Just been out for a couple hour blast down to Boxhill on this wee bestie. I was thinking about replacing the KTM Adventure 1190R with one but to be honest this thing is a full on race bike. It's seriously rapid and sounds like a bloody Star Wars Tie Fighter on full chat. Very impressive machine. If someone is looking for a racebike that they can happily use for the commute then this is your baby. It turns as sharply as MissPineapples Triumph Daytona 675, way quicker turning than the 1199 Panigale but with all the power. I reckon I'd be quicker around most small tracks on the Tuono than the Panigale 1199s simply due to the geometry being like a 600cc bike. All that amazingness said; I think it's strengths are also it's main weakness. It's literally a racebike with high bars so you ride it very fast to make it work properly, just like a normal racebike. I'm looking for something that's more fun and a hooligan at low speed to get me out of being so quick on the roads so I'm now not sure that this is the best option? I test rode a KTM Superduke 1290 and that was very cool but the electronics resetting everytime you turned it on really irritated me so not sure if I'd go for that but it was otherwise near perfect. I'm very tempted by the Monster 1200R now but in my opinion it's way over priced so not sure??
I keep talking myself in and out of a ktm690 duke as a replacement for the 848 as I'd like more comfy loutish fun. I like the tuono in black. Too much oomph for me though I reckon.
I test rode a 690 Enduro the same day as the Superduke but found it a bit civilised to what I was expecting. I thought it would be a bit of an animal like the videos of the 690 Duke/Supermoto but it didn't seem to have it.
I as tempted by aprilla, just too tall for me really, and expensive, love the look and build quality, thought best not to test it. Try Monster 821 a lot of fun
You can buy a dongle for the 1290 SDR which will allow you to store your own settings and set them as default. I don't think you can use it to permanently turn the TC off though, I think there needs to be a setting selected to save or it goes back to factory default. But if you choose the lowest setting you don't really need to turn it off. Unsure what the rider mode arrangement on the new GT will be. KTM have come in for a lot of criticism for not allowing custom settings to be saved - hence the dongle. You'd like to think they'd heed that criticism and do things differently on the GT. We shall see. My main problem with the SDR as standard is that it doesn't have a one-to-one throttle response. Even on the lairiest setting the throttle is slightly muted. I'm sure that can be altered with an ECU remap though. I am seriously tempted by a used SDR. Owners on the Supertwins forum are reporting 175+ bhp and 100 lb/ft of torque at the rear wheel after performing the standard KTM uncorking procedure and remapping.
I like the sound of that. It ticked the boxes but just wasn't quite lairy enough after the Panigale. I'm fairly sure it was due to the electronics as the Aprilia today really shone once the anti wheelie was turned off. I didn't feel the intervention but it just seemed to work better once turned off.
I had a v4 Aprc Tuono and loved it, just couldn't really do any distance on it and at the time decided to sell and go with the Multistrada 1200. The Tuono was the 2011 version which was hard as nails in suspension terms , they then added abs and a marginally comfier seat in 2013/14 with slightly softer suspension, now the 2015 has more relaxed geometry so it's probably getting to where I wanted it to be. I'd have another, probably will buy one again at some point but back on a sports tourer for now (not a dvt I'm afraid) Great bikes
Love my Tuono 1100, it's an absolute beast. I preferred the look of the KTM but for more money it was less bike in my opinion. I do like the prospect of the new 1290 GT - it even has a bloody quick shifter!
I agree and can relate to this, same experience with 4WD cars on the road/no excitement at legal speeds. I had a Cagiva Supercity (approx 33 brake 2-stroke) on the road a few years ago and used to ride out with several 800 -1000cc bikes. On a 40 mile route I expected to get left behind but rarely happened due to traffic and often arrived with the largest grin.
I tested a V4 Tuono and loved it, I was after a naked bike and much preferred it over the Monster S, Speed Triple R, Streetfighter also tested. But after the Streetfighter test ride, "yeah go on then I'll try the 899 Panigale"........................and there was me thinking that I didn't want a sportsbike!!! Maybe I'll get a naked bike next time
