KTM Unveils LC8 Dirt Tracker

KTM sprung its long-awaited dirt track twin on the dirt track world during the Columbus AMA Half Mile at Scioto Downs in Columbus, Ohio. With KTM factory rider Joe Kopp aboard, the machine took to the track for a three-lap shakedown after the GNC practice sessions.

The 950cc LC8 engine on the test machine was basically left stock, according to KTM Dirt Track Team Manager Mike Rosso, who told Cycle News during a phone conversation on the Monday after the test that he felt the team was already on the right track as far as the machine’s development is concerned.

“It went real well,” Rosso said. “We were in the hunt for what we had. It needs some more steering angle. Joe said that the motor is smoother than the [Suzuki] TL that he had ridden. We were limited on gearing – Performance Machine set us up with some unique wheels, and we were a little blind-sided by the disc brake arrangement. We need to have a bit more brake to go racing. Wheelbase isn’t ideal for flat track racing yet, but we’re going to give the stock chassis a chance.”

Kopp echoed Rosso’s sentiments on the bike.

“It was pretty dang good,” Kopp said. “It was a lot better than what I thought it would be right out of the box. The biggest problem we had was that it was a streetbike chassis, and it would only turn so far. I hit the locks several times. But what I noticed right away is that on the Suzukis when you roll out of the throttle in the corner they’re kind of jerky and it’s hard to get the power down, where the Harleys are really smooth. The KTM is a lot more like the Harley than the Suzuki.

"It was pretty cool,” Kopp said. “I was pretty impressed with the motor. It was real responsive off the bottom. I’m going to practice it at Del Mar, and if it feels good, I want to race it. I was pretty amazed. I thought I was going to just go out there and take it pretty easy, but I could really drive it into the corner. I could hold it on, and it would just track right into the corner, but that has something to do the wheelbase. It’s 62 inches long right now, so you know that it’s going to get sideways pretty easy.”

One of the interesting modifications to the machine is the location of the fuel tank, which has been placed under the seat.

“We had questions about what the shape of the airbox and fuel tank should be,” Rosso said. “The guys told us that it had to feel like a racebike, so we decided to get the fuel tank out of their way.”

The only issue with the location was that the tank made contact with the rear wheel. A new shape or smaller design is already in the offing. Rosso also said that a stock LC8 motor is going to an exhaust fabricator to have a high performance system built.

“The plan is to actually put in competition at Del Mar,” Rosso said. “If it’s working, it may be raced there. We’re going to try and lighten it up and shorten it up. Motor-wise, we’ll have an exhaust system for it, but we’re not going to try and get too radical too quick and lose sight of the basics.”