2019 KTM SDGT Photo's are Out

[GaryCulb]

The 2019 KTM SDGT Photo's/ Video's are out from Intermot in Cologne, Italy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOF00w08yog

Best,

Doc

[Aussie Dave]

Cheers Gary, EICMA was what KTM was waiting for and they have delivered

The 019 GT gets more hp, bigger screen, LED mains, big TFT dash screen and more sensitive suspension mapping..... probably lots more that wasn't mentioned by Gustav.... I love that new dash

The U tube guy should have pointed the camera at the subject bikes more than the speakers..... but it was good to see the beast in 019 trim after all the worry wart reports spreading rumors of the model being dropped

Nice one KTM

[pk1]

From what he says the suspension hardware is the same ? I wonder if the dealer will be able to update existing Gt’s also bet those handgaurds will be expensive.
Seems they are cutting production costs as same engine and headlight as sdr, I wonder what the price of the new model will be.
Still not convinced on the tft dash and keyless ignition had a spin on a mates sdr and thought the dash looked like a cartoon.
Prefer the analog rev counter on mine..

[jjscsix]

Some nice updates. Now let’s see if it comes to the U.S. They never brought in any 2018s.

[Aussie Dave]

Cheers pk1, the TFT dash is the big one off the 1290SA-sport not the tiny little one on the SD-R

There's only 3 'killer wasps' difference between the SDR donk and the current SDGT so it seems sensible to just use the same for both. I like 150rwhp...... it's thrilling and useable in everyday riding ( ), unlike crotch rockets with claimed 200hp (at 14,000rpm ).

I also hope the new suspension mapping is available to existing GT's (if it improves rear rebound control)

Anyway....... we shall see when the bike hits the show rooms and test rides/reports are available, though I'm content with my 017 version and cannot justify trading up (to my inner accountant......spend money .....what for ..... you already have a nice bike ....... ).

That big TFT screen would be good for my ageing eyesight (no need to wear my old computer screen glasses to read the fine print - DTE/Odo/TPMS etc ).

Oh yeah, they moved the cruise control to the left switch block .... nice one.... though I'm also not a fan of keyless ignition (another battery to maintain) as my Ducati mates are always having to use their PIN's to start their bikes when the fob battery fails......

[pk1]

Another video showing the bike in more detail belly pan has also changed.
https://youtu.be/ZD0SaVAVp-Y
Unfortunately it’s in German commentary

[Rock]

wundabar!
Danka pk.

I like it but I think I like the front of the current bikes better. THis is one of the few times I'm not overly eager to trade up. My bike being 4 months old doesn't hurt either

[Aussie Dave]

OMG....... I like listening to other languages....... it's interesting/different..... but....... that commentator - whatever he was describing sounded painful...... - Not many bikes look that good in white.

[pk1]

Just as I thought the bhp may be up but the torque is down using the sdr motor and trying to get the torque back with a re map.
https://www.autocarindia.com/bike-news/ ... ted-409964
Must admit it looks great though and the screen and up and down quickshifter would be a bonus .
Just wonder what the price is going to be?

[Aussie Dave]

Nice pic PK...... really shows the revised styling around the headlight/tank panels. I think KTM have done a good job giving the GT a makeover without making the earlier model look bad.

I'm guessing the new price will be about the same - they'll probably discount the 17 models which only struggled to sell because of the 'premium' price tag ( all those high performance parts inside the motors don't come cheap ). I'd still say it's good value for money (if the budget allows) - some of the cheaper stuff is ok but won't give as many smiles as a 1290........

[MR C]

they'll probably discount the 18 models which only struggled to sell because of the 'premium' price tag........

I'm waiting for ktm to discount the 2018 bikes, hopefully £10995 again, in Black.

Seriously I'd love to buy the latest model but having already been shafted out of £5k when they discounted the 17 bikes, I'm now loathed to part with £19000 incase they do the same again in 12 months.

[Aussie Dave]

yeah, bit like buying a house......if new price is down you get less for the old house unless you're one of the lucky ones who 'sell on a high' and 'buy on a low'........ not really possible with bikes because they are not an appreciating capital asset even for those of us who look after them properly .

I'm not in the market for a new bike either as I'm very happy with my 017 GT - but if I was (and I would've been,.... had Aprilia in Aus not gone bad when the new importer tore up all the service agent agreements back in Jan 017).... just about to upgrade to a 1290GT - - lucky new buyer's eh......


Ps Just had my coffee and remembered...... I am thinking I might splash some cash on the 2018 tank panels - if they aren't too expensive....... but I will have to wait till I get my 'wings' back so I can have a look at the colours and choose the one that best suits my silver 017 tank...... thinking it's a cheap way to have a new model upgrade..... .

[DaveNZ]

In stead of paying the big bucks to up grade to the 2019 model, i used the same amount of cost $s difference to buy a 2016 MV Rivale..........its putting a big smile on my dial. it was a 59th birthday present to myself.

