Talk Me Out of a Kramer

I saw a full pimped out model and just had to stare at it for at least 5 minutes. Get that one. Literally ready for the track in every way, shape and form. It even had bolts that were ready to be safety wired.

 

I've had my 690 for 5 years and am not fast but the bike is a blast. Super easy to ride and maintain,easy on tires,fuel etc.Crashes well also.Ben Younger was at Pittrace
on a GP2R 890 last track day I was at and was absolutely flying,seemed like he had plenty of power!

 

They come safety wired from the factory,ready to race,just gotta find a class.

 

Crush all enemies, foreign or domestic. Eliminate them all from your life. Dominate the motorcycle racialist space.

 

I really wanted a Kramer 890 until I got into racing. They don’t seem to fit into the classes well and very few people on them. Maybe more people would buy them if there was a grid full of them, but that’s not going to happen until people buy them….

 

The 890 fits in to a lot of classes.

WERA:
C-SBK, B-SBK, HWT, F1

AHRMA:
SOT-2, SOT-1, Formula Thunder

incredible motorcycles. I’ve ridden and raced several of them of all versions. Feel free to DM with any questions, happy to help.

 

Buy a new one, come on up to Fargo to pick it up, we'll go ice fishin'.

 

I've owned and raced an Evo 2R for the last two years, and I know several people with the 890s. I got mine from a track day guy who rode it 4-5 days and then decided it wasn't for him. He already had a track day-prepped BMW 1000. I'd be happy to share thoughts and answer questions, just DM.

 

The 690 fits a decent amount of classes since it's a single too as a bunch of the classes put singles under formula rules. The only downside to Kramers is they're really cool and make me feel extra poor when I get off one and go back to my own toys.

WERA: DSB, LWTSB, F2, Clubman
HWT and CSS/CSB too if you want to look at butts on the front straight since you're down 30+hp

 

They're just neat. I like admiring all the details too.
Some have a semi-transparent fuel tank you can see the level from the outside which I thought was pretty cool.

 

I say get it and come grid up next to me and my 890 Duke this season, hopefully we can get a few out there in C/B.

 

Ahh I assumed 690, not 890. I still say go for it if you can swing it, but if you're new to racing I'd lean toward the 690. I'd still rather have the 690 for multiple reasons.

 

What reasons are those?

I was thinking about the 890 just for the extra HP.

 

Seems like the 690's are more reliable, kind of important on a pure track bike with no warranty.
The 690 is allowed in more classes that I care to race in.
75-80 HP is plenty in a <300lb bike to have fun and crush the spirits of 99% of trackday heroes.
For what the 890 costs you could buy TWO well prepped R6's (that will be at least as fast around a track), a nice trailer, and a pile of tires.

 

Think of the Kramer as a scalpel among knives: VERY LIGHT, very purposeful. You can cut things with it, but it WANTS to perform surgery. The harder and faster you ride the better it gets. Nothing enters a corner like these bikes.

You will miss the BMW by the time you get to the end of a straightaway. A Kramer won't blur the landscape like a tuned liter bike. But damned if you won't be giggling in your helmet again by the time you're knee down in the first corner!

-T

 

Now I want one again. I hate this place.

 

You love it and you know it.

 

Pricey but looks like a blast to ride.
I saw an all black one at a NYST private trackday over the summer. Sweet looking machine.
https://www.kramermotorcyclesusa.com/2024-kramer-gp2-890rr

 

The amount of Kramers that are available for sale versus how many exist in US makes me pause.

They're probably great bikes but I have no faith in KTM build quality. And I had a RC8R.

 

Go take a spin on a late era TZ250. Matter of fact, there's one in the 2-stroke thread for a lot less than a Kramer.