The 2020 model adds more power, lighter weight, revised chassis and suspension, and tuning intended to make it more manageable for everyday riding — less track tool, more street weapon.
Packed between the rider’s legs is a 1,301cc V-twin that churns 180 horsepower and 103 pound-feet of torque, linked to a six-speed gearbox with a quickshifter that enables clutch-free cog swaps. Feeding the powerplant is a ram-air intake that channels air between the LED headlamps, forming an insect-like beak up front. Though the jagged bodywork is visually unwelcoming, relatively high handlebars and a fairly well-cushioned seat make for relatively comfortable ergonomics.
32.9-inch tall seat and you’ll first notice the new 5-inch digital display front and center, offering a bright, clear graphics package with myriad sub-menus managing engine power, throttle response, wheelie control, and the like.
The wireless key fob also unlocks the steering lock and gas cap, and enables key-free startups.
KTM’s logical menu structure makes it easy to manage the bike’s settings via up/down/right/left buttons on the left handgrip. If you’re accustomed to the conventional switchgear you’d find on mainstream bikes, KTM’s sharp-edged buttons and switches might seem a bit too slavishly designed to match the angular bodywork. Though they are logically laid-out, their shape seems designed for design’s sake, not functionality. I had some trouble resetting the turn signal button, which seemed sticky on my tester, and a follow-up with KTM didn’t shed any further light on the anomaly. The redesigned switchgear does include nifty thumb/forefinger paddles that adjust the traction control for variable wheel slip, which is part of the optional Track Pack.
The 2020 model adds more power, lighter weight, revised chassis and suspension, and tuning intended to make it more manageable for everyday riding — less track tool, more street weapon.
