Middleweight supersports are having a growth spurt—and it’s finally real. Yamaha’s all‑new YZF‑R9 lands with a bigger heart and a friendlier, road‑first temperament; KTM’s answer is the street‑homologated KTM 990 RC R, a twin‑cylinder scalpel aimed at everyday riders who still book track days.

Yamaha YZF‑R9, in brief. The bike uses the 890 cc CP3 three‑cylinder with a dedicated Supersport chassis. It carries fully adjustable KYB suspension, Brembo Stylema front calipers with a radial master cylinder and 320 mm dual discs, plus a six‑axis IMU that enables lean‑sensitive rider aids (TCS, Slide and Lift Control, and Brake Control). Wet weight is quoted at 430 lb (195 kg). On the road, that reads as light steering, real brakes, and electronics that quietly watch your back.

KTM 990 RC R, clearly named. This is the model we mean whenever we say “KTM” here: the KTM 990 RC R. It’s built around the EURO5+ LC8c parallel‑twin and, in KTM’s own materials, is rated at a claimed 130 PS and 103 Nm at 7,000 rpm. A steel frame with extra front‑end weight bias, a die‑cast aluminum subframe, fully adjustable WP APEX Open Cartridge suspension, adjustable footrests and a quickshifter that can be reversed for race‑shift underline the bike’s dual brief—street first, track serious. Michelin‑shod cast wheels and ergonomics shaped around the tank’s six contact points finish the package.

Racing context matters. Under WorldSSP’s ‘Next Generation’ balance, the Yamaha R9 was homologated for the 2025 season and won on debut at Phillip Island with Stefano Manzi. That result confirms the concept: bigger middleweights, carefully balanced, can race—and win.

Takeaway. The class is no longer a junior league. The Yamaha R9 makes real pace easy to access and live with day to day; the KTM 990 RC R brings the purposeful edge fans expect from Mattighofen while staying friendly enough for the commute. Bigger cubes, richer electronics, still wildly fun—and finally aligned with how people actually ride in 2025.