! I can see why people like it though!
Brilliant. A review of a sports tourer that doesn't do any sport riding and doesn't do any touring. I guess it's no wonder you didn't bond with it. And no surprise there's no useful info in the video about how good of a sports-tourer it is. I don't know about anybody else, but I like a sports-tourer for loading up some clothes and whatnot on the bike, then riding it to a destination, taking major highways (i.e. boring, but quick) to get there. Then, unload all my gear at my lodging and spend a few days engaged in hard-core sport riding on nice, twisty roads. Then, load my gear back onto the bike and take the boring roads back home. Sport. Touring. So, for ME, evaluating a sports-tourer would mean evaluating how good it is for loading up a weekend to a week's worth of gear and droning down major motorways for 200 - 500 miles a day (and even up to 1000 per day). Can it carry all my gear? Is it comfortable for all day just sat in the saddle? How long can I go between fuel stops (I regularly go 250 - 270 miles between stops with my current bike, when I'm traveling long-distance)? How well does the cruise control (a requirement) work? Does it have adaptive cruise control (even better)? Does it have heated grips? Heated seat? How easy is it to setup the suspension for comfort and carrying me and luggage (and maybe a passenger)? Does it have navigation? If so, how well does that work? How easy is it to use? What happens if I'm somewhere with no cell phone network coverage or wifi and I want to plot a route to a destination and then have it take me there? And then also, evaluating how good it is for sport riding. The power and braking. How easy is it to change it over to "sport" mode for throttle response and suspension? How easy to switch it from preload for rider+passenger+luggage to preload for rider only? How well does the suspension work when riding at a knee-dragging pace? How about the brakes? Do they fade under repeated hard use? How well does it work if I'm riding at a sporty pace with a passenger, for that matter? The Suzuki and Kawasaki probably do offer cruise control. If they don't, they would be right out. I suspect they are probably also equal (more-or-less) to the SD GT for carrying some luggage and droning down a motorway all day. But, I also suspect that, if you ride all three to the twisties, and then you change over to no passenger or luggage and you start getting serious in the corners, the KTM will leave the others for dead. I don't KNOW. That's just my hunch. And if my hunch is actually correct, then I would definitely not argue with anyone crowning the SD GT as the Ultimate Sports Tourer. And that is the kind of info I would hope to learn from a review of a sports-touring motorcycle.
Hi Angus. Interesting that a couple of times you referenced the Ninja sports tourer over the Suzuki given that you concluded you preferred the Suzuki. Mind you, I guess we are talking tiny margins. Regards Den
Hi Den, Yes mainly because the Ninja is more well known and an easier reference for people to compare. As you say it really is such small margins, they are all great haha
@@redangrevival still not convinced it’s you. Need to show Speedy to guarantee it😅 by the way, chopped in the Scrambler 900 as I found it too under powered. Got a Tiger 900 GT and absolutely love it. Enough bike for an old boy and with the T120 two totally different riding experiences. Regards Den
Another nice video , very nice bike but I also think this is not the best sport tourer. As you say , everyone has their own personal opinion on this. ✌
A crazy amount of HP, 150 more than my humble Meteor ! "Different strokes." I can't get over how you blokes go blasting around those country lanes at 70 mph ! 😆 Ala Lawrence of Arabia 😉 Cheers 🍻
I see you casually drive in town on the 3rd gear. When you want to give it some power i guess you ll drop to second gear. Doesnt it power-drop on second gear, under 60kmh / 40mph? I get this every single time. can only normally throttle hard in under 60kmh, in 1st gear. otherwise it will like stop providing power for a second, and then re-give power.
Yes I would drop down into second for faster acceleration. It sounds like perhaps you are letting the revs drop a little low, and it takes a while for the power to build up.
I disagree that it is the most powerful sports tour motorcycle. You forgot to include the Kawasaki H2 SX SE turbocharged bike. That one is close to 200 hp and it comes with panniers as well.
