that is all

I think the battle ground is Cadwell......if the 1290 boys can step away from the sepia Instagram shots and rim decals and put the mochafrapprachino down it could happen.

i think they are all torque.....

Man, I had heard about you.

I think this is what the forum needed.

Some newly reinvigorated British blood.

Just in case, this Argie is going to mosey on down ... whistling a nice Stones song to try to blend in .....

Nothing wrong with going for a cappuccino in a full set of Dainese leathers with your 1290 alongside

My boss just bought a 1290...so far he's so slow ( first bike in over 15 years lol ) I have to agree

Will any 1290 riders dare venture out at Cadwell on 8/9 August and survive the mauling by the assembled 990s? viewtopic.php?f=19&t=26290

Funny!! Kinda off topic..... Same thing happened with the Honda S2000 here in the US when they went from AP1 to AP2, bit bigger engine and lower redline. "Which is better" argument to this day

Riding a more powerful animal around a track is more difficult!!Setting a better time on the 990 may be easier

Pretty funny topic.

One ride on an uncorked 1290 (Full system, Intake, Remap) and you will be like ......... what 990?

Im sure those of you who say 1290's suck probably haven't even ridden one.

the 990 is a great bike,dont get me wrong, but the 1290 is a much better bike, all around. Its night and day.

So now "much better" than great is "night and day"? It seems like it should be apples and oranges.

just not seen anyone quick on a 1290 even with all the cheat settings(rider aids)

i mean if your a man its a 990 you need ................if your bleeding out once a month then the 1290 is where its at sweetie

Man, all you 1290 guys can't even come up with a good come back.

"Stalker, I always heard it's more fun to ride a slow 990 fast than a fast 1290 slow"

But everyone gets all defensive of their $15000 claim to manhood

Anyways, I wonder who will be the first to let Stalker take their 1290 round Cadwell to shut em up as I highly doubt anyone here is a McGuinness or a Dunlop.

like your thinking pete

now let's assemble the facts

990's
traction =no=manly
other rider aids =no=manly
feels manly =manly
is the best bike =manly


1290's
sucks





just saying

I've had a 2005 SD, 2009 SD and a 2008 SDR. I loved them but absolutely adore my 1290. I'd agree I'm possibly not any faster on the track but it's still a blast. On the road I think it's more fun than the 990. In my opinion it's still a crazy fun machine. It pulls like a train and wheelies all over the shop. Easily pulling power wheelies in third gear. I've the full Akro system, PCV and quick shifter. Hoping to get the Motohouligan air box in a couple of months. If you've not tried one then try and get a test ride. It's hugely better with an exhaust upgrade.

I actually like the 1290, even with it's downs syndrome front.

Seeing as I have not even sat on a bike for over 2 years and only ride on track I'm not prepared to spend what a used 1290 costs right now.

Some would say I should rebuild my 990 that's sat downstairs!

See, words like "adore"

In the interest of adding levity to this thread:



Don't get butthurt!

There is a lot of whinging about the cost of the 1290, so using mighty Aussie $$ as a basis and the chart below, it has never been cheaper to buy an SUPERDUKE. (show your wife, it's costing you money)
More for less fools, of everything.
You could be an Luddite and bury your head in the sand but comparing the 2 is foolish as the only things they share is a badge.
Yes I have owned both and IMO the 1290 is so much more than the 990 and it does EVERYTHING better, as it should with 10 years extra of technology in it.
And for the guys who have test ridden a stock 1290 and compared it with their non-stock 990 and think its bland-ish, it's hardly an apples-apples comparison. Compare it to a stock (blandish) 990, if you can find one. Because like the 990 the 1290 is so much better with an zorst, airbox, PCV etc.

My Grandad thinks that they haven't made a better bike since the 1969 Triumph T120. You blokes sound the same as him.

Fun thread, I actually think the 520 is the best KTM ever made Oh, and if you are looking for a fast track bike, quit looking at KTM. It is OK to have the right tool for every job. KTM's (including RC8) are not real race bikes, they are fun toys.... Nuff said

You got me on the E300 2 stroke. Definitely most awesome KTM

And yes my mates Gixxer and My CBR 1000, and EBR 1190, along with all other sport bikes designed with that purpose in mind make for much better track bikes than naked hooligan bikes. Better in this case meaning faster around a race track....

