2014 KTM RC390

The KTM RC390 makes me feel a little excited. Ok, more than a little, in fact if I had one here to ride my guess is this wouldn't be getting written anytime soon. I am admittedly a huge KTM fan, but the RC390 is much more than just another orange wheeled motorcycle for us diehards to swoon over -- it's a firm statement by the Austrian company that they are continuing to carve out their piece of the worldwide motorcycle market dominated by the big four Japanese incumbents. The Ninja 300 (and previously 250) remains one of Kawasaki's best selling motorcycles and Honda have certainly seen a lot of action around their small displacement CBR line. Now, KTM are set to not only join the party, but up the ante at the same time.

While the RC390 is essentially based on the pre-existing Duke platform, it's been given a pure sport bike look and feel that is sure to appeal to riders looking for an affordable, quality sport bike in the lower displacement class (exactly what KTM CEO Stefan Pierer has stated is the intention here). There's no doubt that it looks the part (it is in fact styled after their Moto3 GP bike) and from what we know so far, this machine is likely to act the part too. Sure you could go with the Duke 390 and get a similar performing bike, but that's not the point here -- this bike is all about getting that grand prix racer feeling between your legs.

This version of the RC390 that you see here is in it's RC390 Cup racebike trim, but the street going version is likely to be mostly the same (full details / photos haven't been released yet). It's single-cylinder 38bhp engine doesn't offer any additional power over rival bikes, but it's dry weight of 286lbs sure is enticing. The trellis frame that continues up under the seat looks great and like the rest of the KTM family, the RC390 makes use of WP suspension both front and rear. The lines of the bike are sleek and while not quite as angular as the mighty RC8, there is clearly some lineage to it's older sibling.

Overall, KTM seem to have a winner here. It'll be especially interesting to see what the uptake is like for the RC390 Cup race series. It's a fantastic way to get into racing and enjoying track days on a highly capable machine that will be a little more exciting than the more budget conscious bikes like Honda's CBR250R. It should also create an eco-system of trick parts for these bikes too, so you'll be able to squeeze every last bit of performance out of it, and be rolling down the street on a GP replica that's easy on insurance.

2014 KTM RC390 Tech Specs:
Engine: Liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, single-cylinder, DOHC, 4-valve, 373cc

Power: 38bhp

Chassis: Tubular steel trellis frame

Suspension: 43mm WP USD fork, WP monoshock

Brakes: Single 300mm disc with 4-piston caliper (front), single 230mm disc (rear)

Wheels and Tyres: 17-inch cast aluminium wheels, 110/70 (front) and 150/60 (rear) tyres

Exhaust: Akrapovic titanium silencer

Fuel tank capacity: 9.5 litres

Weight: 130kg