Since joining MotoGP in 2017, KTM has gone from an afterthought in the premier class to an increasingly competitive force on the grid. Last year, the Ready To Race brand applied the knowledge and expertise gleaned from the development of its RC16 prototype racer to the creation of a limited edition non-road-legal ultra-high-performance superbike with the 890 Duke R-based RC 8C. And with all 100 units of the first batch having sold out in less than 5 minutes, the Austrian outfit has now opted to further develop the limited edition track-weapon for the latest model year, culminating in the new and heavily improved 2023 KTM RC 8C.
Like last year’s model, the 2023-spec was built in collaboration with Krämer Motorcycles and features an advanced powder-coated Chrome-moly tubular space frame paired with a subframe that houses the motorcycle’s 16-liter fuel cell. Powering the RC 8C is KTM’s LC8c (Liquid-Cooled 8-valve Compact) engine which revs at up to 12,000rpm while putting down 132.76hp and 72.2ft-lbs of torque. Alongside a bi-directional quick-shifter and a PASC slipper clutch, the parallel-twin also benefits from a race-spec PANKL oil cooler, lighter titanium valves and connecting rods, and a full titanium race-spec Akrapovič exhaust system with a carbon fiber silencer.
Running gear on the bike is all GP-grade equipment and includes WP APEX Pro suspension fore and aft, Dymag UP7X forged aluminum wheels shod in ultra-sticky Pirelli Diablo superbike slicks, and top-of-the-line Brembo braking hardware in the form of Stylema calipers and an RCS19 Corsa Corta master cylinder. Boasting a dry weight of only 313lbs, the 2023 RC 8C also gets a 5” TFT AiM MXS 1.2 race display with data-logging and GPS functions, color-coded GP-style switchgear, and RC16-derived, winglet-equipped bodywork crafted from carbon Kevlar. What’s more, on top of sporting adjustable throttle response, engine braking, traction control, launch control, and wheelie control, the 2023 RC 8C also allows riders to adjust and fine-tune other components such as its handlebars, rear-sets, steering head, and triple clamp offset.
Restricted to just 200 units worldwide, the 2023 KTM RC 8C Track-Only Superbike is available for order now, with pricing set at $39,599.