[RDKLL]

Well, we have decided we are getting a new bike Q4 next year. We will be close to 3 years and probably 25K miles...we are currently about 15K. We have ridden the BMW K1600GT and nope! We want to ride an H2 SX SE but it seems you have to buy the bike to ride it sooooooo we will be getting 2019 Super Duke GT. We were an early adopter and paid the price and we are OK with that. We have started a NEMF...Negative Equity Mitigation Fund. I texted her the other day when the KTM website updated with the '19 models and she replied with "AWESOME!" I have a great wife...

[jjscsix]

Well, we have decided we are getting a new bike Q4 next year. We will be close to 3 years and probably 25K miles...we are currently about 15K. We have ridden the BMW K1600GT and nope! We want to ride an H2 SX SE but it seems you have to buy the bike to ride it sooooooo we will be getting 2019 Super Duke GT. We were an early adopter and paid the price and we are OK with that. We have started a NEMF...Negative Equity Mitigation Fund. I texted her the other day when the KTM website updated with the '19 models and she replied with "AWESOME!" I have a great wife...

I have both a SD GT and a 1600GT, my second 1600. Also, the guy I ride with every weekend has a H2 SX (along with a SD-R and FJR). So I have riden all three of your choices. BTW, you should know that Kawasaki dealers are allowed to put an H2 SX in demo service. If you want to travel to Houston I can hook you up with a dealer who has a demo. He is also the KTM dealer I bought my SD from.

If you have any questions about the bikes I let me know. Right now my time on the H2 is limited, but in the next few weeks I'll be putting 100 miles on my friends bike. But I can tell you what he thinks of it. Short answer is that he has bonded with it. BTW, I'm about to turn 66 and he is 69. We've both been riding a long time!

[Aussie Dave]

Cheers RDKLL.......

Just been reading the latest ride review from the esteemed 'Sir Alan Cathcart' ( a UK bike journo who was a good racer in his younger days).

He had a KTM PR manager along as a companion (on a 2018 SDGT) so they could swap and compare on the fly.

The old bugger gives the new model a good wrap...... and highlighted many of the nice features KTM have added to give a great bike a nice refresh for 2019 (eg usb in one of the 2 new side pockets so phone's can be charged, back lit LH selector buttons & cruise 'on' switch, 6.5" TFT screen up high so sun doesn't reflect in eyes, KEYLESS ignition & fuel tank cap, smoother motor....though my 017 is pretty smooth...... and the usual LED mains, new screen, standard aero hand-guards, hotgrips, side cases, new damping software........etc etc).

So you just might be looking at a major transformation compared to an early 2016 build .

Happy Xmas and best wishes for 2019

[pk1]

Dave did he mention any difference in the feel of the engine torque? Or just say it felt smoother can’t access the write up here in bonnie scotland
Cheers
Paul

[Aussie Dave]

G'day PK.......

Ok..... reading reading...... ah there it is.......

Sir Al says...... Gt has same 75deg LC8 as the 'R', (which we knew) but with different tuning and some uprated hardware. The inlet valves are now titanium and allow an extra 500 rpm before rev limiter. Revised resonator chambers, making a rortier sound standard according to the man......though my 017 zorst sounds rorty - but Al Cathcart did ride both models so he must have noticed a difference.

The new motor has 1.5kw increase to 129kw (175hp) at 9750rpms. He writes KTM handed back 1.5kw from the R spec motors 131kw in order to deliver a greater spread of grunt for the GT spec - with torque peaking at 7000rpm at 141Nm.

So the KTM guy says they took the R motor and refined it for the GT - it still has more than enough power & torque everywhere. The crankshaft is now 0.5kg heavier to maintain momentum, add to sense of torquiness as well as helping the engine run smoother. Gear driven balancer is unchanged.

Cathcart says there is even less need to use the 6sp gearbox now even though it has an autoblipper on the QS downchange...(he does not comment on the sprocket sizes - mine feels similar with the 40T rear vs oem 38T).... He also says the QS works better/smoother and only needs a bit of crutch feathering below 2k rpms otherwise no need for any clutch lever at higher revs........ . Sport throttle mode is smooth (but so is my 17 - smoother in sport than Touring).

So it reads as a thorough revision - keeping the go but adding some slickness to the beast......

Ps The suspension, Al says, has been 'vastly' improved. It reacts 3 times faster than the prev gen and the KTM rep stated that KTM was pretty proud that they achieved the improvement by using the existing hardware and just developing new software with different algorithms (Gustav Greiner). The accuracy is more than 3 times greater in monitoring the road surface and analysing the data than the prev model.

I've gotta stop reading this article..... my GT has only 11k kms on it....... so I must resist the urge to upgrade (at least for 12 months)...... ...... I like my 17GT anyway.... need the challenge.... if the new bike is too easy to ride, it might not be as rewarding...... but the suspension & the dash are big drawcards for me..... so long as it still feels like the GT I fell for ..... ( They could've put 300mm Nissin brake disc rotors on and ditched those crappy warping 320mm Brumby disc's...... ....otherwise good job KTM)

[Aussie Dave]

Here's the trimmed down guts of the article in my Aus M/C News magazine (our holy bike bible and No 1 magazine)........

[pk1]

Dave your a star mate thanks for that