Discussion
Finally it looks like KTM are releasing a road going sports bike.
It will be shown off as a wildcard entry in various European Supersports race apparently.
https://www.ktm.com/en-us/990-rc-r.html
It will be shown off as a wildcard entry in various European Supersports race apparently.
https://www.ktm.com/en-us/990-rc-r.html
Birky_41 said:
I might be being thick here
But it's a 990 with under 130hp
Yet the Ducati 959 is about 20+ more?
Slightly tuned up version of a standard naked bike motor vs a sleeved down superbike motor would be the answer there. I'd say KTM's probably had a good look at the Next Gen Supersport rules governing the bigger motors in that class and decided no point in spending the money to make a 150hp+ machine when it could well need to be detuned for racing. Better to keep it reasonable for the street and hit a better price point.But it's a 990 with under 130hp
Yet the Ducati 959 is about 20+ more?
The RC8 was my dream bike when I was a teenager. I was really hoping it looked closer to it design wise. No where near as sleek, but still looks fantastic. This and the rumoured R9 are right up my street.
RC8s are only 6k used but I don't want 150hp+ without TC and ABS when I've only been riding for two years.
RC8s are only 6k used but I don't want 150hp+ without TC and ABS when I've only been riding for two years.
grotty said:
The RC8 was my dream bike when I was a teenager. I was really hoping it looked closer to it design wise. No where near as sleek, but still looks fantastic. This and the rumoured R9 are right up my street.
RC8s are only 6k used but I don't want 150hp+ without TC and ABS when I've only been riding for two years.
If you can afford it, do it. It's your dream bike, and they (widely lauded) make great road bikes with lots of adjustability. I'd love one, they look(ed) mint. All angular. A bit like the old 650 Daytonas. But a much better bike. Obvs.RC8s are only 6k used but I don't want 150hp+ without TC and ABS when I've only been riding for two years.
There's nothing wrong with buying a bike that scares you a bit and putting it in your garage for you to stare at and think 'That's my bike that is'.
grotty said:
The RC8 was my dream bike when I was a teenager. I was really hoping it looked closer to it design wise. No where near as sleek, but still looks fantastic. This and the rumoured R9 are right up my street.
RC8s are only 6k used but I don't want 150hp+ without TC and ABS when I've only been riding for two years.
They only have 150+hp max. Just don't use the max? TC and ABS only help when you overdo it, so just be careful? I wouldn't wait as they seem to be gaining a following so if you can afford it I think you should do it sooner rather than later. To be a little more serious the older V-Twins tend to be fairly easy to ride with decent mid-range etc. and that will have decent suspension/brakes/etc to help you out. At least test ride one as I reckon it will be more forgiving than you'd expect, probably easier to ride than an R6 or similar.RC8s are only 6k used but I don't want 150hp+ without TC and ABS when I've only been riding for two years.
If it might be easier to ride than some 600s then that would make it more viable. Because I wouldn't have too much of a mental barrier hopping on a 600.
You're absolutely right prices have been climbing. I'm building a garage in the summer so I'll be very tempted to put one in it. Finding a dealer that wil let me test ride might be an effort. I know I'll like it though. I've just recently bought a Vitpilen 701 and I'm completely on board with the KTM ethos.
You're absolutely right prices have been climbing. I'm building a garage in the summer so I'll be very tempted to put one in it. Finding a dealer that wil let me test ride might be an effort. I know I'll like it though. I've just recently bought a Vitpilen 701 and I'm completely on board with the KTM ethos.
stang65 said:
They only have 150+hp max. Just don't use the max? TC and ABS only help when you overdo it, so just be careful? I wouldn't wait as they seem to be gaining a following so if you can afford it I think you should do it sooner rather than later. To be a little more serious the older V-Twins tend to be fairly easy to ride with decent mid-range etc. and that will have decent suspension/brakes/etc to help you out. At least test ride one as I reckon it will be more forgiving than you'd expect, probably easier to ride than an R6 or similar.
Speaking of older v-twins, I saw a bloke yesterday absolutely flat out on a VTR1000 Firestorm. Proper going for it on a dual carriageway, brought a smile to my face as it sounded ace and took me straight back to 2002 when nobody gave a s
t about speed cameras 
srob said:
Speaking of older v-twins, I saw a bloke yesterday absolutely flat out on a VTR1000 Firestorm. Proper going for it on a dual carriageway, brought a smile to my face as it sounded ace and took me straight back to 2002 when nobody gave a st about speed cameras
Odd isn't it, the Firestorm always seemed completely underappreciated. I'm a Honda fanboy but even I bought a TLR (should have declared that as an interest in the earlier post). I guess it was another of those bikes "killed by the press" back in the day as Honda always used to build great all rounders for the road rather than race reps....I should have seen through that as a Hornet 900 owner and bought a Firestorm, the reliability of a Suzuki is much more "testing" and mine doesn't seem bad for a TL (although how a manufacturer of Suzuki's size can completely fail in the design of a fuel pump gasket remains beyond me). t about speed cameras Sorry, off topic.