FFS ..... what has this place become ?

this is a bit of banter ...with the idea of having a LAUGH ......maybe just a giggle ?


like the site used to be ...........


i can only assume all the new 1290 owners are boring office types who's boyfriend wears the trousers ?

anyone want to open a custom 1290 shop with me? We can take old 990 frames, fit a 1290 engine in with rc8 zorst, or under saddle and tweak the suspension and bits to get a hooligan 1290

I got the full Evo on my 990

I dunno, I could do a lot of other things with $2,500.[/quote]


Aphex,

I live in Santa Clarita. Lets meet up sometime with BassAgent and Ride. Ill let you ride mine.[/quote]
Why don't I get to ride it too?!?!

Lemme get my 990 up on maintenance and crap. Need to check valves, change the oil, and get a new chain.

Just to add 1290's suck because I can't afford one.

And anyone with a 990 past 06 is also a pussy as you have the revised steering head angle to make it more stable, I love my 05 just because of the head shake bonkers nature of it

the new bikes have more controls These controls are put in place so as to let the riders keep their balls with them. They aren't using them, they just feel more manly having them around. They advertise their ability to turn all controls off at almost a moments notice and brag about how great their motorcycling capabilities are with said controls turned off. Really? Launch control. wheelie or should I say anti wheelie, ABS, traction control all the items that are needed to keep their balls out of danger. Truth be told when a bike as powerful as the 1290 is girdled and strapped with safe and sane rider safeguards, you may as well hand your nut sack over to your mother or nanny along with your silver spoon.

One more time.... The 1290 comes with the ability to run in man mode by turning off the nanny. The 990 come with built in nanny controls. I.E. less power than the 1290 with full nanny mode on, so not enough power to to intimidate the the daintiest of cute little school girls, but keep practicing and one day perhaps you will be ready to man up to a 1290

I'm not trying to shit on any 1290 cheerios here but...

I would like to get a 1290

People here call me gay

Through the transitive property of maths, 1290s are for gays.

I'll tell you what...I've been riding motorcycles since I was knee high to a grasshopper. I've owned 2 strokes, 4 strokes, Japanese inline 4's, American and Italian twins, etc. I'm purely a motorcycle enthusiast and definitely brand loyal. I'll gladly throw a leg over anything that makes me giggle like a little school girl. With that said, I don't know if I could ever part with my 990 SDR. It's by far the most fun I've ever had on 2 wheels. It's not incredibly powerful, doesn't handle all that well, but she possess sooooooo much character. It's what I would call a "riders" motorcycle. No frills or rider aides whatsoever. The traction control is located in your right wrist. I guarantee the 1290 is hands down a better motorcycle, but I'd rather ride my focus demanding, bucking, snarling, head shaking 990. That's just me. I've always preferred character over refinement. Don't tell my wife I said that.

I'm sure I'll eventually own a 1290, but I'll most likely keep the old SDR. She's too much fooking fun.

My PlayStation is better than your XBox.....no my XBox is the best!!!!

Yeah...., it sucks https://youtu.be/UX9rvnOLyLw

Just to set the record straight; I have ridden the 1290 Super Duke more than enough to form a personal opinion and compare it to my 990. Rode enough to have been to the pumps many times and more than enough to know how to push the girly buttons on and off. 990 Super Dukes still rule.

I just came back from a test ride on a 1290! : So now I know the truth!

So today the weather looks warm and sunny and for the first time in ages there’s no showers forecast so I headed across to P&H to see if I could finally get a ride on their 1290 demo. Shocked when they said that was fine and did I want to go out right away (this is the same company that I’ve tried maybe over 5 times in the past year and there is always some reason why it’s not happened). So filled in the paperwork and within ten minutes I was out on one.

