Ktm rc8 1190

[boomer]

Alas no white coming to NZ & apparently numbers are very low turning up down here. No problem with gear selection on the demo

CrAZY sTEVE AND I TOOK THE ONE FROM amps OUT ALONG with the 990. The rc8 feels very special and not too dissimilar to the 1098..however being a vtwin its still lacking the power/pull of the IL4's. And the gears were shocking.. grinding, jumping out... anything but smooth.

I haven't been on a track with it but im sure it would leave a grin from ear to ear..and the power/pull would be substituted by the push outta the corners! I'm a huge fan of the styling although I cant say I'd pay 8k for a zorst u canny see tho...!!!

[Fat Tony]

Cheers Fat Tony. The press say its great but flawed by gearbox and vibration issues. Otherwise, I gotta bad case of the needs.
Whadya reckon??

Ah yes the gearbox... seems to be the thing that the press are killing it for.

My story... I took a demo bike out just to see what KTM had managed to achieve (and so that I could say I'd ridden one ). Having had gsxrs for the last 6 years, any twin was going to take a bit of getting used to. After an hour on the bike, several missed gears and it jumping out of 5th once, I wasn't that impressed and wondered why I'd bothered.

I stopped for a brew at a local bike meet, sat down for about 1/4 hour just looking at the bike wishing that it had performed better on one hand, and being glad that it hadn't on the other - at least that way I wasn't going to have to sort out a bank loan

So I got back on the demo and started to head back. After 5 minutes back in the saddle something just clicked for me and the bike just started to feel right. I was still having to use more pressure on the gear lever than I was used to on the gsxr, but once I started being more positive with the changes it didn't miss a change once. The bike suddenly felt really rather good, and I was amazed at just how flickable it was. The vibrations that you mention were new to me too. I know twins suffer a bit in that department, and besides making the ride feel different to the IL4s I'm used to it didn't bother me at all.

I arrived back at the dealers 2 hours after leaving with the biggest grin I've ever had on my face. I'd gone from lusting after the looks for about 4 years, to being nervous as hell about taking an expensive demo bike out, to being rather disappointed with the RC8, to absolutely loving it in the space of 2 hours. It left me with a dilema... I'd only ridden it for the experience... now I was left wondering if I could actually afford one, or whether I could live with one as easily as I did with a gsxr bearing in mind that I usually rack up about 12000 miles a year and ride all weathers... Hmmm.

A week later saw me out on the demo bike again for another hour. I was still worried about the issues with the gearbox, and buying in to a brand new development from KTM. Anything like that is going to have teething issues. Did I want to part of that process? After a blat on very familiar roads I decided the answer was a resounding "yes" and got back to the dealers to sort out ordering one.

"Cool" says the dealer. "All this years bikes are spoken for, but we *may* be able to get you one for November". "Urmmmmm, f**! Forget it then. I want it for this season" says I. Walked away from the dealers, disappointed that it wasn't to be. I get a phone call a couple of days later saying that they may be able to help. A customer had cancelled an order which they were supposed to send back to KTM to be allocated to somebody on the waiting list, but would do me a favour as a long-standing customer. So 4 weeks later I pick my RC8 up, still a little nervous of whether I'd done the right thing or not.

As soon as I rode my bike it felt better than the demo, particularly in the gearbox department, though I did have a couple of dodgy shifts between 1st and 2nd in the first hundred miles. Reading around an RC8 forum I heard about how adjusting the rearsets was helping with any changing issues so thought that was worth a look at.

If you've read much about the RC8 you'll be aware that there's a lot of adjustablility about the bike. It would appear that for some reason, KTM ship the bikes from the factory with the pegs in the lower position, but the shift lever in the higher position - meaning that shifting requires a lot more movement and at a weird foot position. Moving the pegs in to the higher position made a huge difference to ease of changing (there are a few different ways to adjust the pegs and shift lever so you can set them up to work however you like - whether you want to be applying more/less pressure, or have more/less movement). The bike is adjustable in a lot of ways, and I do wonder if half the things that people/journos report as 'issues' are actually just down to them not having had a play with some of the adjustable settings on the bike.

The bike just gets better and better with mileage. In the first 500 miles I'd guess I had about five 1st-2nd hiccups, with no other problems with changes at all. After the first service at about 600 miles the bike felt fantastic. With 1000 miles on the clock, gear changes were almost as slick as those of the Suzuki boxes I was used to.

I fitted the KTM racing rearsets at about 1500 miles and they made changes slicker still. With 2000 miles on the clock I don't find changes any less realiable/easy than any of the gsxrs I've had. Very slick.

As I mentioned before, the vibration doesn't bother me at all - it's all part of the experience. There's no doubt in my mind that the RC8 won't suit a lot of people. I think (like the styling) the ride is a love-it or hate-it kind of ride. I absolutley love it. It's raw, but not in a bad way. It just urges you to push and push, encouraging you to get on the throttle as early as possible out of every bend (and it pulls fantastically out of them) and leaving braking to the very last minute. It's absolutely f***ing awesome. The most fun I've had on a bike ever. The mags all go on about the power delivery being so linear and they're not wrong - it just pulls from anywhere.

A few people have complained about poor fueling below around 3500rpm but I didn't find it a problem, though I acknowledge it being a bit lumpy at a couple of spots at the lowere end of the rev range. Riding around town hasn't presented any issues for me, though it does require slipping the clutch on occasion. But come on... why buy a KTMs superbike and ponce around at 3500rpm? The remap with the Akra improved the slight lumpiness down there. The engine also revs much more freely since fitting the can/remap.

