2016–2018 · Sport Tourer · Buyer's Guide
The Beast Goes the Distance
The Super Duke GT takes the 1301 cc 75-degree V-twin and hands it a passport. 173 hp and 106 lb-ft sit in a steel trellis frame under semi-active electronic suspension, and nobody sanded the edges off the engine to make it behave on a long day. What you get is a sport tourer carrying cornering ABS, KTM Motorcycle Traction Control (MTC), ride modes, an up-only quickshifter, cruise control, heated grips, tire pressure monitoring, an adjustable screen, and cornering lights. The comfort hardware is genuine. The attitude underneath it never got diluted to pay for that hardware.
It suits a rider who uses the whole bike. Days of 200 to 400 miles sit well within it, the 6.1 gallon tank and 37 mpg keep fuel stops civilized, and the 32.9 inch seat puts you high enough to read traffic a long way ahead. Ownership is where you need your eyes open. Early bikes had electrical trouble, fork seals and steering head bearings can want attention sooner than they should, and there are two safety recalls to confirm were done. Plan for luggage as an extra, and there is no center stand for chain days.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 173 hp (127 kW) |
|---|---|
| Torque | 106 lb-ft (144 Nm) |
| Displacement | 1301 cc |
| Engine | 75° V-twin |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 320 mm |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 190/55-17 |
| Seat height | 32.9 in (835 mm) |
| Fuel capacity | 6.1 gal (23 L) |
| Fuel economy | 37 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Connectivity
Drivetrain
Safety
Fuel hose may leak (recall 17V194000)
A defective fuel hose can leak, posing a fire risk. KTM recalled 487 units in 2017 to replace the hose free of charge.
Front brake master cylinder may crack (recall 18V033000)
The Brembo front brake master cylinder piston can crack under pressure, potentially causing brake failure. Affected models were recalled for inspection and replacement.
ABS module failure
Early 2016 models experienced complete ABS module failure, requiring warranty replacement.
Electronic suspension damper error
Riders reported 'damper error' warnings and loss of suspension function, often requiring a dealer reset or software update. Issue seems intermittent and linked to early software.
Cornering light failure
Adaptive cornering lights ceasing to function, fixed under warranty.
Fork seals leaking / steering head bearings loose
Premature fork seal leakage and steering head bearing play noticed within a few thousand kilometers, requiring early service.
Where this KTM 1290 Super Duke GT pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the 1290 Super Duke GT is actually built for.
Long days on the Blue Ridge or Highway 1 are exactly this bike's brief: cruise control, heated grips, a 6.1 gallon (23 L) tank, and an engine that makes the dull highway link worth riding. Buy luggage separately.
Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
Angeles Crest suits it. You get the performance and the sharp chassis you want on a Sunday, plus a seat, a screen and a tank that make the crawl out of LA bearable.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
On the Dragon and Cherohala this is a lot of engine for tight second-gear corners. The ground clearance and the low-end pull let you work on lines instead of chasing revs.
Made for Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this KTM 1290 Super Duke GT. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Successor · 2019–2024
177 Horses, Street-Legal Superbike
Competitor · 2015–2019
Superbike Engine, All-Day Posture
About the same used price as this bike at 9 yr
Competitor · 2016
Superbike Soul, Touring Bones
Roughly $900 pricier used than this bike at 10 yr
Competitor · 2015–2016
Italian Muscle, European Brains
About the same used price as this bike at 10 yr
Competitor · 2018
Italian Soul, Sport-Touring Muscle
Roughly $2,300 pricier used than this bike at 8 yr
Similar Character · 2017–2020
Orange Attack, Fully Electronic
About the same used price as this bike at 8 yr