2026 KTM 990 RC R Review

KTM has finally released its long-awaited 990 RC R supersport machine, and all is now right with the world.

By Rennie Scaysbrook | Photography by Sebas Romero

This is a motorcycle many thought would be stillborn, given the company’s horrific financial troubles over the past 18 months. Those were some dark times indeed for the orange brigade, but with a new CEO and a fresh injection of funds from various vested interests, KTM is alive and kicking and back in a market they swore they would never re-enter not that long ago.

The 990 RC R is KTM’s first large-capacity sports machine since the legendary RC8/RC8 R, which stopped production a decade ago. It was a good twin-cylinder sportbike that wasn’t far off from being a great one until the bosses pulled it off life support as the superbike market went gangbusters for 200-horsepower four-cylinder beasts.

In 2015, then KTM CEO Stefan Pierer famously stated that bikes like the RC8 were “too dangerous for public roads,” despite his company having started producing one of the most manic naked bikes of all time, 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. In the last 12 months, we have seen new supersport machines from Yamaha in the YZF-R9 and from Ducati in the new Panigale V2, along with class stalwarts Suzuki, Triumph, MV Agusta and Kawasaki, plus the emerging Chinese brand QJ Motor and its SRK 800 RR—interest in the category has never been stronger.

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), a four-year warranty, free roadside assist for the first 12 months, and a massive 37,000-mile valve check, all of which show they are serious about getting customers back in Austrian orange.

The $13,949 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 has the panache of an MV (well, almost).

KTM cannibalized 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 horsepower at 9500 rpm and 76 lb-ft of torque at 6750 rpm for the 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.

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 tire too hard a time. Sport mode is the best for general cruising, but it negates the immediate punch that the engine is so good for. 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.

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

You can thus be a little lazy in your riding, leaving it in a higher gear than normal on the road and letting it pull you from corner to corner. 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 is down to the plethora of electronics at your disposal, and it also depends on which package you buy after picking up your RC R.

Go for the Track Pack for $499 extra 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 an extra $400 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. Oh, I forgot, you can’t get that in America thanks to our draconian design rules. Who would want to warn drivers you’re braking hard?

So, for the extra $400, just 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 of a pound 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.

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 something like the Panigale, the KTM doesn’t like snappy midcorner direction changes, preferring instead to have its rider choose their line and stick with it so they can use the performance of the twin-cylinder motor to jump out of the corner.

The chassis has a 52.5 percent forward weight bias, but it’s somewhat masked by the clip-on handlebars, which are mounted a little higher than they normally would be for 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 2.6-mile Circuito de Sevilla and could have done 80 more. After all, this is a supersport machine, not a touring bike.

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, so relatively low speed but still bleedingly good fun.

Even though I mentioned the chassis’ tendency to hold its line more than to 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 sportbikes out there—and that just 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 28 pounds of downforce at 150 mph, and neat but easy-to-use switchgear.

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

Given the price, you get a lot of bike for the money, and you get a worthy addition to the supersport segment. More than that, however, we should all be happy to see the Austrians back and firing once again in the sportbike class. They have created an excellent machine in the 990 RC R. CN

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2026 KTM 990 RC R Specifications

 

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