KTM 125 Duke will launch in India in November
2018. KTM dealers in Mumbai and Pune have revealed that the bike would cost
around INR 20,000 to INR 30,000 lower than the KTM 200 Duke. In the past, KTM
India has denied any possibility of the 125 Duke launching in India.
The international-spec KTM 125 Duke comes with a full
LED headlight, TFT Colour Display for the instrument cluster and sticky
Metzeler tyres. The styling is precisely similar to the KTM 390 Duke, which
includes the new metal tank with extensions, a separate rear sub-frame and
raised tail section.
With the new safety norms coming into effect from 1
April 2019, prices of all two-wheelers above 125 cc will climb as ABS will be
made mandatory, while those below 125 cc are mandated to have a relatively
affordable combined braking system (CBS).
The company could introduce the 125 Duke as an
entry-point KTM offering in India, as the price of the KTM 200 Duke could go up
by up to INR 15,000 (currently priced at INR 1.52 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi).
However, to keep the 125 Duke’s price in check, KTM is likely to bring the bike
without the fancy LED headlights, TFT display and the Metzeler tyres among
others.
The KTM 125 Duke sources power from a 124.7 cc,
liquid-cooled, single-cylinder motor that is paired to a six-speed gearbox. The
fuel-injected engine is tuned to pump out 15 hp of maximum power at
9,500 rpm and a peak torque of 11.80 Nm at 8,000 rpm. Braking department is handled by
a 300 mm disc at the front and a 230 mm rotor at the back, with Bosch 9MB
dual-channel ABS as standard. The India-spec model is likely to feature a more
affordable combi-braking system (CBS) to comply with the upcoming safety norms
that will be mandatory from April 2019.
Suspension duties are shouldered by WP 43 mm
upside-down front forks and WP mono-shock at the back. The KTM 125 Duke is
manufactured in India at the Chakan facility in Pune and exported to the
company’s global markets, since 2011. We can expect a price tag of INR 1.25
lakh (ex-showroom), which will put it up against bikes like the Yamaha R15
V3.0, TVS Apache RTR 200 4V and the Yamaha FZ25.