Wonderful engine but, quite surprisingly, coming from a 1290 Evo and looking for a more sport touring oriented solution, I ended up liking the BMW R1250 RS more than this one. Maybe it was just because moving away from the Superduke was so difficult that I had to do a real cut 😉. Nice and enjoyable review as usual, thanks ✌️
RPM at US freeway speeds? 80-90mph?. very important. the kawy an suzy both fail miserably with intolerable buzzing at very high rpm at these everyday normal freeway speeds. add to that misery the ridiculous fly screens an you'd never make it on the freeway at these speeds even 1hr. anyways its another dorko dad adv aint foolin nobody. squid missiles with bags.
Just got rid of mine due to the usual KTM glitches. A good bike spoilt by KTM electronics. Also come on KTM why do you have to pay a shed load more to unlock all the toys.
No, because it won't make it to 30k miles before the repair bills start adding up to 50% of the original cost. There's no point to a touring bike that will fall apart. The only way I'd buy one of these is if KTM offered the same warranty Kia does on it's cars.
3000 miles on my new one, nothing is more fun to ride than a KTM. I think it is the best kept secret for sport tourers. I'm getting over 50MPG if I don't flog it !! I think the Japanese bikes feel cheap and tinny in comparison!! You missed the boat Dude!!
Had my 2022 gt from new, no reliability problems at all. It's personal choice for me it's perfect, trip to the tt last year proved It's total all round ability and all the tech you could want.
👌 Great to hear the no reliability issues.
Fair assessment on the SDGT. I own a '17 model with now 42K miles on it. I really cannot fault the bike in any regard. It does everything so well. Lots of the YT reviews compare new prices on these bikes but I have never bought a new motorcycle. I let the PO suffer the depreciation which in the US, KTM suffers. IMO the BMW/DUCATI/KTM European brands outclass the Honda/Suzuki/Yamaha in raw feel and quality of construction. Just a higher end product. Not more capable, just a higher more refined feel. If that means anything to you.
I bought my gen1 SDGT 2nd hand with 900 miles on the clock for £10k the bike was 10 months old,massive saving over the new price,that was 4 years ago now,still have the Duke & won't be selling it,most fun bike I've ever owned,Mega bike.
Brilliant! A friend of mine took delivery of his GT last Saturday. I love that 1290 engine in my SAS, you can ride that bike like a hooligan but it can also be very docile with the right settings.
Cracking review, as always!
Cheers,
Lupo
Hi Lupo,
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the review 👍 It is an awesome engine, so characterful. Enjoyable to ride at any speed. I would have the SAS over the GT.
Cheers
Superduke 1290 gt more raw and brutal then 1290 adventer ✊🔥
Dam that motorbike is almost as cool as you Red! 😎 Great video
Haha thanks! It’s definitely cooler
Great video mate, I've been following you for a minute now, awesome to see the great content coming. Just a small correction; this monster is the ultimate everything. It's soooo good. Oh, and KTMs rule, they get a ton of flack but I think they make bikes that are still FUN. They inject their DNA in all of their models in a way few manufacturers can.
Thanks 👍 I agree they are amazingly fun bikes, all their models have something unique about them. Cheers
Great review mate !! Should definitely include the R1250RS in this comparison also a great sport tourer, regards!
Thanks 👍 Yes great point, I forgot about the BMW!! Definitely up there with the best of them. Cheers
Totally agree with you, I tried one and found it top heavy, whilst the heat from the engine scorched my thighs. Also, I think there was damage to the side panels where it had been dropped.
Yes it just didn't fill me with confidence in the corners. I didn't notice any heat though 🤔
Ok! This needs to be said, right now. A high screen, will not necessarily kill the buffeting. It could make it worse, try dropping the screen, it may surprise you.
It's a fantastic bike for small twistys. Lots of power and super handling. I ride dirt roads, twisty mountain roads, small country roads all the time. Almost never highways and I ride alot. 20 000 km my first year on my first gen 2018 gt. When It's time for a new bike It's probably going to be a newer gt
👌 Sounds like you have found a keeper, thats what biking is all about. Great to find a bike you love.
Cheers
Hi, thank you for the video.
