KTM Preparing Supersport Racing Effort, BSB an Option?

KTM is preparing to make its next step in the world of production racing, with the Austrian manufacturer reportedly planning an entry to the Supersport class.

This is according to the Italian motorcycle racing publication GPOne, who say that KTM has been in talks with Dorna for multiple months, that a test is being organised with what will be a new motorcycle, and that former KTM MotoGP project leader and current KTM consultant Mike Leitner was in Barcelona to discuss the Austrians’ plans with Dorna.

Additionally, that test is said to be planned for one of the upcoming BSB rounds. This weekend, BSB races in Oulton Park, but the next round at Donington Park, on 17-19 May seems the most likely option if a BSB test were to take place.

The motorcycle in question would most likely be a KTM RC 990, since KTM doesn’t build enough of its RC 8C track-only bikes to pass homologation. Spy photos of an RC 990 have been circulating since late 2022 at least. 

Logic suggests it would use the same engine as that found in the new-for-2024 KTM 990 Duke, a 947cc parallel twin producing 121bhp and 76lb ft, but GPOne suggests that the engine of the RC would actually be a larger displacement to achieve greater performance - somewhere around 140bhp. The interesting part here is that the current regulations for the WorldSSP class currently restrict twin-cylinder bikes to 960cc, so KTM theoretically only has 13cc to play with to find its 20-or-so horses.

Ultimately, it’s hard to say whether there will be a KTM Supersport team coming in the near future, but as with the rumoured Yamaha R9 the new regulations of the Supersport class appear to be inspiring a new category of production sports bikes, and even encouraging new manufacturers to take part.

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