First look at the KTM Moto3

Yesterday was the day we were able to discover what a Moto3 bike for the KTM team looks like. It is a bike that has been much talked about in our country, because Joan Olivé was involved in its development. However, everything that has been said so far was mere speculation.

Yesterday at the Hangar 7 at Red Bull in Austria, computer-generated designs of what the KTM will be were shown at an event to which the press was invited. These are not photos taken directly of any of the prototypes, so we will have to see how much it varies until the final version.

At first glance, they seem to have opted for a multi-tube chassis, probably very narrow and in theory made of steel, paired with an inverted triangulated swingarm, which seems to be the alternative that all the new chassis manufacturers are adopting. As we were able to see, for example, in the latest changes to Marc Márquez’s bike.

A split tank, that is, the rear half is what will properly be the fuel tank, while the front is a fairing where the Air-Box will probably be integrated. As to why this type of tank is used: as they already do in MotoGP, it is a very clever way to lower and centralize the motorcycle’s center of gravity by placing it below and slightly ahead of the rider.

The aerodynamics look quite well developed, with a tail section that is reminiscent of those we have seen on bikes such as the Ducati 1199 Panigale (1) (2) (3). It is small in size, but matches well with the inclination of the fairing, forming something similar to an ellipse. This aspect is of great importance for low-displacement, low-power bikes.

The front wheel is very striking , with a rim that, as indicated in the drawing, appears to be carbon fiber, but with an unusual design. Likewise, in one of the drawings, both the tank cap and the subframe will be made of the same material.

The suspension is by the brand WP, closely tied to KTM’s projects.

Finally, the Akrapovič exhaust pipe is very similar to the one on Jorge Lorenzo’s MotoGP bike; it has nothing to do with the exhausts we have seen so far on Moto3 bikes, which were much larger.

The photos that are original are those of the engine, which was one of the first things developed by KTM, since among its other buyers is Kalex, which has to develop its chassis based on it, which is why it had to be presented beforehand.