I owned a 2021 SDGT and I bought it new. From the engine ,suspensions and frame structure the behavior was flawless. The two side cases for luggage are big enough (room for a full face helmet inside) and they don’t mess with the aesthetics of the bike. They’re practical to use, but for a sport tourer, the ergonomics of the pillion seat and leg position wasn’t compatible with comfort on longer rides, so it was somehow a deception on that touring aspect. The main reason that made me sell it was both, the electronic bugs and the random malfunction messages that annoyingly insisted to pop up from no where, without a real cause, and the dealership difficulties to deal with those issues. I didn’t expect to spent such a significant amount of money on a bike that I bought new, and gave me all that trouble. She had to go, unfortunately.
If KTM solves this reliability issues, the Brand can get to a far more important position than what it already has achieved in the ranking of the most prestigious names in the Industry, but it didn’t accomplished to get there yet. That (ad)venture with The Chinese motorcycle industry brought them some nice sales figures but they carried along with it, some nasty “real world” results, that are blurring the Brand’s name, I think. If that relationship doesn’t get assertive, fast, I think the brand will get injured for a long laps of time, as we know, a bad owner’s experience is hard to forget and it’s happening a little too much, everywhere…within almost every sales territory. I hope they can fix it, because KTM has real value and merit on a wide range of product solutions in the motorcycle world. It’s something alike the Italian brands. The products are enthusiastic and exciting… but that feeling doesn’t last long and soon “regret” takes their place and becomes the central reference taken from the experience? When I watched your video I first felt some amount of nostalgia but right after it, the feeling of relief came out strong and steady 😅
I had a bad experience too. Bought 890 duke brand new from showroom noticed oil leak around 300 miles. What an unreliable brand. I will never buy the brand again.
I also had a 2021, loved it in every way. However, the electronic gremlins were occurring way too often as the miles accumulated. Twice leaving me stranded over 1000 miles from home.
@@michaelskajem2940 it’s a pity that KTM bikes suffer so much on reliability. Because they’re extremely fun to ride!
When KTM was made in Austria the bikes were a lot better.
Now they are made in India.
Hey Red,good vid. I like the chunky look but don't like the front lights. I do miss riding but don't have anywhere for a bike. The more I watch the reviews it comes back to a traditional sports tourer, the 1000 1000 wins for me. Ps, I get the riding for mental health reasons👍😎
Hey, thanks glad you enjoyed it 👍 It is a chunky looking bike, I agree something is a bit off with the front end looks!
I personally prefer the Suzuki gsx s1000gt, with the silky smooth 4 cylinder engine.
Cheers, it is such a great form of therapy to clear the head.
Great reply. May I add that low expectations of other drivers is critically important to peace of mind and safety on the road, especially when biking. As long as you anticipate the foolish, the inept, the inattentive you'll be able to keep your cool and your life. 2wheels down. Happy cruising.
My previous bike was Z1000SX, now I have SDGT 1290 :-) It take some time used to the big twin motor. He can't forgive that much that inline 4.
Nice video like always
Many thanks 🙌 I appreciate it
Thanks for the honest review - it’s refreshing to see a negative review. I have been considering the 1260gt due to the higher riding position- currently have the ninja 1000 sports tourer and I find it uncomfortable after 90mins (6ft 3)
Since you're a big guy, why not a Concours 14?
I think it’s a bike you need to spend more time in the saddle on before the grin factor kicks in. An hours test ride isn’t really enough. I went from a Street Triple RS to my Gen2 GT and it took a while getting used to the gearing and power delivery. First ride for me was Bristol to Oxford in torrential rain and gale force wind and not once did I feel unsafe on it. Following day was Oxford to Norfolk and it was dry and sunny and I had an absolute blast!
