During the last round of MotoGP, the German Grand Prix of Sachsenring, Dorna Sports launched the project of a new championship in collaboration with KTM, the Northern Talent Cup. The trophy, dedicated to young promising racing motorcyclists and open to riders of all nationalities between the ages of 12 and 17, will start in 2020 and will be held on seven circuits in northern Europe (Assen, Lausitzring, Oschersleben, Sachsenring, Brno, Zeltweg and Hockenheim).
The first season will see 24 riders on the track, the best of which will have direct access to the Red Bull Rookies Cup, while the 2nd and 3rd classified, however, will benefit from a fast track for the 2021 selection of the trophy that KTM has been organizing for many years as an accompaniment to the events of MotoGP. At the Teutonic GP, the Mattighofen brand also presented the bike that will be used in the NTC, the new KTM RC4R: a brand new 250 cc single-cylinder engine that uses a quarter-litre engine from the off-road world, a sort of supermono built from the four-stroke SX-F 250.
Accredited with about 40 hp unloaded through a five-speed gearbox, the small RC4R sports a steel tube frame and an aluminium alloy swingarm (same material as the rear frame), while the upside-down front fork and rear monoshock have a range of 105 and 45 mm respectively. The braking system has a 290 mm front disc and a 45 mm rear disc, with bore and stroke measurements of 78 and 52.3 mm. Finally, the weight is only 92 kg dry.
In order to simplify the management of the vehicles and reduce the costs of the Championship, the bikes will be the same for all, while for the same purpose the technical specifications will be blocked for a few years. “First of all we are very proud to have been selected by Dorna Sports and ADAC as partners for the new Northern Talent Cup,” said Pit Beirer, boss one of KTM Motorsports, at the presentation press conference. “It is a great pleasure to work with talented young riders, so much so that KTM is successfully engaging in other similar championships. We share the view that there was a lack of an easy-to-drive entry-level racing bike and we are happy to offer a vehicle suitable for young people with the ambition to reach the Moto3 category. It was important to offer a good balance between operating costs and performance. We look forward to the launch of the Northern Talent Cup. I’m sure this concept will find and grow new talent from Northern and Central Europe.
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