KTM losing its edge?

So I just read on MNC's website that they did a super naked comparison. The brand new Aprillia Tuono V4R was the center of attention. The Ducati Streetfighter, the Triumph Speed Triple, the MV Brutale, and of course the KTM Super Duke R.

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/ ... on-rivals/

You can watch the video/read the article or you can just jump to what I have to say. The Aprillia won first place (big surprise) but the KTM came in dead last basically because its "starting to show its age". As soon as I read that I thought, well wait until the SD gets the RC8 engine in there! But wait...that probably won't happen until 2013. The competition is nudging that figure right now in 2010/2011. Then I recalled a comparison between the RC8 and other super-sport bikes (GSX-R1000, CBR1000, ZX-10R, etc). Once again, the KTM came in last. Is the RC8 engine in the new SD going to be enough? The 2011 Tuono comes stock with 165 bhp, it'll no doubt have at least 170 by the time the new SD is released. I love my SD to death but are these "hyper V2's" enough to stay competitive, or does KTM need to rethink their street bike motorcycles? Thoughts?

KTM isn't a huge company and they blew their collective load on development of the RC8.

You can't expect mags to still vote a 4 year old model (07 SDR, right?) at the top of the charts when there's better competition out there now. That's the way it goes.

I dunno about you, but no 160+ HP "naked" is going to leave me for dead on a public road. There is no shortage of riders that can though. On half that power. How many of their owners will ever twist the grip to where the bike will be putting all that power to the ground?

Seriously, its about the rider. We all know these mags are in business to sell advertising. The only way they do that, is by touting the "latest and greatest" whatever it is. Bikes and related sell, manufacturers take out more advertising, and the cycle continues.

As long as 19 yo boys keep getting hard-ons from this stuff and keep buying the advertised products - it will never end.

I can't imagine ever wanting more than 100 - 130Hp on a naked/hooligan bike - even if it were my only bike. What's it good for - bragging rights on bike night? Sure as hell isn't going to get you laid.

I'll take light, slim, flickable, and V-twin corner exits over electric-triples, V-4s, or ugly-ass overwrought v-twin poseur rides. Big deal - so those guys spent more money than I did. This week. Maybe. Still gonna leave their owners for dead in the canyons/twisties with little effort. On just about any decent road course, those bikes aren't killing it unless they are in the right hands. And the only people around capable, are usually getting paid to do so.

I don't know about the rest of you - but you ever do a valve check/adjust on a V4 bike? On this side of the pond, Aprilia parts distribution is a long running joke - why their bikes have the worst return (%) at resale than just about any other brand. Ever do your own 4V desmo tunes, or belt changes? Yeah, that's a joy too. I dunno what Triumph was thinking with the new Speed, but its uglier in person than in pictures. First guy with a bolt-on round headlight kit is going to make a little coin. Was at the stealer today, and while better, still bloated and soft in all the wrong places. Rather have the StripleR.

IMO - nothing to get excited about. I'd trade KTM handing us a map and whatever else is needed to get the (low end) fueling sorted on the SD/SDR, for all that negative hyperbole - any day.

I can ALWAYS take advantage of more power, YESSS PLEAASSEE!!!

I wouldn't trade my SDR for any current bike. I like the Duc Streetfighter, I like the Speed Triple, even the Aprilia Tuono looks like a pretty sweet ride... but the SDR is just on a level of its own. Maybe its the exclusivity here in Canada with only a handful of units making it across the border, but I just can't see myself selling this bike unless KTM makes an even sweeter version of it in the future.

With that being said, magazines have a job to do and they simply won't give a 4 year old model better grades than a new bike. Not just that, but I can see why the SDR wouldn't perhaps rank as high as a Streetfighter or a Speed Triple on a first test... it's not quite as polished around the edges and the fueling is a big turn-off to first time riders. I'm happy as a pig in shit with my SDR, but I'm also very used to it.

The bike is long overdue for an update.

What I would like KTM to do is to build a new SD with a 1Kg / 1Bhp power to weight ratio,
Forget absolute power, power to weight ratio is what you actually feel.......

This is MCN guys, you have to remember that.

Yes of course, but a 160KG bike with 145 RWHP will always out drag a 190KG bike with 160RWHP with the same rider,
The lighter bike should handle better and will change direction faster, mid range acceleration should also be better and last but not least braking,
I will take the lighter bike every time..... see ya

I would like to thank MCN

Just think of all those low milage, never been riden fast, SDR's that will now be on sale................ ........as they all swop to the latest Bling

Works for me

It seems like the reviewers are saying one thing and meaning another. KTM SD "The definitive hooligan machine". MV Brutale "Too much power". Aprilia Tuono "I was expecting a savage stiff beast, it's not like that at all, it's so much more forgiving" as if its safe for your wife to drive. It sounds to me that the Brutale is the real favorite for raw power and blingy features. Out of the italian bikes I get the impression that Brutale is the stallion, Aprilia is the mare. I image the "most interesting man in the world" would opt for the Brutale to satisfy the exotic italian motorcycle check box.

Its obviously quite clear MCN aren't getting enough advertising revenue from KTM and they haven't sent their journos on many all expenses paid trips to the sun lately.

Simple as....

