KTM must sense blood in the water, like a hungry shark. After seemingly turning away from the sportbike scene almost 10 years ago, the Austrian manufacturer has started producing trackday-friendly bikes like the 1390-series Super Duke and the new 990 Duke, not to mention the not-for-public-roads RC8 C. And now, for 2025, we will get the KTM 990 RC R, a sportbike built for the tracks of World Supersport but also available to the public.
Is it a homologation special, then? The text of KTM’s press release dances around that term:
It’s been over fifteen years since KTM last produced an authentic road homologated performance sports bike for the masses. The company is harnessing all their expertise, gained through efforts in MotoGP, thousands of track laps, wins and podiums, to fire the KTM 990 RC R to life.
As that PR says, KTM has been racing in MotoGP a while now, with nothing to really release to the public as a result. But the new 990 RC R will race in World Supersport one-off events this year, and will most certainly be for sale as a 2025 model.
The name implies the engine will be closely related to the 990 version of the LC8c twin used in other KTMs, although we’d expect some re-tuning for this application. The PR lists a few other details, but doesn’t give us much in the way of specifics:
The street homologated KTM 990 RC R boasts an LC8c powerplant, honed for rasping torque and horsepower, pumped out through the new ergo-crafted and condensed stainless steel muffler and fettled through a shifter that can be reversed to race-shift as standard.
The steel frame has been engineered for dynamic performance, with increased weight bias towards the front end. It features a dedicated steering head angle of 25 degrees and offset for enhanced steering responsiveness. Beefed-up stiffness gives the right feel and stability under acceleration on bumpy roads or on racetracks while also maintaining agility, especially at low speeds. A diecast aluminum subframe contributes to the ride.
Ergonomics are key to the KTM 990 RC R’s behavior. Lengthy experimentation primed the six contact points on the tank for a better connection, leaning and ‘tucking in’ to ensure comfort but also support for knees, arms, and lower pressure on the hands. A new fuel tank has been shaped as a main component of the ergo. Adjustable footrests play a part, as well as the fully adjustable WP APEX Open Cartridge Suspension and light weight cast aluminum wheels wrapped in Michelin tires.
The MotoGP™ heritage is evident with the wind-tunnel-chiseled aero wings that provide stability for braking and cornering and other edges and profiling around the bodywork that screams ‘racer’.
We expect plenty of more information in the coming weeks, as KTM promises to extend the YouTube series seen above as the project progresses.
