Why would KTM be riding around on a camouflaged Aprilia Tuono V4? That is the question of the day, after a spy photographer caught the Austrian company testing in Spain with such a machine.
The answer of course points to KTM working on a V4 street bike platform, which shouldn’t be too surprising since KTM CEO Stefan Pierer already tipped the media off to the fact that it is working on a MotoGP entry that would be based around a beastly V4 engine called the RC16.
While Pierer confirmed the MotoGP, as well as a track-only consumer version of the GP bike, zie Austrians have been mum about other motorcycles in KTM’s lineup sharing the new V4 powerplant.
It would make sense of course for multiple machines to share the RC16 motor, in various states of tune, as it helps defray development costs of the expensive MotoGP project.
Additionally, the MotoGP race bike would serve as a good pedigree for a line of sport bikes using the RC16 motor, a synergy KTM would surely be keen to use in the marketing of new models, and perhaps the primary reason to go racing in MotoGP in the first place.
As for the testing of an Aprilia Tuono V4, that points to the fact that KTM is still in its early days of its model development, which puts the Austrians right on track to replacing the venerable KTM 1290 Super Duke R in a few years’ time — more than long enough for the model to run its natural course of life.
Stay tuned KTM fans, it’s going to take a few years for this rumor to develop into truth.
Source: BMH-Images
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