2026 KTM 990 RC R confirmed for Australia

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KTM has pulled the covers off its new 990 RC R supersport, marking the Austrian manufacturer’s long-awaited return to the middleweight sportbike segment with a 95kW/103Nm parallel-twin aimed squarely at street riders and track day enthusiasts.

The 2026 KTM 990 RC R represents KTM’s most serious supersport offering to date, leveraging MotoGP-derived aerodynamics and years of R&D work to create what the company calls a “refined RC temptation” for performance-focused riders.

At the heart of the package sits KTM’s 57kg LC8c parallel-twin engine generating 128hp and 103Nm, cradled in a purpose-built steel chassis with a diecast aluminium subframe, assembled at KTM’s Austrian factory.

Brembo supplies 320mm discs gripped by four-piston calipers, while WP APEX suspension handles damping duties. An 8.8-inch TFT dash displays ride modes including Rain, Street, Sport and Custom as standard, with optional Track mode and two additional Custom modes available. The electronics package also includes four ABS modes: Street, Sport, Supermoto+ and Supermoto.

The riding position balances aggressive track geometry with longer-distance comfort with adjustable footpegs to suit different rider heights. A 16-litre fuel tank should provide decent range between fills.

“At KTM we like the fast-paced life and the KTM 990 RC R is a bike that we’ve been impatient to show for some time now,” said KTM global marketing manager Riaan Neveling.

“Through all our model segments and strong technology, we know we’ve been missing that motorcycle that gets a certain type of rider excited.”

Neveling pointed to KTM’s Red Bull MotoGP program as a key influence: “It’s our link to all the efforts to the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing MotoGP project and our outlet for the sea of information and data that has come the way of our Mattighofen R&D experts.”

The standard 990 RC R will arrive at Australian and New Zealand KTM dealers in the first quarter of 2026, with production starting in October 2025. Buyers can choose between orange and black colour schemes.

For dedicated circuit riders, KTM will launch the 990 RC R TRACK in early February 2026. This track-only machine strips away street-legal components and adds race-focused kit including a simplified dashboard, dedicated electronics, removed ABS modulator, direct brake lines and a track-optimized gearbox.

Australian pricing and final specifications will be confirmed closer to the local launch date.

Spencer Leech

Spencer has a keen eye for hard news, and does some of his best living on deadline day. He loves more than anything to travel on his motorcycle, and is adamant that Melbourne Bitter is a world-class lager. He also knows how to operate the big computery thing in the office. By night, Spencer plays guitar with Melbourne punk outfit LOUTS.

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