Why KTM's sport 350 is a good idea

KTM were unlucky when their plans were leaked (for covert market research?). Amongst those listed was the forecast for a Moto3 350.

Now it is unlikely that the Moto3 class is going to grow from 250 to 350 by 2014, unless KTM are aware of something that the MotoGP rule-makers aren't. What is more likely to be a new lower-cc sports bike adopting the styling of the Austrian firm's Moto3 racer and sticking in a 350cc single-cylinder lump - harking back to the GP-inspired 250cc two-strokes that were lusted over, until they were abolished to memory and extortionate eBay auctions.

Nowadays if a rider is more interested in fast cornering than top speed, then this hardcore group of riders has no equivalent, the past provided them with 250s and 400s but today the closest is a 120bhp 600. The 350 won’t be fast and will only have a low-bhp by comparison but should it have a low weight, say around 100kg, then the KTM will spank the bigger 600s when scratching, making it one hell of a ride.

There is also the fact that this KTM 350 could provide a better learning curve for new sports bike riders, rather than jumping immediately to a 600 or even worse/scarier a 1000. The 350 will give riders the chance to develop their fast riding craft, under safer measures with less power transferred from the twist of the wrist.

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By Robin Goodwin