KTM is dominating the affordable performance motorcycling scenario with their Duke and RC series of motorcycles. So much so that it has become the largest motorcycle manufacturer outside of Asia. KTMs have sharp design traits coupled with explosive performance and scalpel-like handling. The reason why they are loved by motorcyclists from around the world. The KTM RC series of motorcycles is the sharpest of the lot, courtesy their edged fairings and aggressive riding ergonomics. You wouldn’t think of ripping apart a KTM RC 250 to carve a café racer out of it, right?
More details
The RC 250 is meant to serve as a beginner’s sportsbike and not a blank canvas for a custom job. But folks over at Minority Custom Motorcycles beg to disagree. The Indonesian custom bike-builders gave this KTM RC 250 a thorough makeover and surprisingly, it looks even better now!
The changes
The bike is completely stripped off and the fairing is done away with to give it a naked streetfighter look. The headlamp assembly of the stock RC 250 is replaced with a round headlamp unit which further pronounces its café racer appeal. The custom bike-builders also redesigned a custom fuel tank and draped it in a gorgeous shade of black and orange with grey highlights. The tank alone looks like a piece of art. They also redesigned the seat and in comes a custom seat similar to what we see on other café racers.
The stock fully-digital instrument cluster has made way for a round analogue unit, lending it a retro appeal. The stock exhaust unit is replaced with an aftermarket unit from Scorpion which will further enhance its aural symphony. This custom RC 250 goes on to show that faired sportsbikes can also turn out to be brilliant donor bikes, if the final interpretation has to be an aggressive café racer. The RC 250 for instance, already comes with a set of clip-on handlebars and rear-set footpegs, giving it a low slung and a hunched-forward racier stance. The only thing which seems to be missing from the picture is a set of bar-end mirrors.
Other cycle parts including the suspension setup, the braking equipment and the engine seem to retained from the stock KTM RC 250. The RC 250 is powered by the same engine which does the job in its naked sibling. It utilizes a 248.8cc liquid-cooled DOHC motor which churns out 29.91PS at 9000rpm and 24Nm at 7500rpm. The motor is mated to a 6-speed gearbox via a slipper clutch. The rear sub-frame is a bolt-on design to make accidental damage repair easier. It’s suspended on an upside-down fork and preload-adjustable monoshock, both from WP. Stopping duties are handled by a 300mm/230mm disc brake combo. Dual-channel ABS is standard and non-switchable.
Also read: Five Features We Expect From The New KTM RC 390
KTM recently unveiled the 2021 KTM EXC range of motorcycles. Comprising three two-stroke and four four-stroke machines, the 2021 EXCs come in a range of displacements from 150 cc to 500 cc. This is not a major overhaul year for KTM, as the updates are minor and across the board. Touted as one of the best motorcycles in the world of enduro sports, their EXC model range is highly sought-after by amateurs and professionals alike.