I’m not going to restate all the stuff I’ve ever said about this bike in the past but suffice to say I’m not that keen on the new styling or build quality (and think it’s way overpriced) but I really want to compare the new 1290 engine against my 990 and judge for myself what all the hyperbole has been about and whether it’s justified. I think I’m a pretty fair critic and so I took the keys and cleared my mind of any preconceived ideas or prejudice I might have had.

But… based on this thread and many others over the years it had a lot to live up to!

First impressions are that it is very similar to a 990 and immediately familiar. The electronics at start up are pretty easy to understand (I’m shit at this kind of thing) and I just scrolled through and switched off everything but the ABS and put it on full power mode. It’s weird that when you restart the power mode stays as it was but you have to reset the other stuff. I don’t know why they made it like that but it’s not as bad as I imagined it would be to set up.

When it starts up is sounds very quiet and subdued (it was a factory standard bike) and doesn’t blip on the throttle quickly like my 990. I think the seat height is a bit lower than a 990 and you feel more like you are getting into the bike rather than sitting on top but other than that the ergonomics feel identical and the riding position is very similar. Biggest difference is that with the headlight set up there seems to be no bike in front of the handlebars which is a bit weird at first.

Gearbox is light and slick, better than my bike, and I found the gear lever OK. I’ve read of a few people complaining that the rubber arm is too short but I found it fine, maybe because I’m used to rear-sets. Round the outer part of Crawley it’s all roundabouts and traffic lights and the first ten minutes just confirmed that I was riding a Superduke by any other name. At times I just forgot I was on a test bike it was so like my own except that it sounds really, really different because there is no induction sound and it’s way over silenced. All you can really hear is some whining from the gears and engine internals where as my bike is really loud and each pulse of engine is like a bang and when you accelerate there is just a big roar. But sound aside it behaves the same and you just short-shift your way through traffic. It tips into corners and brakes the same and is just as nimble in traffic as I’m used to.

When I get out onto some faster, familiar A roads I head down to Haywards Heath so I can have half an hour building up to the faster A23 trip back north to Crawley. One hour isn’t so long to try out a new bike so I wasn’t going to waste any of it. Bit too many cars out but it gave me the chance to see how the 1290 does in this situation. To be honest it’s probably the kind of road riding I do most of, pretty good surfaced roads but with lots of double white lines and the chance to get stuck behind a que of cars to ruin a good set of bends and always the risk of slow moving trucks or farm vehicles round the next corner. The trick is to have a bike with good acceleration and good brakes and when coming up behind a car wait for the moment and just pounce when you get the chance. The 1290 is brill at this with so much instant torque and power and it just doesn’t seem to matter that much what gear you’re in. But it’s no better than my 990 which is also perfectly good at this game.

The 1290 has amazing brakes but, again, I’m not sure if I like them better than the set up I use (Brembo M4 Monoblocs and Braketec rotors) because they are almost too fierce. Mine require a bit more force to apply but they give a lot more progressive feel and aren’t so on/off. At this point the ABS had come on again after a petrol stop and I found that the pulsing through the lever was pissing me off so I switched it off again. I know it’s meant to be a good safety feature but the more I started braking heavily the more I was making it come on and I just don’t like it. I’d personally rather feel the actual front tyre loosing grip which is what I’m used to. But maybe it’s good in the wet in emergency stop situations.

I was half way through my hour now and at the point, to be honest, I was pretty underwhelmed. The bike is a great bike - but just like my 990 is – and the overall experience just wasn’t making me feel really excited. The biggest thing was the overall feeling I was getting which was dominated by the lack of sound and I was missing the way my own bike is set up. It’s worth remembering that there is very little on my 990 that is standard and it’s had so many years being fettled and set up the way I like it for trackays so it’s very tight and precise but also very raw and sort of agricultural in its power delivery and has pretty stiff after-market suspension. Its very in your face and thrashing it is a bit like trying to keep control over a couple of nuclear explosions stuck between your legs with the combined noise through the Motobox and the Akras under your arse competing to see which one can burst your eardrums first. But this 1290 is all sort of soft feeling, the suspension is relaxed (standard factory settings) but good, the seat is really comfortable compared to an SDR seat and the engine is so smooth and quiet. Don’t get me wrong – it’s fast and handles beautifully and does everything as well as my 990 but the experience is just not as exciting. I’d definitely have to junk the airbox and put on an Akra if I bought one of these bikes and I’m sure all you 1290 owners will immediately say that is what you have to do to make the bike feel like a beast. But its deceptive because although I felt a bit disappointed I was pretty sure that I was probably going faster than I would have been on my 990 – just didn’t feel like it. And that’s the big question isn’t it? What matters, how fast you’re actually going or how good it feels?

