THE FIVE BIKES THAT MATTER THIS MONTH

KTM’S Motogp winner, a Triumph concept and Grayson’s chopper.

Brad Binder’s win at Brno – the first Motogp victory for him and KTM – stunned the racing world. It wasn’t just the fact Binder’s a rookie, it’s also that his KTM was presumed a middle order scrapper, not a race winner. So what happened? Here are the key factors:

» The RC16 has taken a leap forward. The KTM was never short of power, but now it is faster than last season – at Brno, Pol Espargaro’s KTM was fifth fastest through the speed trap, ahead of the Yamahas, Suzukis and Hondas. After the Austrian Motogp his brother, Aprilia rider Aleix Espargaro, said: ‘The KTMS were at another level in terms of acceleration. I never saw something like that, even in Austria two years ago when Ducati were flying. When Binder and Oliveira overtook me I felt like I was in Moto2. The big difference for everyone is not just in power but that KTM puts it to the ground.’ The frame is new – still steel, but now a beam rather than a trellis – and it’s praised by the riders. But the aerodynamics have moved forward too. Weight distribution has been changed to improve turning and paddock sages suggest KTM have also been working hard to match the engine’s torque curve to the rear tyre’s profile so they can deliver max torque for every lean angle.

» Dani Pedrosa. The ex-honda rider has been testing the KTM since last year, and his influence should not be underestimated. We know he pushed the team to cure an aggressive throttle connection, which hindered turning. Gawd knows what else he improved.

» KTM are race obsessed and not short of cash. The Austrian company may only have been in Motogp for four years, but they’ve been winning in Moto3 and Moto2 for a lot longer. They know how to run a top race team. They’re also rich – KTM are Europe’s biggest-selling motorcycle manufacturer, and the Motogp team is sponsored by fellow Austrian giant Red Bull. These are not the sort of companies to quibble over a few hours in a wind tunnel. Insiders report there were 19 different frame options tested in 2019, which does not smack of half measures.

» Binder (right). Not only is the 25-year-old sublimely talented, he also knows KTM inside out. He rode in the Red Bull Cup on a KTM, became Moto3 world champion for KTM in 2016 and was runner-up in Moto2 last year for KTM. Binder is also a ridiculously fast learner. At the Valencia test last November he was last on the RC16 – no surprise there, he’d barely ridden the thing. By 9 August, he’d won a Motogp by five seconds.

‘Dani Pedrosa has been testing the KTM since last year, and his influence should not be underestimated’

» No Marquez. That always helps.