How does the revised 2019 KTM 1290 SD GT stack up against R 1250 RS?

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#1 | How does the revised 2019 KTM 1290 SD GT stack up against R 1250 RS? datum

Wed Aug 21, 2019 9:14 pm

Setting brand and appearance aside, what are some major differences that might sway someone to one or the other? KTM has sprockets and mirror on bars. BMW has shaft drive and mirror on fairings. How do people generally regard the KTM and BMW wrt body position and comfort and wind protection and other creature comforts? Is the KTM just a sportsbike in sheep's clothing?

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#2 | RE: How does the revised 2019 KTM 1290 SD GT stack up against R 1250 RS? datum

Wed Aug 21, 2019 9:38 pm

A mate has had a 1290 SD GT since May - he has had other 1290s in the past. He bought the GT as he now needs to carry a pillion. It's a tall bastard but still over 30kg lighter than the RS. Performance and in other aspects, the SD GT is more similar to my S1000XR. I struggle to keep up with the KTM on my RS but when we were in France, I was able to match him on my XR.

The KTM did not work very well to begin with and was off the road for 2 weeks before our France trip. Dealer back up is patchy but he was loaned a KTM 790 Adv for one weekend and freely admits this was a better everyday bike than the SD GT. Like the XR, the SD GT encourages you to be very silly whenever you ride it. They are great bikes but work best when you have open roads to exploit.

For me, I would not put the RS and the SD GT in the same shortlist. The SD GT is a very focused bike, designed to be about the performance first. The RS is more of an all rounder, very competent in all departments and quite capable if you want to get a wriggle on, with the caveat that you won't keep up with capable riders on a 1290 KTM or S1000XR

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#3 | RE: How does the revised 2019 KTM 1290 SD GT stack up against R 1250 RS? datum

Wed Aug 21, 2019 11:17 pm

Thanks, this is the feedback I was looking for. I realize that the 1290 GT hails from the sporty 1290 R model, but I wasn't sure how much performance KTM conceded for the GT model. I wish to err towards the "bland" side. Yeah, if KTM offered a 790 GT package with upper half fairing. Well, I can have a look at the 790 Adv regardless. I will sit on this for a while, and see if the Yamaha Tracer 700 or BMW F 850 GT materialize for the USA by next April / May.

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#4 | RE: How does the revised 2019 KTM 1290 SD GT stack up against R 1250 RS? datum

Thu Aug 22, 2019 10:01 am (Last edited: Thu Aug 22, 2019 10:02 am)

I agree very much with Wessies comments above.

My son has the Supe Duke R and when I was shopping for the RS I was very torn between the SD GT and the RS. But in the garage I had a 1060 Aprilia Tuono which was similar to the KTM, very focused , quite naughty and made you laugh in your helmet every time you rolled the throttle on hard. The RS doesn't do that, it is much more refined, much more pillion friendly (which was the deciding factor for me) yet still a bit sporty.

The other factor is getting up in the morning I have to see my ugly face in the bathroom mirror, I can't change that but opening the garage door to that Fugly beast, that is something that is in my control.

They really are chalk and cheese, I've always said the RS (like me) needs to go on a 30Kg diet and gain 30bhp then it would be comparable with the GT and a pretty much ideal bike.

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#5 | RE: How does the revised 2019 KTM 1290 SD GT stack up against R 1250 RS? datum

Sun Aug 25, 2019 2:40 am (Last edited: Sun Aug 25, 2019 2:40 am)

For future internet web searching people, I missed finding a similar thread here because I searched for KTM and not SDGT: R1250RS vs. SDGT

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#6 | RE: How does the revised 2019 KTM 1290 SD GT stack up against R 1250 RS? datum

Sun Aug 25, 2019 1:54 pm

I looked at the SDGT quite carefully. Yes it has more engine, is wonderfully narrow and has a weight advantage (come on BMW get on a diet!). Likely handels good too but could not get a test ride!!!??? I will not buy a bike I can not ride!

Why I like the RS better. The engine is very tractable, useable of a wide range of speeds, very easy to live with, and still respectable power/speed. More capable than I am! The RS has a noticeable lower C of G, especially when compare to the SDGT, making for faster and easier (don't confuse handlebar leverage) twisties. And the fairing is better. The SDGT is needlessly tall...Why? it is not a off road bike!

I agree that a 790GT would get me interested in looking at KTM again. However, ff the engine is only a 5-9000 RPM only screamer that I have to shift all the time to keep it happy..it would be too much of a spoiled child for me.

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#7 | RE: How does the revised 2019 KTM 1290 SD GT stack up against R 1250 RS? datum

Mon Aug 26, 2019 12:50 am

I have no experience with the SD, but one thing the NothingtoPRove vlogger said when reviewing the RS (linky) is that it's "deceptively fast." Riding it over the past couple of weeks, I've repeatedly found myself 15mph to 20mph over the limit without trying and without noticing until I looked at the TFT.

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#8 | RE: How does the revised 2019 KTM 1290 SD GT stack up against R 1250 RS? datum

Mon Aug 26, 2019 10:21 pm

Zitat von Immersion Suit im Beitrag #7
I have no experience with the SD, but one thing the NothingtoPRove vlogger said when reviewing the RS (linky) is that it's "deceptively fast." Riding it over the past couple of weeks, I've repeatedly found myself 15mph to 20mph over the limit without trying and without noticing until I looked at the TFT.

The RS is a master of �going fast, slowly�. So easy to cover miles on this bike with minimal effort.

these members like the post: Ray B, Grumpy Goat, Fugly, andygriff and duccrazydave

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