RC8r opinions/pricing?

'cause you're too big of a puss to handle the GSXR power!

 

Don't hate. You know you want a twin.

 

Got it, put on about 30 miles tonight. Feels great so far, I'm going kinda easy while breaking it in but it has plenty of grunt. I don't find the on/off throttle to be a problem at all. The rear brake is fairly weak, which doesn't bother me. You hit the mirrors with your hands at full lock, that sucks a little. It feels a lot softer than the 1098 I had, which is exactly what I wanted. Thanks for the information guys.

I bought the bike from Fredom Cycle in NH, they were great to deal with.

 

What are those?

-jim

 

Congrats! At work so I can't see the picture. I'd recommend pulling the mirrors and going with CRG lanesplitters. I have one on the left and it works well. Also, if you haven't done so--get the TECHSPEC tank pads -- there's a set with two per side, one for the side of the tank and one for underside of the flange with the skid-guard for the tank. The pads are MASSIVE and the feel is like being velcroed to the bike. As for the trottle, mine has the full AKRA sys with the reflashed ECU... the delivery is smooth and on/off throttle is smooth as silk. The akra system and fuelling is expensive but it REALLY sweetens the bike. I'm at work right now and riding that thing in made today suck substantially less. You're going to love the RC8!

 

thanks guys! all good information. I've got about 50 miles on it now, and there's a few things I'm going to change. the exhaust is on the list but will have to wait a while. I'm going to try something different with the mirrors, because they do suck, but I'm also going to need to do something for front directionals. I'll do that, get a tail bag, and fuck with the suspension for now. the rest will have to wait until my wallet recovers or I sell something big.

 

Here's what the tank pads look like on the bike... massive improvement.

 

I went to my local dealer to check one out as i was looking at getting a new liter bike for the street... they wouldnt let me sit on it unless i had cash in hand.. wtf it isnt a desmo for god sake. I went and bought a rsv4 the next day.

 

WOW, unbelievable! That's hilarious--the KTM has one of the most bulletproof finishes of any recent top-shelf roadbike.

 

Ya man i really wanted to get the ktm but they were mega dbags so i figured their service and parts department was just as shitty as their sales dept. Called aprilia dealer and had the bike in my garage next day... never rode the rc8r but im pretty happy i bought the rsv4... the sound is just amazing. Thats with stock exhaust. Austin racing and race ecu go on wednesday.

 

For the RC8, KTM service SUCKS--BEYOND SUCKS. Most dealers are dirtybike shops, and you say RC8 and they're all NO NO NO...

Worse than that, I paid the $$$ and had the 5K done on mine, and they let me go with the engine ready to blow--oil leak. The tech said they tried something to "make it better"--Great a "service HACK"! Took it to Huey at Marietta Motorsports, they diagnosed thatI was one seal away from mixing oil and water--MM replaced the water pump and changed a few seals and everything's good as new. I'm still STUNNED that the KTM shop couldn't see that coming on A 5K SERVICE, WTH!?!? That could have gotten REALLY expensive, and I'm pretty sure I'd have been SOL on them covering anything.

Huey also hooked me up with a killer deal on a slipper clutch. The KTM guys who serviced it have since been bought or gone out of business or whatever, but for the bigger bikes I have ZERO confidence in KTM's service-support network.

 

Congrats on the RC8R! I rode one at Auto Club Speedway last year and loved it more than the 1198 I rode earlier.

 

like any other "off" brand, make sure you have a good dealer that you can work with. Looking at a new liter bike next year possibly and as much as I like the RSV4, not sure about a local dealer as far as service work, KTM recently got much better, and oddly enough, there are quite a few really really good Ducati shops nearby that I trust. Really makes you lean one way or the other when it comes time to plunk down a chunk of change...

KTM really needs to do kind of what buell should have done years ago. Buell was always hamstrung by only being in HD shops. Many people I know wouldn't set foot in one of those places even if they showed some interest in an american Vtwin. KTM really needs to open some "big twin" only shops and try to get them in line with the other big brands (side by side with Honda, BMW, etc). Most KTM dealers (at least in the SE) are typically very very dirt oriented shops. I know a few that are multi line shops but even those tend to focus on KTM as dirt vs. dual sport/ADV/street/road racing. But I do think it's getting better over time.

 

That's the major drawback of KTM. If it isn't a dirt bike it is almost impossible to get it worked on without driving across the country. My brother has a 690 smc and there is no place to get any major service done within 4 or 5 hours of here. Luckily it hasn't needed any yet but i suppose i am gonna have to read up on valve adjustments for it soon.

 

Why aren't people working on their KTM's? I just spent last weekend going over my 990 Adventure from front-to-back and top-to-bottom for a big trip. It's very well put together, very easy to work on, and I didn't even need the manual until it was time for a pass with the torque wrench. Every fastener was high quality and even the oddball sizes are contained in the standard tool kit. I've rarely had such a satisfying wrenching experience.

I'll be due for a valve check when I return from this trip so maybe that will change my mind. But I doubt it.

 

If you're racing an RC8R, and need the thing worked on; you SHOULD call Bob Michael at B&E Motorsports in Easton, MD. He is a street line dealer for KTM, and races an RC8R. He has raced it for 3 years now, and knows the thing inside and out. Bob's no slouch at the track (has competed in AMA DSB), and wrings the shit out of his bike; he knows how to keep the RC8R's running, and running fast.

410-822-6855 B&E Motorsports

 

I want one.



Thats all I have to add.

 

The bikes are a ton of fun. The R model you got is a blast to ride. Does very well stock until you really start to push on the track. The Race Spec is a very capable machine for racing right off the showroom floor.

 

Your in Cincy??

Commonwealth Motorcycles in Lousiville sells Ducati/Triumph/Suzuki and KTM..

We have turned several KTM folks their way and Chad is the only one who works on my 848. Everytime I go in, they have an RC8, Superduke, Desmosedicci, etc.. Very knowledgable and have never done me wrong.