KTM RC 390: Ridden On A Racetrack

I recently had the opportunity to attend Level 1 of the California Superbike School at the Madras Motor Race Track. As it was my first time riding on a racetrack, I was quite nervous and lacked the confidence about being able to ride. I was informed that my ride for the day would be the KTM RC 390. 

As soon as I entered the track premises, lo and behold, the bike was waiting for me, all prepped and ready. What first caught my attention was the MotoGP paint scheme of the bike, which looked quite exhilarating and sporty. After a quick walkaround the bike, a few things stood out to me. The most noticeable being the headlight being replaced by an opaque plastic panel and the mirrors removed. This is done to remove any distractions while riding on a racetrack. Another addition was the inclusion of a bellypan to improve the aerodynamic efficiency of the motorcycle. Apart from these changes, the motorcycle was stock.

Surprisingly comfortable

It was time to get started with the track sessions for the day, so I swung my leg over the motorcycle, and the first thing I noticed was how comfortable and roomy the bike is. There’s no doubt that it has a committed riding posture. But for a sportsbike, the motorcycle feels roomy, especially for my 6-foot frame. The raised clip-on handlebars give you a good amount of leverage, and the rear set footpegs mean you have an immense amount of cornering clearance. The spacious seat allows for enough room to move around the seat and get into a crouched position when you zoom down the long straights of the racetrack. It gets adjustable brake and clutch levers for ease of riding.

Living up to its name

In the first lap, and as soon as I opened the throttle, all the 44 ponies came together to propel the bike to triple-digit speeds in just a few seconds. ‘Pocket Rocket’ is what they call the RC 390, and it truly lives up to the name. The sheer acceleration the motorcycle presents is immense. Its agility allows you to dart from one corner to another like a cheetah hunting its prey. 

The powerful 373cc single-cylinder  engine has more than enough grunt to keep you engaged whether you are a beginner or a seasoned veteran on the track. The only caveat is that you have to keep the revs above 4,000rpm. Fall below that on a slow turn, and the bike will take its own sweet time to get up to speed if you do not downshift. The brakes are quite effective as well and allow you to shed the speed quicker than you accelerate. KTM has calibrated the ABS unit quite well, as you do not feel intruding  your riding experience. The bidirectional quickshifter works efficiently as well and allows you to shift gears on a dime for a fast lap time.

On its heels

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Since it was my first time on a racetrack, my major concern was whether I would be able to corner the motorcycle. In this sense, the KTM RC 390 really has your back covered. The motorcycle feels effortless to throw into the corners, and have high lean angles, provided you have the skills. The inverted telescopic fork and the monoshock keep the bike planted throughout the corner. Despite facing a few undulated patches in the corners, the bike quickly stabilises itself, which makes you confident to go faster. Despite being eager to change directions, the RC 390 does not scare you and extends you a helping hand, allowing you to increase your skills as you ride more and more. A lot of this confidence came with the Ceat SportRad tyres the bike was running - a massive improvement over the stock H-rated Metzeler Sportec M5s.

A perfect track weapon?

The KTM RC 390 is a very capable machine in the right set of hands. It has a potent engine that wants to be revved hard. The bike wants you to flick it from corner to corner and hit every apex possible. Sounds scary? Don’t be. While the RC390 isn’t as friendly on the race track for first time riders as the TVS Apache RR 310, once you figure out the nuances of the KTM, it’s the perfect bike for most of our Indian race tracks. It forgives minor mistakes, but always reminds you to not ride beyond your capability. But once your capability grows, the RC 390 will stick with you every step of the way and urge you to go faster and faster.