Update 6.5.2020: This bike has SOLD in just 2 1/2 hours after posting! The seller has informed me the transaction is now complete. Congratulations to buyer and seller! Interested in your own Featured Listing? Get all the details! dc
KTM swerved into the Superbike world in 2008, and though not currently in their line-up, they are a singular V-twin experience. RSBFS reader Francisco has a very sharp first-year RC8 with just 6,875 miles.
2008 KTM RC8 #3 of 50 For Sale
KTM’s history is primarily off-road, and joining the superbike market in the late oughts left it no time for reverence to any past. The 1148cc engine is their advanced 75-degree V-twin, a fast-track design project with fuel injection, four valves per cylinder, three oil pumps, 12.5:1 compression and 152 hp ! The trellis chassis holds the engine from above, with a steel headstock, and the cast alloy swingarm pivots directly in the rearmost bosses. WP is a subsidiary of KTM and supplied the 43mm forks and adjustable monoshock. The alloy seat subframe is hidden, but the angular bodywork makes a lasting impression, especially in the company’s chosen orange and black.
Francisco is the original owner and has kept his RC8 perfectly, with the hard to find factory accessories. He has this to say about his RC8:
2008.5 Limited Edition KTM RC8 with under 6,900 miles. Number 3 of the first 50 RC8 bikes produced for North American delivery. It even comes with the commemorative metal plaque identifying it as #3 of 50. The bike is totally clean and completely stock. It only has 6,875 miles. It is registered in California. It has always been covered and garaged and is has been lovingly maintained. Never dropped. It comes with a factory tank bag, factory passenger pad, factory passenger pegs (never used) and the rare factory tail bag. I have all the original manuals and the original brochure. I have all the keys including the plastic key and the Key code card.
It runs great overall. As with any new first generation bike it had its problems initially, but I was fortunate to have the top KTM tech correct some early water pump problems this model had. Also, the low end gear changing when cold is not BMW smooth but loosens up once the bike warms up. The ride and handling are fantastic. The engine pulls like a tractor across a really wide power band and its stock exhaust sounds throaty and crisp. The adjustable suspension works great to give you a great tight feel across even the bumpiest of roads.
Of all the sports bikes I have owned I enjoyed the comfortable upright seating position of the RC8 the most. It really is a lot of fun to ride and you can even do long trips on it. I rode it to Laguna Seca a couple of times and I was never tired or sore. The bike is located in Thousand Oaks, California. Looking for someone to buy it that really wants it, not just someone looking for a deal.
Francisco asks $8,500 for his RC8.
KTM campaigned the RC8 with some success in World Superstock, and did well in regional superbike championships in Germany, Britain, and the AMA. Reviewers loved the handling and ergonomics, and the computer-aided design gave no quarter. The company bowed out of the superbike sweepstakes in 2015, likely to free up development resources for their return to MotoGP. KTM’s RC8 is a stand-out design, with the well-developed LC8 drivetrain, and though competitively priced when introduced, they’re a downright bargain these days. Francisco’s original and cared-for example is about as nice as they come.
-donn
