There’s no denying that the KTM 1390 cc V-Twin engine is one of the most potent power units ever fitted to a motorcycle. That it works so effectively in both the hooligan 1390 Super Duke R and the hugely impressive 1390 Super Adventure R is a testament to the engine’s innate flexibility.
But while the numbers tell part of the story, they don’t really explain what makes these two motorcycles so special. We’ve had the opportunity to ride both, and neither experience left us wondering whether KTM had built just another big, powerful motorcycle.
We first experienced the 1390 Super Duke R in Spain, where KTM celebrated 30 years of the Duke. Given the opportunity to stretch its legs on a proper circuit, the Super Duke demonstrated exactly why KTM’s naked flagship has earned such a reputation. It is brutally quick, but there’s considerably more to it than simply a huge engine and a ridiculous amount of power. The chassis, electronics and suspension give it the composure to be ridden hard, while that unmistakable KTM attitude remains firmly intact. It’s the kind of motorcycle that can turn an ordinary ride into an event.
Then there’s the 1390 Super Adventure R, which takes that same formidable V-Twin and points it in a very different direction. We recently rode the big adventure bike into the Drakensberg during KTM South Africa’s 2026 Adventure Rally, and it was a pretty effective demonstration of just how capable a large-capacity adventure motorcycle can be when the road disappears.
This is a big motorcycle, yet it tackled rocky climbs, technical sections, ruts and flowing mountain trails with a confidence that would have you questioning whether you really needed a smaller machine. The combination of KTM’s chassis, WP suspension, electronics and that seemingly endless supply of V-Twin torque makes the 1390 Super Adventure R anything but a road-biased adventure tourer.
And perhaps that’s what makes these two motorcycles so appealing. They are very different machines, but they share the same philosophy. The Super Duke R is built to make the road more exciting, while the Super Adventure R is designed to take you further when the road eventually runs out.
We’ve ridden both in some pretty exotic settings, which certainly helps to romanticise the experience, but those environments also highlighted something important: these aren’t your run-of-the-mill, vanilla motorcycles. They are focused, capable machines designed to do more, go further and offer an experience that few motorcycles in their respective classes can match.
If you’ve not ridden either bike, then you really haven’t experienced anything quite like them. And, to make that experience accessible to more people, KTM South Africa currently has two very attractive offers available until 31 October.
In the adventure corner, you can now get the 1390 Super Adventure R for just R5,639 per month, while the 1390 Super Duke R can be yours for only R5,350 per month. Both offers are based on a 10% deposit and a 40% balloon payment at the end.
To make the deal even better, both the Super Adventure R and Super Duke R come with a 4-Year Premium Manufacturer’s Warranty, giving you added peace of mind so you can focus on the adventure ahead.
When you consider the sort of mundane cars that amount of money will buy you, it does beg the question: why would you not want to be experiencing life on a KTM?
For more information, and to take advantage of these offers, contact your nearest authorised KTM dealer.
