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Cafe, Scrambler, or Chopper? – Trio of One-Off Puch Mopeds

In America, Austria, Scooter, Small Displacement by Tim HuberLeave a Comment

Mopeds are a fantastic choice when looking for an affordable motorized two-wheeler to customize. Aftermarket mechanical and cosmetic parts are cheap and abundant, plus the small engines that power these scoots are incredibly simple and easy to maintain. As these three one-off Puch examples so thoroughly demonstrate, the range of possibilities when it comes to modifying a moped can be …

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Factory Racer – 2012 KTM XC-F 250

In Austria, Off-Road, Race by Tim HuberLeave a Comment

KTM has built a gang of race-winning machinery and though its current MotoGP racer (RC16) has some “room for improvement”, when it comes to producing top-of-the-podium off-road competition bikes, KTM kills it. Even when factory machines are five to ten years old, they’re still wildly competent when compared to today’s production offerings. They’re also always decked out in trick high-end …

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2007 KTM 950 SMR

In Austria, Sport by AbhiLeave a Comment

“Think of it as a BMW GS with balls and you’re almost there.” That’s how MCN summed up KTM’s large supermoto, the 950 SMR. Here’s a good looking example that’s well-optioned, plus it’s the “R” which has a smaller tank and a different riding position. What are you waiting for? Go scare some GS owners (myself included)!

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Factory Racer – 2015 KTM RC390 Cup

In Austria, Race by AbhiLeave a Comment

Spec racing typically yields some of the most closest finishes on race tracks, and manufacturers will occasionally encourage these classes by building models designed for the task. KTM and MotoAmerica have partnered to create a RC Cup of spec racing in the hopes that it will help grow the next wave of US talent to be seen in MotoGP. Most …

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Race Spec – 2012 KTM RC8-RS

In Austria, Race by Tim HuberLeave a Comment

Despite a myriad of factors preventing KTM’s first superbike from succeeding, many track enthusiasts nonetheless purchased RC8’s and RC8-R’s and turned them into modern powerful track weapons that lacked today’s electronic assists. Then there are (supposedly 50 of) the RC8-RS models (RS meaning Race Spec) that came straight from the KTM factory, having been optimized for race performance. These are …

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No Reserve – 2007 KTM 300 XC-W

In Austria, Off-Road by AbhiLeave a Comment

Post Sale Update: After 70 bids on eBay, this KTM sold for $3,000. The seller says that 5 years ago he asked the editor of Dirt Rider magazine what the “best off-road bike was” and the answer he was given was a two-stroke KTM 300. The editor expressed a popular opinion – many experience off-road riders consider this to be …

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First Generation – 2008 KTM RC8

In Austria, Sport by Tim HuberLeave a Comment

In 2008, KTM released the 1190 RC8 with big plans of tapping into the flagship Superbike market along with some grand WSBK ambitions. The RC8 would see another seven years of production, receiving various tweaks and upgrades in that time but KTM would ultimately fail to get the traction they had hoped for in the market along with a less-than-stellar …

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2006 KTM 625 SMC

In Austria, Sport by AbhiLeave a Comment

KTMs’s excellent history with dirt bikes served them well when they decided to become one of the few OEMs to offer supermotos from the factory floor. One of their best offerings was the 625 SMC – here’s an example that’s got a few choice farkles, as well.