2011–2013 · Supersport · Buyer's Guide
Raw Twin, Zero Safety Net
KTM built the RC8 R Track as a circuit tool and the spec sheet reads exactly that way. The 1195 cc 75° V-twin makes 177 hp at 10,250 rpm and 94 lb-ft at 8,000 rpm, carried in a steel trellis frame with fully adjustable WP suspension at both ends. There is no ABS, no traction control, no ride modes, no rider aids of any kind. In a class that likes to measure itself in electronics, this one answers with a big twin, a stiff chassis, sticky rubber and your own judgment about how hard to push.
It ages like a race bike, because that is what it is. The slipper clutch and the adjustable clip-ons, pegs and seat height exist so you can build a setup and a fit around yourself, while the quickshifter sits on the options list rather than in the crate. What it asks in return is attention. These engines can use oil, particularly during break-in, and a tired battery will chew the sprag clutch, so a charged battery and a dipstick habit are part of ownership. Buy it if you ride at a level where feel beats assistance. If you want a safety net, this is the wrong bike.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 177 hp (130 kW) @ 10,250 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 94 lb-ft (127 Nm) @ 8,000 rpm |
| Displacement | 1195 cc |
| Engine | 75° V-twin |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 190/55-17 |
| Seat height | 31.7 in (805 mm) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.4 gal (16.5 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Drivetrain
Across the years I've kept an ear on what owners of this one actually say: paddock talk at track days, club nights, and the emails and messages riders send me directly. The pattern is steady. People who own one speak about it with real affection, and the complaints that come back are specific rather than fundamental.
The thing that comes up most often has nothing to do with lap times. Owners say the angular, folded bodywork in matte black and orange still pulls people over at bike meets and track days. Ride it hard and the praise turns to trust: riders describe committing to corners here in a way they don't elsewhere.
Two complaints come back constantly. The fueling is abrupt just off idle and surges in slow corners, and plenty of owners have had a specialist remap cure it. The other is the bill: routine work and the valve-clearance check at 12,000 miles want a technician who knows this engine, and owners say it adds up against Japanese machinery. Less experienced riders admit the missing safety net sits in their head in damp weather. A quieter note: the seat foam is hard, and long sessions hurt.
Plastic fuel-line quick-disconnect failure
The plastic fuel coupling under the tank can become brittle over time and snap, causing a sudden fuel leak and engine cut-out. A metal aftermarket replacement is recommended as a preventive measure.
Sprag clutch damage from low battery
A weak battery can cause the starter to drag, leading to sprag clutch damage and a characteristic squeak on start-up. Always keep the battery fully charged and replace it if sluggish cranking is noticed.
False neutrals and missed shifts
During aggressive upshifts at high revs, the gearbox can drop into a false neutral between gears or miss a shift entirely. The shift shaft can flex under load, which makes the shift action imprecise and leaves the gear engagement incomplete. It is most noticeable under hard acceleration on track.
Excessive oil consumption
Some owners report that the engine consumes oil, particularly during break-in. Regularly check the oil level and use the correct JASO MA2 10W-50 oil.
Where this KTM 1190 RC8 R Track pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the 1190 RC8 R Track is actually built for.
Straight up: this is the Track version, built for closed circuits and not for public roads. Trailer it to the track, and keep a separate bike for canyon Sundays.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
If your weekends already run from pit lane to apex marker, this fits. It hands you feel and adjustment instead of electronics, so the lap comes from your inputs and your setup work.
Made for Barber Motorsports Park · WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca · Circuit of the Americas
Your skill work happens on a closed course with this one, not on public twisties. Book the track days and it will repay precise inputs with feedback nothing electronic can filter.
Made for Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2009
Orange Attack, Zero Filter
Compare to the previous model →If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this KTM 1190 RC8 R Track. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Competitor · 2009–2011
Thunder, Beauty, No Apologies
Roughly $4,700 cheaper used than this bike at 15 yr
Competitor · 2012–2014
Italian Art That Bites
Roughly $2,400 cheaper used than this bike at 14 yr
Competitor · 2009–2018
The Top-End That Won't Quit
Roughly $6,400 cheaper used than this bike at 13 yr