KTM updated the Duke 200 and the Duke 250 earlier this year and it was only about time when the baby Duke 125 received the new Duke family design language. This new design theme started with the KTM 390 Duke in 2017 and now with the Duke 125, the entire Duke family follows the same design philosophy. The new BS6 KTM Duke 125 has been launched in the country for a price of INR 1.50 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The updated motorcycle has already reached all KTM dealerships across the country and bookings too have opened.
The new KTM Duke 125 is now INR 8,000 more
expensive when compared to the older version. It does however bring in quite a
few updates to justify that premium in price. The updates are in fact similar
to the ones the Duke 200 received earlier this year. It now gets the new
headlamp unit seen on the Duke 200 with halogen bulbs and LED DRLs. The body
panels have also been completely revised with new sharper tank extensions and a
split trellis frame.
The Duke 125 now also gets a larger fuel
tank at 13.5-litres but the instrument console remains the same as before with
the LCD unit. The new Duke 125 gets its own new dedicated set on graphics and
is available in two color options - Electronic Orange and Ceramic White. The
new split trellis frame has however altered the ergonomics of the motorcycle a
little bit. The rider's triangle should be a little more relaxed and that
should make it even more comfortable in the city. The seat height however has
gone up by 5mm, now measuring at 823mm.
Kerb weight of the motorcycle has also
gone up by 7 kg, the motorcycle now weighing in at 159 kg. The powerplant
however remains unchanged, It continues to be powered by a 124.7cc
single-cylinder, liquid cooled engine that pushes out 14.5 hp and 12 Nm of peak
torque. The engine comes mated to a 6-speed transmission. The wheels, brakes,
USD front fork and monoshock are the same as before. The damping however could
be softer than before as was experienced with the updated Duke 200.
The motorcycle continues to be wrapped
with MRF tires on the 17-inch alloy wheels. The BS6 KTM Duke 125 does not have
any direct rival and remains the sole sporty 125cc street naked. It is also
quite a lot expensive for a 125cc motorcycle and in terms of price, it even
treads into the territory of larger 150cc or even 200cc street naked
motorcycles like the Honda Hornet 2.0, TVS Apache RTR 200 4V, Bajaj Pulsar
NS200 and the Yamaha MT-15.