2019–2024 · Sport Tourer · Buyer's Guide
177 Horses, Street-Legal Superbike
The Super Duke GT runs KTM's 1301 cc, 75° V-twin in full attack tune, 177 hp and 103 lb-ft, wrapped in a chassis that never pretends to be a soft touring bike. What sets it apart in the sport-touring class is that the sharpness came first and the long-distance hardware was built around it. Semi-active WP suspension, cornering ABS, KTM Motorcycle Traction Control, ride modes, cruise control, keyless start, heated grips, a TFT dash and an adjustable screen are all standard, and a 6.1 gal (23 L) tank at 41 mpg covers roughly 250 miles of road.
This is a bike for the rider who wants a 200 to 400 mile day to stay vivid instead of comfortable, and it rewards that appetite the whole way. At 518 lb (235 kg) wet with a 32.9 in (835 mm) seat it is a big machine, but it never feels like it is asking you to settle down. The honest caveat sits in the wiring and the gearbox. Phantom warning lights, limp-mode episodes and missed shifts are reported often enough that a documented service history matters more here than it does elsewhere in the class.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 177 hp (130 kW) |
|---|---|
| Torque | 103 lb-ft (140 Nm) |
| Displacement | 1301 cc |
| Engine | 75° V-twin |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 190/55-17 |
| Seat height | 32.9 in (835 mm) |
| Wet weight | 518 lb (235 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 6.1 gal (23 L) |
| Fuel economy | 41 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Connectivity
Drivetrain
Safety
The picture here comes from years of listening: paddock talk at race weekends, owners catching me in parking lots, club nights, and the messages riders send me directly. For this one the chatter is remarkably consistent, both in what it praises and in the two places it keeps circling back to.
The line that comes up most concerns direction changes. Owners describe a big machine that turns like something far smaller, and they talk about tires and suspension giving them the confidence to lean on it hard through a set of corners. Passengers get a say too: two-up riders report a calm cockpit at speed and a seat that holds up over distance, and the grab rail gets mentioned unprompted. Riders also single out the dash and the rider aids for being easy to work through on the move.
Two gripes recur. The up-shift quickshifter, an option rather than something fitted to every bike, draws the sharper of the two: owners call the action heavy and imprecise, with shifts that don't take cleanly. The second is about surface. On potholes and broken pavement, riders describe a firm, jittery ride that costs them comfort and some confidence.
Electrical gremlins and limp-mode episodes
Multiple owners report phantom warning lights, unresponsive key fobs, sudden limp-mode activation, and complete failure to start. Often traced to battery, key antenna, or ignition switch issues; can leave the bike stranded.
False neutrals between gears
The gearbox can intermittently miss shifts, especially under hard acceleration. Most commonly encountered between 4th and 5th, but affects all gears; makes spirited riding frustrating.
Radiator leaks from stress fractures
Some bikes develop coolant leaks from the radiator core or seams, particularly near the top mount. Less common on the GT compared to earlier Super Duke R models, but still reported.
Early key fob failure
The keyless ignition fob can stop communicating with the bike, preventing starting. Disconnecting the battery temporarily resets the system, but replacement is often required.
Right-hand switchblock failure causing starting issues
Some 2019 models experienced intermittent starting problems due to a faulty right-hand switchblock with insufficient internal wiring length. Dealers replaced the entire switchblock with a revised part.
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
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the 1290 Super Duke GT is actually built for.
For 200 to 400 mile days on Highway 1 or the Blue Ridge this fits, provided you want the road to stay vivid. You get the range and the wind protection without the bike ever going soft on you.
Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
Angeles Crest suits it. The lean clearance and low-end drive let you ride hard between traffic and the good corners, and the same bike still handles a long weekend away.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
It carves the Cherohala and the Dragon happily, but 518 lb is 518 lb. If your weekends are all tight, low-speed technical work, you will be working harder than you need to.
Made for Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2016–2018
The Beast Goes the Distance
Compare to the previous model →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.
Competitor · 2018–2020
Canyon Carver With Touring Credentials
Roughly $2,300 pricier used than this bike at 6 yr
Competitor · 2020–2024
Low-End Pull, All Day
~$3,300 cheaper used than this bike at 6 yr
Competitor · 2019–2024
Boxer Torque, All Day
Roughly $2,300 pricier used than this bike at 4 yr
Competitor · 2015–2019
Superbike Engine, All-Day Posture
About the same used price as this bike at 7 yr
Same Platform · 2014–2019
The Beast That Actually Works
Roughly $1,700 cheaper used than this bike at 7 yr