The gold standard of Dakar Rally bikes, the KTM 450 Rally earned its reputation from 18 years of total dominance at the iconic rally-raid.
While the factory ride with KTM is perhaps the most coveted in the bivouac, the Austrian brand makes its machinery available for privateers as well, where it is also the weapon of choice.
Episode 178 of the Paddock Pass Podcast is out, and this one starts our review of the 2020 MotoGP Championship season, as we take a look at the fates of the various manufacturers.
On the mics, we have Neil Morrison and our newest member to the show, Adam Wheeler (from the magazine On-Track Off-Road).
Taking the manufacturers two at a time, this episode focuses on the results of the Aprilia and KTM squads during the year.
The first of KTM’s 500cc lineup is expected to be ready by 2022. This isn’t exactly new information for those who have been following the space, but it is the first time that we have heard it from the horse’s mouth.
This is because KTM CEO Stefan Pierer sat down with journalist Sir Alan Cathcart, and discussed the new models (you can read his full interview on Motoring World) and several other items in an expansive interview.
Loyal readers of Asphalt & Rubber will know that I have a soft spot for KTM’s 690cc LC4 engine. The most powerful production single-cylinder motor on the market right now, the 73hp (55 kW) power plant is at home on the street, track, and trail.
For 2021, KTM plans on using this opus in the 2021 KTM 690 SMC R supermoto, as well as the 2021 KTM 690 Enduro R dirt bike.
One of the motorcycles we expected to be updated for the 2021 model year, the KTM 1290 Super Duke GT was just spotted in the wild by the folks at Germany’s Motorrad magazine.
With the KTM 1290 Super Duke R naked bike getting updated for this year, it almost went without saying that its full-fairing sport-touring sibling would get a similar treatment for next year.
As such, the changes are pretty easy to spot.
The folks at Motociclismo.it are reporting that a KTM 1290 Super Duke RR is going to drop in the coming days – news that our own Bothan Spies are giving good vibrations about as well.
The concept behind the KTM 1290 Super Duke RR is pretty simple: it will be a version of the current streetfighter, complete with a bevy of farkles and go-fast parts from the Austrian brand to make it even more of a hooligan machine on the street and track.
When the KTM 890 Adventure R and Rally motorcycles debuted two weeks ago, our Bothan spies not only brought us the first pricing information for these two bikes, but they also told us that a third model was set to debut.
Our spies told us that bike would be a more affordable base model of the KTM 890 Adventure family (and similarly named).
Well now today, we get to see what that bike looks like, as KTM USA has officially confirmed that the KTM 890 Adventure is coming as a 2021 model.
When KTM debuted its 890cc ADV lineup – with the KTM 890 Adventure R and KTM Adventure R Rally – the Austrian manufacturer left out one key detail about the bikes: their price.
Luckily, our Bothan spies are always hard at work, and they have passed along to us the pricing information for the American market. As such, we have some good news for you.
The upside to no motorcycle shows is that a new motorcycle model can debut at a moment’s notice. Such is the case with the 2021 KTM 890 Adventure R, which just dropped on the internets.
As the name suggests, KTM has taken the very competent 790 Adventure R, and dialed things up a notch by 90cc. As if that wasn’t enough, there is a KTM 890 Adventure R Rally for 700 lucky owners worldwide (200 in the USA).
Good news supermoto fans! After a seven-year hiatus, the KTM 450 SMR is coming back to the United States as a 2021 model.
Based off the KTM 450 SX-F motocross bike, the KTM 450 SMR features the same 450cc engine and five-speed gearbox. As you would expect, the frame is chromium molybdenum steel, with a cast aluminum swingarm.
It has been a decade since the KTM RC8 debuted at the Austrian brand’s answer to the superbike question. Perhaps ahead of its time, the RC8 and its progeny were never strong sellers for KTM, though the bike had its highlights (and struggles).
Now, the “Ready to Race” brand is obviously missing a full-faired superbike in its lineup, despite offering the naked “Beast” that is the KTM 1290 Super Duke R, which is a direct descendent of that RC8 project.
Our point? It’s high time that KTM got back into the superbike game, and while the Austrians have made it clear that they are not interested in revisiting the RC8 thesis, KTM is on the forefront of the electric motorcycle movement.
That brings us to these concept creation by Indian designer Mohit Solanki, who envisions an electric superbike from KTM.