KTM 125 Duke bookings open ahead of the launch in India

Several dealerships in Mumbai and Pune have started accepting bookings for the KTM 125 Duke at a token amount of INR 1,000.

As reported earlier and communicated by dealers, the 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 (11 kW) 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.

Also Read: KTM 790 Duke to launch in India by December 2018?

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.