But then I got through Haywards Heath and hit the faster A roads that lead up to the A23 and M23. And by then I was feeling more settled on the bike and confident with the way it rode and the previous 20 miles had got my blood up to temperature and most of the care that I was applying to a loan bike with a £1,500 insurance excess had been forgotten. So I let rip.

Sweet Bloody Jesus! On the open road there is absolutely no comparison to be made with my 990. This bike is seriously fast. The first time I really pinned it was coming off a slip road onto a dual carriageway, fook knows what gear I was in but at 100 it took off so fast I honestly nearly lost my grip on the bars and the front wheel was skimming above the road as I hooked up a gear and, Jesus, the thing was trying to wheelie again. It’s been a long time since I was surprised at a bike but I was. I admit it. After that I just went a bit mental experimenting with just how strong this bike will take off at insane speeds. I love the way the little red rev limiter light flashes on just in your view as you are hurtled into hyper drive.

At those speeds the engine sound is irrelevant because all you’re really hearing is wind rush and trying to hang on. My 990 is strong up to 120 and will go faster but you need the road space and much of the time I don’t go much over 100 on public roads mostly due to the limit my neck and shoulder muscles can take. But this thing gets there so quickly that you’re up there all the time and there just isn’t enough wind protection. After 10 minutes of this I realised that I’d put on a set of flat bars to be more able to deal with the acceleration and wind. It is one addictive rush though and I would probably lose my license within a month if I owned one of these.

Glad I had a go on one to get my own experience and view. The 1290 is still very much a Superduke and it’s a brilliant, awesome bike but (at anything other than insane illegal speeds) so similar to my 990 that I wouldn’t bother swapping. The huge power, torque and upper end rush advantage isn’t something that I really, really want and if I got it I think it might make me ride like a loony which at my age and with five kids isn’t really a good idea. Also, I’d have to make a lot of changes to the stock 1290 to make it feel as good as my 990 and that would add to the cost. Which is the big, big deal breaker for me because for all the extra power it’s just not worth the £10,000 I’d have to shell out on top of selling my current bike. The 1290 is just not worth three times as much as my 990. Yes it would hold it’s own on the Brands Hatch start finish straight but I can live with being passed in those situations for now and I have better things to do with ten grand.

So in conclusion I’d say that the 1290 and 990 are very similar bikes. Neither one does anything better than the other for your average road rider. The 990 is probably a more raw and crude experience that will be appreciated by some and the 1290 is a more sophisticated but soft execution that many riders will think better. The 1290 undoubtably has a load more power and torque available but that doesn’t automatically make it a better bike.

What I’d like to do is test ride a 1290 that has been transformed and hardened up by an owner who took it to track days, binned the cheap plastic parts, worked it hard and sorted the issues. Maybe I’d be converted!

So comrade Bic does it suck?

My feeling is it is a fabulous bike however I'm still pleasantly surprised when I ride one of my 990's. Yup, it's expensive. It needs all the mods we spent a fortune on with our 990's and it needs remapping BUT having done all of that it becomes pretty damn good, in fact I don't think it sucks. Perhaps it suck's because it could make one loose a license or make one's children grow up without a father. Umm maybe ... but that's the risk we take every time we swing a leg over any bike.

So today I went for a ride with a forum member, 1290 owner and we swapped bikes for 30 minutes or so.

Me: 2008 SDR 990, 8900 miles.

Him: 2015 SDR 1290, 5800 miles.

We had the Sena 10's in Voice Activated Intercom so we could talk (harass) each other. I'd highly recommend an intercom system. I have been borrowing the Sena SMH 10's and will soon be purchasing a 20S.

