The Birth Of 'The Beast'

Tech talk with engine developer Peter Gorbach

The 1290 SUPER DUKE R’s 180bhp 1290cc v-twin is an evolution of the RC8 1190cc engine; a unit bursting with power but at the same time a model of drive ability. Important elements of the design involve a 3mm larger bore, 2mm longer stroke, corresponding shorter connecting rods, larger throttle valves, twin spark ignition and two balancer shafts. We talked to 43 year old Peter Gorbach – head of the KTM’s engine development and mastermind behind ‘The Beast’s’ supreme force – and picked out a few interesting details to discuss from this standout motorcycle.

What was the best and the most difficult part of the 1290’s engine development? “The most difficult was development of the piston. To make the bore and stroke greater but to keep the weight the same… well, we knew that it would be difficult. We managed it by giving a lot of respect to the basic design. The piston pin is now 20mm in diameter, which is two millimetres smaller than that found in the engine of the previous 990 Super Duke R. Furthermore the stiffness of the piston has been optimized by finite element analysis. As the very first sample component arrived we could see that the structure was perfect and that was a very rewarding moment for us. We just had to slightly adjust the micrograph profile and modify the rings to get oil consumption on the safe side and then the piston worked. That was a beautiful moment and really satisfying.” Micrograph – can you explain what this means?