The litre-class and higher displacement roadster segments are about to blow with 200 hp products. Ducati has confirmed that its upcoming Streetfighter V4 roadster, which will deliver 208 hp of maximum power, will arrive on 23 October. The same day will also witness the arrival of the supercharged Kawasaki Z H2 roadster. While the specs of the Kawasaki Z H2 are yet to be revealed, the roadster could deliver close to 200 hp of peak power output.
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In the latest update, KTM has released a teaser video of its upcoming 2020 1290 Super Duke R ahead of its EICMA debut on 5 November. The motorcycle teased in the video is a prototype of the company’s flagship product. While the details are kept hidden, spy photographs published by MoreBikes have revealed that the upcoming 1290 Super Duke R will pack many upgrades over the current model.
The 2020 1290 Super Duke R, unlike the Euro-IV model, will feature a cast-alloy bolted sub-frame instead of a trellis unit. The trellis chassis will use the engine as the stressed member. The alloy wheels will have a new design, and so will the exhaust. The spy photographs have revealed 1290 Super Duke R branding on the exhaust, thus confirming the displacement. We will also see a few changes to the bodywork, graphics and the paint theme.
Familiar features like full-LED lighting, digital TFT-display and a single-sided swingarm are there to stay. The headlight, as seen in the spy images, looks quite similar to the current model.
The more noticeable changes will come to the engine that will pack updated hardware to comply with the Euro-V emission norms. The new engine, which is called LC8-V2, is expected to be accompanied by a larger radiator and new cooling routes. MoreBikes also mentioned in the same post that the upcoming Super Duke is rumoured to draw 180 hp to 190 hp of peak power from its 1,301 cc. V-twin, liquid-cooled motor. In comparison, the current model makes 174 hp of maximum power. It will be interesting to see if KTM targets that 200 hp (at the crank) figure.
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The 2020 1290 Super Duke R will be accompanied by other Duke Series products at the EICMA show, likely including KTM’s new 890 and 490 model range. The motoring event in Milan, Italy is also likely to witness the arrival of the much-awaited 390 Adventure.
[KTM 1290 Super Duke R spy images available on MoreBikes.co.uk]
