KTM superfan 3D prints parts to transform road bike into MotoGP replica

KTM superfan and content creator Jonathan Bello has 3D printed body parts to transform his 1390 Super Duke into a replica of the brand’s RC16 MotoGP bike.

Exotic road-going replicas of MotoGP bikes are a rare breed, with Ducati releasing the Desmosedici RR in 2006 and Honda producing the RC213V-S in 2015.

KTM has yet to dip its toe into this water, with the Austrian brand’s sportsbike offering in general very minimal.

So, American content creator and KTM fan Jonathan Bello elected to take matters into his own hands and transform his 1390 Super Duke into an RC16 replica.

He did so by 3D printing complete bodywork aping that of the RC16, complete with wings on the front fairing and the wid air intake seen on the front of the MotoGP bike.

The rest of the 1390 remains the same, with the most notable departures from the RC16 visually being the chassis, the fuel tank and front and rear wheel sections of the machine.

Bello has asked his followers to help in naming the bike, with he has so far dubbed Project RC16.

The bike is yet to see its track debut, but Bello is a competitor in the PanAmerican Superbike series and could bring his wild creation there.

KTM stepped into MotoGP in 2017 with a factory effort after years of providing machinery in the lower categories of grand prix racing.

By the end of 2018 it had scored its first MotoGP podium and in 2020 scored three victories (one for Brad Binder and two for Miguel Oliveira).

Recent times have been a struggle for KTM, with its form dropping away at the start of the year while the company at the same time navigated its way through a financial crisis.

Coming under new majority ownership from Indian shareholder Bajaj Auto in the spring, KTM’s future looks brighter.

In MotoGP, after 16 rounds, Pedro Acosta currently sits fifth in the standings having made a return to the podium in recent races.