KTM RC 8C Track Weapon Is Highly MotoGP Reminiscent

KTM has been doing pretty good this year in MotoGP, with a total of 4 riders competing on their bikes. Iker Lecuona is 21st in the overall series rankings, Danilo Petrucci is 17th, while Brand Binder is 9th. But their fastest rider this year hails from Portugal, and his name is Miguel Oliveira. He's 7th at the moment, and he's not far behind Maverick Viñales, who's riding a Yamaha.

Naturally, being that heavily involved in MotoGP wasn't going to render brand recognition alone. KTM has been learning a lot from their World Championship venture, even though they've only been at it since 2017. So their newest bike just goes to show that they've been paying attention. KTM has named it the RC 8C, and that's a good hint as to what kind of engine this is based on.

If like me, you're already drooling over the official pictures provided by KTM, you might be saddened by the fact that this is not going to be a road-going motorcycle. Built around the LC8c engine, a version of which can be found on the KTM 890 Duke R, the RC 8C is a racing prototype. And as with any racing motorcycle, the manufacturer emphasizes the efforts that were made to keep the weight down to just 308 lbs (140 kg).

So the fairings aren't just visually reminiscent of the KTM RC16 racer with their high-speed stability winglets, they're also made out of lightweight GRP and carbon-Kevlar. KTM developed this "highly focused track weapon" in partnership with Krämer Motorcycles. Amateur track riders that will be fortunate enough to have a go at this, will be able to feel unprecedented levels of excitement.

And KTM promises all that and more, without you having to employ an army of engineers and mechanics for maintenance. So far so good, although some of you may be tempted to say that 128 horsepower and 74 lb-ft (101 Nm) of torque is not nearly enough. But then again, this has a near 1:1 power to weight ratio! With a bike built to this level, there are a lot of fine-tuning and adjustments you can opt for, depending on the track layout, grip levels, and personal riding preferences.

The list of features available on this bike is overwhelming, to say the least. Well, at least for anyone who hasn't got gas in their veins instead of blood. But you should be aware of the fact that this isn't going to be a production series motorcycle. Pre-orders will start on the 22nd of July, at 4 PM CEST, and KTM has announced that they will only be hand-building 100 units all in all!

If you want to be part of an even more exclusive group, 25 customers will have the opportunity of joining the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing test team at a once-off event. There, you will get to meet the likes of Dani Pedrosa and Mika Kallio, and you might learn a thing or two about how you're supposed to take on Circuito de Jerez. Sounds like KTM has got all this figured out, and I'm sure that no price tag will be able to keep future customers away from this bike.