KTM appears to be developing a new 500cc twin-cylinder platform for adventure and naked bikes. A faired RC model has also been seen undergoing testing, which is not entirely unexpected. Reports suggest the new twin-cylinder RC might utilize an engine from CF Moto. The Duke 500 and the adventure bike with a twin-cylinder engine were seemingly raw prototypes, while the RC appears closer to production. Images released by Motorrad magazine show the bike in a near-finished state. The engine of the KTM RC 490 seems to be sourced from CFMoto, including the primary chassis. Due to the full fairing of this bike, much of the engine is concealed, however, the visible exhaust downpipes closely resemble those on CFMoto models. Comparing the parallel-twin design from CFMoto to the KTM prototypes, the engine layout differs significantly. Therefore, there is a strong possibility that this model could be branded as the KTM RC 490. It is believed the motorcycle is built on the CFMoto platform, separate from the other two KTM bikes. As the current KTM RC 390 continues to use the outdated 373cc engine, a new power source for the next-generation RC may be in development. Details about the changes are speculative, based on the spotted sports bike.