Yes fair enough. I had half a day on it but still not enough to get to know a bike well. I am a huge fan of the engine, so guess this bike has lots of potential
For what it’s worth I still haven’t put mine in Sport mode after owning the bike for the best part of a year. That’s how long it’s taken me to get fully confident with the bike and learn its peculiarities. Even in street it will easily lift the front wheel in second and third gears. This year I fully intend to try sport mode although it’s already warps time in street mode. I’m kinda glad you didn’t like it because they are the best kept secret and only owners really understand how good they are. I wouldn’t change it for any of the current bikes on the market because none can do it all like the GT can.
I bought a left over 2020 in 2021, and luckily in the USofA sport tourers aren't all that popular. 12K USD out the door. I've done over 20K miles on mine and love the heck out of it. My ex-gf had the Ninja 1K SX (sports tourer designation here) and i found it was way too sports oriented and by the time we got anywhere she was just knackered from the riding position as it was a lot sportier. She ended up with a whole new bar set up etc. The SDGT is a bit quirky, and top heavy feeling, and it's not for everyone, but holy hell is it great at gobbling op tons of miles at a stretch.
👍 sounds like a great buy you made. Such a fun and practical bike for touring on. An absolute beast as well haha.
Hope you continue to enjoy it. Cheers
I hear a lot about ktm engines leaking oil... is that a recurring theme in all ktms? or only on specific engines? kinda want one, but I am not liking tha potencial reliability issue....
I think that is somewhat of an older problem. Some do have issues but shouldn't be enough to put you off the bike.
Thanks you for this vidéo. Very nice motorcycle 👍🏍️.
It is my pleasure, really glad you enjoyed the video 👍 Certainly an impressive bike
Standard tyres here are Continental SportAttack 4's. They don't gell with this bike. Try the RoadAttack 4. It wil transform the bike to the best sports tourer by far. Me and my mate ride 2017 SD GT's. Four times a year we do Eifel, Black Forrest, Alps and Dolomites. We ride there from Holland so it has to have both touring and twisty capabillities. And believe me it does. Ride the twisties as if it were a naked. Stupid fast, silly leaning angles, trailbreaking like mad till the apex. Blasting out of corners on the monster torque. Mind you, with the sidecases, buddybag and tankbag! Best sports touring bike? You bet.
Btw, wet weight is 235kg not 225
👍 sounds like you have an absolute blast on it!
Surely the Kawasaki H2 SX is more powerful at 198bhp. Good review 👍
Yes and a lot more reliable
Yes that is true, I sort of see that bike in a league of its own though!
@@solentmotorbiketours9545Straight facts right 👆
Maybe, but not as raw and wheelie happy as Superduke 1290✊🔥
bike looks awesome im just worried with reliability in long term
Yes KTM do hav a sketchy history. However it is improving!
I'd vote second best. Caveat: I ride my wife on back 90% of the time--I have other lighter, smaller bikes for solo/local hooliganisms. I traded my GT for a 2023 Ducati Pikes Peak V4 and this is my favorite for two-up--maybe solo too. The Ducati feels much more stable and actually more nimble side-to-side. Yeah--it costs about $9000 more--but at this point, the GT is literally a old parts bin Superduke with a much flimsier frame and swing arm than the latest Superduke--which is already being geared for replacement/update. I believe the flex is part of what I felt was making the GT feel relatively squirmy/unsettled on corner. Keep in mind I have owned every single Super Duke ever made (4 of them) and three of their big adventure bikes--plus a Duke 890R...a SMC 690R -12 KTMs before trying the Pikes Peak. 1290 motor still king of roll-on in-gear torque.
That is a very good point, I did find it a bit unsettled in the corners! Just not filling me with confidence. Sounds like you enjoy a KTM 😂 Such a brilliant engine, great at any speed. Cheers
I own one 2023 and this is my issue. Doesnt it power-drop on second gear, under 60kmh / 40mph? I get this every single time. I can only normally throttle hard in under 60kmh, in 1st gear. otherwise it will like stop providing power for a second, and then re-give power. you must know whats going on.