As soon as he sat on my bike with the PowerParts seat, he noticed how stupidly hard it is. I told him the stock seat was worse. In comparison, the 1290's stock seat is quite nice, again, I only rode for 30 minutes or so, and I noticed that all the controls are very well located and you sit in the bike, not on it. Very comfortable for my 6'1" height.

I'm not sure how he had the suspension set up but it felt very good. If I owned it I'd set sag, pre load and re-bound to fit my weight and liking. On my bike, I've taken all the pre-load out as it was making me loose tooth fillings every time I hit any bump, pot hole or raised road markings.

We did not do lots of cornering, it is FL after all, but the few I took it felt compliant, not much different than my 990.

The truth is I really wanted to test engine to engine. So we did a few roll on testings. Just like we had done when I was riding my 990.

6th gear, 60 mph, 1...2...3... go! We were even until 100 mph and the 1290 started pulling.

4th gear, 60 mph, 1...2...3...go! the 1290 pulls and the 990 cannot catch up.

2nd gear, 30 mph, 1...2...3...go! We were even until 8-9k rpm and going through the gears the 1290 stays ahead and slightly pulling but not leaving the 990 for dead by any means.

He had the bike set up with ABS on, TC on, and WC on and SPORT mode. I run through the gears a few times and it felt like the front tyre was skimming the ground when shifting to 3rd and 4th. I guess without WC on it would have ... wheelied.

Would I buy one? Yes. It is an evolution of the SDR 990, BUT (There's always a but) I don't think I would be able to have more fun on the 1290 than the 990. The 990 is raw, brute, unrefined and you have to be a better rider to civilize the bike. I enjoy when my friends ask me to have a go on my 990R and they discover that between the twitchy throttle, hard seat, harder suspension and in general wild bike, it takes lots of finesse to come out of a slow corner without the bike bucking like a wild bronco.

Like other have said before me, I can wait until the price comes down to find a clean lightly used example. I just don't ride enough to justify (in my own head) a $15k/$16k bike that's going to sit in the garage and be ridden a few thousand miles x year. No, I do have the money available so that's not the issue. I do like the fact it has a rear seat so I'd be able to take the wife for a ride that one time/year she asks for it.

Getting gas in the middle of nowhere, FL, wearing my stylish Aerostich Roadcrafter.

Good write up !

My take on it for what its worth:
I thought my 1290 was probably an extravagance that would only do a couple of thousand miles a year as I also have an SMT and a 1098 Streetfighter to ride, but when a new one came up discounted to £12,000 I had to have it because they're never going to be cheaper than that. But in fact I can't keep off it. I've done 6000 miles since March and yes, the Akra Evo full system makes a huge difference. For once I believe the manufacturers claim of a 12 bhp increase. Its given it way more bottom end thump and sharpened the throttle response. Its a different bike.

The stock suspension set-up wasn't that great. I took it to a suspension shop for a pro set-up and they found that the rebound damping was mismatched between front and rear leading to a slight tendency to wallow and the bike's attitude was was rear biased - the back was lower than the front with not enough weight over the front wheel. They set it up correctly and sharpened it up no end, which showed up the limitations of the OE Dunlop tyres. They came off and Metzeler M7RR went on which upped the game still more.

Like most KTMs, the standard bike is by no means the finished article. I think the brakes can be improved as well with different pads.

The 1290 really fits in very well in my stable. The Ducati has a much more sporty riding position. The suspension has been upgraded with Ohlins and K-Tech and the engine has been blue-printed, lightened and balanced. It feels like a focused sports bike and that's how it gets used, for scratching, while the SDR is just a phenomenally good all-round road bike. It easily keeps up with the latest litre sports bikes up to about 140 mph when the lack of slippery bodywork start to make the handling a bit boisterous on very fast curves. I think the standard steering damper is pretty ineffective and a future mod will be a top-end reactive unit. I have two mates who have a tweaked R1 anda n S10009RR. They're both very keen on rinsing it in a straight line and neither of then can lose the SDR, which would be even better with a quick-shifter. The way it revs If you pin the throttle its a manic task trying to keep pace with the gear changes. Overall its a supremely comfortable hyper-roadster even more so with the Ergo seat and the wind blast is less noticeable than on the Ducati because the lower bar position on that bike forces your to crick your neck back which increases the strain. I've ridden 450 miles days on the SDR in complete cormfort without getting worn out.

