Kiwi Rider November Vol.2 2022 | Page 15

8c , with a WP APEX PRO 7643 closed cartridge 43mm front fork and the WP APEX PRO 7746 shock bolting in for duty . According to KTM , this is the lightest and most advanced kit in the WP portfolio and is manufactured purely for racing . KTM and WP have reworked the base setting of the KTM RC 8C to be slightly softer than previously seen on the RC 8c with the result from the tinkering being enhanced feedback ( especially for bumpy track conditions ) and more pitch to assist quicker corner entry . The front fork has a new spring guide , a split system with rebound on the right and compression on the left and a new separation piston with X-ring for less friction and more rapid response . The shock also has a new high and low speed compression adjuster with a wave spring . There ’ s also a WP APEX PRO 7117 steering damper can be adjusted through a range of 30 clicks . Hauling it all to a halt is Brembo ’ s mega Stylema calipers with fluid pumped through an RCS19 Corsa Corta master cylinder . Tech wise , the 2023 RC 8C gets a revamped dashboard with GPS data-logger which will flash-up the lap-record attempts while the KTM RC16 derived handlebar switches put the rider ’ s left thumb in full control while the left foot hammers through the reverse pattern of the race QUICKSHIFTER +. KTM only plans to build 200 examples of the 2023 KTM RC 8C and each model will come with a special serial number stamped onto the triple clamp . Orders can be made only through the dedicated page on ktm . com . If you either can ’ t wait for the 2023 or miss out on one of the 200 bikes produced , KTM New Zealand ’ s Manager , Patrick Stafford , informed KR that there are currently three bikes of the 2022 Oceania allotment still available . “ With the 100 MY22 [ RC 8C ] last year , they were sold out within four minutes and , due to a communication error , Oceania missed out ,” he said . “ So an additional run of 25 of that first model were built just for Oceania which just arrived in the last week . We still have three of those available – price $ 61,999 plus delivery .” A hefty discount and a bit of a cool story behind the bike ? That sounds good to us .
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