JULY 12, 2006 • C Y C L E N E W S
42
KTM 950 Super Enduro R
Despite its 408-pound
weight, the V-twin-
powered KTM 950
Super Enduro R is
rather nimble and a
good handler.
BY JONTY EDMUNDS PHOTOS BY REDEYE & HERWIG PEUKER
L
ess than 12 months after BMW
r e l e a s e d t h e H P 2 , KT M h a s
launched their very own "big
enduro" bike - the 950 Super
Enduro R, set to arrive in the
United States around August. Equipped
with the Austrian manufacturer 's well-
known and race-proven 98 bhp V-twin LC8
engine and weighing 407.9 pounds, every
aspect of the bike has been designed to
offer serious off-road enjoyment. According
to KTM it's a motorcycle with no limits.
KTM's 950 Super Enduro R is the
Austrian manufacturer's latest LC8-
engined product, designed to eat up off-
road terrain as well as their World
Championship winning XC and EXC
enduro models. Following on from the 950
and 990 Super Duke, according to KTM,
producing an off-road bike that featured
the LC8 engine was a logical step to make.
KTM, after all, certainly knows a thing or
two about building enduro bikes.
At the heart of the Super Enduro R is
KTM's race-proven 950cc DOHC V-twin,
six-speed motor, as also used in KTM's 950
Adventure. Offering powerful and sporty
engine characteristics, KTM claims the
127.6-pound motor is unrivalled for its light
weight and high performance. Offering a
broad rev range and ample power, using
dry-sump lubrication enables the bike to
have extremely high ground clearance.
Wrapped around the LC8 engine is a
robust tubular frame, which features a
removable aluminum subframe. Taking
care of the suspension are a set of
adjustable 48mm USD WP forks, while a
WP shock offers 10.2 inches of travel at
the rear of the bike. With every aspect of
the bike designed for serious off-road
use, Brembo twin-piston brake calipers
are fitted both front and rear with high-
strength aluminum D.I.D rims laced to
cast-aluminum hubs and wrapped with
Metzeler Karoo tires.
Designed to deal with the demands of
off-road riding, KTM sees its target buyers
