News – Euro4 motorcycle standards benefit the KTM RC390 but complete the RC8 – Used KTM

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Euro4 motorcycle standards benefit the KTM RC390 but complete the RC8

News - Euro4 motorcycle standards benefit the KTM RC390 but complete the RC8 - Used KTM

The current evolution of motorcycle ranges, "mechanically" driven by the application of Euro4 standards, is reflected at KTM by interesting developments on the small sports car RC390 and the disappearance of the RC8, first – and last? – sport road motorcycle produced by the Austrian manufacturer.

The current evolution of motorcycle ranges, "mechanically" driven by the application of Euro4 standards, is reflected at KTM by interesting developments on the small sports car RC390 and the disappearance of the RC8, first – and last? – sport road motorcycle produced by the Austrian manufacturer.

The RC 390 beneficiary of Euro4 standards …

Discovered during the summer of 2013, the is the sporting extrapolation of the excellent roadster, from which it takes most of the peripherals common to the RC and Duke 390 siblings (trellis frame, 4-piston radial caliper, hollowed out swing arm, WP suspensions, ABS as standard) and the 373 cc 44 hp single cylinder.

Barely three years later, KTM took advantage of the transition to Euro4 standards to bring it subtle changes: the accelerator is now ride-by-wire type, the clutch adopts an anti-dribble and the single front disc goes from 300 to 320 mm in diameter.

Very good for this bike, already particularly fun thanks to its weight contained under the bar of 150 kg dry! Efforts have also been made for comfort thanks to the use of now adjustable levers and new padding – 12 mm thicker – of the saddles. Only positive, so ?

Yes and no, because the look is also subject to the effects of Euro4 with the replacement of the small silencer housed under the engine by a model in the lateral position, undoubtedly more efficient in terms of polluting emissions but much less elegant.

Moreover, if the a priori evolves in the right direction, its price of 5,795 euros is still quite dissuasive despite its proven potential and its flawless manufacture. For comparison, mid-displacement models like the (689 cc), the (649 cc) and the (645 cc) develop 30 hp more and are available for a price barely a thousand euros more expensive.. 

The efforts made by KTM to highlight the qualities of this small sports bike with such particular lines – the front especially, with its "beak" and its lenticular headlights – will they be enough to boost its career, so far quite discreet ( in 2015) ?

The orange brand believes in it and continues to develop its cups for this purpose in Germany, the Netherlands, the United States, Mexico, Finland, the United Kingdom and for the first time this year in Italy and France, as part of the Promosport 400. Looks like nothing, according to KTM, 500 units of the non-homologated road racing version, have been produced since the creation of its branded coupe in 2014.

The RC8 victim of Euro4 standards

The RC390 above is now the flagship of the KTM sports range since it quietly bowed out in 2016, no doubt because of the changes to be made to adapt it to Euro4 standards. However, for lack of success for this hypersport with its sharp lines, the operation was clearly not profitable..

Discovered in 2003 at the Tokyo Motor Show (Japan), the RC8 was powered by a 1148 cc V-twin developing 155 hp at first, then boosted to 175 hp thanks to a rebore to 1195 cc.

Packed with torque and enjoying a high extension (11,000 rpm at the breaker), this engine was extremely pleasant – including on the road – despite a certain roughness under 3000 rpm.

Extremely well balanced and carefully equipped (WP suspensions adjustable in all directions, Brembo calipers, trellis frame with very well calculated rigidity), the – like its more luxurious variant, the – also shone with its ergonomics without excess of radicality , moreover adjustable in many points (handlebars, footrests and even adjustable trim). 

In our last test drives of this distinctive looking bike – some love it, some hate it, but everyone is looking at it! -, MNC just regretted its "manly" selection and clutch as well as the lack of traction control to more easily manage its 129 Nm of torque.

Its fans can take out their handkerchiefs, because the possibility that KTM will develop a new, more efficient motorcycle to succeed it seems today very unlikely: the CEO of the brand, Stefan Pierer, has already several times expressed the idea that this kind of motorcycle turned towards "always more" no longer had its place on the road in the current context…

According to the boss of the Orange brand, the future of hypersportives will rather go through "replicas" of real racing motorcycles, reserved for circuits, as efficient (+ 200 hp) as exclusive (over 100,000 euros). That is exactly the approach planned by KTM from its MotoGP RC16 V4 engine (read in particular) !

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