2026 KTM 990 RC R Review | Motorcycle Test

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2026 KTM 990 RC R Review

KTM has at last unveiled its long-anticipated 990 RC R Supersport, restoring balance to the orange universe. Many doubted this bike would ever see the light of day, given the company’s severe financial turmoil over the past year and a half.

Those were grim times for the Austrian brand, but with a new CEO at the helm and a lifeline of fresh investment from key backers, KTM is once again alive, fighting, and back in a segment it once vowed to abandon. The 990 RC R marks KTM’s first big-bore sportbike since the revered RC8/RC8 R ended production a decade ago—a twin-cylinder machine that came close to greatness before corporate reality pulled the plug amid an industry shift toward 200+ horsepower, four-cylinder superbikes. That shift hasn’t gone well for some…

In 2015, then KTM CEO Stefan Pierer famously stated bikes like the RC8 were “too dangerous for public roads”, this despite the fact his company had started producing one of the most manic nakedbikes of all time in the 1290 Super Duke R.

Times have certainly changed, and with new CEO Gottfried Neumeister at the helm, KTM is back in the sportbike game. And what a time to do it. The 12 months of 2025 have seen new supersport machines from Yamaha in the YZF-R9 and from Ducati with the new Panigale V2, along with class stalwarts Suzuki, Triumph, MV Agusta and Kawasaki, and the emerging Chinese brand QJ Motor with its SRK 800 RR. Interest in the category has never been stronger.

The KTM 990 RC R cuts a handsome profile

KTM’s got a bit of work ahead of them if they are to reignite riders’ passions following their financial meltdown of 2024. People are understandably wary of phoenix-like stories, but the RC R has a few good points buyers will like, such as its all-Austrian build (none of it is made in India), and a massive 60,000 km between valve clearance checks and a four-year warranty, all of which show they are serious about getting customers back in Austrian orange.

The RC R channels this new era of the supersport class with a machine that isn’t quite as razor-sharp as what we’re traditionally used to. It’s comfier than an R6, roomier than a CBR, as flexible in its engine as a Triumph, and with the panache of an MV (well, almost).

KTM cannibalised their LC8c-powered 990 Duke as the RC R donor vehicle, which isn’t surprising given pretty much every manufacturer these days needs to get multiple uses out of a given engine platform.
The brand claims 128 hp at 9500 rpm and 103 Nm of torque at 6750 rpm for the 947 cc RC R parallel-twin engine, which puts it right in the ballpark of the Panigale and R9.

Those who have ridden a 990 Duke (or even an 890) will know of that bottom-end torque hit KTM’s parallel-twin is famous for. It punches off the bottom of the rev range in much the same fashion as a motocross bike, with far more intent than the smoother three-cylinder steeds from Triumph, Yamaha and MV, all of which need a few extra revs to get going.

WP APEX 48 open cartridge forks, compression and rebound (30 clicks), preload (3 clicks)

As expected, you’ve got four throttle modes as standard, hidden in that excellent 8.8-inch TFT dash in Rain, Street, Sport and Custom, plus an optional Track mode that gives you an extra two Custom modes. If you can’t dial in the exact throttle you want, perhaps this isn’t the bike for you.

We tested the RC R in both road and track conditions in Spain, and for the first time in I don’t know how long, I preferred the most aggressive Sport throttle map in both scenarios. KTM’s mapped the throttle beautifully, allowing you direct access to all that torque but without giving the rear tyre too hard a time. Sport mode is best for general cruising, but it negates the engine’s immediate punch. And I doubt anyone will spend much time in Rain mode, but it’s nice to know it’s there.

The LC8c motor winds up fast on track, charging through the rev range quicker than you’d expect a parallel-twin to do so. It’ll rip past 8000 rpm and into the nines, but here you must be careful because you will hit that rev limiter without notice, as the engine doesn’t give a sensation it’s trailing off before doing so.

WP APEX shock, compression high-speed (3 turns) low-speed (30 clicks), rebound (30 clicks), preload (10 turns)

However, it is an extremely flexible engine, allowing you to make the odd mistake with your cornering here and there without being punished with no drive like a traditional four-cylinder 600 would.

You can thus be a little lazy on the road, leaving it in a higher gear than usual and letting it pull you through the corners. On the track, the mistakes are magnified with a touch more zeal, but it’s still an engine that wills you on rather than breaks out the cane if you mess up.

Much of this depends on the electronics you have at your disposal and on which package you buy after picking up your RC R.

Go for the Track Pack, price to be announced, from your KTM dealer, and you’ll get the Track riding mode, two custom modes, five-stage anti-wheelie plus Off, launch control, lap timer, a very cool telemetry screen and the MTC Slip Adjust of nine levels.

Spend extra again for the Tech Pack, and you’ll get everything mentioned in the Track Pack, plus cruise control, a must-have up and down quickshifter, KTM’s trademark Motor Slip Regulation that works with the slipper clutch to stop rear wheel chatter under heavy braking and downshifting, and a flashing rear brake light when you brake hard to enhance rider safety.

