An extra 47cc of displacement gives KTM's RC8R a 10 horsepower increase over its regular spec sibling.
The superbike world keeps getting bigger, as European marques move in on the Japanese market.
KTM, Europe’s second-largest manufacturer, has literally made its superbike bigger with the release of a higher-spec version of the
RC8 at the EICMA 2008 Milan Bike Show.
The new RC8R, the second version of KTM’s inaugural superbike, ramps up the performance factor with a larger engine. Increasing the bore from 103 to 105mm (same 69mm stroke) bumped up displacement for the 75-degree V-Twin from 1148 to 1195cc. The compression ratio also spiked, jumping from 12.5:1 to 13.5:1.
The liquid-cooled Twin uses the extra room to produce a claimed 165 horsepower in stock trim. Torque production is 90.7 lb-ft. (The regular RC8 only powers up to 155 hp and 88 lb-ft, according to
KTM PR claims.) For the real power junkies, and racers, a sport kit brings the RC8R peak ponies up to 180 – a claim which evens up the new R with its Italian rival, the Ducati 1098R.
A sport kit pumps the RC8R up to 180 horsepower, making it comparable to Ducati's R-model Superbike.
WP suspension components, a 43mm fork and monoshock, headline a near identical chassis spec sheet to its non-R sibling. Changes include a 5mm increase in trail (97mm – 3.82 in) and 5mm decrease in wheelbase (1425mm – 56.1 in). Another difference is the claimed weight (without fuel), with the R crossing the scales at a claimed 401.2 lbs (182 kg), 4.4 lbs lighter. In sport kit trim, the R would almost match the 1 to 1 metric power-to-weight ratio of the 1198cc
Ducati Twin superbike.
No official word yet on when or if the new
RC8R will turn competitive laps in the World Superbike championship. But with BMW and Aprilia all tossing their hats in the SBK ring, alongside with the dominance of Ducati, it’s not too big a stretch to imagine a European quartet vying against the Big Four from Japan. Stay tuned.
