KTM Motorcycles 1290 Super Duke R | DOIN’ TIME

WRIST: Zack Courts
MSRP (2014): $16,999
MILES: 9,400
MPG: 36
MODS: Akrapovic muffler, MRA windscreen
UPDATE: 6

First of all, a quick update on the KTM 1290 Super Duke R's brakes. While I was as surprised as anyone that a set of pads for the front Brembos (from KTM) was $240, I'm glad I gave the stock setup a second chance. With fresh pads bedded in properly and the air bled out of the hydraulic system, the stock brakes are working much better. The dragging and groaning at low speed is gone, and the feel at the lever is much improved. A valuable lesson learned, born from a maintenance mistake.

It's no secret I'm enamored with the 1290's saddlebag setup, but a few trips of significant mileage had me wondering how much more "tour" I could put in the phrase "Super Duke Sport Tour." I bolted on an MRA Double-Bubble windshield ( twistedthrottle.com ; $125) in the interest of taking some windblast off my chest at freeway speeds. The process was easy enough; only one small panel needs removal in order to mount two provided brackets to the blinker stalk bolts, which in turn hold the small (roughly 13 by 11.5 inches) windshield a few inches above the headlight.

I’ll spare you the foul language some of my coworkers used to describe how they feel about the screen’s aesthetic. The piece definitely pushes air away from the rider’s torso, but I’m not sure it rescues me from enough weather to be worth the trouble. The 1290 still feels quite naked, though our short-torso editor thought it was a useful upgrade. I guess the real test will be if I miss it when I take it off. (The MRA Double-Bubble comes in light smoke and clear options as well.)

My last bolt-on this month was the exhaust I promised I would try. It's an exquisite item by Akrapovic (ktm.com ; $1,099), with a titanium shell and carbon fiber end cap. It's just a slip-on but still weighs 3.9 pounds to the stock muffler's 6.2 pounds. A little weight here or there isn't the issue, though; sound is what I was after. Unfortunately, it turns out most of the restriction in the exhaust comes from an underslung catalytic converter and baffle that bottles up most of the 1290's roar, so the Akro pipe only barks a tiny bit louder. It looks really sharp, but it's expensive for a mostly superficial upgrade.