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KTM appears to have found the perfect platform in which to shove their latest LC8c engine.
Back in August of last year, we found evidence of KTM’s new V-Twin monster – a machine the brand later revealed as their 1390 Super Duke R EVO.
Now, the house of Mattighofen seems to have found the perfect model in which to stuff all those pretty ponies – and considering “crossovers” are the new hyper of our industry, it seems fitting that KTM chose their crowd-pleasing tall-roader, the SMT.
Spoiler: We don’t pull spy shots from other platforms (it’s rude), so out of respect for Motorrad’s platform, we’ll post media of KTM’s current SMT range instead of the spy shot batch. Be sure to head over to Motorrad’s article to look at the spy shots and support Jens Möller-Töllner/Maik Schwarz’s findings.
What the spy shots tell us about KTM’s incubating “1390 SMT”
According to Motorrad’s Jens Möller-Töllner/Maik Schwarz, the mystery bike in the spy shots shows off the following:
- Bodywork similar to the 890 SMT with certain elements borrowed from KTM’s Super Duke range
- An exhaust layout more similar to KTM’s Super Duke
- A chassis design recalling the Super Adventure S
- Blue dust protection caps hinting at semi-active suspension (and the option for an EVO variant with fully adjustable suspension)
Why a “1390 SMT” makes sense
Why would KTM want to create a massively powerful Supermoto Touring model? Why, to beat BMW’s luxurious M 1000 XR and Ducati’s Multistrada V4 RS, of course.
Motorrad’s coverage also alludes to the potential for KTM’s 1390cc LC8c to find its way to the company’s Super Adventure.
For now, though, we twiddle thumbs and pass the time guessing at dyno ratings of this thing.
When will the “1390 SMT” break cover?
Typically, spy shots are followed up by the real deal within a year or so. We are now well into 2024, so our guess would be to watch out for KTM’s MY2025 sneak peeks.
What do you think of KTM making a 1390 SMT?