"First go on the SuperDuke R at the weekend..." thread in "Motorbike Chat"
While Couch took the V-Tec VFR out for a spin, I followed him on his KTM Well to start with, I didn't know what he ...

While Couch took the V-Tec VFR out for a spin, I followed him on his KTM Well to start with, I didn't know what he was complaining about...it pulled nicely, the gearbox feels sweet and it just loves having gears thrown at it Supermoto stylee Then we had to do some slow town and little roundabout type stuff

Now, I'm fairly confident with slow speed riding, but on this thing it's near impossible! The fuelling is unbelievably bad, how they've released this and not had to sort it out for their customers I do not know. It's not even just low speed, anything that involves a constant or going from a closed to slightly open throttle sees it surging and not responding to what you're doing. It's bordering on dangerous really and I could see it causing an accident in bad weather when it decides to take off at a much faster speed than you'd anticipated, halfway round a roundabout.

That said, I really liked it. It handles lovely, the suspension is firm, but works well on the road. The engine feels lovely and makes a nice, agressive, raspy noise It makes you want to ride like a complete idiot everywhere, just throwing it about with the big bars, it loves it It is very, very tall though and being a short arse, I was being very careful with where I stopped on it. The seat is a plank too. The Ducati hasn't got much, but this thing is really just a sliver of rubber and not much use.

If KTM can sort the fuelling out, it'll be one of the best road bikes ever I reckon. It certainly made me smile on the bits where you could just wind it on and enjoy it.

---

PB Round The World Guinea Pig Blog

i would chuck a power commander at it and see if that sorts it out.

---

www.technomoto.co.uk

Is it just your bike with the dodgy fueling or are you saying its the same for all the SD's?

It's the only 08 SuperDuke I've ridden, but apparently there are many complaints on the owners forums.

KTM are suggesting changing the pipes and fitting a powercommander to sort it, at the owners expense of course. Seems a bit wrong when you've already paid top money for a bike, but if I had one, I'd be looking to do that and keep it, as it is a great bit of kit.

---

PB Round The World Guinea Pig Blog

Mine's similar, but getting calmer as it runs in. Savage throttle at low revs and surges between 4-5K, above that bliss on stick.
Dropping it off for the 1000km tonight so I'll have word. It seems that Akra cans and the KTM Akra map improve it quite a bit and they are going on after winter.

---

Everything in Moderation, Including Moderation

to be fair,that's the first thing that most people do when they buy a bike anyway.more so on a v-twin as the sound like wet farts with standard cans on.
i have changed the cans or system on every bike i have had as 99% of the time it make the bike smoother.

---

www.technomoto.co.uk

So as a reward for paying the premium price commanded by the 'R' you get a less useable bike?

Good marketing by KTM,the mag pics must have been cool.

They made a good bike with the first SuperDukes and got people addicted. Then they promised bigger and better with the R, which in most ways it is, but they've messed up with the fuelling. I guess as they've sold most of them now, they're not bothered about people slagging them off. Shame as I think they'll lose returning customers, who would and have spent a lot of money, over this little issue.

---

PB Round The World Guinea Pig Blog

Does the R run different injectors/maps than the stock Duke?

It must be an issue with the new stuff. When I rode a SD about a year ago I found none of the reputed snatchy throttle at low speed,very tractable and user friendly. KTM are a company on the up with their eye on big targets,so it would be in their interest to sort out the problem.

Yup RC8 throttle bodies, different ecu, different cams, different valves and akra headers as standard all equalling 20hp over stock.. It does sound real nice as stock so I don't want cans on it. I think I'm gonna gut the cat out the exhaust and fit a power commander. Apparently when re-mapped they up the fuel mixture at lower revs by upto 30% as it's so lean to get thro emissions but that doesn't stop other manufacturers making bikes work with standard exhausts.

---

mmmmmmmmm

The RC8 is supposed to be one of the worst fueling bikes on the market. A massive boob by KTM to release a model in that state and an even bigger one to inflict the same system on a previously good bike. An example of paper bhp figures over what matters?

Oops.

I can't help but feel this is the issue, they sorted the SD, then couldn't help themselves from making the same error with the SDR as they when looking for headline grabbing power. I have a feeling they justified it by then thinking that most SDR customers will change the cans to suit the header anyway...

I'm not crying too much over this one as I knew I what I was getting into when I decided to go for the R over the standard SD.

---

Everything in Moderation, Including Moderation

I knew what i 'would' be getting into too... which is why i chose not to buy the Superduke R.

You can be buggered if you think i'm paying that sort of money then throwing
£650 Cans.
£300 PC 3
£200 Dyno time.

The Superduke R is already a VERY expensive bike. HAving to throw £1100 at it to make it roadworthy is a disgrace if you ask me.

I chose the 950SMR carb'd bike and it's 100times better on the fuelling... although not as wonderful in High speed handling.

---

950 SMR, for men who know the difference

Weeksy, if you put the akro cans on, there's a very good map from KTM. I've had that loaded to both superduke FOC by my very good dealer.