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I'm the CEO of Krämer Motorcycles USA - Ask Me Anything

Discussion in 'General' started by cota.kitty, Sep 10, 2024.

  1. Once a Wanker..

    Once a Wanker.. Always a Wanker!

    Okay, two others beat me to it anyway.
    Now, as my consolation prize, will you please sell me a a spare KTM 350 motor? I for one, am a big fan of this engine.
     
    ToofPic likes this.
  2. Once a Wanker..

    Once a Wanker.. Always a Wanker!

    Was this dyno run and graph made with a stock street legal 350 EXC-F, with OEM ECU, catalytic converter exhaust and all of the various OEM evaporative apparatus still intact?

    Perhaps a stock 2024 or '25 KTM 350 XC-F dyno run might be closer to what a Kramer tuned 350 might look like?
     
  3. Robby-Bobby

    Robby-Bobby Steeltoe’s Daddy

    Theres a couple variations in 350 engines from Austria. I am curious which platform they determine.

    As far as rules, the reason I asked, because (ill give a little insight from personal experience) For certain tracks, and certain power desires, at least on the 450,
    you can put a crank or trans from another model (450 with 450) (250 with 250) meaning a race track might be more advantage to run the xc gearbox where others might like the SX gearbox. Same with cams, pistons, ignition.

    Im assuming electronics will not be standard KTm so no way to swp models stuff, but I really hope they run a sealed engine type thing.

    In the last 2 years e in AFT prior to Dalton moving up, we have approx 4-5 different cam combos, different head port combos, trans, etc. And I don't have "deep pockets" to try more and different stuff.

    I know I am rambling, but I hope they say (these exact cams, trans, etc) only so we don't have to sit on a dyno and try different cam/head combos or split the cases to change the transmission.
     
    backbone, 5axis and Once a Wanker.. like this.
  4. prm

    prm Well-Known Member

    That is very different than all the 350 SXF dyno charts I’ve seen. The rpms are way off. 8800 max? Everything I’ve seen is 49-51 HP at 11-12k. I have a 2024 KTM 350 SXF, it definitely turns some serious rpms.
     
  5. Senna

    Senna Well-Known Member

    With how weird the Supersport class has become in the past few years with the "next-gen" rules, has there been any discussions with MA about allowing a balanced GP2 into that class?
     
  6. HPPT

    HPPT !!!

    I am genuinely shocked that the next post after that wasn't "Challenge accepted!"
    When I came in today and saw the thread title, my first thought was "Awww shit, this ain't gonna go well." I mean, "ask me anything?" Here? Damn, that's bold! I guess 'foo made if the idiots feel self-conscious on the first page. Carry on. :D

    p.s. Anyone remember that time someone asked @dtalbott what he was wearing? Damn, I didn't think someone could get that upset over that.
     
  7. Once a Wanker..

    Once a Wanker.. Always a Wanker!

    Several important points missing in your post. Clearly a five year newer closed-course bike's dyno chart will be different than one sold for street use:

    - Many changes have been made to the 350 engine in the five years since the 2019 model was produced.
    - There are three different versions of the 350 motor sold just in the US alone. More available in other markets.
    - The 2019 KTM 350 EXC-F was most 'muted' of the three different versions that were sold in the US in 2019, being a 50 states street legal motorcycle.
     
  8. cota.kitty

    cota.kitty Well-Known Member

    Sorry, I lost you in the shuffle.

    The short answer is no, and the long answer is yes.

    We don't sell stock motors. It's a whole thing just to import one into the USA since we use a competition-use exemption, and we have to tie any motors that we bring into the country to a VIN on a motorcycle. Basically, they have to be replacement engines for a bike we've already sold. Our contract with KTM also precludes us from selling stock motors in general, so when we do, we have to get permission from the Austrians. There's one exception there, and that's with the "high-output" 890 motor that's on our RR and on the '23 and '24 RC8C bikes. We can sell that as an upgrade motor to other 890 platforms...but they're crazy expensive ($10,000) because all the good stuff is inside them and the production runs are very limited.

    The last caveat of this is that Krämer USA will sell you a built motor for race use only. 99% of these motors are for the EVO2 platform, and we can do 85hp to 90hp with season-long reliability. Pricing there is around $6,000 but varies on the build and if there's a donor motor or not. If I can brag about Joe Karvonen (founder/owner of Krämer USA) for a moment, he's probably one of the most knowledgeable 690 engine builders in the world.
     
