VOL. 52 ISSUE 7 FEBRUARY 18, 2015 P79
L
ast week we began our two-part
interview with KTM President/
CEO Stefan Pierer. In the first
part, the European motorcycle mogul
talked business. This week Pierer talks
racing, and the direction he plans on
taking the KTM and Husqvarna brands
in competition.
If you missed part one, you can
read it by clicking the link here:
http://goo.gl/5swQSh
Now let's look at something com-
pletely different that's a core part
of KTM's DNA—racing. You already
announced KTM is going MotoGP
racing again, but I remember in one
of our previous discussions you told
me that: "MotoGP is just a way to
lose money, and that's why we got
out. There's no point in spending so
much money to come sixth." Now
you've changed your mind. Why?
Because I think that as a sport-
bike and racebike producer you
have a serious responsibility to
your customers regarding safety.
Safety is one of the most impor-
tant pressures that we're facing
at a European level, because
I've been working for 15 years
as President or Vice President of ACEM [The
Motorcycle Industry in Europe], the European
industry organization. And I think if the politi-
cians in Brussels had their choice, they would
forbid motorcycles to use the public roads.
They'd like to ban us completely. But let's be
honest, if your Superbike is reaching 200
horsepower or more, it's impossible to argue
that it belongs on the street. It really doesn't,
anymore.
But we'd like to produce a successor to the
existing RC8 V-twin… In which case, let's do
the following: We'll stick to making a Super-
bike, but only for closed course usage. So it
won't be homologated for sale as a streetbike.
Okay? So then to produce that we will take the
best prototype development arena available,
which is MotoGP. And for the 2016 season
there will be new rules introduced when the
playing field will be leveled with a standard
electronic system, so then KTM can challenge
Honda, Yamaha, Ducati, Suzuki and Aprilia on
an equal basis. So that's the concept for de-
velopment. We'll call it the RC16 and it will also
be available for the normal customer for track
days or private use on track, but it won't any
more be homologated for the street. It'll be a
really serious sports and race item for closed
course use only.
So you will not do the same as Ducati
KTM BOSS PIERER TALKS RACING, THE
FUTURE AND THE RETURN TO MOTOGP
BY ALAN CATHCART
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KTM AG, GOLD & GOOSE AND RAY ARCHER
PLAY TO WIN PART II
