KTM to stop building road-going superbikes?
- duke63
- Posts: 15513
- Joined: 22 Oct 2013, 07:34
- Your Bike: Ducati 748/853 & Triumph Street Triple 765RS
- Location: Staffordshire
- Has thanked: 4187 times
- Been thanked: 4133 times
KTM to stop building road-going superbikes?
Seems that is what the KTM CEO is inferring in his latest interview.
The V4 will be track only apparently.
http://therideadvice.com/no-more-superb ... gA.twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The V4 will be track only apparently.
http://therideadvice.com/no-more-superb ... gA.twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
- C00kiemonster
- Posts: 8477
- Joined: 22 Oct 2013, 07:11
- Your Bike: Triumph Street Triple 765 R
- Location: Not Froggie Land
- Has thanked: 4346 times
- Been thanked: 1748 times
Re: KTM to stop building road-going superbikes?
Very sad, they make great bikes too. I'm not surprised as the RC8 so nearly didn't get made a number of times.
Ktm didn't sell all its RC8s and I don't think it made any money for the company either. Sounds more like a money decision than a 'safety' decision tbh.
Ktm didn't sell all its RC8s and I don't think it made any money for the company either. Sounds more like a money decision than a 'safety' decision tbh.
- Perkles
- Posts: 5889
- Joined: 11 Mar 2014, 21:51
- Your Bike:
- Location: birminghamshire
- Has thanked: 2152 times
- Been thanked: 1465 times
Re: KTM to stop building road-going superbikes?
They are going to moto GP with the new v4 and some spy shots have seen them testing an aprillia v4
- duke63
- Posts: 15513
- Joined: 22 Oct 2013, 07:34
- Your Bike: Ducati 748/853 & Triumph Street Triple 765RS
- Location: Staffordshire
- Has thanked: 4187 times
- Been thanked: 4133 times
Re: KTM to stop building road-going superbikes?
Yes but there wont be a road legal version according to the CEO, Perkles.
- Kwacky
- Posts: 38733
- Joined: 21 Oct 2013, 21:52
- Your Bike: Brutale 800RR, 1000SX Ninja
- Location: Brum
- Has thanked: 4338 times
- Been thanked: 8391 times
Re: KTM to stop building road-going superbikes?
KTM Birmingham say they can't hold onto the superdukes and adventure bikes.
- Blade
- Posts: 18772
- Joined: 14 Mar 2014, 18:43
- Your Bike: Kawasaki ZX10R
- Location: North West
- Has thanked: 3134 times
- Been thanked: 3767 times
Re: KTM to stop building road-going superbikes?
I can see the logic as the RC8 has not been a bigger seller for them full stop and apparently sports bikes is a declining market. However saying that if were getting bikes like the new R1, S1000RR and Ducati 1299 long may it be in decline
- Perkles
- Posts: 5889
- Joined: 11 Mar 2014, 21:51
- Your Bike:
- Location: birminghamshire
- Has thanked: 2152 times
- Been thanked: 1465 times
Re: KTM to stop building road-going superbikes?
The RC8 is like the gsxr 1000 a great bike but needs all the bells and whistles adding to make it sell against the competition
Nobodys going to pay 15 grand when you can get a zx10r with traction control and all that stuff for 13 or less
Nobodys going to pay 15 grand when you can get a zx10r with traction control and all that stuff for 13 or less
- D6
- Posts: 2781
- Joined: 14 Mar 2014, 18:26
- Your Bike: Speed Triple 1050SE a bit DEAD + S3 RS
- Location: Staffordshire
- Has thanked: 212 times
- Been thanked: 653 times
Re: KTM to stop building road-going superbikes?
It is about time new big sports bikes were released, and I hope it revives the market, but I think it unlikely.
Certain manufacturers with more disposable money can create flagship sports bikes and not worry too much about not breaking even. But brands like Triumph and KTM are never going to be able to do that every few years. Every bike they sell has to make a profit.
Only Ducati breaks this trend, but then don't they have Audi behind them now? So I suppose they can get by.
I do hope there is a revival, as it would be a real shame for sports bikes to slowly dwindle out over the next 5-10 years.
Certain manufacturers with more disposable money can create flagship sports bikes and not worry too much about not breaking even. But brands like Triumph and KTM are never going to be able to do that every few years. Every bike they sell has to make a profit.
Only Ducati breaks this trend, but then don't they have Audi behind them now? So I suppose they can get by.
I do hope there is a revival, as it would be a real shame for sports bikes to slowly dwindle out over the next 5-10 years.
