It was still dark when Hibiscus Coast’s Logan Rowell headed south for a day he’d been waiting months for – his first chance to ride his brand-new KTM RC8C.

After bad weather cancelled his session at Hampton Downs the week before, this trackday at Manfeild’s Chris Amon Circuit was his only shot before the bike would be stripped down for race prep.

The winter chill was biting, just 4°C at the start, and the track was still damp from overnight rain.

Rather than risk damage, Logan skipped the first few sessions, waiting for the sun to work its magic.

His first cautious laps confirmed it was worth holding back – the cold surface was slippery, making the bike twitch and slide.

Photo: Jarod Carruthers Photography

Later in the morning, with the circuit drier, he began to ease the bike through its paces.

Even keeping the revs low to protect the engine, the difference from last season’s machine was huge.

The RC8C felt light and precise, with power that made him grin inside his helmet.

“The trackday meant a lot to me because it gave me a chance to have some seat time on the new bike and start to get a bit more familiar rather than head straight into racing with no idea how the bike would feel,” Logan said.

“It was also super beneficial because I was able to run the bike in earlier, allowing me to focus more on bike setup when we get to Round 1 of the Auckland Motorcycle Club championship.”

That first round is up next, with more testing and setup changes planned across two full days on track.

Logan says none of this would be possible without KTM New Zealand, Double Six Motorsport, MTF Finance Silverdale, his dad, and all the local support backing his racing dream.

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