I've ridden a tuned Firestorm with noisy cans. It was great when it was flying - and an utter pig the rest of the time. Honda went through a period then where a lot of their bikes were curiously thirsty for the power they made. The Firestorm was particularly bad and the SP-1 and SP-2 were even worse. Comparable bikes from Aprilia went a lot further and made more power. I think the Firestorm also was compared to, and found wanting with, other V-Twins like the RSV and the 916. In reality it was closer to Honda's own VFR 800 than anything else.
To the poster wanting an RC8 - just do it. The throttle works both ways and you'll use so little of the gigantic power in normal traffic you won't worry about the lack of TC. I have a 2002 Fireblade with a similar lack of electronic safety nets. In the last two years I've had one slide on the brakes due to diesel, which ABS would have done nothing about anyway. Only time I've spun the rear was accelerating over a road that had surface dressing. I ride all year round in Scotland. YOLO!
To the poster wanting an RC8 - just do it. The throttle works both ways and you'll use so little of the gigantic power in normal traffic you won't worry about the lack of TC. I have a 2002 Fireblade with a similar lack of electronic safety nets. In the last two years I've had one slide on the brakes due to diesel, which ABS would have done nothing about anyway. Only time I've spun the rear was accelerating over a road that had surface dressing. I ride all year round in Scotland. YOLO!
grotty said:
RC8s are only 6k used but I don't want 150hp+ without TC and ABS when I've only been riding for two years.
RC8R is what you really want which is £8k+.The TC and abs are neither here nor there. I’ve got a 1290 Superduke which I run with the anti wheelie on for making progress but I’ve nearly high sided on gravel with the tc in 6 (I closed the throttle before the ecu) so don’t rely on it.
A mate sent me this video..... https://youtu.be/jy8vzJmI0bQ?si=w0uZAF1JPAuqHo_Q which is great especially about the CTG design.
After watching it I looked over and admired the RC8
I'm a bit of a KTM fan, and while I'm excited for this bike I don't think it will ever come close to replacing the RC8. I think the RC8's party piece is largely its engine, and while I've only experienced the 790/890 parallels twins so far I don't think the 990 will manage a big enough improvement to overcome the awesomeness of the LC8. I don't really buy the whole "we don't want to make dangerous street bikes" bit too - they are a company that prides itself on bonkers nakeds and seriously high powered adventure bikes.
Long live the LC8 motor!
After watching it I looked over and admired the RC8
I'm a bit of a KTM fan, and while I'm excited for this bike I don't think it will ever come close to replacing the RC8. I think the RC8's party piece is largely its engine, and while I've only experienced the 790/890 parallels twins so far I don't think the 990 will manage a big enough improvement to overcome the awesomeness of the LC8. I don't really buy the whole "we don't want to make dangerous street bikes" bit too - they are a company that prides itself on bonkers nakeds and seriously high powered adventure bikes.
Long live the LC8 motor!
Marquezs Stabilisers said:
I've ridden a tuned Firestorm with noisy cans. It was great when it was flying - and an utter pig the rest of the time. Honda went through a period then where a lot of their bikes were curiously thirsty for the power they made. The Firestorm was particularly bad and the SP-1 and SP-2 were even worse. Comparable bikes from Aprilia went a lot further and made more power. I think the Firestorm also was compared to, and found wanting with, other V-Twins like the RSV and the 916. In reality it was closer to Honda's own VFR 800 than anything else.
To the poster wanting an RC8 - just do it. The throttle works both ways and you'll use so little of the gigantic power in normal traffic you won't worry about the lack of TC. I have a 2002 Fireblade with a similar lack of electronic safety nets. In the last two years I've had one slide on the brakes due to diesel, which ABS would have done nothing about anyway. Only time I've spun the rear was accelerating over a road that had surface dressing. I ride all year round in Scotland. YOLO!
My old SP1 wasn’t especially thirsty. Not noticeably more than any other biggish capacity bike I’ve owned.To the poster wanting an RC8 - just do it. The throttle works both ways and you'll use so little of the gigantic power in normal traffic you won't worry about the lack of TC. I have a 2002 Fireblade with a similar lack of electronic safety nets. In the last two years I've had one slide on the brakes due to diesel, which ABS would have done nothing about anyway. Only time I've spun the rear was accelerating over a road that had surface dressing. I ride all year round in Scotland. YOLO!
I’ve read the comments that people could barely get 100miles to a tankful, it strikes me as odd, as I was riding illegally quickly pretty much the whole time I used to fill up every 140-160miles.
grotty said:
That is exactly the colour scheme to go for. Perfect design, no notes.
It grew on me, originally I wanted the white one.The issue is this only came on the gen 1 single spark bikes, and apparently the twin spark is a better ride. Although mines been tuned very nicely so I'm not sure if there would be much in it.
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