The Concept
The Austrian Heavy Weight Champion has well and truly thrown it’s hat
into the ring. With a bigger engine than most small cars and so much
torque if you put enough weight on the bike and tried to pull away I’m
convinced the Earth’s rotation would start to speed up! This is the
highest spec bike in the range from entry level 1090, 1190 and we look
at the full whistle and bells of the 1290.
My first opinion of any bike in this class is that it’s going to be used for
touring on tarmac, plain and simple. You could take the KTM on gravel of
course; anything like the Dalton Highway is going to be fine for the
standard rider. Anything that becomes tricky means you need more skill
because you can’t dab a foot to get something this big out of trouble.
KTM have loaded the 1290 with a wonderful array of electronic options
that will get you out of a tough spot when over cooking the brakes or
rolling on the more than ample power too quickly; the ABS and the
traction control checking what you’re doing at the speed of thought as
you ride along.
The balance is sublime and once you get the Austrian cruise missile
rolling she is very happy to punt into corners and more than capable of
ripping back out of them. I took the KTM up in the Dales to Tan Hill Inn
(highest pub in England) in Richmondshire. Here there are plenty of
20% inclines, declining single track and switchbacks that undulate like a
rollercoaster for you to play and test any bike. The thrill of powering the
KTM down these roads is a perfect analogy. It’s brilliant fun that gives
you the odd scare, just enough to make you chuckle a nervous laugh in
your helmet. I was running on the stock tyres of Continental – Trail Attack
2 and we will look more at those later on. Sat having lunch at the pub I
took a window seat overlooking the KTM in the parking bay. Just about
every biker that pulled up stopped on his or her way to the pub to have a
look and chat with a mate about the KTM. Lots of pointing and nodding
going on; the KTM is most definitely a head turner.
There is a feeling; speaking to people while I was out and about that the
KTM 1290 is either too big or too powerful. Too big for what is the
question? Too big for speedway, yeah I’d agree whole heartedly with
that but too big for rolling over the Alps? Not at all, in fact it’s perfect for
it and the 1290 is going to take you, your gear and your pillion over the
range in comfort and style. Too big for gravel perhaps? The KTM 1290’s
slightly smaller sister the 1190 is the bike of choice for South African
tours with Kaapstaad having no issue rolling around on the red dirt down
there.
Too powerful as a concept; this is the first time I’ve been on a big KTM
and they do have a reputation for being aggressive on the throttle. I
expected some monster runaway train when I got down to Northampton.
What I found is there are buckets of power at your disposal in the 1290
but it is very much down to you how much power you want to let run.
Unless you snap at the throttle she is well behaved and ladylike. In fact
any gear I was in there was no issue of over cooking unless I wanted it to.
Pulling away from the KTM home the 1290 just chugged gently away in
first, there is a noticeable clunk and slight jolt as you drop her into gear
but the power is very much and very easily controlled by you (and the
computer). If the rumours are putting you off this bike then you really
need to just book a test ride and when you get back you will be grinning
from ear to ear with what you have to play with and that you can control
all that power in very simple roll on stages of confidence.