KTM has confirmed that it is expanding its supersport range with two new low- and middleweight models currently under development, with the long-rumoured RC 490 now officially on the brand’s roadmap.
The announcement came from KTM CEO Gottfried Neumeister during a recent interview, where he outlined the Austrian manufacturer’s renewed focus on smaller-capacity performance motorcycles. Among the upcoming models, the RC 490 is expected to play a key role by slotting between the existing RC 390 and the forthcoming RC 790.
The new RC 490 is expected to be underpinned by KTM’s all-new parallel-twin platform, which is being co-developed with long-time partner Bajaj Auto in India. While technical specifications have yet to be confirmed, the motorcycle is expected to offer a significant step up in refinement and performance over the current single-cylinder RC 390.
It’s important to note that the RC 490 is unrelated to the twin-cylinder RC 450 currently sold in China. That motorcycle is built through KTM’s partnership with CFMoto and is based on the Chinese manufacturer’s 450SR-S platform. As such, the RC 450 is unlikely to be offered outside the Chinese market.
Positioned between the RC 390 and RC 790, the RC 490 is expected to become KTM’s core middleweight supersport offering. Industry expectations also suggest the new 490 platform could eventually replace the current 390 range in most global markets, avoiding overlap between two similarly performing models with different engine capacities.
KTM may continue offering the 390 range as a more affordable entry point, while positioning the new 490 models as a premium upgrade for riders seeking greater refinement, twin-cylinder performance and improved long-distance capability. The brand is yet to confirm whether the new platform will debut in naked or fully faired form, but the company says its future supersport range will draw heavily from its MotoGP programme. Lessons learned from the recently unveiled RC 990 R and RC 990 R Track are expected to influence the design and engineering of its smaller-capacity sports bikes.
An official launch timeline has not been announced, although motorcycles based on KTM’s new twin-cylinder platform are expected to make their global debut towards the end of 2027. The RC 490 is likely to become an important addition to KTM’s performance line-up, bridging the gap between its entry-level and larger-capacity supersport offerings.
