KTM is the only company that rides in MotoGP but doesn’t have a supersport bike in its catalog after the RC8 was retired in 2016 bike, intended for a couple of wealthy enthusiasts willing to spend more than 100,000 euros to become a rider to feel the World Cup. At that time the possibility of keeping a pneumatic valve distribution and even a seamless transmission was under discussion.
This project is over for good. “A MotoGP replica is currently not feasible – said Beirer pit, Director of KTM Motorsport – If you wanted to build a racing bike as close to the MotoGP version as possible, it would cost so much that no one would or could afford it. If we were to simplify it to technically take it far from the racing bike, it wouldn’t make sense as it would be a replica.
However, KTM is working on a bike that is fun on the track, but with a completely different philosophy, a solution that suits every budget. Our colleagues from Speedweek even managed to photograph a prototype.
The centerpiece of the new faired sports motorcycle will be the 890 cm³ two-cylinder that equips the Duke and Adventure. The photos show a tubular space frame, one of the trademarks of KTM, and a fuel filler cap on the seat.
It’s just a prototype at the moment, but the final version could be on the way soon.
“This will be our next product for the racetrack,” confirms Beirer.