24/06/2026
Let’s talk about my first track ride on the KTM990 RCR with the California Superbike School UK, photos by Tim Keeton 🔥
With track suspension settings dialed in, but being a bit exited to get out, I’d started over riding somewhat, hammering the brakes before really figuring out where my braking markers were and not being particularly smooth. The back wheel danced around a little bit till I started to trail brake properly and calm down. By session 3 I’d started to relax, check my reference points and markers with the coaches and work with the bike a bit better.
The ‘Godlike’ this is amazing feeling came when I was shifting from chicane apex to apex - kissing a knee on both kerbs, shifting myself over the bike and trying to take my head from one front wing to the other, with the left exit being a third gear torquey pull over an extended corner… feeling very MotoGP with an upshift to 4th to pull harder round the bend.
I giggled in my helmet, i just felt so alive and invigorated and delighted to be on an agile sports bike that I’ve ridden to the Track on the same morning. Bedford‘s got a few bumps in it, you can feel those hammering around the corners, but it was always a delight really pushing my braking markers before a couple of the hairpins; you could stop it, drop it and pile on the throttle to get back out of the exit, with the Track mode traction control giving a comforting flash.
Near the end of the day, I was so comfortable with what the 990 was going do when I opened the throttle, that I was able to look ahead so much further without worrying about what was under my wheels. It unlocked the corner speed to a new level. Definitely a flow state at this point where my laziest laps felt like my fastest.
The trail breaking, the drive, the shifting of bike underneath me… it was just gorgeous, a joy enhanced by the little pops and rumbles that come from that twin and the Akro Exhaust. That joy extends when you get off it, the design gives it that wow factor that makes it stand out across the plethora of other school bikes.
I didn’t think I’d enjoy an orange bike this much, a privilege to be out on circuit with the School and lay down some rubber 🧡
