Is The KTM 125 Duke Right For You?

The KTM 200 Duke has been the gateway into the Austrian manufacturer’s range in India ever since its launch in January 2012. For almost seven years, the bike gave us our first taste of what to expect from KTM. It brought in a new wave of motorcyclists who were wowed by the way she went like the wind. Bikes which offered similar performance were nearly double the price. However, seven years later now in the last few days of 2018, KTM has launched the ABS version of the motorcycle at Rs 1.60 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The entry point was becoming a bit too costly for many to swallow, especially considering that the bike is virtually unchanged from 2012 apart from some minor tweaks. KTM India needed a bike to step in and again occupy that sweet spot of Rs 1.15 lakh-1.20 lakh that the 200 originally retailed at. Enter the 125 Duke.

Let's just get a few facts about the 125 Duke out there to get you up to speed. The 125 Duke looks just the 200, with near-identical specs. It gets a small 125cc heart that makes 14.5PS and 12Nm. The rest of the chassis as well as components such as the MRF Revz rubber, WP USD forks, single-channel ABS and lightweight alloy rims, remain the same as the 200 Duke and thus weighs only 148 kilos wet. It has got a phenomenal power to weight ratio and will surely give the likes of the 160cc motorcycles a good run for their money. It has an introductory price of Rs 1.18 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi.

Getting to matter at hand, who will the 125 Duke be best suited for? For starters, since the 125 Duke is the cheapest KTM in India, for those who want the brand’s racy and sporty aura but weren’t willing to shell out over a lakh and a half rupees for it, this would fit the bill just fine.

The performance is not going to be ridiculous. It might be peaky but the small motor makes an honest 14PS. It is a nice way to get used to what a KTM can do, should you have aspirations of owning a bigger KTM sometime in the future. It will act as a great learner’s bike for the budding enthusiast. Getting to grips with what a performance-oriented motorcycle can do (in terms of power delivery, handling and more importantly braking) will be better learnt on the 125 Duke.

It would also be an easier way to for the college-going kid to convince his parents to buy him a KTM which does not have manic power. Also the point that it would be more convenient in a cash-strapped situation would please most kids as well as parents alike.