On Track Off Road No. 192

FEATURE
disadvantage at all for the production
bike – in fact it was a
big help because with smaller
units you get better gas flow
and better rideability – but it
always limited us in top power
to enter WorldSBK.”
“There was a new version with
new throttle bodies in the
prototype stage, which at the
time did 215hp, not too bad
but we never got the release
to switch it into production
and have the proper base for
world superbike racing,” he
adds. “It was simply a
company strategic decision in
2011 to go Grand Prix racing
instead of WorldSBK because
we could not do both…and
it was the right decision. We
were always very busy and
were a small group so there
was not too much time to be
disappointed that we did not
see the RC8 in World Superbike.”
As a track asset the RC8 had
limited use, but surely there
was a case for keeping it in
the KTM portfolio? In the end
the project fell foul of other
priorities and the allocation
of resources. “I cannot really
answer the question as to why
the RC8 is not here anymore
but I can give a few points
of view. KTM always ran an
economic growth policy, so
you had the small displacement
Indian bikes coming
along, the new Super Duke
and many other projects.
I think KTM simply had to
choose where to put our R&D
efforts and a Super Duke or a
smaller Duke brings in more
money and is more strategically
important than an RC8.