The KTM 990 RC R

For years, KTM stayed away from full-on supersport bikes. They played in the naked bike class with their Duke series, but their last serious faired sportbike effort, the RC8 faded out.

This year saw the arrival of the 990 RC R, the bike that almost didn’t happen…

Supersport Performance, Done the KTM Way

This bike is basically KTM saying: “We’re back — but we’re doing supersport our way.”

Rather than chasing insane 200+ hp liter bikes, KTM has built something lighter, more usable, but still so sharp.

A bike that works equally well on the road as it does on the track.

Raw Parallel-Twin Power with Real Punch

At its core is KTM’s 947cc parallel-twin LC8c engine. Although the RC R uses the 990 Duke’s 947cc motor, which is a bored and stroked version of the old 890, it’s more powerful. New mapping, airbox, and exhaust take the liquid-cooled parallel twin from 121bhp to 128bhp @ 9,500rpm and 103 Nm of torque. These figures make it the most powerful Euro5+-compliant bike in the middleweight sports category.

It doesn’t sound overly nuts when you compare it to the big 1000 fours out there – and it isn’t:

KTM has tuned it for usable power and aggressive throttle response. It’s a beauty in the midrange and loves to punch out of the corners.

Best of all – it’s still got that lekker Raw KTM edge to it.

If you’ve ridden a Duke, you’ll understand what we mean. It crackles and pops on change downs and is an absolute blast to ride.

But this is not a 990 Duke in fancy bodywork. It’s a whole new machine.

The 990 RC R is loaded with modern rider tech:

Ride modes include Rain, Street, Sport and Custom (the way you like her set up).

They give you an optional Track Mode with Launch control, a 6DIMU (cornering traction control, stability systems), Adjustable anti-wheelie and advanced ABS modes, including Supermoto. Cool huh?

KTM’s Demo Mode allows full electronic functionality for the first 1,500km, after which owners must choose between the Track Pack or thje full Tech Pack.

In the cockpit, the 8.8 inch TFT display is a riot of colour and seriously cool graphics that greets you when you hop aboard. It boasts a built-in sat nav that lets you download maps without needing to connect your phone. There’s cruise control and a tall, narrow screen.

Track-Focused Chassis with Precision Control

At 184 kg’s dry, the 990 boasts a steel frame and aluminum subframe. The 990 RC R’s steel trellis frame is stiffened to handle hardcore track action and there’s more trail with a longer wheelbase to aid high-speed stability. They tell us that there’s extra flex in the swingarm for improved feel and grip through corners.

Cast wheels are mounted to fully adjustable WP APEX suspension, rear preload is easily accessible with an Allen key, and the front is adjustable by around 3mm. Brake calipers are the very latest four-piston Brembo Hypure with a three way adjustable Brembo master cylinder ratio.

Now here’s the part that we like.

It is sporty, and when we saw the sales blurb “unashamedly Sporty”, we were worried that we’d be riding a torture rack.

The seat is flat and supportive. The screen offers genuine wind protection. The bars are wide and not ridiculously low, so your wrists don’t take a serious pummeling. The footpegs are adjustable between road and race positions – seriously cool, lots of thought went into this machine. Modern riders are less fond of folding themselves in half to fit on a bike. On this KTM, there’s lots of legroom with a sensible seat-to-peg layout. The seat is roomy and the clip-ons are not just above the front wheel.The tank has been designed to mould into your body when you’re tucked in, or for your knees and arms to slot into when you’re hitting the turns.

Larger riders are also accommodated pretty comfortably.

Did we mention the MotoGP-inspired styling and aero? Cool huh! The scoops at the back of the belly pan aid stability when hard on the brakes, and more scoops channel air into the radiator at the front. The wings produce 13kg of downforce at 240 odd KPH.

Backroads, Track Runs and Stormy Highveld Riding

We rode the bike from KTM’s offices at Kyalami, through nutbox GP traffic through to our offices on the East Rand. We then took the bike on a breakfast run out to Redstar where the track guys put in a few laps until a highveld thunderstorm put an end to play.

We then tested rain mode until things cleared up near Springs and spent a very pleasant few hours riding the long way back home.

In between all of this, our lot rode it as often as we possibly could until it was somewhat reluctantly, returned to Orange HQ.

It has performance DNA coursing through its oil channels. It simply loves banging through the gears via that perfect quickshifter along those twisty back roads and will absolutely show you a good time on the freeways. The engine delivers enough overtaking torque that you don’t need to row through the gearbox, but it’s a lot of fun kicking down and opening up.

On the track, the newest KTM delivers friendly power, well sorted suspension and a chassis that delivers stability and feel.

Jason Wessels was quite simply blown away after a few laps around the tight redstar raceway. “Out on the box? I don’t believe it!”

After an absence of more than two years from the track, Donovan got his knee down on his second lap… you can see their comments in the vid.