With just over 2,000km on the clock it was time to fit the most delicious/sexy and desirable part from the official KTM PowerParts drool book (www.ktm.com) – the Akrapovic titanium full-system. Expensive, yes, necessary, not really for road use, but if you have the cash does it really matter? You see a lot of people who own the 2017 Super Duke just fit a loud silencer, which is great to raise the volume but nothing looks better than this pipe designed specifically for my bike by Akrapovic, right?
When I went to the World Launch last year in Qatar, held at the Losail GP track, I had the pleasure of riding the KTM Factory race bike using this pipe (pictured here) and, yes, that is me riding, honest. What dropped my jaw was this mesmerising rainbow blue/purple colour that only titanium goes. The beauty of the Super Duke, unlike a superbike where the fairing hides it all, is that it’s there and in your face for all to see – tremendous!
Obviously this ‘big bit’ isn’t cheap, R35,800 to be exact plus fitting, which was again expertly installed by www.radmoto.co.za. I wouldn’t attempt it myself though because the ‘Evolution Line’ kit comes with a replacement K&N genuine air filter, blanking plates and other bits to remove the Euro 4 secondary air system anti- pollution garbage and the power-valve goes into the bin as well. Check out the image of all this excess stuff taken off. Now wait for this, after weighing the new kit before installation and then the bits taken off, the bike has now a considerable 9kg of unwanted mass removed! If you don’t think that’s much pick up 9kg of anything and swing it around your head, preferably not after a few drinks though.
Radmoto also pulled out the suppressor plug thing inside the pipe and now my bike is as loud as the race bike – hurrah! The initial under-steer the stock bike tends to have has now totally disappeared, due to weight saving, and now handles more like a 690. So is it worth it you ask? Oh yes! Who wouldn’t want a pipe that changes colour like this?
Next time we’ll run the bike on the dyno and fiddle with the fuelling, can’t wait for that! And anything else I can find to bolt on…..
Go to www.ktm.co.za to find your local dealer and order these parts right now.
Total parts to date:
Carbon Akrapovic front mudguard: R4,290
Carbon/Kevlar clutch cover: R1,995
Carbon/Kevlar ignition cover: R2,135
Posh seat (highly recommended): R2,280
Seat cowl: R2,280
Akrapovic ‘Evolution Line’ Race Kit: R35,800
Total: R48,790
