KTM

Certainly the prettiest and definitely the fastest supermoto yet made, KTM’s new R-model is wonderfully wayward and has a price to match

KTM’s mighty Adventure gets the R treatment, creating the most hardcore adventure bike on the market. But when the standard version’s so damn good, is the R an essential overlander or a cynical marketing exercise?

KTM’s first superbike hit the mark last year with a blend of awesome performance and comfort. Now the R is upon us, is the RC8 a match for Ducati’s mighty 1198?

The all-rounder that's the best off-roader gets fuel injection and anti-lock brakes to appeal to the sensible crowd. Has the fun factor been banished too?

“Having seen both bikes in the flesh I tell you, you wouldn’t even look at the orange paint scheme once you have seen the white one. It’s stunning. But both bikes just ooze quality and style.

Perhaps because KTM are best known for producing some of the best off-road competition machines of recent times, when the RC8 arrived a year ago many people expected KTM’s first attempt at a pure sports bike to be filling half of every superstock race grid by the end of the 2008 season.

One man’s beauty is another man’s toad, or some such proverb is often quoted when referring to a visually challenged offspring. Usually behind the proud parent’s backs.

TWO's James Whitham reports back from the launch of KTM's sharp new RC8R

If the SMT is a more rounded kind of KTM supermoto, then the SMR is the Austrian factory doing what they love best – balls out. This is KTM’s V-twin supermoto concept tweaked to the ‘nth degree, and they are clearly pleased with the result.