It's actually quite a quick little bike, and I keep forgetting this fact before I take it out.
Open up the taps, and it fairly motors along.
However, you have to remember that it has only 43 bhp.
(Compare that to a Velocette Venom 500 that had 34 bhp, and was considered a quick bike in its day.)
Overtaking takes a little planning, and it's no Street Triple in that respect.
A road test will give you an idea of how it works for you, or not.
I've just remembered another fail: the TFT display is prone to internal condensation.
I had mine replaced, but the replacement was just as bad one day later.
Word is that KTM has an upgraded TFT screen for 2019 - my dealer told me wait a while before bringing it in again.
As for piggy-back ECUs, there are a few on the market.
I chose the Coober, as it was developed in association with KTM, I believe.
The
Powertronic is meant to be good, and you can add a quick-shifter with this ECU.
Another that springs to mind is the
Rapid Bike Evo.
If funds are tight, then you might want to consider a BoosterPlug - eBay is your friend here.
I went for the Leo Vince, as they can provide a pre-silencer that gets rid of the huge and heavy "tea pot".
I liked the look of the Arrow, but IIRC there was no "tea pot" eliminator, and I didn't want two suppliers.
BTW, you don't need a re-map even for the Akrapoviĉ - the re-map is for pre-2017 bikes.
HTH