I'm not really a naked guy but this bike looks positively menacing, blows the ZX-10R away in the looks department. They need to put the guy that styled this onto the next Gen ZX-10R. I'm digging on those headlights, looks primal and evil, like a predatory animal. I need to see one of these at the dealer. Who knows? Can you imagine one of these with a ZX-14R motor, unreal?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydWup50eCUo

* Last updated by: Kruz on 2/2/2014 @ 2:38 PM *

Looks like something from District 9

No kidding, that thing really caught my attention, black or the silver green? I'd have to really seem them in person but I think the black would be the only way to go.

I would probably go for the green accents. Did you see the pillion? Theres barely enough room for a clit let alone an entire female tushy.

I promised myself if I bought a fighter it would be the Supper-Duke.

I didnt misspell it... I like to eat.

Hehe, just enough room for an anorexic 19 year old super model. Fat chicks need not apply....

One thing I don't get, 487 lbs curb weight and my 10R is 438 curb. How ho you strip all the fairings off a bike and pick up 49 lbs? Why can't they take the 10R, retune the cams, throttle bodies, ignition curves and ECU for more lowend grunt and strip the plastics off for maybe a 415 lb curb weight? Makes zero sense to make the bike heavier.

Super Duke all the way! Z 1000 makes 145 hp? and what ? guessing 80 ft-lbs?

Super Duke makes 180+ hp and 106 ft lbs and only weighs 417 lb! Also got all the electronics for traction and brakes. Of course it lists at 17K instead of 12K; but you get what you pay for.

Super Duke is also big, for us tall+ guys; while the Z 1000 is rather compact (read cramped for those 6'3" and up!

Yea, I like the 1290 Super Duke but by the time you get it out the door you're close to 20 grand, I'm not spending that kind of money on a what amounts to a play bike.....a very entertaining play bike, but still a playbike. Looks wise I prefer that Z1000, the Super Duke looks a bit raw and unfinished but it will scoot!

The 1290 Superduke R is a nasty looking character in it's own right:

For the roughly $8,000 price difference out the door, I'd be tempted to go with Team Green on this one.

* Last updated by: Kruz on 2/3/2014 @ 10:11 AM *

Yeah team green all the way

The sad part is we don't get the black one here in the States, orange/silver and green/silver only.

* Last updated by: Kruz on 2/3/2014 @ 3:22 PM *

Ohhhh. The sight of that KTM with its Rotax sexiness makes my lil' pee-pee tingle!

Ohhhh. The sight of that KTM with its Rotax sexiness makes my lil' pee-pee tingle!

haha makes mine stick straight out!

OK, the KTM is a sexy beast, I'll give you that much but the Z1000 would most likely be the easier of the two to live with. Just my .02

* Last updated by: Kruz on 2/4/2014 @ 8:51 AM *

OK, guys: just released price from BMW. Light, cheap (relatively compared to KTM), about the same size as the Z-1000 but much better looking (IMO).

Oh yeah. about 160 hp and torque profile moved down the rpm scale from the RR; real world performance for the street and not just the track.

* Last updated by: PaulAB on 2/4/2014 @ 3:59 PM *

The Z and the R are both awesome, no bout adoubt it.

But I crave that vtwin growl in my next scooter. Plus the 1290 release vid was awesome sauce.

Man that BMW looks nice and the price is right on target, these bikes are really going to shake up the naked bike ranks this year!

Hagrid, I'd need to see all three side by side to make a call. If money were no object, the 1290 would be parked in my garage but the other two are spicey little numbers too and for my money I might have to go with the Z or the Beemer. Let the shootouts begin!

* Last updated by: Kruz on 2/4/2014 @ 6:43 PM *

Guys I was able to got on the KTM at the NY international bike show and I have to tell you I'm all in on this one! I give it a year and I'm gonna have to rob a bank and buy one of these bitches! They are so freaking nice! I would have bought it at the show if I had drank one more beer!!!!

MV Brutale 800 Dragster???

That MV is definitely cool with those triplet side pipes but I'd have to lose that fanny pack hovering over the rear tire, what were they thinking?

Yea, license plate tucked under the seat and integrate the turn signals into the stop lamps, then that thing'd be bad to the bone!

Guys I was able to got on the KTM at the NY international bike show and I have to tell you I'm all in on this one! I give it a year and I'm gonna have to rob a bank and buy one of these bitches! They are so freaking nice! I would have bought it at the show if I had drank one more beer!!!!

I agree, that 1290 is the bad boy of this crowd, has hooligan written all over it! Wonder how long my license would last on that thing....lol!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4HtPUbZfPZM

just in case you had a hard time deciding BMW is crashing that party as well

I agree with Somefun though the KTM is probably the best bang!

*ooops missed Paul comments I hope you guys don't mind the encore

* Last updated by: dragking on 2/5/2014 @ 6:03 PM *

Drag, I'm just not feelin the love for the Beemer, much like the S1000RR. The performance is there no doubt but there's something about those bikes, I can't quite put my finger on it, that makes me just say "No".

I think it's because of my perception of the BMW as a "formula" bike devoid of it's own character or identity. In a sense it's a knock off of existing Jap technology with a few twists throw in. BMW themselves make no bones about it that they cherry picked the best features of the dominant Jap sportbikes to come up with the S1000RR.

Then they threw in the goofy (in my opinion) asymmetric styling to differentiate themselves from the herd.

Technically, the BMWs are brilliant but they lack soul, IMHO and so come off as bland.

The KTM 1290 on the other hand is something that really excites my senses. They went their own way on that machine, created an original with insane power to weight and a colorful personality all it's own.