There have been a couple of lads on an RC8 forum who've had an issue where a circlip has come away on the gear selector or somewhere leaving them stranded and unable to select gears. Personally speaking though, I've had no issues with the bike at all. Made up with it

Sounds mint mate. I'm told the Akra is suppose to yield another ten hp, what say you?

I'd say that was a 'little optimistic'. KTM themselves reckon it's only good for another 3-4bhp. I guess it depends on whether you're fitting a PowerCommander or Tuneboy though - a custom map may will help to get more out of the motor - it's rumoured to be very un-stressed. There is a weight saving of about 10 kilos I believe (have I noticed that? Have I hell, lol).

I haven't had the bike on a dyno. The Akra can is shipped with a new map for the bike, but I had a -1 sprocket fitted to the front at the same time that the Akra was fitted so I can't really comment on performance gains from the Akra alone. Dropping to a 16 tooth is a very worthwhile mod, and I wonder why KTM went with a 17 - top speed stats perhaps?

I cant say I'd pay 8k for a zorst u canny see tho...!!!

$8k??? Ouch!!!!! Makes the £1500 I paid seem reasonable - though that's overpriced as it is. It's a very nice piece of work though, with the Akra logo etched in to the header pipes.

Oh... one more thing... it turns out that my dealer's demo bike is a pre-production bike which would explain some of the issues. Seems there are a few about.

Jesus H... I don't half go on. Better get some work done now I suppose

[doc]

Saw a live one at Thunderbike on the way back from the Monkey and it was sold already. I like em but think in a couple of years your gunna wonder where all the money went. Lots of plastic in the look.

[dipshit]

Not too sure about the flake and matt orange mix... What's up with that?

That's what struck me too. It looks like it is made out of Tupperware plastic.

Still, wouldn't mind owning one though.

[Fat Tony]

That's what struck me too. It looks like it is made out of Tupperware plastic.

It's bloody good Tupperware though

[NZsarge]

I'd say that was a 'little optimistic'. KTM themselves reckon it's only good for another 3-4bhp.

Ah ok... a case of the dealer telling lies then..

[Fat Tony]

Ah ok... a case of the dealer telling lies then..

Maybe mate, it's only what I've read in the mags though - and we all know that they can spin a yarn as well as the dealer trying to sell you a bike/part. As I said I've not had mine on the dyno so no evidence either way

[NZsarge]

Maybe mate, it's only what I've read in the mags though - and we all know that they can spin a yarn as well as the dealer trying to sell you a bike/part. As I said I've not had mine on the dyno so no evidence either way

Yes this is true, he definitely said put an Akra on and gain 10hp so whatever, heh.. it's not like i'm ever gonna find out anyway.
I'm pretty happy with my bike anyways, 'bout as quick as I can get my head around and i'm damn sure I don't ride it near it's potential...
Be interesting to see what pops up if you do get it on a dyno sometime.

[Dazza]

Bloody good write up Fat Tony. Yes $8500 NZD for an exhaust is pretty bloody steep, but the salesman said he do me a deal for $5.5K, bloody good of him. Said salesman is in Austria @ the factory look @ lots of eyecandy. I told him to keep an eye out fot the Super Duke replacement & not the Venom then we can talk Turkey. By then the Super Duke will probably have 70,000k's on the clock,50,000k's in the 3yrs of owning her so far !

[Fat Tony]

Bloody good write up Fat Tony

Cheers Dazza

I got caught out in some seriously heavy storms last night. The bike performed extremely well through the muddy field that had spread over the road. Having had the day off work I'd spent the best part of it cleaning the bike

[Dazza]

Cheers Dazza

I got caught out in some seriously heavy storms last night. The bike performed extremely well through the muddy field that had spread over the road. Having had the day off work I'd spent the best part of it cleaning the bike

You can stop now, as I'm a tad envious, could've done with one yesterday,but hey it's amazing how a naked bike can still foot it with fully faired bikes

[Scouse]

Just rode one today at the AMPS demo day this bike had the Akro zorst fitted fookin awsom machine makes the S3 feel like a under powered barge I need a RC8

[Dazza]

Just rode one today at the AMPS demo day this bike had the Akro zorst fitted fookin awsom machine makes the S3 feel like a under powered barge I need a RC8

I understand the " I need one bit"

[Fat Tony]

Hey down under, haven't been on the site for ages (because my wife's changed her mind about the move and I'm trying to forget the fact that I still want to ). Hope you're all well.

Thought some of you might be interested in what I've been up to with the RC8 over (our) winter...

Some more in my photoset on flickr if you're interested.

Don't bother with the chicken strip comments... that Supercorsa was fitted 5 minutes before I stopped to take the photos... and it's a straight road

[Dazza]

Hey down under, haven't been on the site for ages (because my wife's changed her mind about the move and I'm trying to forget the fact that I still want to ). Hope you're all well.

Thought some of you might be interested in what I've been up to with the RC8 over (our) winter...

Some more in my photoset on flickr if you're interested.

Don't bother with the chicken strip comments... that Supercorsa was fitted 5 minutes before I stopped to take the photos... and it's a straight road

Very cool & very jealous contacted last week asking if I wanted an RC8R 4 May 2009, reply yes please if it's free, not a good time for me as baby due about that time don't think the partner could handle the delivery of 2 new babies in the same week.My upgraded SuperDuke is only 7mths old as it is & now I've covered 15000k's on her.PM me please with your impressions so far of your fine beast