KTM 690 SMC Motorcycles, page #16

Moto blog

Bodachs on bikes

With the Gaelic for ‘old man’ being Bodach it was only right we call our annual has been Scottish Racers run out 'Bodachs on Bikes'.  The gang now includes names from the past like Morrison, MacPherson, Simpson and Duffus with a Robert Burns and Big Gordo thrown in for good measure. Island hopping was on the agenda this time round, so for £60 we acquired a Caledonian Macbrayne Hopscotch ticket allowing us three ferry crossings between the mainland, Skye and Lewis.  Having heard lots of good stuff about the new KTM 1190 Adventure I thought this could be the perfect bike for the journey so managed to book Loughborough’s Redline KTM’s demo out for a week.  My first stint was an uneventful 400 miles north but with an average of 250 miles range per tank and 80s club classics on the i pod it felt like I was there in no time.  I also kept myself amused scrolling through the easy to navigate countless combinations of engine performance, traction/anti wheelie and suspension settings clearly displayed on the dash.  There seems to be a setting for everyone; luggage or no luggage, big guy or small guy, brave or scared ( no rider aids or full rider aids).  After assembling in the holiday town of Helensburgh on day two, we rode up around the coast on the A82, A85 and A828 to Ballachulish.  A quick puddle jump across Loch Linnhe then saw us heading round the A861 to Strontian before going north to Mallaig.

AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days A Rousing Success

AMA members and motorcyclists from across the country celebrated the people, machines and sport of motorcycling at AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, featuring the riders and champions of Husqvarna, over the July 19-21 weekend. The annual gathering of tens of thousands of motorcycling enthusiasts participated in vintage racing, took in numerous bike shows, met their motorcycling heroes, purchased vintage parts and motorcycles in the massive swap meet, spent time with old friends, and met new ones, all at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. The AMA and the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation, which oversees the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, extend their appreciation to AMA members, racers, enthusiasts, collectors, restorers, fans, clubs, companies and others who supported the three-day celebration of motorcycling’s history and heroes.

See and Hear the KTM 1290 Super Duke R Prototype at Goodwood Festival of Speed – Video

Last weekend, the KTM 1290 Super Duke R prototype made its public debut in action at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Those of us who couldn’t make it over to England missed on out seeing and hearing the prototype in action along with other historic and exotic motorcycles and cars at the Goodwood House’s Hill Climb circuit. Well worry not, as KTM recorded the 1290 Super Duke R in action, with former MotoGP racer Jeremy McWilliams taking “the Beast” out for five laps.

The Power Of Sound Video Reveals Why Two Strokes Are Revered

Pre-mix. Reed valves. Expansion chambers.

KTM Announces RC390 Cup Racing Series, Production Model to Follow

KTM pulled the wraps off a new racebike to be used in a new spec racing series in 2014. The RC390 Cup will be used in the 2014 ADAC Junior Cup Powered by KTM, with a production version going to market in 2014. The RC390 Cup racebike was revealed during the MotoGP round at Germany’s Sachsenring circuit.

Talk About A Log Jam

The Red Bull Romaniacs enduro rallye in Sibiu, Romania is one of the most challenging events on the calendar. It must be, if this Enduro-Cross-style prologue to the four-day race is any indication. Here, we ride along with KTM Factory rider Johnny Walker (definitely one of the coolest names in motorsports) as he makes riding through balance beams, wall rides and a brutal tree stump pit look like child’s play, while the rest of the field wonders why they even bothered getting out of bed that morning.

Demo the new 1190 Adventure Model at KTM’s 2013 Adventure Rider Rally

Everyone’s excited to see, hear, sit on and, especially, ride KTM’s forthcoming 1190 Adventure and 1190 R Adventure models. Those attending KTM’s 2013 Adventure Rider Rally in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, will get a chance to do all four! The KTM Adventure Rider Rally is designed for riders of all skill levels from around the world and open to all brands of street-legal motorcycles.

2014 KTM 1290 Super Duke R Patriot Edition Revealed

We’re still a couple of days away from the Fourth of July but KTM is already in the patriotic spirit. KTM invited several hundred American dealers to its factory in Austria to discuss its upcoming products. One of the new models discussed was the upcoming KTM 1290 Super Duke R, and KTM surprised dealers with a special Stars and Stripes livery.

KTM 1290 Super Duke R Prototype to be Ridden at Goodwood Festival

When KTM revealed its 1290 Super Duke R at EICMA, it made it very clear the show bike was a prototype. An actual production version is on its way, as recent spy photos indicate, but the actual prototype displayed at Milan still maintains an aura of mystique. The specs sheet, for example, was intentionally vague.

2014 HRC Dakar Team Announced

Today at Mugello, ahead of this weekend’s MotoGP race at the famous Italian racetrack, Team HRC unveiled its 2014 Dakar team and motorcycle. Interestingly, one person many thought could be a Red Rider this year after leaving KTM, Cyril Despres, will not be riding a Honda next year, instead joining Yamaha’s Dakar effort.   However, HRC’s team still features five accomplished riders: Helder Rodrigues (Portugal), Sam Sunderland (UK), Javier Pizzolito (Argentina),  Joan Barreda (Spain) and Paulo Goncalves (Portugal), all of whom will be competing on the CRF450 Rally.