As some of you know (for those who are still on speaking terms with me ) I was recently invited by KTM in Austria to have a test ride of thier new & improved RC8R at an international customer test in Almeria spain.
From what I can gather, the new bike replaces both the 2010 RC8 and the 2010 RC8R, bringing both models together as one, in a machine that KTM finally feel is a match for any sports litrebike on the market, from the 1198 to BMWs S1000R. (If i got this wrong then someone will correct me I'm sure)
The posh y-spoke wheels and carbon are lost from the 2010 R but the engine map and suspension are tweaked to make the bike more rideable than either of it's predecssors, but still superb on track. Main changes are to the suspension (softer), fuelling, and brakes.
15 of us from all over Europe got to test a bike each for 2 full days at Almeria's stunning 4k track, and on the twisty mountain roads around Southern Spain. So, how was it? ...
Let me start off by saying I'm not into sportsbikes, and I'm not in the market for buying an RC8. I've owned around 25 bikes over as many years on the road, the most sporty of which was a GPZ900R, LOL, although I've ridden a few, from Fireblades to R1s. My background is from offroad and streetbikes, and I've had 6 KTMs in all, the last three were LC8 powered.
As most of you know the RC8 is pretty big for a sportsbike, and is adjustable in the height and angle of the rear seat, the footpegs and the handlebar height, but even on sports settings it's pretty roomy and when you're riding at decent speeds there is no apparent weight on your wrists, and it feels very comfortable, but when you slow down for villages and towns it's still no streetbike and would druive me nuts in the big city within about ten minutes. If the KTM mechanic we had on tap hadn't been so busy I'd have loved to try the bike on it's more comfortable settings on the street, but it would have been a fair bit of spannerwork just for my benefit.
The two things that are remarkable are the basics... The engine, and the handling: I'm really at a loss for words to provide any kind of "review" simply because both appear faultless. In terms of the engine there is well over 160 bhp on tap, delivered smoothly with a flat torque curve and very predicatble and smooth fuelling. There is no SDR style jerking around when you shut off the throttle, due to a clever bit of valvework in the injectors that keeps the throttle partly open at zero input, and when you open it up, even all the way to the stop, it just drives and drives and drives. I saw well over 150mph (240+kph) on the 900m straight and the better riders saw much more.
As for stopping, the monoblock brembos have been improved subtly with some internal changes, and as a result they are one-finger strong and give plenty of feedback. ... and the chassis and suspension just take the bike wherever you point it. It's one of the sweetest cornering bikes I have ever ridden and is just completely neutral, leaning forever with miles of predictable grip from the OE SportsSmarts - which were as good on track as they were on the twisty roads around Almeria.
So... review over. It's just about perfect. Beautiful, stylish, fast and as rideable as any stupidly fast litrebike could be... But that's also where it goes a bit wrong for me. Where would I ever use a bike like this to it's full? Even on a 4000m track I failed to thrash the bike, or test it's limits, and on the stunning roads in the mountains I'd have been quicker, and had more fun, on my SDR.
I'm clearly a wuss, cos to me, bikes like this are for a small niche of people that are far better riders than I will ever be. Anyone slower than me is wasting thier time and money on a bike they will never stretch, but may rob them of thier license, or worse. However, if I did want a stupidly fast litrebike, the 2011 RC8R would be the one!
As for Almeria, oh my god. What an awesome track. Very fast, very challenging and hard work to learn. It's in the desert, so there are no reference points, and all the infield corners blend into one smooth set of curves that have just one fast line, so despite it's width I found it hard keeping a good pace without someone to follow (we had 5 instructors) and passing people took good timing.
Overall, I can't really complain. It was a brilliant experience so a huge thanks for the KTM Centre in Hemel Hempstead for putting my name up as one of the two UK representatives. I was joined by a 2010 RC8R owner, Warren, from the Isle of Wight. We had a ball. Warren already has an RC8R and he liked this version, but for me, I'd like to go back - with my Superduke.
What made the trip the most interesting was hanging out with the KTM guys from Austria, and hearing from the horse's mouths about the bikes and KTMs future plans. Look out for a new Superduke in 2013, and I suspect it'll be the bike we are all asking for. In my view it's late, and they've risked losing market share to bikes like the new Speed Triple, Streetfighter and RSV4 Tuono, and they admitted as much, so fingers crossed they get it out asap. I've already volunteered to help test it. LOL.
