From Supermoto to Hillclimb: Ryan Hughes' bike has a new job

by MICHAEL POLLAK

Imagine, one day a supermoto bike is racing at Daytona or California Speedway and the next week its screaming up a gnarly hill. No, its not a transformer. Well, it happened to Ryan Hughes' Factory KTM 690 supermoto bike.

Team Peterson picked up Ryan Hughes' Factory KTM 690. It's a sweet bike complete with carbon fiber body work. I caught up with World Motorcycle Hillclimb Champ Robie Peterson to ask him about it.

Robie said when they got the bike it actually didn't feel that good to him. He ended up sticking with his regular bike. They went through a lot of testing over the winter off season. The result, a formidable hillclimb weapon. Just how good was it? Well, it was the bike Robie rode in France to take home the 2007 World Championship.

What a turn of events. It just goes to show what a championship team like Team Peterson can do. You might think there would be nothing to converting a supermoto bike to a hillclimb bike. Actually, there are many differences. The desirable power characteristics and suspension set up of a street racer are different than those desired for hillclimbing. That's why Robie didn't feel good on the bike right off the bat. They messaged the right characteristics out of the bike and got an awesome hillclimb rocket.

You know, don't we all dream of getting to ride a one-off factory racer just once? I know I do. Only one of these bikes was made and now it belongs to Team Peterson.

Robie competes in the NAHA Pro Motorcycle Hillclimb series in the 700 class with this bike. He continues to post great rides and win races with this Factory KTM 690.

How much horsepower does it put out? I'm glad you asked. When Robie took over the bike it put out about 85 horsepower. Wow, that's a lot of power. But, that was not good enough. Team Peterson added a Boondocker nitrous system and now the bike pumps out a whopping 130 horsepower, not to mention it sounds like thunder when its screaming up a hill.

Just imagine rocketing up a rough hill on a bike thumping out 130 horsepower! What a ride that would be. In fact it was just the ticket to assist Robie in sweeping all three classes at the Glen Helen Hillclimb this last April.

Mike Pollak, Inside Moto Hillclimb

P.S.Visit http://www.insidemotohillclimb.com for exciting free videos and photos of hillclimb action along with interviews of World Champ Robie Peterson and teammate Bret Peterson. You won't want to miss it!