R1300gs v KTM 1390

[J biker]

Well the KTM will be faster, better etc. ….wont it? Well, if MCN were doing the test I suspect so.
Interesting track test (though a real test would have both bikes on the same tyres…))
…and not the result we would expect….or is it? Not that surprised as I always thought my 2017 s1r was significantly faster than my KTM 1290 Super duke despite the supposed 15bhp KTM advantage, but could not compare them directly.
Anyway..

 

[jefformston]

Well after test riding a 1300 a week ago, I’d say no contest, the KTM all day long. The 1300 has no where near the pace of my 1290 Super Adventure S.

 

[JoeBiff]

Well after test riding a 1300 a week ago, I’d say no contest, the KTM all day long. The 1300 has no where near the pace of my 1290 Super Adventure S.

If I owned a KTM, I’d be pissed off, too, after watching that vid.

 

[J biker]

The test rider thought the KTM was faster……

 

[JoeBiff]

At least a ten-pager, this one ……..

 

[J biker]

Indeed.
Thing is, more power, feels quicker..not the same as a balanced package, with superior suspension and composed handling..

More popcorn required

 

[TaskMule]

Well after test riding a 1300 a week ago, I’d say no contest, the KTM all day long. The 1300 has no where near the pace of my 1290 Super Adventure S.

Pace is about the rider not the bike. 1290 and 1300 are pretty much equal in hp and torque. KTM several more hp, 1300 several more ft lbs torque. Torque is more useful for performance than horsepower

 

[beemerboy9]

Well the KTM will be faster, better etc. ….wont it? Well, if MCN were doing the test I suspect so.
Interesting track test (though a real test would have both bikes on the same tyres…))
…and not the result we would expect….or is it? Not that surprised as I always thought my 2017 s1r was significantly faster than my KTM 1290 Super duke despite the supposed 15bhp KTM advantage, but could not compare them directly.
Anyway..

Here are the figures to prove just how amazingly superior the KTM is vs the 1300GS (from Motorrad 06/2026).


Please draw your own conclusions.........

 

[J biker]

My conclusion? The KTM should be faster in a straight line.
The guy that rode the two bikes back to back on track…was faster on the GS.
Not rocket science. He did, if you watched the video say the centre stand was decking out. Maybe remove the stand and he would be faster on the KTM. Maybe not. Maybe he would crash. Maybe using the same tyres would yield a different result.

Torque?
Are their weight figures correct?

Just shows “tests, reviews”.

 

[JoeBiff]

Are we on to page three, yet?

 

[TaskMule]

Here are the figures to prove just how amazingly superior the KTM is vs the 1300GS (from Motorrad 06/2026).
View attachment 522619

Please draw your own conclusions.........

For any of those numbers that actually matter they're pretty much the same, within .2 or .3 of a second.

 

[Fireflyer]

Are we on to page three, yet?

View attachment 522628

Got any links to any comprehensive test rides

Wonder what she looks like now

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

@ikkje

 

[Markyboy]

I fancied the new KTM 1390 however having an R1200GSA to part ex the usual KTM dealers were reluctant to quote on it in p/x and the ones that did were insulting. So BMW offered what I wanted for the p/x and the R1300 was bought. I also tried a few years back when I fancied the 1290 but had the same issue and Craigs dealers were the most insulting of them all.

 

[J biker]

I fancied the new KTM 1390 however having an R1200GSA to part ex the usual KTM dealers were reluctant to quote on it in p/x and the ones that did were insulting. So BMW offered what I wanted for the p/x and the R1300 was bought. I also tried a few years back when I fancied the 1290 but had the same issue and Craigs dealers were the most insulting of them all.

If you want real insults, try trading in a year old KTM…

 

[botus]

whats the steering lock like on the KTM ?

if you chuck bikes around, lots of lock is very handy - my 1290 SAT was dangerous after riding a GS, you run out of lock and then balance, then hit things or nearly fall off
the KTM whilst far narrower than a GS had so much less lock, in super congested traffic it was about as useless as a GS, because you couldn't get around the gaps between cars either

Wire wheels - I don't know what it is - but my GS with cast wheels has never had a weird mid corner squirm at the back - my spoked KTM never did it either - but I had it on a Triumph Explorer, and both my GS's with wire wheels regularly do nasty things at the back mid corner that the cast wheel GS has never done in 16 years and 40k miles

the point in post 1 about power on your 1290... did you have its rev limit set to grown up mode ? - buried in menus a are one or two elements that make it about as fast as a chocolate teapot, or insane - mine would hold a 10" power wheelie all the way from 5 to 115mph - a 1300Gs is about as fast as a KTM starter motor

not surprised the BM was faster on that pointless silly video - its all about braking - the telelever front end - allows you to stop better than pretty much any sports bike, let alone a conventional long travel mess up other adventure bikes use - the KTM's are dangerous so fast, but basically they come with no brakes

 

[J biker]

 

[EKIMYRF]

whats the steering lock like on the KTM ?

if you chuck bikes around, lots of lock is very handy - my 1290 SAT was dangerous after riding a GS, you run out of lock and then balance, then hit things or nearly fall off
the KTM whilst far narrower than a GS had so much less lock, in super congested traffic it was about as useless as a GS, because you couldn't get around the gaps between cars either

Wire wheels - I don't know what it is - but my GS with cast wheels has never had a weird mid corner squirm at the back - my spoked KTM never did it either - but I had it on a Triumph Explorer, and both my GS's with wire wheels regularly do nasty things at the back mid corner that the cast wheel GS has never done in 16 years and 40k miles

the point in post 1 about power on your 1290... did you have its rev limit set to grown up mode ? - buried in menus a are one or two elements that make it about as fast as a chocolate teapot, or insane - mine would hold a 10" power wheelie all the way from 5 to 115mph - a 1300Gs is about as fast as a KTM starter motor

not surprised the BM was faster on that pointless silly video - its all about braking - the telelever front end - allows you to stop better than pretty much any sports bike, let alone a conventional long travel mess up other adventure bikes use - the KTM's are dangerous so fast, but basically they come with no brakes

So
Death steering lock
Death spokes
And finally Death KTMs as they have no brakes

 

[J biker]

 

[botus]

the patent on the telelever must be well and truly spent - I don't get why so few others haven't woken up - its why GS' sell
now they did the steering pivot the right way so we can have stiff forks with triple clamps I guess its starts over....

why don't I own Honda - they lost the plot 40 years ago - just imagine as my brother invented the paralever, I could have been the only manu left....