The SMT is completely different from the other two and never feels like the poor relation. Its been fully uncorked with the full suite of mods and its just a lovely thing to ride. Where the other two are awesome the SMT is just a laugh. Its punchy and willing, sounds ace but never tries to kill you, the upright riding position feels liberating without the bulk or weight of most litre uprights/adventure bikes and then there's that sweet chassis and effortless steering. I wouldn't part with it.
If you have a hankering for a 1290 but have to have a 990 in your life as well, this pairing really works.

lol.. too funny. all bikes are good. well most of them anyway. I've had the opportunity to ride most of the big KTM bikes because of friends with varied interests in riding, and working in the industry for a few years. A while ago I had a chance to take demo rides for KTM in north GA and got to ride back to back all day long the 990 SuperDuke, 990 SMR (or was it the 950?), and one with aftermarket stuff added (full akra, smaller front sprocket, carbon stuff, etc) an RC8 and even the 950 Super Enduro (never forgot that ride BTW). IMHO all of the KTM's need a bit of lovin' to really perform the way they should out of the factory. I forgive them because they do have to meet emissions, noise, etc, but you really need to uncork any of them if you really want to see what it'll do. I've had the little bikes (200 and 450) and have ridden a bunch of the mid size bikes as well (original duke and duke II, 690 SMR, SMC, Enduro and Duke) and the 950/990 adventures. Plus I own the off road beast, the 950 Super Enduro. But the 1290 really called to me. But by that same token I had zero interest in one with stock exhaust. So I bought a used one with 1k miles, full Akra Evo system and remapped ECU. I'll add the Rottweiler intake shortly, and then start to look at the suspension and brakes. Once sorted I think it'll be the real "beast"!

Is the 990 SD a good bike? for sure. is the 1290 a good bike? of course! is one "better" than the other? that's your call. used prices- it's hard to beat a well taken care of used bike. Most of the 990's I've seen locally can be had in the 6-9k range (from what little I looked at them). Used 1290s are in the $13k range right now. Is it $4-6k better? all depends upon how much cash you have and what your needs are. I didn't really have any interest in the 990 but the 1290 really caught my eye. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Some of my friends think the designer of the 1290 was blind. If I had a 990 would I "upgrade"? probably not unless I just really wanted a new bike. IMHO the electronics are worth the price of admission. I had a 2008 CBR1000rr that I used on the track a lot and while it was a very fun bike to ride, light weight, and easy to ride fast, the lack of current gen electronics was a bit of a limitation to me. I'm not super fast on the track (I always raced lightweight twins, Hawk GT's and SV's) but I enjoy my time there and the confidence that a well set up bike with good electronics is hard to beat. Again IMHO the electronics package of the 1290 was one reason for my consideration of the bike. With the power output, it's nice to have some "backup" to my throttle hand. I know some don't like the stuff, and I've been riding mine with it turned off (wish I could control just the wheelie mode) but until I get used to the bike, the "nanny" is welcome.

@sarasota_steve I might be down there in the next month or so (north Tampa area?) so If I get a chance to be in your area maybe we can meet. Not sure if I'll have my bike with me this trip but for sure will come down with it in the future..

Yep, airbox, remapping and suspension upgrades will be my next mods. I'll probably wait till the warranty expires though. If I use non-approved parts and anything goes wrong, even if its completely unrelated to the mods, I'm pretty sure KTM won't want to know.
I want a throttle response much closer to one-to-one, like the Ducati, which feels like the throttle is connected directly to the back wheel. The slightest throttle movement is transferred instantly to the back tyre, which isn't as brutal as it sounds, it actually feels far more controllable provided the fuelling is perfectly smooth, which it is.

The suspension shop who set up the 1290 commented that forks and shock seemed built down to a price, especially the plastic reload collar on the rear shock. I don't know whether there's an Ohlins or K-Tech cartridge kit for the forks but I know there's an Ohlins shock. The TTX on my Ducati is fantastic. Or I may go for a WP upgrade.
A steering damper that works and some lighter, grippier rearsets are on the list as well.

