By NastyNils·
Motorcycle comparison · Hyper Naked
Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 (MY2015-Factory) vs KTM 1390 Super Duke R (MY2024)
Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 vs KTM 1390 Super Duke R: which one's easier to live with every day.
You'll feel the Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 pull hard from low revs, then rush for the top with a howl that won't quit. Wind the KTM 1390 Super Duke R up through a fast sweeper and its chassis doesn't wander. It just tracks the line you picked.
So which one do you buy?
The 1390 Super Duke R has the edge if…
Daily commuting & city riding
Slight edge: 1390 Super Duke R
On the way to work, the 1390 Super Duke R asks a little less of you. Put it down to simpler maintenance. Close enough that the test ride should settle it.
Sporty riding on twisty roads
Narrow edge: 1390 Super Duke R
Through a string of corners, the 1390 Super Duke R feels a little more eager. What tips it: stronger brakes. The gap is small, so ride both.
What makes each one tick
Tuono V4 1100
There's no dull stretch anywhere in the Tuono V4 1100's engine, which carries low-down grunt straight into a top-end surge. Every bit of throttle you add turns into thrust that's easy to predict. On the Angeles Crest Highway, there's room between the bar and pegs to move around in the seat. Its exhaust note's what you'll remember.
Nils rode the Tuono V4 1100 in Hungary in 2016, and in Austria in 2017 (NastyNils Testride).
1390 Super Duke R
On a trackday, the 1390 Super Duke R doesn't give up ground to dedicated supersports in any skill group. An upright riding position puts a lot of frontal area in the airstream, and at circuit speeds you'd normally expect that to create some wandering. Off the throttle before a corner, the engine braking doesn't snatch or step the rear out. The front settles in precisely. Above the cam switch, the V-twin's ferocious.
Nils rode the 1390 Super Duke R in Austria and Hungary in 2024 (NastyNils Testride).
The Voice of Experience
What actually separates them
- The 1390 Super Duke R makes more peak power: 190 hp (140 kW) vs 175 hp (129 kW).
- The 1390 Super Duke R makes more peak torque: 107 lb-ft (145 Nm) vs 89 lb-ft (120 Nm).
- The 1390 Super Duke R has the larger engine: 1350 cc vs 1077 cc.
Which one for the way you ride
Comfortable long-distance riding
Neither one fits
Big miles aren't where either one shines. You'll be watching for the next rest stop.
Count track days and character as a draw. The deal on the table and the condition of the bike matter more here.
Who each one is built for
What's good, and what you'll live with
Tuono V4 1100
What owners say
Strengths
- Explosive, charismatic V4 engine
- Premium components as standard
- Unexpected comfort for a super naked
Trade-offs
- Mixed reliability and build quality
- Heavy fuel consumption
- Expensive maintenance and sparse dealer network
1390 Super Duke R
Strengths
- Acceleration That Hits Hard
- Aggression You Can Manage
- Planted at Serious Speed
- Smooth Engine Braking
- Engine character: smoother and broader than the 1290
Trade-offs
- Wind Fatigue on Highways
- Wide Tank Limits Movement
- Electrical Fault in Testing
- Quickshifter Costs Extra
- Low-rpm fuelling abruptness
Known problems to check before you buy
Tuono V4 1100
- Front brake master cylinder may fail (recall) Recall 17V811000 On certain 2017 models, the Brembo master cylinder piston could crack or fail, causing a loss of front brake pressure. NHTSA recall 17V811000; dealers replace the piston assembly.
1390 Super Duke R
- Shift-cam (variable-valve-timing) sensor failure on the LC8 The sensor that monitors the position of the intake CamShift mechanism has been reported to fail on early-production 1390s. Symptoms include traction-control warnings, quickshifter warnings, an engine-warning light, and in some cases limp mode. This component is new with the 1390's LC8 — it does not exist on the 1290 — so the issue is platform-specific to this generation. Reports include failures from as little as 290 mi (470 km), 500 mi, and 430 mi (700 km). In one documented case, a replacement bike supplied to an affected owner exhibited the same fault, indicating a possible early-batch quality problem rather than a one-off defect.
- Oil temperature sensor fault triggering false TC / launch-control / ABS warnings Affected bikes display persistent warnings for traction control, launch control, and in some cases ABS; the oil-temperature display reads "---"; cruise control deactivates; on a cold start the oil-temperature reading shows 32°F (0 °C) while ambient temperature is materially higher. Errors clear after restart but recur. Owners report dealers replacing the oil temperature sensor under warranty, after which the fault is resolved on the affected unit.
- Cold-start stalling and snatchy fuelling at very low rpm Owners report that the 1390 stalls at intersections when cold and feels abrupt at very low rpm. Multiple aftermarket calibrations (BT-Moto Stage 1, OpenFlash, BoosterPlug) market themselves specifically against this behaviour, and at least one 2025 SDR EVO owner reports the cold-start stalling resolved after a Stage 1 flash. The pattern is consistent with Euro 5+ lean calibration on large-displacement V-twins and is not indicative of a hardware defect.
What they share
- Cooling
- Liquid-cooled
- Gearbox
- 6-speed
- Final drive
- Chain
- Fork
- Upside-down (USD)
- Front tire
- 120/70-17
- Rear tire
- 200/55-17
Where the spec sheets split
| Tuono V4 1100 | 1390 Super Duke R | |
|---|---|---|
| Seat height | 33.0 in (837 mm) | 32.8 in (834 mm) |
| Tuono V4 1100 | 1390 Super Duke R | |
|---|---|---|
| Displacement | 1077 cc | 1350 cc |
| Engine | V4 | 75° V-twin |
| Power | 175 hp (129 kW) | 190 hp (140 kW) |
| Torque | 89 lb-ft (120 Nm) | 107 lb-ft (145 Nm) |
| Tuono V4 1100 | 1390 Super Duke R | |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy | 26 mpg (US) / 9.1 L/100 km | 40 mpg (US) / 5.9 L/100 km |
| Fuel capacity | 4.9 US gal (18.5 L) | 4.6 US gal (17.5 L) |
What comes fitted, what costs extra
| Tuono V4 1100 | 1390 Super Duke R | |
|---|---|---|
| Launch Control | Standard | Option |
| Electronic Suspension | Standard (from 2019) | Not offered |
| TFT Display | Standard (from 2017) | Standard |
| USB Charging Port | Not offered | Standard |
| LED Headlight | Not offered | Standard |
Head to head, area by area
Both bikes on the same scale, one area at a time.
