KTM has been in moto3 since day one, its all ready there just in new Husky colors
Yes, as it is,
so far , this is just rebadging.
It is of great use for KTM - in that it will reduce the sea of KTMs ( though, there
are slightly more Hondas in the class - in the top 45 finishers in the class, 18 were KTMs, 20 were 'ID'd' as Hondas, but KTM are higher up in the standings - the first 5 being KTMs, and 3 Hondas and 2 Mahindras - a Swiss / Indian 'team' - rounding out the top 10 - with a Mahindra being infront of the first Honda
-That would 'upset' Honda more than being beaten by KTM ) out there on the grid of Moto 3. There's already much 'noise' about it becoming
The Class Of One Brand. Not that it is KTMs 'terrible deed' , they are just the one, mainstream company that has taken the Moto 3 class
deadly, deadly seriously.
You can buy the KTM Moto 3 bike - but you'd have to jump through some hoops. To my recollection, they are around 47,000 Euros, and, in articles I've seen about them, about the same amount spent brings them up to lower level Moto 3 Team specs. KTM went straight for the maximum bore allowed - 81mm, despite the
very low maximum rev limit imposed on the class - Initially 14,000 rpm, but lowered even further. I think it's 13,500 rpm currently, with perhaps intentions for it to be further lowered. Strange, when production MXers hit higher revs, but, that's the way they've done it. Perhaps the only
real mechanical limit that has met the "affordable racing" intent of the class. Aprilia, had made 125 racing at World Level, very, very expensive, indeed - if you wanted to be remotely competitive. So, we end up with a 'control class' 250 4t, instead of what
would have been far more affordable, a control spec 2t class.
Honda have taken a much more 'hands off' approach, with their Moto 3 bike, it being made and sold as an 'everymans road racer' - it's NSR designation stands for "New (Sports / Standard?) Racer". I think the basic Honda sells for around / below the 20,000 Euro mark. There has been talk of Honda either pulling out of Moto 3 - mind you, they've had very limited "factory involvement" in the class, so I don't think there's much for them to 'pull out' of - quite different to KTMs approach to the class. Or, just getting deadly serious about the class, and wiping the floor with a serious factory effort. It would be idiotic petulance on their part , that I think only 'observers' are thinking exists, that I doubt that they feel, as they have 'held back' on dominating the class, by choice. If you think they couldn't, well, you're a
rather silly blighter. I just expect to see them offer higher spec engine mods, to the teams in Moto 3. As it is, Honda are selling quite a few of their NSR250Rs, around the world. I'd love to be able to 'bend' myself enough to fit on one. I could just about afford one.
I ride, and favour 2ts in my dirt riding, but, I've often pointed out to rabid 2t freaks the Moto 3 engines as being an indicator of what is still, easily, to come from 250 4ts. The garden variety Honda Moto 3 bike came with just over 47 HP, at, I think, 13,200rpm. Think about it boys, just for a moment. Thats good HP, at low revs (for a 4t), with a dirty great big muffler on it - as it is intended as a bike that the average Joe can take to a track, and use, passing sound tests. Just hoicking the exhaust system to meet the Moto 3 class sound rules, probably pops the Honda over 50HP. Honda's first effort, has just a 78mm bore. Honda put the Rev Max Limits on the drawing board, and made the engine to suit that. They've got 3mm to use, when they want. Obviously, with such, relatively low, rev limits, Honda felt there was no need to go for the maximum bore, minimum stroke.
250F MX engines with 81mm bores - hello (even more than now) mind boggling revs, and HP at the production level of around 50, and modded ones in the high 50s. They are coming, if no rev limits are applied to MX bikes. Whether or not people could afford to maintain them, I don't know............... Hyper little mongrels, they would be, too.
I, and others, are pretty cynical about the various Husqvarna Re-Emergences. But, on my part, it's thought out, logical, and intended to be constructive, cynicism. Better to be a bit 'loud and obnoxious' , and kicking them in the goolies, during KTM / Huskies planned use of existing products, to be heard / seen as being one of the many, I hope, that want them to
Really seperate the brands, over the coming years. If we all roll over for a tummy scratch, and accept just slightly different, white KTMs, that's
all we'll end up with. The accountants, will win, if we are complacent.