Desmo kid have you actually raced your 990's against your 1290 or doing a seat of the pants comparison?

Jmann- As a woodworker/furniture maker I can attest to the fact that although the router is a great tool- one that I use often- it is also the fastest way in the shop to absolutely ruin a perfectly good piece of wood! But your point is taken. Before I got really seriously in to woodworking, I loved the idea of hand tool work. But if you have to cut a dozen mortices in maple or oak, power tools win every time

I am sure the 1290 is a excellent bike that is better in the 990 in almost all measurable area's (except weight). My only concern with the 1290 is, will it be as much fun to ride on the street as my 990? Usually with the 990 I am using half throttle and shift around 6K, so with the 1290 I will be using 1/4 throttle and shift around 5k? My license doesn't need anymore points at the moment either..

BTW, how does the 1290 flick into tight turns compared to the 990, the same?

The real crazy power comes in with the 1290 at about 7k. If you're holding half throttle or above when the needle swings through this point the front wheel will come up in the first four gears. It'll clutch up or float off the slightest bump in fifth.
I would say the 1290 drops into turns slightly faster than a 990. Maybe its the wide bars or a higher centre of gravity but tips in with no effort at all. I love it on back roads. Its heavier (but not much) but its certainly very flickable. There can't be a 1300cc bike that's more nimble.
I went on a mixed rideout recently which was a friendly social not a speed fest and I spent most of the day in fourth, which gives you a searing acceleration if you want it and easy bottom end grunt. I found it noticeably more tractable and gruntier low-down after having the Akra Evo system fitted and the remap.
Personally, I think its smoother and sharper with the MTC switched off. Unless You're the sort of rider who has come to depend on an electronic safety net, I don't think the 1290 needs its rider aids. In which case, get the dongle, switch off, leave off and enjoy.

I havent ridden a 990, nor do I care if it's better, I'm pretty confident in my own opinions of the bikes I own. But I have to say, to those saying the 990 can hang with the 1290, you either are dealing with very poor 1290 riders, or they are in the rain setting. I can not even fathom a motorcycle having more bottom end than the 1290 has. I have owned many powerful and fast motorcycles in my life, 2001 R1 jetted to 143rwhp, carbed CBR110XX, FI CBR1100XX, BMW K1300S, Aprilia RSV Factory, the superduke 1290 is just way different, ie way more insane. There is no way, no matter what the weight of the 990 is that it can keep up with the 1290, period.

Yes, I was surprised at the 1290's power. As I said, still owning two mapped / piped 990's, I did not think this would be that much more powerful. I"m not racing anymore, and for the street, I absolutely do not need or even wish for something more powerful than this.

Only in first and second would the 990 sometimes be a tiny bit of a rush when sweeping past 8k up to redline. This thing is a real rush in gears 1 through 4. The scenery starts rushing by fast.

Certainly there are faster bikes, the BMW S1000R is all that needs to be said. But anyone thinking a 990 will run like a 1290, well, I guess it's nice to be in love with your bike, and a lot of people live in denial. My viewpoint, there is ALWAYS something faster, I can handle that and admit it. Some can't handle it or admit it.

so same track conditions, same setup (i.e. stock or modded but similar setup), and same rider you think the 1290 would loose on twisty road or track?

just curious to hear what is so bad handling about the 1290. I haven't had mine on the track yet and the suspension feels pretty "wallowy" for me, but I haven't spun any adjusters yet just been getting a feel for the bike.

it's not just about hp, my lap times on some tight tracks were pretty similar between my race prepped SV and my stock CBR1000rr as you couldn't use the power of the CBR and the SV was well set up and worked great on tight tracks. but those are also two very different setups. I'm interested to hear where the 1290 has the disadvantage to the 990. I agree that if you have a well set up 990 that there's probably not enough of a performance advantage to "upgrade" to a newer model. For me the advantage of having the option to have electronic aids was a deciding factor. I can turn them off when I want (and 90% of the time I ride it the MTS is off) but if it's raining and I have to ride a few hundred miles for whatever reason, being able to have some electronic intervention could be a big bonus.

there's always a faster bike and always a faster rider.

but either way, as long as you are on two wheels, enjoy what you ride, and actually get out and put some miles/km on your ride, it's all good. I still miss my Hawks when I do track days.

