The KTM RC16 MotoGP machine

“The pinnacle of two-wheeled motorsport on asphalt. Pure prototype racing. The forefront of technology and development. High stakes. Big pressure.

“For motor – cycling, this is the biggest show on earth. Every world championship or major event that KTM has gone racing with as a factory, we have won at.

“This is not egotism, but a simple fact reflected by a trophy cabinet bursting with over 260 world titles.

“We like to win and racing makes our company and our products better. This has and always will be our approach – READY TO RACE.

“Although KTM is no stranger to Grand Prix racing, the move to the top class represents our most ambitious goal to date, but one that we are ready to embrace when we ‘step up’ with the RC16 in 2017.

“KTM is the READY TO RACE brand. It is the core of everything we do. As a brand, we go racing to better ourselves. The addictive thirst of victory is what motivates everyone in our company each and every day; always pushing us to improve and discovering new ways to be faster.

“In the past few years KTM has become Europe’s biggest motorcycle manufacturer. Of course we are immensely proud of this, but we keep pushing forward for more. If we want to be globally perceived as a full-range sport motorcycle manufacturer, then to do that we must go racing at the very top level – and not doing this at the back of the grid.

“Everyone is looking at MotoGP and the time is right for KTM to step into this arena. On a sporting and technical side, it will be our biggest test to date, but one that everyone within the company more than welcomes. See you on the start line very soon…” – Stefan Pierer, CEO KTM Group

The KTM MotoGP RC16:

Designed and built in Austria, the RC16 will challenge MotoGP’s toughest combatants across the world over 18 rounds in 2017. The bar is set. The level is high. The regulations set out for MotoGP racing are clear; rules are rules.

But the premier class of prototype motorcycle racing still allows the technicians at KTM the ability to interpret them in our true READY TO RACE style; pushing their engineering skills to the limit so that our riders can do the same with this creation.

KTM is known for its experience in creating versatile and powerful V-Twin motors and building the strongest single-cylinder engines in street and offroad racing, e.g. with its successful DUKE range of Naked Bike machines.

For MotoGP – a 4-stroke class – there is a capacity limit of 1,000 cc and a maximum of four cylinders permitted. For this new challenge, KTM has adopted this in V4 configuration; with two cylinders facing forward towards the front wheel and two facing up.

When the RC16 lines up on the grid, it will be the only machine to run a steel tubular trellis frame. Why? KTM does not follow or copy, but translates the rules and matches them against their own experiences and knowledge.

Steel tubular trellis frames not only win races for KTM in Moto3, Motocross, Enduro and Rally, but they also win the daily races of our customers – no matter the ride.

KTM MotoGP RC16 specs

DISPLACEMENT: 1,000 ccm, Type V4-Cylinder
VALVE TRAIN: Pneumatic
TRANSMISSION: Seamless shift
POWER: 250hp+ @ 19000rpm
LUBRICATION: Motorex
EXHAUST: Akrapovič four-into-two, titanium
ELECTRONICS SYSTEM: Magneti Marelli
ELECTRONICS STRATEGIES: drive by wire, engine braking, traction control, wheelie control, quick shift+
MAIN FRAME: Steel tubular trellis STEEL TUBULAR TRELLIS
SWINGARM: Aluminium
WHEELBASE: 1400mm
HEIGHT: 700mm
MINIMUM WEIGHT: 157kg
FUEL CAPACITY: 22L
SUSPENSION: WP
FRONT/REAR BRAKE: BREMBO
TIRES: Michelin, 17in
FRONT/BACK BODYWORK: Wethje Carbon Composites