The Isle of Man TT is fast becoming a must attend event for both spectators, manufacturers and team owners alike and in 2010 we will see Austrian manufacturer KTM take part for the very first time with Redline Motorcycles and James Edmeades. The delectable KTM RC8R Superbike will take part in the Superbike, Superstock and Senior TT Races.

Already doing the business in the Austrian and German Superbike Championships, KTM have been steadily grown as a manufacturer with serious road racing intentions.

The man given the task of riding the bright orange bike will be Loughborough’s James Edmeades. The 26-year old is no stranger to the TT having ridden in the 2006, 2007 and 2008 events. The former Virgin R6 Cup rider narrowly missed out on his first 120mph lap in 2007 and has already picked up two bronze replicas from his nine races whilst he also took a strong fifth in last season’s RC8 Super Cup Championship.

In addition to the TT outing, Edmeades will campaign the bike in this year’s British Superbike Evo Championship and he is eagerly looking forward to his return to the Mountain Course.

“The opportunity to become the first KTM rider at the Isle of Man TT Races is a tremendous honour for me and after the three great years I enjoyed between 2006 and 2008, I can’t wait to get back on the Island. The KTM RC8R is a superb bike and I’m sure it will perform well around the course with its excellent handling qualities.

He continued:

“I was carrying an injury when I was last at the TT and didn’t perform as I would have liked which is something I’m keen to put right this year. I’m sure both myself and the team will give a good account of ourselves and further prove the capabilities of the KTM Superbike machine.”

KTM will join Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki with their official manufacturer supported efforts at this year’s TT whilst discussions with other leading manufacturers not currently represented at the TT are close to being finalised.

Hon Martyn Quayle, MHK, Minister for Tourism and Leisure, Isle of Man Government commented:

“It will be fantastic to see KTM competing for the first time on the Isle of Man and how appropriate that they will be lining up on the grid with Suzuki who are celebrating their 50th anniversary of racing at the TT. It shows the continued strength and enduring appeal of the TT Races and I hope that KTM will have a long and successful TT history.”

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KTM fans, get ready. Next year you’ll have something to cheer about and another reason to get to the track and support the Australian Superbike Championship as KTM launch a new road racing team for 2010 with Shannon Johnson and Evolution Sports Group (ESG).

Victorian racer Johnson will be battling hard on board the KTM 1190 RC8 R and bring even more variety in machinery to the championship.

The 2010 Australian Superbike Championship will be eight rounds with four of the rounds held in conjunction with the V8 Supercars. The season starts 27-29 February at Phillip Island as part of the World Superbike Championship.

Commenting on the new team, Shannon Johnson said, “I’m really very excited about this joint venture with KTM and ESG.

For me as a rider I have the best of both worlds, not only am I continuing a relationship on a motorcycle I enjoy immensely, I’m also doing the same with my technical crew from ESG. Furthermore, Rob Twyerould who was also a big part of the team this year, will also contribute to the technical guidance required on behalf of KTM for the 1190 RC8 R set up, which I personally believe is invaluable.”

KTM General Manager, Australia Jeff Leisk comments, “We had tremendous success with Shannon racing on the KTM 1190 RC8 R this year with victories at the Formula Extreme Superbike Championship, and with the support of ESG, we feel we can further develop the bike and Shannon’s ability on the race track.”

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We recently had the good fortune to ride the KTM Superduke, an insane combination of 990cc 60-degree V-twin, Brembo radial brakes and lightweight trellis chassis. The big slugs and sharp fuelling gave it electric response – you certainly wouldn’t want to have a big sneeze in a low gear…

Certainly less manic, but truer to the original supermotard theme is the KTM 690 Duke. It still boasts the trellis frame, perches you high above the family sedans, and retains the barking mad ability of its big brother. The notion of a big moto-crosser, modified for street use has been bent a fair way with the Duke.

It looks like a cutting implement, and it is. Everything except the seat and the wheels is sharp and straight. Sitting on its side-stand it projects its lines forward and downward, with an aggressive “I want to carve up roads” stance.

At 65hp (48kW), KTM’s indomitable LC4 654cc overhead cam single has been tweaked for a rev-happy existence, finding its mid-range and then bwwraapping its way through the top-end. It’s certainly designed to charge, driving hard through gaps and gears, punching through the next straight to blip down the gears and tip into the next corner. Given this, KTM was wise to fit a slipper clutch.

“…it felt as if I was no longer riding, but just standing up and flying through space and time with controls to hand…”

“Are you ready to race?” asks KTM’s strapline, and for good reason – if you expect a laid-back, lugging single that thumps right off the bottom, you’ll have to assess whether you can keep up with the Duke. It must be ridden beyond 3,000rpm to run smoothly, with a low-down engine temperament like a tethered thoroughbred straining at the reins.

Climb-up onto this steed and you’ll be greeted by a seat that’s highly convex in profile, a ridge line along the centre of the bike, falling away quickly to the sides and smooching up to the short, narrow tank. The result is a thin perch that naturally promotes your weight to shift forward and inward at every corner; and any moderate squeeze of the brakes puts this cornering process in motion.

There is little in the way of clutter up-front, with flat, single-piece alloy bars and the merest hint of a fairing – something closer to a stylistic nod in that direction, rather than any real attempt to fend the breeze. The upshot is that you are situated high above the road, with an easy reach to the bars and a gentle bend to the pegs.

When it all comes together, the end effect can be quite surreal. While swinging (at a sensible speed, officer) across the Colo Heights ridgeline, it felt as if I was no longer riding, but just standing up and flying through space and time with controls to hand, accompanied by some toe-twitching at either end of each corner.

Brembo braking is specified, and at the front a single floating 320mm disc is dominated by its 4-piston radially-mounted caliper. Combined with the wet-chassis weight of a bit over 160kg, they arrest progress like a tube of glue in a Roadrunner cartoon – damned quick. A single-piston unit on a 240mm rear disc kept things all-lined-up, and presented substantial bite.