How to Raise the Ride Height on a KTM Super Duke GT (Without a Linkage)
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Gabriel wrote in asking whether our +20mm Superlink would fit his 2019 Super Duke GT to help raise the bike and give him more legroom. It's a great question — which deserves a great answer:
Gabriel's Question
Hi — I'm a taller rider and I'm struggling with ergonomics on my 2019 KTM Super Duke GT. I saw your Superlink and was wondering if it would fit my bike to raise the rear and give me more room to stretch out?
Eric's Reply
Gabriel — I like your thinking and the answer would be yes, if the GT used a link in its rear suspension. But it doesn't. Unfortunately the GT still uses the caveman style shock bolted directly to the swingarm design, so the Superlink won't fit your GT. But there are other ways to raise your rear ride height.
What You Can Do Instead: The Eccentric Hub
You're not entirely out of luck, though. The GT uses the same single-sided swingarm design as the Gen 1 and Gen 2 Super Duke R models — and those swingarms feature an eccentric hub where the rear axle is offset from dead center.
Think of it like a clock face. The axle is the circle at the end of the minute hand. If your GT is set up like a factory Gen 3 SDR, your axle sits at the "12 o'clock" position. Because the hub rotates in a circle, rotating it backward and down — moving the axle "later in the day" — physically raises the rear of the motorcycle. A factory SDR hub can rotate all the way to about 2:30.
This adjustment does two things:
- Raises the rear of the bike, giving you more legroom and a more upright riding position
- Shifts more weight onto the front tire — which is actually a significant handling upgrade on a bike with massive torque that inherently carries more weight at the rear
One thing to keep in mind: rotating the eccentric hub changes your axle position, so you can't just rotate it to any position you want. You have to choose sprockets and chain lengths to help get your axle there.
If You Want Even More Height
If you max out the eccentric hub and still want more rear height, the next step is a fully height-adjustable aftermarket shock. They're not cheap, but they offer the ultimate level of precise ride height tuning for direct-mount swingarms like yours.