Good initial review. I've only ridden The Beast a couple of years ago and that was great but so much power and torque on public roads was scary. I reckon if had bought one I would have lost either my license or life by lunchtime which begs your question is it the best sports tourer? Agree with you. No. I shall stick with either my Triumph Sprint 1050ST or Honda VFR800 each cost me around the £3-4k mark and have colour coded manufacturer luggage as well. My VFR has only 60% of the power of this but it is more than enough for touring on and it is very comfortable. My Sprint has 123bhp and is quicker and even more spacious. Each have great engines V4 and smooth triple. I think to buy this KTM 1290 Super Duke GT you have to really want it and have DEEP pockets.
Thanks 👍 I agree, I think it is a bit much really. I much prefer the Kawasaki Ninja or Suzuki gsx s1000gt, plenty powerful enough and lovely silky smooth engine. At a fraction of the cost!
I can see why people like it though!
Brilliant. A review of a sports tourer that doesn't do any sport riding and doesn't do any touring. I guess it's no wonder you didn't bond with it. And no surprise there's no useful info in the video about how good of a sports-tourer it is.
I don't know about anybody else, but I like a sports-tourer for loading up some clothes and whatnot on the bike, then riding it to a destination, taking major highways (i.e. boring, but quick) to get there. Then, unload all my gear at my lodging and spend a few days engaged in hard-core sport riding on nice, twisty roads. Then, load my gear back onto the bike and take the boring roads back home. Sport. Touring.
So, for ME, evaluating a sports-tourer would mean evaluating how good it is for loading up a weekend to a week's worth of gear and droning down major motorways for 200 - 500 miles a day (and even up to 1000 per day). Can it carry all my gear? Is it comfortable for all day just sat in the saddle? How long can I go between fuel stops (I regularly go 250 - 270 miles between stops with my current bike, when I'm traveling long-distance)? How well does the cruise control (a requirement) work? Does it have adaptive cruise control (even better)? Does it have heated grips? Heated seat? How easy is it to setup the suspension for comfort and carrying me and luggage (and maybe a passenger)? Does it have navigation? If so, how well does that work? How easy is it to use? What happens if I'm somewhere with no cell phone network coverage or wifi and I want to plot a route to a destination and then have it take me there?
And then also, evaluating how good it is for sport riding. The power and braking. How easy is it to change it over to "sport" mode for throttle response and suspension? How easy to switch it from preload for rider+passenger+luggage to preload for rider only? How well does the suspension work when riding at a knee-dragging pace? How about the brakes? Do they fade under repeated hard use? How well does it work if I'm riding at a sporty pace with a passenger, for that matter?
The Suzuki and Kawasaki probably do offer cruise control. If they don't, they would be right out. I suspect they are probably also equal (more-or-less) to the SD GT for carrying some luggage and droning down a motorway all day.
But, I also suspect that, if you ride all three to the twisties, and then you change over to no passenger or luggage and you start getting serious in the corners, the KTM will leave the others for dead. I don't KNOW. That's just my hunch. And if my hunch is actually correct, then I would definitely not argue with anyone crowning the SD GT as the Ultimate Sports Tourer.
And that is the kind of info I would hope to learn from a review of a sports-touring motorcycle.
Hi Angus.
Interesting that a couple of times you referenced the Ninja sports tourer over the Suzuki given that you concluded you preferred the Suzuki. Mind you, I guess we are talking tiny margins.
Regards
Den
Hi Den,
Yes mainly because the Ninja is more well known and an easier reference for people to compare. As you say it really is such small margins, they are all great haha
@@redangrevival still not convinced it’s you. Need to show Speedy to guarantee it😅 by the way, chopped in the Scrambler 900 as I found it too under powered. Got a Tiger 900 GT and absolutely love it. Enough bike for an old boy and with the T120 two totally different riding experiences.
Regards
Den
@@denisg4288 Haha I will have to plan a video 👍 Nice sounds like a lovely garage, glad you enjoy it
Did it run hot?
