Description:

Bull’s Eye or Bingo! The outcry always describes the same thing – a perfect landing. The Austrians had revised the KTM 1190 RC8 Super bike sorely needed, because the manners of the burner were previously poor. HP moved to Valencia in the Spanish-leaving examination.


Finally, one is broad grin under his helmet. Despite slippery, because only slowly begin a drying track laps at Valencia in Spain to make fun of the Austrian. The new Dunlop Sport Smart did have to be approached cautiously, but that is now past. Like so much for the KTM RC8 Super bike 1190 R for the new model year. She still looks like the old …

Stop! In the forms of disguise but nothing has been changed, but as with the overall review of the RC8 was the greatest emphasis on small details. Therefore, the new panel now consists of old painted plastic parts is not clear as yet, partly out dull and rough surfaces, which were very difficult to clean.

But it’s back to the grin. The fat twin pushes the pressure with a powerful start-finish straight down; flush a corridor after another, even in the reliability of his arrest. Read correctly: the transmission operation of the RC8 is a changed man. What a previously operating almost to white heat, is now working model. The 75-degree V-type, although actually the same, is a completely different become. Good throttle response, smooth rotation, spontaneous, but not too aggressive response, a linear power delivery, all there. Sapper lot! Nothing is left of the uncultured Rubout the past. A lot of brainpower and commitment was needed in order to obtain the conversion of Saul to Paul.

Keyword refinement: Just to raise the level of a rustic Twin on the Ducati Demo engine – and that’s what – had to be worked on every corner. In addition to the reworked crankshaft, the flywheel of the 1200s by exactly one kilogram increase. The new double ignition required before new maps, so these were the same for each cylinder, load, speed and gait programmed individually for each spark plug. How does it work? It’s simple.

It takes a handful of programmers and allows them to do a year, nothing else than the best from the sensors in the engine peripherals collected data and signals to the needs of the motor and throttle position. Besides the much smoother engine operation and very good response this will provide a more efficient combustion, which in turn allows sharper timing, and so increases performance. Incidentally, this still falls in gasoline consumption, so the developers.

Of course, the performance and consumption data of the press conference in upcoming tests will be scrutinized, but at the slopes in Valencia, there was just no time to quibble. Thanks to the electronic idle speed increase in the shift operation (it replaces a mechanical slipper clutch) could be rolled stress-free and accurately into the corners. From the apex of the KTM shone with a soft cuddly gas and creating more predictable power delivery.

A positive impression was confirmed on a short but very realistic daily round on public streets away. Not only the engine is now smoother and softer, also matched the chassis now requires less can-do qualities of pilots.

Something comfortable designed (with a softer rear spring) and re-tuned, it eats up bumps well away. And optimized to better rotation motor is fully in his element. Rum Gondeln on the road and even inner-city stop-and-go with him finally go slightly out of hand.

Speak of hand. The RC8 on which the driver at full turn should be ranked, it may well happen that one of the mirror getting your fingers caught. And evil that has been on the Italian women’s monopoly.

But back to smile under the helmet, which eventually predominates. The KTM has developed into a burner, fully convinced. In essence, a true super bike with a built-killer instinct, the KTM has so far been fully convincing in the Renne and will certainly continue to do so. From 2011 she shines, however, thanks to meticulous detail work very well in everyday life with great manners. Yet another hit: The revision also affects the price – it was reduced Goal!