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KTM Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings will simply unstoppable in 2018. On his way to his first MXGP world championship, the 24 year old Dutchman claimed 17 Grand Prix wins out of the 19 he rode in and only dropped 17 championship points all year.

Herling’s talent is undoubtable and aboard his KTM 450 SX-F, the KTM team believe this is just the beginning of what could be one of the greatest careers in MX history.

With KTM’s Group VP of Offroad Robert Jonas saying, “He started this year in top shape. I still think Jeffrey is ‘growing’ and hasn’t reached his full potential.”

Jeffrey has tasted the kind of success that most 24 year olds can only dream of, but he remains surprisingly humble, passing the praise for his accomplishments onto his loyal team at every opportunity.

KTM recently interviewed KTM German Team Manager Dirk Gruebel for the inside scoop on what it took for Herlings to blow away the competition in 2018.

Ok, how did Jeffrey make the difference over the others in 2018?

Rival teams are no longer talking about winning in MXGP, rather “catching Herlings” … “You know, Jeffrey made some big mistakes in 2017 and coming into his first season of MXGP. Maybe he was a little bit wrong from the off because guys who moved up before him from MX2 were champion right away [Romain Febvre in 2015 and Tim Gajser in 2016] so for him it was a ‘done deal’ and he ‘had’ to be world champion. I think there were riders who were keen to make it tough for him because he’d smoked them in MX2. I think it was payback time in the 2017 pre-season internationals already and people were closing the door on him and being a bit harder than normal in my opinion … but it was to be expected because he was the greenhorn and there were people who wanted to show him the way, at least that’s how it looked from the outside. For sure he was not on the same fitness level as this year and it took a while to find his lines and his way. He learned. The starts were a big problem and we developed those with him. He’s a maniac now with those, especially during the week. I doubt anybody puts in as much practice as him and he’s improved a lot; top five lately and mostly top two. Within a couple of corners he is first and then it is all about the incredible pace he sets from the first lap until the last which is not possible for most of these riders. Tony tries his best and does really good but it is such a high level that even he struggles to stay with him. If they battle each other then there is usually a gap of thirty-forty seconds to the next guy in third and that’s not normal for this sport.”

To read the full interview, visit origina blog post on KTM’s website here: https://blog.ktm.com/how-did-herlings-make-2018-possible/

 

 

Husqvarna continued its impressive return to the world of street bikes at EICIMA in Milan, unveiling the new Svartpilen 701 model.

The Isle of Man has a rich motorcycle history, thanks mostly to the TT which is now in its 111th year. Outside of the annual 60KM mountain race, the Isle of Man provides the perfect playground for motorcycle touring and exploring.

TT Legend and former British Superbike rider Michael Rutter, recently unleashed the  KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE GT on the islands winding, mountain roads, producing one of the most inspiring KTM videos of the year.

When interviewed about the trip and the KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE GT, Michael explained:

“The GT is a world away from what I usually ride, I was amazed by the performance – particularly the engine; the torque and drive is phenomenal. Very impressive. Comfort is a big factor; the seat and bar position were spot-on at speed on track and on the road.

For a bike designed to tackle a variety of riding types – having a blast and all-day touring – it works fantastically in all situations, even ridden hard on the fast and bumpy Jurby circuit. Best of all, it has heated grips – a big thing for all year riders and even for summer in the UK!”

You can watch the full video over on KTM’s official blog here: https://blog.ktm.com/isle-of-man-gt/

 

 

Copyright: © KTM Images

KTM have announced the release of two new riding jackets, fitted with airbags. The jackets, made in partnership with Alpinestars, are the first airbag jackets to not require a system to be fitted to the riders bike. 

Named the Managua GTX Tech-Air and Durban GTX Tech-Air, the jackets are fully breathable, waterproof and windproof thanks to the outer material being made of Gore-Tex. 

The Durban GTX is designed for light offroad riding as well as the street, with features including a micro-fleece removable lining, zippered air intakes and storage space for a 2 litre bladder hydration system. 

The KTM designed airbag system is like nothing else on the market. The airbags are easily armed with the closing of a zip. They're fully removable and they activate in 25 milliseconds keeping the rider protected when they need it most. 

All of these highlight features are summarized in the official product video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgjAFZf8q7k&feature=youtu.be

The jackets are expected to be available to buy in early 2019. For information about the jackets and the rest of KTM's extensive Power Wear and Power Parts range, visit our showroom, browse online or give our team a call on +44 (0) 1684 292929.

 

 

 

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Copyright: © Ray Archer/KTM Images

MXGP World Champion Jeffrey Herlings ended his 2018 campaign aboard his KTM 450 SX-F, with his 17th victory of the year at Imola for the Grand Prix of Italy. The final round of the FIM Motocross World Championship also saw Jorge Prado win for the second GP in a row and celebrate his first MX2 title aboard his KTM 250 SX-F.

Herlings was, once again, untouchable at the hard packed Imola circuit. On Saturday he won every session, taking the Qualification Heat victory for the thirteenth time this season. And on Sunday, the champion showed his superiority by taking both Moto chequered flags. 

Herlings has been head and shoulders above the rest competition all year long, describing his successful season he said "It has been a great experience, a great year and great memories. I especially want to thank my team. If you look to the statistics then it has been pretty unbelievable and almost an indescribable year. It will be hard to accomplish again I think."

The icing on the cake for the KTM Factory Racing team came, when the Spanish sensation, Jorge Prado became one of the youngest ever FIM World Champions, after securing his 12th Grands Prix win of the season. Aboard his KTM 250 SX-F, the young spaniard easily won the Qualification Heat and on Sunday, infront of a raucous crowd, took both Moto wins. 

The World Champion Bikes

KTM 450 SX-F

Herlings has pushed the limits of motocross all season long. Aboard the KTM 450 SX-F, time and time again he's found the extra power and handling ability to rise above the competition. KTM claimed that this is the fastest motocross ever built, and it only takes one look at Herlings' dominate 2018 record to realise they were telling the truth. 

KTM 250 SX-F

The KTM 250 SX-F is light, agile and fast. Jorge Prado, at just seventeen years old was able to tame some of the world's most difficult circuits aboard this KTM machine. The bike inspires confidence. Even when you open the throttle, you feel in control. 

Ride a champion

KTM's 2018 SX-F range has produced some special results this year. Two FIM World Champions and numerous age group champs have reaped the rewards of riding the best motocross bikes on the market. If you'd like to feel the the unrivalled performance of a KTM motocross bike, visit our showroom and see the range for yourself.

British lad Billy Bolt has claimed another podium finish at the latest World Enduro Super Series event at Hawkstone Park, propelling him to the top of WESS standings. 

The latest PowerWear Casual & Accessories range features everything from bikes to bags, hoodies to hats, mugs to mats, shades to shoes and watches to wallets.

With 74 hp, advanced electronics and a state-of-the-art chassis, the 145 kg 701 Supermoto captures the thrill of the race track and brings the pure riding essence of Supermoto to the street.

KTM has demonstrated its commitment to improving safety for motorcyclists and reducing accidents as the first motorcycle manufacturer to demonstrate Adaptive Cruise Control and Blind Spot Detection systems.