From what I can gather, the new bike replaces both the 2010 RC8 and the 2010 RC8R, bringing both models together as one, in a machine that KTM finally feel is a match for any sports litrebike on the market, from the 1198 to BMWs S1000R. (If i got this wrong then someone will correct me I'm sure)
The posh y-spoke wheels and carbon are lost from the 2010 R but the engine map and suspension are tweaked to make the bike more rideable than either of it's predecssors, but still superb on track. Main changes are to the suspension (softer), fuelling, and brakes.
15 of us from all over Europe got to test a bike each for 2 full days at Almeria's stunning 4k track, and on the twisty mountain roads around Southern Spain. So, how was it? ...
Let me start off by saying I'm not into sportsbikes, and I'm not in the market for buying an RC8. I've owned around 25 bikes over as many years on the road, the most sporty of which was a GPZ900R, LOL, although I've ridden a few, from Fireblades to R1s. My background is from offroad and streetbikes, and I've had 6 KTMs in all, the last three were LC8 powered.
As most of you know the RC8 is pretty big for a sportsbike, and is adjustable in the height and angle of the rear seat, the footpegs and the handlebar height, but even on sports settings it's pretty roomy and when you're riding at decent speeds there is no apparent weight on your wrists, and it feels very comfortable, but when you slow down for villages and towns it's still no streetbike and would druive me nuts in the big city within about ten minutes. If the KTM mechanic we had on tap hadn't been so busy I'd have loved to try the bike on it's more comfortable settings on the street, but it would have been a fair bit of spannerwork just for my benefit.
The two things that are remarkable are the basics... The engine, and the handling: I'm really at a loss for words to provide any kind of "review" simply because both appear faultless. In terms of the engine there is well over 160 bhp on tap, delivered smoothly with a flat torque curve and very predicatble and smooth fuelling. There is no SDR style jerking around when you shut off the throttle, due to a clever bit of valvework in the injectors that keeps the throttle partly open at zero input, and when you open it up, even all the way to the stop, it just drives and drives and drives. I saw well over 150mph (240+kph) on the 900m straight and the better riders saw much more.
As for stopping, the monoblock brembos have been improved subtly with some internal changes, and as a result they are one-finger strong and give plenty of feedback. ... and the chassis and suspension just take the bike wherever you point it. It's one of the sweetest cornering bikes I have ever ridden and is just completely neutral, leaning forever with miles of predictable grip from the OE SportsSmarts - which were as good on track as they were on the twisty roads around Almeria.
So... review over. It's just about perfect. Beautiful, stylish, fast and as rideable as any stupidly fast litrebike could be... But that's also where it goes a bit wrong for me. Where would I ever use a bike like this to it's full? Even on a 4000m track I failed to thrash the bike, or test it's limits, and on the stunning roads in the mountains I'd have been quicker, and had more fun, on my SDR.
I'm clearly a wuss, cos to me, bikes like this are for a small niche of people that are far better riders than I will ever be. Anyone slower than me is wasting thier time and money on a bike they will never stretch, but may rob them of thier license, or worse. However, if I did want a stupidly fast litrebike, the 2011 RC8R would be the one!
As for Almeria, oh my god. What an awesome track. Very fast, very challenging and hard work to learn. It's in the desert, so there are no reference points, and all the infield corners blend into one smooth set of curves that have just one fast line, so despite it's width I found it hard keeping a good pace without someone to follow (we had 5 instructors) and passing people took good timing.
Overall, I can't really complain. It was a brilliant experience so a huge thanks for the KTM Centre in Hemel Hempstead for putting my name up as one of the two UK representatives. I was joined by a 2010 RC8R owner, Warren, from the Isle of Wight. We had a ball. Warren already has an RC8R and he liked this version, but for me, I'd like to go back - with my Superduke.
What made the trip the most interesting was hanging out with the KTM guys from Austria, and hearing from the horse's mouths about the bikes and KTMs future plans. Look out for a new Superduke in 2013, and I suspect it'll be the bike we are all asking for. In my view it's late, and they've risked losing market share to bikes like the new Speed Triple, Streetfighter and RSV4 Tuono, and they admitted as much, so fingers crossed they get it out asap. I've already volunteered to help test it. LOL.