I would go for the Tech Pack and get it all.

Moving onto the chassis: the RC R runs a version of the Duke’s steel trellis chassis, but it’s been stiffened to cope with the extra loads from track use. The wheelbase is slightly longer, and there’s a touch more trail, and the subframe runs the airbox and is 0.8 lb lighter than the Duke’s.

Up front, you get beefy, fully-adjustable 48mm WP Apex Open Cartridge forks, some 5mm larger than those on the Panigale and R9, while the rear runs a fully-adjustable WP Apex shock matched to a linkage off the swingarm.

Hypure calipers are the new benchmark taking over top pegging from the Stylema

This is also the first supersport machine to come with the Brembo Hypure four-piston radially-mounted calipers biting 320mm discs and a Brembo span-adjustable radial master-cylinder (the same as on the Ducati Panigale V4 S), meaning braking performance is absolutely A+. If anything, the braking power is almost too much for the chassis.

Matched to the 48mm fork, the RC R is supremely stable under braking, but herein lies a machine curiosity. Unlike a Panigale, the KTM doesn’t like snappy mid-corner direction changes; it prefers its rider to choose their line and stick with it so they can use the twin-cylinder motor’s performance to jump out of the corner.

The chassis has a 52.5 per cent forward weight bias, but it’s somewhat masked by the clip-on handlebars, which are mounted slightly higher than they would be on a supersport machine. This is more noticeable on the road, as comfort is good but not great.

You’ll still get a few aches and pains in your neck if you’re on the taller side, but on track, the ride position is such that I covered 80 laps of the undulating 4.2-kilometre Circuito de Sevilla and could have done 80 more. This is a supersport machine, after all, not a touring bike.

Chromium-molybdenum-steel frame using the engine as stressed element, powder coated

Our test loop had us riding around the hills near the Seville circuit. A seemingly never-ending series of twisty switchbacks, taken mainly in second and third gear, at relatively low speed but still bleedingly good fun.

Even though I mentioned the chassis’s tendency to hold its line more than provide quick direction changes at track speeds, on the road, the chassis is a very willing partner indeed. The forward weight bias allows you to load up the Michelin Power Cup 2 rubber easily, with feel from the front-end coming in waves.

It’s an easy chassis to ride to a quick pace and keep it there; it doesn’t come back to bite you like some of the more razor-edged sportsbikes out there, and that means you keep coming back for more. Add in the optional cruise control (seriously, just buy the Tech Pack) and you’ve got a bike for most (not all) conditions.

The RC R has a real quality feel to it, from the clear-coated decals to the deep paint, the faux-suede seat covering, fat ol’ winglets that produce 12.7 kg of downforce at 240 km/h, and neat but easy-to-use switch gear.

It doesn’t feel like corners have been cut in its design, something owners would notice immediately, given that the brand is really under a microscope right now.

We should all be happy to see the Austrians back and firing once again in the sportsbike class. They have created an excellent machine in the 990 RC R. At $24,995 ride away, considering the level of specification, it also rates pretty well in the vaue stakes.

2026 KTM 990 RC R Specifications

Specifications
Engine	947 cc Two-cylinder, 4 stroke, DOHC parallel twin (EURO5+)
Bore x Stroke	92.5 x 70.4 mm
Power	128 hp @ 9,500 rpm
Torque	103 Nm @ 6,750 rpm
Compression Ratio	13.5:1
Transmission	Six-gears
Fuel System	DKK Dellorto (throttle body 46mm)
Control	4 valves per cylinder / DOHC
Primary Drive	42:76
Final Drive	16:43
Cooling	Liquid cooled with water / oil heat exchanger
Clutch	Cable-operated PASC slipper clutch
Engine Management	Bosch EMS with RBW
Fuel Consumption	4.7 L / 100 km
CO2 Emissions	110 g / km
Frame	Chromium-molybdenum-steel frame using the engine as a stressed element, powder-coated
Subframe	Aluminium, powder-coated
Handlebar	Aluminium, tapered, Ø 28/22 mm
Front Suspension	WP APEX 48 open cartridge, compression and rebound (30 clicks), preload (3 clicks)
Rear Suspension	WP APEX, compression high-speed (3 turns), low-speed (30 clicks), rebound (30 clicks), preload (10 turns)
Suspension Travel	FRONT / REAR 147 / 134mm
Front Brake	Two radially mounted 4 piston caliper, brake disc Ø 320 mm
Rear Brake	1 piston caliper, brake disc Ø 240 mm
Front / Rear Rims	Cast aluminium wheels 3.50 x 17” / 5.50 x 17”
Front / Rear Tyres	120 / 70 ZR 17, 180 / 55 ZR 17
Wheel Base	1,481 mm
Ground Clearance	163 mm
Seat Height	845 mm
Tank Capacity	Approx. 15.7 litres / 3 l reserve
Weight (Ready to Race)	Approx. 195 kg
Pricing	TBA