- Blade
- Posts: 18772
- Joined: 14 Mar 2014, 18:43
- Your Bike: Kawasaki ZX10R
- Location: North West
- Has thanked: 3134 times
- Been thanked: 3767 times
Re: KTM to stop building road-going superbikes?
I think sports bikes will continue D but become more of a niche market and be seen more as a premium high end product like sports cars are. The days of cheap sports bikes are long gone imo. They are high tech, exotic material, engineering marvels these days....but saying that they are and always will be ridden by muppets like us
- duke63
- Posts: 15513
- Joined: 22 Oct 2013, 07:34
- Your Bike: Ducati 748/853 & Triumph Street Triple 765RS
- Location: Staffordshire
- Has thanked: 4187 times
- Been thanked: 4133 times
Re: KTM to stop building road-going superbikes?
Supersport championship is to finish in 2016 so that may well be the end of 600cc sportsbikes being sold, not that anyone other than Kawasaki or Triumph have developed anything in that sector for some years.
Sportsbike market is already the niche, high end product market i think.
Sportsbike market is already the niche, high end product market i think.
- Blade
- Posts: 18772
- Joined: 14 Mar 2014, 18:43
- Your Bike: Kawasaki ZX10R
- Location: North West
- Has thanked: 3134 times
- Been thanked: 3767 times
Re: KTM to stop building road-going superbikes?
The end of the supersport class might be a good thing. Hopefully freeing manufacturers from the shackles of racing classes. You never know pigs might fly and we mate see some 800 sportsbikes or supercharged 450/550 machines.
- Blade
- Posts: 18772
- Joined: 14 Mar 2014, 18:43
- Your Bike: Kawasaki ZX10R
- Location: North West
- Has thanked: 3134 times
- Been thanked: 3767 times
Re: KTM to stop building road-going superbikes?
Are there plans to replace ss with anything Duke ?duke63 wrote:Supersport championship is to finish in 2016 so that may well be the end of 600cc sportsbikes being sold, not that anyone other than Kawasaki or Triumph have developed anything in that sector for some years.
Sportsbike market is already the niche, high end product market i think.
- Kwacky
- Posts: 38733
- Joined: 21 Oct 2013, 21:52
- Your Bike: Brutale 800RR, 1000SX Ninja
- Location: Brum
- Has thanked: 4338 times
- Been thanked: 8391 times
Re: KTM to stop building road-going superbikes?
With 1000cc sports bikes being so powerful I suspect people will still want something sporty but no so mental. There is always going to be a market for the middle weight supersports bike.
Kawasaki and Yamaha have been developing their 600s. The 675, GSXR and CBR are all pretty old now, although Triumph have updated the Daytona more than Suzuki and Honda have done with their bikes. Don't forget the 6675 is 10 years old now.
Kawasaki and Yamaha have been developing their 600s. The 675, GSXR and CBR are all pretty old now, although Triumph have updated the Daytona more than Suzuki and Honda have done with their bikes. Don't forget the 6675 is 10 years old now.
- Perkles
- Posts: 5889
- Joined: 11 Mar 2014, 21:51
- Your Bike:
- Location: birminghamshire
- Has thanked: 2152 times
- Been thanked: 1465 times
Re: KTM to stop building road-going superbikes?
the next crop of 600s are going to be very good considering whats happening in the 1000cc market
- duke63
- Posts: 15513
- Joined: 22 Oct 2013, 07:34
- Your Bike: Ducati 748/853 & Triumph Street Triple 765RS
- Location: Staffordshire
- Has thanked: 4187 times
- Been thanked: 4133 times
Re: KTM to stop building road-going superbikes?
300cc twins i think.Blade wrote:Are there plans to replace ss with anything Duke ?duke63 wrote:Supersport championship is to finish in 2016 so that may well be the end of 600cc sportsbikes being sold, not that anyone other than Kawasaki or Triumph have developed anything in that sector for some years.
Sportsbike market is already the niche, high end product market i think.
- Blade
- Posts: 18772
- Joined: 14 Mar 2014, 18:43
- Your Bike: Kawasaki ZX10R
- Location: North West
- Has thanked: 3134 times
- Been thanked: 3767 times
Re: KTM to stop building road-going superbikes?
Kawasaki and triumph are the only people developing a 600 and ironically neither in road trim are an actual 600cc. Perhaps this gives us a clue to the future. More torquey middleweight sports bikes. I would love to see a supercharged 450/550 lightweight sports bikes with a gp inspired chassis.