KTM RC8 (2008-current)

so for the past few weeks been out test riding some bikes. i own an r1 07 with all of the trick stuff on and currently running rosso's. i do about 10k miles per year on the thing and generally ride hard..ish. the rc 8 is a great looking bike and with the apro can on sounds awsome. having just read some reviews here i though i would add a few of my own. vibration on the handlebars is extreme - do 10 hours on one of those and you can forget picking up your pint. brakes on or off - very sharp throttle ditto , low speed stuff in the towns is a mare and the fueling is diabolical.i understand the apro can and re-map which will set you back approx 1.8k fixes that but hey for 10/6k would have expected better pick up and throttle response. out on the open its good , great traction , good front end , rear a bit twitchy but then again i didnt play with the suspension so probably all rectifiable. bike is neutral and corners well and does nothing too surprising when gasing out of the bend. riding postion is good and both myself and cpt ashby thought the std screen and postion ok. false neutrals - ditto those mentioned by others , red line it and the limited doesnt half let you know you may have edged it a bit too far guv. i would like to see one of these after a year or two and check the build quality - even the demo bike was looking abit shabby after 4k miles. overall - is it worth 10k - yes i'd say so , would it do agressive long mileage - mmmnnn only time will tell. better than the 1098s by far in everything but not as rideable and positive as the R1 -07. saying that if they cut me deal i'll have one - and ride the spots off it for 12 months or so. if you like a bike with a bit of charracter and not the ususal kasayamahondiki then you have to have one.

I love this bike, i parted with an SP1 a year ago for a blade and never clicked with it. Bought the bike at the NEC on looks and v twin power alone and i havent looked back. Very comfy to ride distances on and goes like a bastard, which is whole point of having a v twin, punches out of corners and roundabouts like only they can. The mirrors are a bit crap and i look thru my arms not either side of them, but what you see is a bit of a blur, but if you ride fast enuf then there shudnt be anything beind you to worry about. Lovely in white and i think it will be the best bike i ever owned. Must adjust the rear brake as per one owner pointed out, its quite a stretch. Pricey but worth it bike, can do the lot very well..

Due to the range of adjustability,the gear change needs setting to the correct position to avoid false neutrals. Once done,this is an utterly stunning bike.The handling is out of this world.

I picked my RC8 up on the 1st April and only had 3 days with it before I went to Scotland to see my grandson - in the car, because my wife and our dog needed transportation as well! So far the Ride and handling have proven to be superb. I was expecting a snarling beast that would try to rip my arms off when I opened the throttle and one that would cause the front wheel to lock at slow speed having read all the reviews about how good the brakes are. I needn't have worried though...the bike is quite docile under 7000rpm and pulls away cleanly. The brakes have enormous feel to them and you can use them at slow speeds in the wet without fear of locking the front up. At higher speeds they are phenominal, you would swear the tarmac is being ripped up! The quality is superb. All the fixings are good, the panels fit well and the bike feels well put together. Value....I was very happy with what I paid for it and, having owned a 950 Adventure before, I'm looking forward to my relationship with KTM and JD Racing continuing for severl more years. The engine is clattery as was my 950 Adv but when riding along it is not intrusive to the overall noise the vee-twin makes from it's underslung exhaust. The power is first class and coupled with the weight of the bike leads to very blurry scenery quite quickly! The second day I had it I went for a ride to Falmouth and got pulled over by a couple of Policemen in their Volvo estate. The driver jumped out as I was removing my helmet and was quick to say "It's Ok mate, you're not in trouble"! They just wanted to look at the bike as they were both bikers and mine was the first RC8 they'd seen! The only downside so far is the poxy Meta alarm which, although it's "plug and play", 'won't do what it says on the tin'. Still, it's not made by KTM so what did I expect? I love this bike, it's more comfotable than any other sports bike I tried and fulfills all my expectations and then some! Well done to KTM for having the guts to launch such a great bike!