Cycle News

Cycle News 2015 Issue 07 February 18

Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles

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VOL. 52 ISSUE 7 FEBRUARY 18, 2015 P79 L ast week we began our two-part interview with KTM President/ CEO Stefan Pierer. In the first part, the European motorcycle mogul talked business. This week Pierer talks racing, and the direction he plans on taking the KTM and Husqvarna brands in competition. If you missed part one, you can read it by clicking the link here: http://goo.gl/5swQSh Now let's look at something com- pletely different that's a core part of KTM's DNA—racing. You already announced KTM is going MotoGP racing again, but I remember in one of our previous discussions you told me that: "MotoGP is just a way to lose money, and that's why we got out. There's no point in spending so much money to come sixth." Now you've changed your mind. Why? Because I think that as a sport- bike and racebike producer you have a serious responsibility to your customers regarding safety. Safety is one of the most impor- tant pressures that we're facing at a European level, because I've been working for 15 years as President or Vice President of ACEM [The Motorcycle Industry in Europe], the European industry organization. And I think if the politi- cians in Brussels had their choice, they would forbid motorcycles to use the public roads. They'd like to ban us completely. But let's be honest, if your Superbike is reaching 200 horsepower or more, it's impossible to argue that it belongs on the street. It really doesn't, anymore. But we'd like to produce a successor to the existing RC8 V-twin… In which case, let's do the following: We'll stick to making a Super- bike, but only for closed course usage. So it won't be homologated for sale as a streetbike. Okay? So then to produce that we will take the best prototype development arena available, which is MotoGP. And for the 2016 season there will be new rules introduced when the playing field will be leveled with a standard electronic system, so then KTM can challenge Honda, Yamaha, Ducati, Suzuki and Aprilia on an equal basis. So that's the concept for de- velopment. We'll call it the RC16 and it will also be available for the normal customer for track days or private use on track, but it won't any more be homologated for the street. It'll be a really serious sports and race item for closed course use only. So you will not do the same as Ducati KTM BOSS PIERER TALKS RACING, THE FUTURE AND THE RETURN TO MOTOGP BY ALAN CATHCART PHOTOGRAPHY BY KTM AG, GOLD & GOOSE AND RAY ARCHER PLAY TO WIN PART II

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