KTM entered the MotoGP premier class in 2017. Without a flagship sportbike in its supersport lineup, Team Orange didn’t have a production model to champion its Grand Prix innovations. That’s until the 2022 RC 8C hit the scene with MotoGP-derived tech and aesthetics. The limited-run, track-only model promised Moto2-style power and agility, but KTM isn’t resting on its past achievements with the revised 2023 RC 8C.
The fully-faired sportbike shares the same engine with the 890 Duke platform, but the Austrians take special measures with the race-ready variant. In the 2022 RC 8C, the LC8c engine cranked out 128 horsepower (compared to the 890 Duke’s 119 horsepower). The 2023 edition ups the ante with 135 horsepower (at 11,000 rpm) and 72.3 lb-ft of torque (at 8,250 rpm).