However the only 2 bikes I would consider a change to at the moment would be the SDR or a New Tuono V4R. would probably go for a SDR though as I had an Ape 3 years ago and the dealer back up was shite.

it cracks me up about the " ktm need to update the superduke " lobby , I'M HAPPY WITH THE BIKE I'VE GOT THANK YOU if you aren't TOUGH !! get something else

I just got back from California riding the canyons, which I know well from living there in the past, on a Duc 848. Now, it's a smaller motor, but other than that it's the current top handler from Ducati. Even after becoming very used to it I would take the SD anyday, even completely ignoring comfort. The slow turn in of the Duc chassis, the shorter suspension travel, for the street I'd way rather be canyon carving on the SD. On the track, over 100mph, different deal. In thinking about the Streetfighter, despite wider bars it's a lazier geometry and heavier than 848. So even with the power I'd never consider it. The Aprilia? I don't want to be spinning up a 4 on the street, and I don't want to be depending on Aprilia's distribution and parts. The Brutale? Only as a spare bike. Have we all heard the stories about months and months of waiting for parts? For me that leaves the new Speed Trip. The old one had a pathetic frame for hard street riding in twisties, anyone who has tried one and is a good rider with track experience notices that immediately, though the magazines soft pedaled that...until now, when the finally admit how flawed the old frame was now that the Trip has a new one. So, I'll try that bike, for fun.

If the SD is losing its edge then where is the bike that is so much better, unless we define more power as better? The Street Triple is the only one I'd consider, though I have not ridden it yet. For me the SD with Akras and a map is still a great, very exciting bike. Remember, magazines exist not as "not for profit" entities! First priority is profit. And raving about a design last updated in 07, which has been raved by many magazines, is a loser. It's old news, no matter how good it is. Testers raving new, different bikes is exciting to readers and that's job 1. That puts KTM and companies like them in a tough spot. Change just for the sake of change is very important in consumer goods. I learn that hard lesson all the time in my business. New sells. Old sits around.

It's a crap article. I read it when it was published in the paper and thought it was the usual MCN rubbish.
They should have taken out a standard SD, not the SDR, as they were complaining it wasn't comfy enough.
I don't have the paper anymore, but if I remember correctly, the SD was the second quickest up to 60 and second or 3rd to 100 I think, then it dropped of masively. Big deal, we don't buy nacked bikes for top end speed.
The summary was great, it said something like it's only a good choice if your a supermoto loon or something along those lines. Hell yes, that's not a critisism is it

Yes, the original is the best with all the raw edges thats where the character comes from....
Sadly the watering down of the original concept already began with the 07 SD model, The 08R gets some of that back but not all.....
I guess the next new SD will be further diluted,fatter, softer and probably with an electronic Nanny system to....................
The original 05/06 models will develop a classic status like the 97 Suzuki TL1000s / 98 Yamaha R1 / 92 Honda fireblade........
Thats why I bought mine and why I am keeping it!

Unless............. they beef up the current motor, 1090cc, higher rev limit, slipper clutch, the same or less weight, RC8 swingarm, rear brake that works!
Tweak the styling without ruining it! better clocks, absolutely no electronic Nanny system or silly map switches!!
They could, but they wont

Power is nothing if you don't know how to ride. I mean really, out in these parts, theirs a sv 650 that just rips it up in the corners, when the road straightens out, the racre replicas catch up, but in the corners its all about ability, you either have it or you don't.

KTM can put the RC8 motor in the SD, make over the styling, etc, but more power won't make you faster if you can't handle it.

As-is, the KTM SD is a killer bike, explosive motor, great brakes, light and really top shelf suspension; I cannot notice the difference between WP and Ohlins.

They will change it, but I have no plans to trade mine in, or sell it. Its a great bike and stirs my soul

Does the Superduke have to be the fastest, best handling bike in the known universe, every year?

Not for me.

It's the journo's jobs to split hairs over sublte differences in bikes, and to rave about each new year's models - and complain when bikes stand still for too long, cos they are supporting a commercial industry. Good PR (i.e. journailsm) is all part of the marketing plan, and they need to feed the market to keep existing. Imagine a review that said - "what you have in your garage is already enough". That'll be that day.

Besides, the Superduke is still a class-defining modern streetbike with attitide, a stonking engine and handling, and the chassis parts ooze quality. It's a few years old now, but each model change has brought subtle upgrades, and the newer bikes are pretty much up to the quality levels of all the competition in class. The Latest changes to the SDR are only four years old.

Who cares if the RSV4 Tuono is this year's fashionable bike. It's ugly and has no character. It looks to me like a racebike without a fairing to me. If I wanted one of those I might buy one. But I don't.

I'll keep an eye out for what KTM do next, and if they get it right, I'll upgrade - but I hope they evolve the Superduke along the same lines that made it the cult success that it is today, and I'd be more excited about smoother-fuelling, weight-loss and a slipper clutch as standard, than pointless increases in bhp for useless dyno shoot-outs. The bike is already better than me.

Besides, it's more fun to be the underdog and then out-ride people on those "better" bikes.
...I lapped a guy on a Aprilia Mille at Brands Hatch on an air-cooled 90bhp Ducati with twin shocks last weekend. His scrunched-up copy of Bike mag's rave Aprilia reviews won't help him lap any faster.

Interesting to see MCN coming down in favor of the V4R Tuono. Have you noticed that on track days RSVs are either at the front of the fast group or traveling very slowly in the novices?
I've ridden the new Tuono and it is sex but its a bit like shagging your sister in law: bloody good fun but lethally dangerous if you get it wrong. (This IS the voice of experience!)
Personally I'd like a V4R but can't afford one so until I do I'm going to continue fettling my battered old SD whilst born-agains kill themselves/scare themselves shitless on Aprilia's naked racer.

Fwiw, i dont give a flying fook about what reviewers think. I love my bike and nobody else opinionis gonna change that.

A good rider on a 125cc would run rings round me on track so until i am capable of taking this bike to its limits or if my biking needs change, i wont be looking for a better bike based on reviews or total BHP. 132 at the wheel is more than enough for me right now...if anything, i need less power, i dont wanna get pinched and go to jail for the speeds i sometimes do.