Fast Bikes Magazine

I've just thrown a leg over KTM's new(ish) 990 RCR and one thing became clear almost immediately – there's more than a little RC8R running through its veins. Not just because of its gangly riding position and quirky bodywork angles, but because of its character too. It's got that same sense of occasion, that same slightly unruly personality that made the RC8R such a cult hero. In a world of increasingly polished sports bikes, the 990 RCR feels refreshingly different.

But what do you reckon? Has KTM nailed it with the 990 RCR, or is it a miss rather than a hit?

Keeping with the TT theme... this is Ian Lougher's Suter MMX500 🔥

He raced it in the Senior TT back in 2016, and I had the pleasure of tickling it around Lausitzring just a few weeks afterwards. It was every bit as awesome as you'd expect from a Suter-crafted creation, being ridiculously lithe and hellishly fast. The V4 motor made around 190bhp and the bike weighed around 130kg. It wasn't the easiest of bikes to get my head around, because the power was all up top... and it kicked in ferociously when the engine was on song. Genuinely mind-blowing how Lougher did what he did on it with no rider aids. One of the most exciting bikes I've ever tested. And don't even get me started on the exhaust note 🙌.

It's been a busy few months, but one of the highlights in recent weeks was ripping through Welsh woodland on the Triumph Adventure Experience. With a bunch of mates, I got to ride on the brand's awesome TF 250-E and the even fruitier TF 450-E. An experience to remember and one you should get in your diary if you like the idea of getting down and dirty on some of the best and most varied legal trails and terrain the UK has to offer. There's also expert tuition on tap, so it's appropriate for everyone from novices to pros 🙌.