More than just a Duke in a frock

It's all change in the chassis department compared to the 990 Duke it’s based on. The 990 RC R’s steel trellis frame is stiffer to handle hardcore track action; there’s more trail and a longer wheelbase to aid high-speed stability, and extra flex in the swingarm for improved feel and grip through corners.

The rear shock has a new linkage system mounted on top of the swingarm, and the new slimline cast aluminium subframe is 400g lighter. Brake calipers are the latest and greatest four-piston Brembo Hypure, debuted on the current Ducati Panigale V4 S and the Brembo master cylinder ratio is three-way adjustable.

The 48mm WP Apex forks and single rear shock are fully adjustable, with a range divided into 30 clicks for rebound and compression damping, compared to just five on the 990 Duke. Rear preload is easily accessible with an Allen key, and the front is adjustable by +/- 3mm. Michelin’s Power Cup 2 road-compound trackday tyres come as standard.

All this adds up to a mighty impressive road-going sportsbike. Sales of traditional inline four-cylinder supersport machines have dwindled over the years, as older riders have been less inclined to fold themselves in half to fit on or to live with their rev-hungry engines.

Not so with the KTM. There’s acres of legroom, thanks to a generous seat-to-peg layout, the seat is roomy, and the widely splayed, not-too-low clip-ons give you lots of space to move around. If you’re a larger rider, you’ll have no problem settling in for the long haul.

A colourful, beautifully laid-out, widescreen 8.8in dash greets you when you hop aboard, and it even has a built-in sat nav that lets you download maps without needing to connect your phone. Then there’s cruise control (for an extra cost), a tall, narrow screen that slices through the air almost silently, and an almost seamless up/down quickshifter (also extra) that works smoothly even at leisurely throttle openings.

None of these niceties scream KTM’s ‘Ready to Race’ chant, but they neatly demonstrate just how easy the 990 RC R is to live with as a road bike. Many sports tourers aren’t as comfy or easy to live with as this. The only criticism you can level are the mirrors, which give you a grandstand view of your elbows, just like old Ducati and MV Agusta superbikes.

But, of course, this is still a KTM, so it has performance and naughtiness coursing through its veins. Show it a set of twisty B-roads and it’s in its element. The combination of friendly power, plush yet controlled suspension, Michelin trackday tyres, and a chassis that oozes stability and feel is a recipe for confidence and fun.

New Hypure Brembos have a soft initial bite and become brutally powerful the harder you squeeze the lever. You can ride the RC R inch-perfect like Pedrosa, or grab it by the scruff of the neck like Acosta. It loves it either way.

You might wonder why there’s been such a gap in KTM’s big sportsbike line-up since the demise of the RC8 in the early 2010s. KTM says dwindling sales back then, and not having the electronic rider aids to compete with its rivals, were some of the reasons they stuck to adventure bikes and nakeds. But in 2020, one of their R&D engineers took it upon himself to build a faired 890 Duke mule. It eventually turned into an official RC prototype after it impressed those who rode it at KTM’s Idiada test facility in Spain. New ‘next gen’ rules in supersport racing, which let bigger bikes compete with 600s through balancing rules, made the decision to produce the 990 RC R even easier.

While it isn’t homologated for World Supersport right now, some clubs (like Bemsee) will let them race for 2026. In February ‘26, KTM will release a race-kitted 990 RC Track version, costing around £15,900 and there’ll be a six-round European one-make championship. It will cost 7500 Euros to enter and includes everything from entry fees to race parts, suspension upgrades, wheels, tyres, and a KTM mechanic. A full range of performance and cosmetic accessories will be available for the standard machine.

For our sessions here at the Sevilla Circuit, KTM have fitted our test bike with Michelin’s sticky (and very durable) Power Slick 2 trackday rubber and added track settings to the suspension. The 990 RC R continues to impress. It’s easy to ride fast, always flatters and has more cornering ability and braking performance (unhindered by ABS) than most of us could ever use. How it compares to the Ducati Panigale V2 S and Yamaha R9 we rode here earlier in the year is tough to say, because the way their relatively low-revving two- and three-cylinder engines make their power is deceptive, and we rode them on different tyres in different conditions.

None deliver the frothing-at-the-mouth excitement of a screaming four, or a more powerful sportsbike. Instead, trackday thrills come from keeping momentum and railing through the corners as fast as you dare. The KTM doesn’t feel as tough and rev-hungry as the racy, super-serious Panigale V2 S, but instead has the softer, more road-bike feel of the Yamaha, although the R9’s brakes and short-revving engine hinder it on track in standard trim.