Photos: Building the KTM RC250R Production Racer

Just a couple ticks off the KTM RC250GP raced in the FIM Moto3 Championship that we saw built in time-lapse last week, the KTM RC250R is perhaps one of the most potent 250cc four-stroke production racers money can buy…and it takes a lot of money to buy one.

“The differences [between the RC250GP & RC250R] come through some little details,” says Head of KTM Customer Racing Wolfgang Felber. “The GP bike for example runs with the regulation enforced Dell’Orto electronics unit, has a different Akrapovic exhaust system, magnesium wheels, and modified brakes as well as WP factory suspension parts, which help to save some more weight.”

Only 67 of these machines will be made for the 2013 season (40 for sale, 27 for the Red Bull Rookies Cup), which posed a problem for the KTM. Too big of a production run to be hand-made by racing engineers, and yet too small (and perhaps too important) of a run to be built on one of the four general assembly lines, zie Austrians instead opted for something in between, and built the bikes on the company’s #5 “training” line.

A behind the scenes look at this limited production run, if you weren’t in love with the KTM Moto3 race bike, you might be after this. Want one? You better come up with €45,000 to afford this price tag…that’s $60,000, or a moderately equipped Mercedes-Benz E-Class, with today’s exchange rate.

Technical Specifications of the 2013 KTM RC250R Production Racer:

DRIVE?

Engine: Single cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC
Displacement: 249.5 ccm
Bore/Stroke: 81/48.5 mm
Power: min. 37 kW (50 PS) at 13.000 rpm
Max. torque: 28 Nm at 11.000 rpm
Compression ratio: 14,5
Battery: 12 V / 0.8 Ah
Gear box: 6 speed cassette gear box, 2 optional ratio versions
Intake system: dual injector throttle body, oval, Ø 50 mm equivalent
Cooling system: WP water radiator + WP oil-water heat exchanger
Generator: 12 V / 70 W
Lubrication: semi dry sump, 1 pressure pump, 2 suction pumps
Primary drive: straight teeth gear drive
Valvetrain system: chain drive, intermediate gear, radial valves, DLC-coated finger followers
Clutch system: multi disc wet clutch
Motor management/ignition: GET by Athena ECU, GET by Athena Software MAYA EVO. Adjustable motor brake, traction control, launch control, fuel mapping, ignition mapping, pit speed limiter and quickshifter. Interface for data recording.

CHASSIS?

Frame: tubular steel trellis frame with adjustable headstock and swingarm pivot
Subframe: Wethje carbonfibre composite, monoblock
Swingarm: Upside down shaped, welded aluminium
Handlebars: clamps milled from billet aluminium, changeable handlebar tubes
Front suspension: WP USD fork RCMA 3548 / Ø 35 mm, adjustable spring preload, adjustable compression and rebound damping, 20 clicks
Rear suspension: WP rear shock BAVP 4618, adjustable shock length, hydraulic preload adjuster, adjustable High-/Low-Speed- compression damping and rebound damping, 20 clicks
Triple clamps: milled from billet aluminium, adjustable, 28/30 mm offset
Front brake: Brembo single disk, 290 mm Ø, Brembo radial caliper and radial master cylinder
Rear brakes: Braking, disk 190 mm Ø, Formula radial caliper and Formula master cylinder
Front/rear wheel: OZ forged aluminum 2.5 x 17’’?/ 3.5 x 17’’
Front/rear tire: Dunlop 95/75-R17 / 115/75-R17 / Moto3 M Slick
Secondary drive: 415 chain, sprocket options 16 – 18T, rear sprocket options 34 – 42T
Exhaust: Akrapovic full titanium system single silencer, 107 dB, additional 100/103 dB killer
Steering head angle: ± 1° adjustable with optional headshock inserts
Swingarm pivot: ± 4 mm adjustable with optional swingarm pivot inserts
Wheel base: 1210 mm ± 35 mm
Ride height: adjustable ± 6 mm
Seat height: 760 mm
Tank capacity: approx. 10.5 litres
Dry weight: approx. 82 kg (without fuel)

ORIGINS?
GP125: geometry, ergonomic, aerodynamic components
MOTOGP engine: layout cylinder head and throttle body
RC8 R SBK: electronic, frame knowhow, materials processing
MX: lubrication system, transmission, clutch, kinematic valve gear