KTM Brabus 1300 Edition 23

Second special Super Duke 1290 R from the KTM/Brabus tie up goes on sale

We’re still not 100 per cent sure where this partnership sprung from – but it is pretty impressive. Austrian bike makers KTM released a special bike with Brabus tuning parts last year, and now they’ve released a new version for 2023.

KTM Brabus 1300

Brabus is better known for its work with Mercedes-Benz, and it’s produced some amazing stuff for the big German car maker over the past few decades: big wheels, exhausts, bodykits and the rest.

So it was pretty surprising to see the KTM Brabus 1300 edition last year. Based on the Mattighofen firm’s Super Duke 1290 R, the Brabus edition added a load of posh kit, and looked super-trick.

KTM Brabus 1300

For 2023, it’s more of the same really. The Brabus 1300 Edition 23 is limited to just 290 bikes, 145 in a stealth grey colour scheme, 145 in black, and is priced at a hefty £37k – but for that you get a pretty sweet factory special. It rolls on forged Brabus Monoblock Z nine-spoke Platinum Black wheels, on WP APEX semi-active suspension front and rear.

KTM Brabus 1300

Brabus also supplies the slip-on double-can exhaust pipe, and the custom heated seat. There’s a black finished steel tube trellis frame, rather than the usual orange, and it’s decked out with slick carbon fibre panels.

The lightweight material features on the air intake stubs, headlight surround, belly pan and tail unit, as well as heel guards, radiator surround and engine case protectors.

KTM Brabus 1300

Brabus has also produced slick CNC-machined alloy parts for the top and bottom yokes, levers, rearsets and pedals, plus the master cylinder deservoirs. A quick-turn throttle livens up the power delivery (not that the standard bike is a slug…) and there’s a weight-saving lithium ion battery.

The basic performance is the same as standard: 180bhp from the 1,301cc 75° V-twin LC8 motor and 194kg dry mass. You also get the same Brembo Stylema brakes as the Super Duke, and the electronics package is the same high-end setup too.

There’s an up/down shifter, TFT colour dash with one-off Brabus startup animation, five integrated riding modes including rain, street, sport, track and performance.

These all integrate the suspension, traction, wheelie and slip control functions, and can be fully customised as well.

KTM Brabus 1300

There’s an IMU-assisted cornering ABS and traction control setup, with a Supermoto ABS setting that allows stoppies and rear skids, while also de-activating the cornering function of the ABS, for even more fine control – experts only though you’d imagine…

The Brabus 1300 R is also packed with everyday functions like cruise control and heated grips, plus a Bluetooth smartphone link setup.

More info: https://www.ktm.com/en-gb/brabus-1300-r-edition-23.html

Brabus 1300 R 23 Edition tech features:

BRABUS Sign of excellence with limited-edition number

BRABUS Monoblock Z lightweight 9-spoke “Platinum Black” forged wheels

BRABUS slip-on double-pipe exhaust • BRABUS custom-made heated seat

BRABUS start-up animation

BRABUS colour scheme for the dashboard

UNIQUE black frame

BRABUS carbon fibre air ducts

BRABUS carbon fibre headlight mask

BRABUS carbon fibre belly pan