Brabus do some among the most sought after custom Porsches, Mercedes-Benzes and Rolls-Royces in the rich land. But what happens when the carbon fiber geniuses at the German tuner turn to motorcycles?
Well, you will get the new Brabus 1300 R Edition 23, which is Brabus’ luxury motorcycle offering. Because this is Brabus, 1300 take KTM 1290 Super Duke R Evo and swaps plastic panels for carbon fiber weave, even more angled body panels, and adds luxury touches like heated seats and machined metal gearshift levers.
The KTM 1290 Super Duke R Evo platform is definitely the one where we want to try out some hooligan stuff. It’s a naked hyperbike with low weight, instant throttle response, and the look of an anime gunfighter.
It’s also not a cheap bike. When fresh out of the box, it costs more than $20,000 (18,000 euros), but it comes with some cool options like a semi-active suspension. That suspension, designed by KTM subsidiary WP, adapts the car to both the driver and the road surface, and also includes a programmable anti-stall feature. Then there’s the thug engine which is a 1320c CC LC8 V-twin that makes 180 hp (132 kW) and 103 lb.-ft (140 Nm) of torque.
Brabus has lightened the 1290 a bit, reducing the weight from 466 pounds (211 kg) to 427 (194) with carbon details. With that power, the KTM has a better power-to-weight ratio than even the mighty Ducati Panigale.
And then there’s what Brabus added. The new Brabus features Brabus’ Monoblock Z wheels, carbon body panels, carbon front fenders and carbon belly panels, as well as a host of metalwork elements, such as triple clamps, levers, caps and footrest. The company also added a split exhaust at the rear.
Brabus also redesigned the air intake, removing the air intake in the split headlights and moving it to the side above the driver’s knee, like a Yamaha VMAX. The large intake certainly looks like it will create a ram-air effect. It now has a large round headlight.
Then, because it’s Brabus, it has the signature Brabus stripes like those Brabus-modified Mercedes G-Wagons you see in the shopping malls in Beverly Hills. The single seat has also been reworked in carbon, and of course it’s heated because it’s Brabus.
This is the second time Brabus has launched the 1300 R. But if you want one, act fast. Brabus only produced 290 units for the world. But forget the KTM orange, it only comes in Superblack or Stealth Gray colorways. However, for all Brabus upgrades, you’ll shell out €42,500 ($45,400) with a €2,500 upfront payment.