    Once a Wanker.. likes this.
  9. cota.kitty

    cota.kitty Well-Known Member

    Hey Michael, good to see you in the thread. You would certainly know about the MKE7 and what it can do.

    We have to discuss internally and with MotoAmerica how we're going to do support on the Mectronik. Krämer USA ethically, and by contract legally, prohibited from showing favoritism to one team over another. I can see a point in "helping" a team learn something, like the MKE7, where we can overstep that line. So, we have to discuss how to best support teams in this regard, while still maintaining the level playing field.

    Part of the purpose of having the Mectronik ECU on APX-350 MA is that it would be an area that teams would have to learn and grow on, because that's something these young riders will encounter later in their career.
     
  10. cota.kitty

    cota.kitty Well-Known Member

    Haven't checked the list lately, but we're around the 20 mark.
     
    John Branch and Once a Wanker.. like this.
  11. grasshopper

    grasshopper Well-Known Member

    Is the chassis of the APX-350 MA similar / same to the EVO2 690(R)? Will the APX-350 chassis accept a 690 engine and visa versa?
     
    Once a Wanker.. likes this.
  12. cota.kitty

    cota.kitty Well-Known Member

    She's a corked up girl, for sure.

    The curve is about right though, just with the numbers higher. The EXC-F was updated in 2022, and shares a lot more with the SX and XC-F bikes. The redline is 13,000 rpm now, for instance.

    I'd share our dyno chart, but I know it's going to change and I don't want people using it as a reference when we know it won't be accurate later. We're still playing around with the exhaust design, with the goal of moving peak torque a littler higher up the rpm band.
     
  13. Vrba848

    Vrba848 Well-Known Member

    I read that there are plans for a "consumer" version of the APX-350 MA (AKA not selling to only MA licensed talent cup competitors), is this true and if so when will these be available? Also is it true that EVO 2 690S is no longer going to be produced? And finally any plans for a Kramer distributer/dealer in the L.A. area?
     
  14. rpm894

    rpm894 Well-Known Member


    A little off topic but I may end up with a 890rr at some point. Would I be looking at a $10k expense when I need a new engine?
     
    Once a Wanker.. likes this.
  15. Michael Bassani

    Michael Bassani Well-Known Member

    That makes sense. That was a concern of mine as well, where less technically oriented teams or those who aren't familiar with the Mectronik ecosystem could be at an inherent disadvantage. Reminiscent of the Japanese MotoGP teams after the move to the spec Marelli electronics that the Italian teams already had hands on experience with. The game of catch up for them is still having ramifications today in GP.

    I agree that the ethics of not only portraying, but exemplifying a model of impartiality is key here. I think Alpha Racing does a great job of this in the SuperBike paddock assisting the BMW teams. Teams pay them for race support, but the overall approach could be adapted to work for the Talent Cup to provide support or "office hours".
    If you don't already know the leadership at Alpha and want an introduction this weekend I'm happy to make one if you want to pick their brains.
     
  16. cota.kitty

    cota.kitty Well-Known Member

    I don't know how MotoAmerica will word it in the rulebook, but the motor will be a stock KTM 350 EXC-F engine, with no modifications allowed.
     
    Once a Wanker.. and Robby-Bobby like this.
  17. cota.kitty

    cota.kitty Well-Known Member

    That's previous gen EXC-F. The model was updated in 2024 or 2025 (I can't remember at this point). I misspoke above, as it was the XC-F that was updated in 2022. The point is, all the 350 motors are more aligned now in architecture.
     
    prm and Once a Wanker.. like this.
  18. voss555

    voss555 Well-Known Member

    Also will there be restrictions on how many classes a talent cup rider can race in? Can they race twins cup as well?
     
    assjuice cyrus likes this.
  19. cota.kitty

    cota.kitty Well-Known Member

    I think the exact quote from MotoAmerica was "write a proposal" but that's a bit of a fools errand for us, because we know what the pushback from the other OEMs is going to look like. I think the best case scenario in that is we would have to run 50-100 lbs of ballast, which sort of defeats the purpose of our GP2 bike.

    However, I wouldn't mind seeing MotoAmerica adopt a GP2 format, like BSB does, and I'm not just saying that because Krämer just wrapped up the GP2 title last week.
     
    Senna and Once a Wanker.. like this.
  20. cota.kitty

    cota.kitty Well-Known Member

    The number of requests in my PM's for pictures of my feet was more than I was expecting. You WERA boys keep it weirder than OMRRA.
     

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