The KTM 1290 Super Duke R is by no means a motorcycle with subdued design characteristics. It’s stellar performance, in fact accentuates its outlandish, otherworldly looks, and makes the bike look like it’s going a hundred miles an hour sitting still. Needless to say, the KTM 1290 Super Duke R, is a bike many enthusiasts, myself included, drool over and think of obsessively. 

Chopping into a beast as majestically ferocious as the 1290 Super Duke R might make a few purists wince, however I’m one to appreciate a thoroughly well crafted custom bike, no matter what the base bike could be. Alas, what we have here is a heavily customized KTM 1290 Super Duke R, with quite a catchy name: Caty M. Glam. No, that’s not the name of some Hollywood makeup stylist, or some millennial YouTuber. Looking at the bike itself, you could say that it has been glammed out with a very red paint job and quite a bit of chrome—hence the last name ‘Glam.’ The bike’s first name, ‘Caty M.’, is obviously a play on the make, KTM.  Pretty witty, if you ask me. 

Now, delving into the details of the bike. Well, so much can be said about the bike’s looks, so much so, that I don’t think words can be flowery enough to match this bike’s aesthetic. Nonetheless, this custom creation comes to us all the way from the folks at Louis, a custom motorcycle shop in Hamburg, Germany. Caty M. Glam is the custom German outfit’s latest creation, and by no means was it a walk in the park to achieve the finished product. 

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The chief designer of Caty M. Glam was Kay Blanke. Assisted by Martin Struckmann and Detlef Stüdemann, the KTM was torn apart, with each individual component getting custom treatment. The engine was repainted in various shades of black, and finished off with silver screws. The rear subframe was replaced with a custom unit, and the entire chassis was chrome plated through an electrolytic process, allowing the welds to retain their integrity. 

The glistening paintwork was applied by Danny Schramm—a truly eye catching finish, for a thoroughly outstanding motorcycle. The seat, tank, and flyscreen were all bespoke pieces crafted with aluminum by Michael Naumann. These do a good job hiding all the wiring and sophisticated electronics found onboard the Super Duke. 

Gallery: Caty M. Glam Is Actually A Custom KTM 1290 Super Duke R

Caty M. Glam made an appearance at the Glemseck 101 festival in Stuttgart, Germany. Piloted by stuntwoman, Mai-Lin Senf, the dynamic duo entered the International Sprint competition, an eight-mile drag race, where they won the first round. However, the fact that the Super Duke is a wheelie monster was never changed, as such Caty M. Glam was unable to advance, as she was unable to keep both wheels on the ground at launch. 

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Overall, this custom KTM 1290 Super Duke R looks so stunning that I’d say it belongs in a museum, or deserves to be displayed somewhere special when it isn’t racing. It kind of reminds me of cars from the custom hot rod scene in the US—with flashy paint and shiny chrome bits. 



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