KTM’s new parallel twin platform has been spied again, with the latest batch of shots running Germany’s Motorrad magazine. Or is this something else?
We’ve seen spy shots of the new parallel twin KTMs popping up on and off for a few months now, but Motorrad’s photos are some of the best glimpses we’ve had yet (see more here; you’ll have to disable your adblocker). What we can’t figure out is, what is all that bulk towards the lower front of the bike? It almost looks like a boxer engine has been stuffed in there? Is there
Whether the bike we see here is the final design is a good question. On one hand, with the EICMA show just around the corner, we’d expect anything we see to be pretty close to the finished product. On the other hand … this thing is ugly. Like, really really ugly. Surely the aesthetics are going to be smoothed out a bit before the big reveal?
The German magazine Motorrad says it’s most likely a extended tank for the R version of the bike. (As per your link inside your article.)
Yes I kind of gathered that but as I don’t speak German, and don’t trust google translate, I didn’t want to state it.
Well Zac, if you need something translated, send a message 😉
Perhaps the extra wide bash plate “fairing” is something useful (to adventure riding) like tool storage area, water reservoir, or even aux.fuel tank. Or maybe they have just taken classic spy shot misdirection to a new level.
I thought it would be a replacement for the 690 Enduro single. Zac has written about the imminent demise of the large capacity single cylinder engine for Europe and North America so I expected to see that direction.
The headlight shroud (or whatever you call it) is hideous. Fix it or ditch it, and maybe the bike looks a whole lot better.
Surely the final product will not be as ugly as Yamaha’s hideous FZ line, FZ 10 in particular.
I’m interested anyway, KTM bigger models are pretty much overkill for the street (you never get to use fifth and sixth gear) so this powerful 800 might just be perfect.
I’m thinking parallel twin with one butt ugly bash plate to try and hide things ?
Kinda got a back door hint that its a vertical twin.
I just read that they’re looking into getting the power plant approved for U.S. Pro Flat Track. 🙂