This Is The KTM 125 Duke’s Nemesis From China

Remember Hanway Motorcycles? Yes, the Chinese brand that spawned the Royal Enfield Himalayan doppelganger we fondly called the Chimalayan. The brand has launched its new 125cc motorcycle, the NK 125 Furious (Online Pista 125) in Europe, and if it ever debuts in India, will certainly make the KTM 125 Duke sweat.

The Hanway NK 125 Furious dons a completely new look for 2021. Replacing the BMW G 310 R-inspired headlight is now a full LED unit that does justice to its ‘Furious’ nametag. Hanway has even redesigned the 13.5-litre fuel tank to look chiselled, with extensions similar to the 125 Duke.

• Zig Opinion: Dear Yamaha, Why You Do This?
• CFMoto’s Neo-Retro Beauty Will Have You Drooling
• Royal Enfield Meteor 350 - Introduction & 1,500km report

The Chinese manufacturer hasn’t just borrowed styling cues from the Asutrian brand. Hanway has equipped the NK 125 Furious with a full colour TFT display which is eerily similar to the unit seen on the KTM 390 Duke. In fact, it even has the same layout and the Light and Dark modes, complete with Bluetooth connectivity.

 

Complimenting the aggressive styling is the new Euro5-compliant single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine that delivers 15PS at 10,000rpm, which is the maximum permissible for a bike of this segment. Considering that the 125 Duke makes 14.95PS at 9250rpm, the Hanway does a fine job. The Hanway NK 125 Furious features a USD fork and a preload-adjustable monoshock. A 280mm disc up front and a 240mm disc, aided by dual-channel ABS take care of braking. Yes, unlike most Chinese bikes, Hanway hasn’t gone overboard with dual discs and beefy forks.

The Hanway NK 125 Furious is priced at EUR 3,399 (Rs 2.52 lakh) in Germany, while the KTM 125 Duke carries a price tag of EUR 5,350 (Rs 3.97 lakh). With a price difference of almost EUR 2,000 (Rs 1.48 lakh), the NK 125 offers more performance and almost the same equipment as the KTM. While the bike makes perfect sense in Europe, it wouldn't be as cheap in India, and certainly couldn’t match the KTM’s Rs 1.61 lakh (ex-showroom) price tag.