Just before Halloween, 2022, KTM pulled out all the tricks (and treats) it had up its sleeve when it revealed the 2023 RC 8C. Boasting even more horsepower than the 2022 version—135 ponies at 11,000 RPM, to be exact—it promised enthusiasts even more potential for fun than before.
The 2023 RC 8C’s performance-oriented revisions included titanium valves and connecting rods (for lightness, strength, and durability), a Pankl oil cooler, a full titanium Akrapovič exhaust system, and more. Only 200 would be made and sold worldwide, and the price would be set at $39,599—which is just $600 more than last year’s price.
How did the launch go? KTM offered the 2023 RC 8C for sale exclusively via its digital sales platform, asking those interested to put down a deposit on their bike as soon as sales opened. Team Orange reports that all 200 examples of its most finely-honed RC 8C track weapon yet sold out in a total of two minutes and 38 seconds.
Gallery: 2023 KTM RC 8C
Naturally, demand for this bike is quite high, so KTM has also set up a waiting list for it, just in case plans change for any of the 200 lucky people who secured their reservations. Additionally, the first 30 people who reserved their 2023 RC 8C will be invited to take delivery of their new machines at a special track day at Circuito Ricardo Tormo in Spain in April, 2023. At the track, they’ll also be able to receive on-track training from professional riders as well as in-person technical consultation from WP Suspension
The Krämer-built machine packs additional top-end componentry, including Brembo Stylema brake calipers, as well as a Brembo RCS19 Corsa Corta master cylinder. The wheels come shod in Pirelli Diablo slicks—after all, this is a track-exclusive machine. While it’s meant to offer high levels of performance on the track, KTM’s intention was also to present a machine that could do so “without needing overly sophisticated electronics or unobtainable tools in the pits.” So, while $40K for a bike isn’t exactly cheap, it’s a downright bargain if you think about it in terms of what race machines cost—never mind what it takes to work on them.
If you missed out this time around, you could sign up for the waiting list or, of course, wait to see what the next generation of RC 8C development (assuming there is another one, that is) brings.
