If you think big boys like Honda and Harley are having a tough go while consumers dither on discretionary purchases, imagine what smaller volume manufacturers like KTM are dealing with while the global recession bottoms out... not to mention the after-effects of the ban on kids' offroad bikes.
As mentioned in my 2010 KTM RC8 R review, the manufacturer's entire 2010 lineup was expected to receive a "strategic realigning" to make them more competitive. Well, KTM has finally released official pricing for their 2010 street lineup, and... uh... wow! For starters, the RC8, previously priced at $19,498, has dropped $3,000 to $16,498. The new, significantly uprated RC8 R is just $500 more than the old RC8, though you'll pay a premium for the badass special edition Red Bull and Akrapovic Edition RC8 Rs, which got slapped with $23,998 price tags.
See every KTM superbike, supermoto, naked bike, travel enduro, and dual sport (including new-for-2010 990 SM R and 990 SM T which I'll be reviewing soon) in this 2010 KTM Street Buyer's Guide, and comment on whether the new, lower pricing makes you more likely to shop KTM.
Related:
Photos © KTM; click for Buyer's Guide
Only $17,000 to $23,000? Wow, is that all? I’ll be right there to buy one…
I’ve got to admit that the new price for the RC8 makes it MUCH more attractive…the $14-16k range is where I thought it should’ve been when it first came out; at least now it’s more in line with it’s main competition, the Duc 1198. But with the Aprilia RSVR (which seems like a LOT more bike for the money) undercutting the KTM by $500, it’s still a tough sell.
But the trademark flat orange paint is absolutely gorgeous…
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Love KTMs, love euphemisms! In a good economy they should premium price their bikes, but this is the right thing to do right now.