Although it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, the venomous insect aesthetic seems rather appropriate for a ruthless beast with 152 ponies on tap.
Below its groovy bodywork, the 2008 KTM 1190 RC8 houses a liquid-cooled 1,148cc V-twin powerplant with Keihin fuel injection technology, four valves per cylinder, and a compression ratio of 12.5:1. When prompted, this unrelenting DOHC titan is capable of spawning as much as 152 hp in the neighborhood of 10,000 rpm.
At around 8,000 spins, the engine will gladly deliver 89 pound-feet (120 Nm) of torque to a six-speed transmission, which turns the RC8’s rear Marchesini wheel through a sealed X-ring drive chain. As soon as it makes contact with the asphalt, this force enables KTM’s juggernaut to run the quarter-mile in 10.3 spine-tingling seconds.
Ultimately, the Austrian phenom will plateau at a brutish top speed of 178 mph (286 kph). Its powertrain hardware is stored inside a chromium-molybdenum trellis frame, and the whole ordeal sits on 43 mm (1.7 inches) upside-down WP forks and a single shock absorber that’s adjustable for preload, rebound, and compression damping.
Braking duties are taken good care of by dual 320 mm (12.6 inches) discs at the front and a solo 220 mm (8.7 inches) unit at the rear, all of which are paired with sturdy Brembo calipers. Finally, the 1190 RC8 will tip the scales 406 pounds (184 kg) dry, and its fuel capacity is measured at 4.4 gallons (16.5 liters).
This article’s photo gallery showcases an imported 2008 MY gladiator whose digital odometer reads a little over 11,000 km (6,800 miles). The bike comes equipped with a fresh battery and a youthful oil filter, as well as Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa II tires showing 2021 date codes.
As you’re reading these paragraphs, KTM’s stunner is looking for a new home on Iconic Motorbike Auctions, and the bidding deadline is set for tomorrow (May 19). Currently, one would be required to spend around 7,500 bucks in order to surpass the highest bid, which is placed at $7,200 at the time of this article.
At around 8,000 spins, the engine will gladly deliver 89 pound-feet (120 Nm) of torque to a six-speed transmission, which turns the RC8’s rear Marchesini wheel through a sealed X-ring drive chain. As soon as it makes contact with the asphalt, this force enables KTM’s juggernaut to run the quarter-mile in 10.3 spine-tingling seconds.
Ultimately, the Austrian phenom will plateau at a brutish top speed of 178 mph (286 kph). Its powertrain hardware is stored inside a chromium-molybdenum trellis frame, and the whole ordeal sits on 43 mm (1.7 inches) upside-down WP forks and a single shock absorber that’s adjustable for preload, rebound, and compression damping.
Braking duties are taken good care of by dual 320 mm (12.6 inches) discs at the front and a solo 220 mm (8.7 inches) unit at the rear, all of which are paired with sturdy Brembo calipers. Finally, the 1190 RC8 will tip the scales 406 pounds (184 kg) dry, and its fuel capacity is measured at 4.4 gallons (16.5 liters).
This article’s photo gallery showcases an imported 2008 MY gladiator whose digital odometer reads a little over 11,000 km (6,800 miles). The bike comes equipped with a fresh battery and a youthful oil filter, as well as Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa II tires showing 2021 date codes.
As you’re reading these paragraphs, KTM’s stunner is looking for a new home on Iconic Motorbike Auctions, and the bidding deadline is set for tomorrow (May 19). Currently, one would be required to spend around 7,500 bucks in order to surpass the highest bid, which is placed at $7,200 at the time of this article.