I'm just taking the piss now.


But the bike is only 20% of the equation when it comes to riding

I know a 1290 vs a 990 would be like Harambe vs a child.


Plus this is the most active thread so gotta keep it alive.

I hate signing in everyday, hitting View new posts and getting zero results.

The 990 does look better, no doubt there. 1290 looks like a warthog

I'll not sell my 990, perfect hooligan toy, and light enough to pick up when I drop the fooking thing

This thread is fookin retarded!!!

I'm not much of a fan of ABS either. I hate pulsing levers and pedals and having the brakes released without my say-so. That said I do quite like the cornering ABS on the 1190 Adventure. Being able to brake hard mid-corner without snapping the bike upright, destabilising it and under-steering is a potential life-saver if something unexpected appears round a bend. On the other hand if it gets the electronic generation of riders to go into bends on the power unloading the front tyre and relying on being able to scrub off with the brakes if they over-cook it, again its teaching them exactly how not to ride.
Very much a double-edged sword. Maybe it should be mandatory to learn to ride on bikes without electronic rider aids.

IMO It's going to get into a situation much like the manual/automatic driving standard currently in the UK. You can pass your test in a fully manual car and then be eligible to drive any vehicle but if you take your test in an automatic then you are only entitled to drive a vehicle of that level.

There is no way that new bikers who grow up with new bikes and only have experience riding assisted, electronically controlled, bikes will ever be competent on the old bikes where a level of skill and refinement need to be mastered to ride them safely. You can see, as has been mentioned previously on this thread, how even MotoGP level riders have problems when their rider aids are suddenly not available - because they just get used to the bike when it is helping them so much.

In a debate about safety and maximising the usable power and performance of modern super bikes then one can always argue for the benefits of traction control, ABS, anti-wheelie, etc. But in a debate about whether it's ultimately dumbing down the level of talent or skill required to master and utilise the performance of any given motorcycle then the answer is a profound yes.

You guys who love the rider aids are ultimately the cutting edge of the wedge in making motorcycling a sport accessible to everyone, whether they have truly earned the right or not.

Whether that's a good thing or not is debatable.

Personally when I see a guy in a £25K Ducati Panigale revving his engine at the start of the Nurburgring with all the rider aids on I just think......

wanker

Put another check next in the 990 column, I did a track day at NJMP and lapped a 1290

He had the nerve to ask me what traction control setting I was using...

I just can't image how quick the 1290 would feel, my 990 feels pretty rapid to me. I can rarely deploy all of it's power on the roads here so I can't imagine why I'd need more, though no doubt sooner or later I'll want more.

I'm lucky enough to own a 2013 Pikes Peak Multi and a 2014 1290R. Love them both. Tend to use the Multi for long journeys and the SDR for more local stuff. I find the SDR quicker handling and therefore slightly better In the twisties. The SDR has quite a few mods e.g. full Akro system, PC5 and custom map, quick shifter, power parts triple and upgraded steering damper. The Multi is more comfortable has great suspension (skyhook) and the local Ducati dealer is excellent. I'd find it hard to choose if one had to go If push came to shove I'd probably keep the Ducati.

How did this thread get to all the talk about the Multi? Of which I still own. 2 completely different animals. I wont sell either my Multi or my 1290. The 1290 will see track use. The Multi wont. Tho like Dave said. It is quite capable of handling track conditions.

I know the OP started this thread just to get some responses. Cause,,,,, I know he knows a well set up 1290 will KICK a 990s arse

How have the 990 SD faired on Pikes Peak??, The Multi dominated it for a few years, now the 1290R is doing really well, 2nd and 3rd i believe. Any comparisons against the 990 on the hill.

^^ Ooooh, burn. Good point Dave. Take that U 990 SD 1290 SDR wanna be's. (no offence dudes, seriously)

So close.