KTM confirms price and availability of new 990 RC R
KTM’s new 990 RC R has landed with an extensive suite of electronics, the brand’s LC8 parallel-twin engine and a price of £13,499.
KTM has confirmed availability of its new 990 RC R supersport model, with the first units set to arrive in late November.
The new model will be available in both orange or black, and will land in the UK with a price of £13,499. This puts it in direct competition with the likes of Yamaha’s R9 which costs £12,254, and Ducati’s new Panigale V2 (£15,395).
It’s not just the price that puts KTM’s new road-legal supersport machine in competition with both of those bikes, as its LC8 parallel-twin engine, which weighs 57kg, produces 128.2bhp at 9,500rpm. That’s around 8bhp more than the Panigale V2 and roughly 11bhp more than the R9. The new 990 RC R also delivers 76 Ib ft of torque at 6,750rpm.
The new model, which KTM says has been “years in the making”, was previously slowed in its development due to the Austrian company’s recent financial troubles. During the last year KTM entered into self-administration, was saved by creditors and the help of partners such as Bajaj, while also pausing production of new motorcycles more than once.
But the turnaround looks to be continuing as plans to reveal new bikes are in the pipeline, while revealing the new 990 RC R goes some way in confirming that.
KTM’s new supersport model features a purpose-built steel chassis and diecast aluminium subframe. But it's the aero package and electronics suite where this bike is set to shine the most.
The bike’s aerodynamics have been developed from technology used in KTM’s motorsport programme, which have been wind-tunnel tested. 320mm Brembo four-piston HyPure caliper brakes - the same system used by Ducati’s new Panigale V4 - are joined by a WP Apex suspension, race-inspired bodywork and an 8.8-inch touchscreen TFT dash.
The bike features a total of four riding modes including Rain, Street, Sport and Custom, while it also gets four advanced ABS modes as standard. They are Street, Sport, Supermoto+ and Supermoto ABS. Three optional ride modes (Track and two custom variants) can be had as part of the Track and Tech packs.
Riaan Neveling, KTM’s Global Marketing Manager, said this about the brand’s new supersport model:
“At KTM we like the fast-paced life and the KTM 990 RC R is a bike that we’ve been impatient to show for some time now. Why? Through all our model segments and strong technology, we know we’ve been missing that motorcycle that gets a certain type of rider excited. We kick ass when it comes to naked bikes, adventure bikes and, of course, offroad, among others but this is the expression we’ve wanted to deliver for some time. It’s our link to all the efforts to the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing MotoGP project and our outlet for the sea of information and data that has come the way of our Mattighofen R&D experts.”
The new road-going 990 RC R is not the only model in the range that’s set to land, with KTM also confirming a track-only version. That model will roll off the production line in February 2026, and it will be available to order through authorised KTM dealers.
In addition to the new Track model, KTM is set to launch the 990 RC R Cup in Europe during spring 2026. The series will be designed for riders looking to progress beyond standard track days, with KTM saying it will offer “an accessible entry point into racing without the pressure of competing against seasoned professionals.”
The new racing programme will be open to both the street-homologated model and the Track version, while professional KTM riders will be present at every round to help mentor participants.
Find the latest motorcycle news on Visordown.com.
After graduating with a sports journalism degree, Robert joined Crash.net to lead the WorldSBK coverage in 2021, while also providing MotoGP coverage. Fulfilling that role for over three years, Robert was able to put his knowledge about all things racing to the test.
