Brabus to launch KTM-based super naked
By Ben Purvis
Brabus has been a leading light in the world of Mercedes tuning since the 1970s and currently offers an array of off-the-shelf Merc-based machines with up to 900 hp ranging from luxury saloons to SUVs. Now the company is about to offer its first two-wheeler in the form of the Brabus 1300 R.
The Brabus 1300 R will likely be based on the KTM Super Duke RR.
Yet to be officially revealed (at the time of writing), the bike's existence has been betrayed by a paper trail of official documents that show it's set to hit the market as a 2022 model. The first clue comes from a trademark application, made in November to the European Union Intellectual Property Office, to register the 'Brabus 1300 R' name to Brabus GmbH, specifically to be used on motorcycles. However, the real detail comes from type-approval paperwork, again filed in Europe, showing the bike is approved as part of the KTM 1290 Super Duke range.
That means Brabus isn't employing its famous engine tuning expertise here. The 1300 R has identical performance to the 1290 Super Duke R and Super Duke RR, with 177 hp from a 1,301 cc V-twin engine. Instead of engine tuning, the Brabus elements will be in the form of visual changes, no doubt including lashings of carbon fibre, and potentially, improvements to the suspension.
The bike's dimensions, revealed in the approval documents, show it's shorter than the stock Super Duke R, putting it closer to the single-seat Super Duke RR limited-edition machine that sold out in a mere 48 minutes when it was unveiled earlier this year. The Brabus is the same height as the other models, showing it hasn't gained a screen or fairing, but narrower, suggesting it has clip-ons or stubbier bars than the stock ones. It's also around 5 kg lighter than the normal Super Duke R, but the same amount heavier than the Super Duke RR, hinting that it will have some weight-saving parts, like lighter wheels and carbon bodywork.
What's unknown is how deep the association with KTM runs. If Brabus is to make the 1300 R as an officially sanctioned machine, it could open the door to a whole array of other Brabus-branded, KTM-based bikes in the future.
