The KTM RC16 got its first ever shakedown at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria in the hands of Alex Hoffman. This was the first time ever that the bike was taken on track and ridden. Up until now, it has only been tested on dynos and test benches, but the company was keen to see how it performs on track in real world conditions.
Images Courtesy: KTM Racing
KTM reported that the bike worked without a problem and though the they came armed with many parts to be tested, the general idea was to see if the basic direction of development was correct. Timings were for the bike are not known, but currently lap times are not what the Austrian company is chasing. The first step towards development was to see if the basic design is worth continuing on or are radical changes required. The company was happy that the test was a success and the bike is working as well as could be hoped.
No information is as yet out about details of the motorcycle, though the company did post a couple of photos on Social Media from the test at the Red Bull Ring. Alex Hoffman was the rider deputed to do the first shakedown test for KTM, but we can expect Mika Kallio currently riding in the Moto2 Championship to start testing with the company as soon as the season ends at Valencia. Kallio was recently signed up by KTM as a test rider, given the poor season that the Finn has had this year and the experience that he holds from his stint in MotoGP, it should be a win-win situation for both parties.
The bike is rumoured to be a V4 with a Trellis frame. From the pictures it is visible that it has Brembo brakes and KTM’s own WP suspension. Akrapovic exhausts are being used and the exhaust arrangement is similar to what is seen on the current Honda MotoGP bike, leading to speculations that this could be using a similar setup as the Honda. Going by the success that the Honda enjoys it comes as no surprise that a new entrant would model their bike around a winning formula. But getting close to the pointy end in MotoGP required a lot of money and time. Will KTM be able to make this giant leap? That is something we will be finding out in due course!
The company currently has two motorcycles for testing, one is being used on the dyno, while the other is being used for the 3 day test with Hoffman. The KTM RC16 is to be taken out for another test this calendar year, but it is unlikely that we will see the bike at Jerez along with the regular MotoGP bikes. KTM is still unsure of the longevity of the engines and would rather not have the world watching closely as they take infant steps towards MotoGP.