No it felt fine to me 👍
Another nice video , very nice bike but I also think this is not the best sport tourer. As you say , everyone has their own personal opinion on this. ✌
Thanks 👍 Yes it is an impressive bike, but just not my personal flavour! Great to have options though
A crazy amount of HP, 150 more than my humble Meteor ! "Different strokes." I can't get over how you blokes go blasting around those country lanes at 70 mph ! 😆 Ala Lawrence of Arabia 😉 Cheers 🍻
😂 it is very fast! However fast does not always mean more fun. We are not blessed with big roads here! Cheers
I see you casually drive in town on the 3rd gear. When you want to give it some power i guess you ll drop to second gear. Doesnt it power-drop on second gear, under 60kmh / 40mph? I get this every single time. can only normally throttle hard in under 60kmh, in 1st gear. otherwise it will like stop providing power for a second, and then re-give power.
Yes I would drop down into second for faster acceleration. It sounds like perhaps you are letting the revs drop a little low, and it takes a while for the power to build up.
I disagree that it is the most powerful sports tour motorcycle. You forgot to include the Kawasaki H2 SX SE turbocharged bike.
That one is close to 200 hp and it comes with panniers as well.
Yes this is true, I must get a ride on the H2 👍
Well… unless you are talking about the M1000XR. It has 200bhp… But who’s counting?
Is it for sale yet?
For that price I hope it comes in at least 3 colours.(haha).
What a bike! Too much for me. I'm going to buy a jacket like yours. It must have panniers for it.
Yes a bit too much for me as well! The jacket is a Merlin Chigwell Light 👍
@@redangrevival Thanks again. I did ask you once before. Really nice jacket. And a good price. 1990 [Nick J]
Wonderful engine but, quite surprisingly, coming from a 1290 Evo and looking for a more sport touring oriented solution, I ended up liking the BMW R1250 RS more than this one. Maybe it was just because moving away from the Superduke was so difficult that I had to do a real cut 😉. Nice and enjoyable review as usual, thanks ✌️
Yes, I also preferred the BMW r1250rs.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the review 👍 Interesting to hear that. I would also probably go for the BMW as well.
Did you find the bmw more comfortable?
The front end of the BMW RS bikes isn't in the same zip code as the rider. I don't know how you deal with that.
Maybe its just me, but the sound of that bike is "cheap" n naaah. Strange you find it good sounding engine.
Sounds throaty to me 💪
Nice one..but, surely the SAS has the most gizmos, as it has Adaptive Cruise Control?
On my second SAS.. no issues with either. Cheers👍🏻
Thanks 👍 Yes I suppose you have a point there! I would have the SAS over the GT for sure
too much editing on this video. Its hard to watch with it flicking around so much! Cant you just ride and talk without having to edit so much?
I could but it would be a very long video!
Cracking review! I just can't get past the looks of KTM's - not my jam
Thanks, really glad you enjoyed it 👍 Yup I agree they are an acquired taste! Ride great though
RPM at US freeway speeds? 80-90mph?. very important. the kawy an suzy both fail miserably with intolerable buzzing at very high rpm at these everyday normal freeway speeds. add to that misery the ridiculous fly screens an you'd never make it on the freeway at these speeds even 1hr. anyways its another dorko dad adv aint foolin nobody.
squid missiles with bags.
Yup I agree, this is very comfortable at higher speeds thats for sure!
@@redangrevival *edited. i dont think u understood what I was saying.
Just got rid of mine due to the usual KTM glitches. A good bike spoilt by KTM electronics. Also come on KTM why do you have to pay a shed load more to unlock all the toys.
That is a shame to hear. Some people report no problems, but others are riddled with them! Luck of the draw I suppose
no no no BMW s1000xr with similar options is much more expensive.
Yes that is true. However I don't really see that as a traditional sports tourer. Its more upright and beg riding style
No, because it won't make it to 30k miles before the repair bills start adding up to 50% of the original cost. There's no point to a touring bike that will fall apart. The only way I'd buy one of these is if KTM offered the same warranty Kia does on it's cars.
I think KTM reliability is getting much better than it used to be. However it is a valid point, especially for a touring bike
Put it in sport and switch the gizmos off and hang on for your life,what a 💩review,wasted time...
Thanks
Unreliable KTM. Just get a Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE GT, bulletproof.