Cycle News

Cycle News 2019 Issue 43 October 29

Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles

Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1180438

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K R Ä M E R H K R - E V O 2 R RACER TEST P102 tions for them," says Joe. "You can really tailor them to whatever the rider's pref- erence is. For the R spec, we really like it because you can put a soft pad in and it's adequate. It mounts brakes with not a lot of bite, or if you want a ton of bite you can have all the brakes in the world." On the engine side, the HKR-EVO2 R runs the latest generation KTM 690 Duke single-cylinder motor that came out at the end of 2015. "That's been a big improve- ment. It's a brilliant drive train," says Joe. "It's been really bul- letproof for us. Its vibration is nothing like people expect it to be, especially for a big single. It's exceptionally smooth. It is a stock KTM engine. We have not done any modifications to the engine itself. All of the extra power we make is through airbox and ex- haust optimization along with ECU calibrations." This particular Krämer HKR- EVO2 R came with an AIM dash and data logging system that allowed the team to figure out where I was fast and slow, and flashed lap times up on the dash. "As for the AIM data logging system, at this point for the EVO2 the AIM dash is still in develop- ment stage. The standard AIM dash logs GPS and acceleration data. The bike you see here is also logging rpm, water temp, gear position and vehicle speed." Testing The Krämer HKR-EVO2 R It's always a good day when you get to throw your leg over a pure racing motorcycle. Nearly all my racing is done on production ma- chinery, with all the concessions that come with them, and I haven't ridden a proper ground-up race bike for over a decade. The Krämer feels unlike any bike I've ever ridden, and not because it steers with such preci- sion. I've ridden 250cc Grand Prix bikes before, and they have a similar turn speed to the Krämer. The difference is how physically big the Krämer is. When you first sit on a Krämer, you'll be amazed at the room you have at your disposal. The tall 32.2-inch seat feels like it's about five inches longer than my Pikes Peak Aprilia and gives you so much room to move about, almost too much, meaning you can slide back further than you'd like on acceleration and thus take more weight off the front than intended. The peg placement is like the position of a 1098 Ducati with plenty of range, although the cockpit position is set much higher than the old Italian superbike with the bars wide—almost like a nakedbike. All this extra room takes a little time to get accustomed to, espe- cially if you're used to the cramped riding position of a current generation super- sport machine, but give it three laps and it's amazing how quickly you become comfortable with the way the Krämer rides. Put simply, the Krämer HKR- EVO2 R turns with the kind of speed normally reserved for GP machines. With a ready-to-race weight of just 276 lb, the Krämer will go from bolt upright to on its side faster than almost any motorcycle with a fairing I've ever ridden, especially given the rather rangy 1400mm/55.11-inch wheel- base. Turn speed is amazing, but so is the feedback you get from the front end and because of that wheelbase, the stability. The Krämer guys have engi- neered a level of feedback into the front of the HKR-EVO2 R many other bikes can only dream of. You can absolutely bury the front end under braking—during my race laps (especially in the sprint races) I would simply wait until the guys around me started to brake, then leave it on some more before slamming on the anchors. Never One of the Krämer's key features is a subframe that also doubles as the gas tank and rider seat. The company says it has not had a single fault with the plastic design.

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