Just like the Ninja 650R, KTM Duke also is creating immense expectations amidst the Indian biker community. To begin with, KTM is an Austrian manufacturer. It makes exclusive dirt bikes, touristers, 4 models of naked bikes and 2 super bikes, apart from 2 models of ATVs and 3 sports car named X-bow (pronounced as ‘CrossBow’).
The KTM Duke 125 is a ready to use track bike bearing all the desired racing characteristics. The bike is manufactured in India by Bajaj Auto. This would be another brand brought to India under Bajaj’s umbrella. The company would launch the new version of 125 cc KTM Duke simultaneously in India and Brazil within next few months. Bajaj said that 99% of the components used to manufacture Duke would be procured locally and would be manufactured at the company’s Chakan plant in Maharashtra.
In an interview, when asked about KTM Duke, Mr.Bajaj said, “Initially we had planned to manufacture about 1100 KTMs every month. But encouraging response during a survey made by us changed our plans. We have now decided to make about 2,000 KTMs per month. It would be a different kind of motorcycle”.
Why KTM Duke Costs so Much (~1.5 Lakhs!)
Now, the ultimate reason for me to come up with this write-up is the fact that there are frequent questions by our dear readers on why would one be interested in paying around a lakh and a half of Rupees for a mere 125cc motorbike.
As mentioned earlier, the Duke is a ready to use track bike. Its lightweight frame enables great performance in the race track. The frame of KTM Duke125 weighs 124kg bearing a lightweight tubular space frame which forms an integrated part in almost all the KTMs. This enables a great cornering experience for the riders.
KTM Duke possesses an upside down fork manufactured exclusively for these bikes by WP Suspension. This equipment offers higher level of racing experience by offering high levels of stability at high speeds.
The alloy wheels manufactured by Duke for this model are also light in weight. It is 17 inches cast light alloy wheels with a 110mm wide front tyre and 150mm tyre at the rear. This enhances the road grip which is very essential for any sport bike.
Above all, the disc brakes are from Brembo. The world leader in brakes, be it for car or for bikes. A 280mm, 4 piston, radially bolted caliper is installed at the front. For the rear, it is a single piston, floating calliper with a disc of 230mm.
The light alloy swingarm with directly linked WP shock absorber excels with extreme torsional stiffness and outstanding tracking stability is another highlight of this bike.
The digital speedometer cluster is named by the KTM as ‘Cockpit’. It is a multi function, fully digital cluster bearing all the essential details required by the user regarding the bike. This bike is equipped with a 6 speed manual gearbox.
The Awesome 125cc Engine
The heart of this bike is a 4 stroke, single cylinder, liquid cooled engine with twin overhead camshafts. Also, this bike is fuel – injected in nature. The KTM Duke 125 is capable of developing a peak output of 11kW. For instance, the Yamaha Gladiator which was chosen as the Best Bike in the 125cc segment last year is capable of producing a maximum output of 8kW, which is 3 in number less than the KTM Duke125. Also, the balancer shaft equipped with this bike provides high levels of smoothness to the ride.
The eye-catcher of KTM Duke125 is its small sized silencer. It is three chambered and is positioned very close to the bike’s centre of gravity. Technically, this has a direct impact on the handling of this bike.
The fuel tank can hold 11 litres of petrol. It is designed in such a way that proper knee contact is provided by the rider which is very essential for any rider when being in the track.
The Head Turning Looks
To mention about the exterior look of the bike, it has no mud guards or flaps at the rear. Moreover, since being equipped with mono suspension, the bike looks really gorgeous. The design of the alloy adds up to the beasty looks, giving it a rough look, which no other track bike possesses.
The headlamp bears no fairing like any other naked bike in the market. The headlamp is designed in such a way that it is narrowed sharply as it goes down.
Now, probably you would have a better idea on the KTM Duke125 and a better understanding on why this bike deserves such a hefty sum of money. Besides, using this bike in the track, its features enable it to be used as a comfortable tourister as well.
Here is the detailed specification list of KTM Duke125:
Engine type : Single cylinder, 4-stroke
Displacement : 124.7 cc
Bore : 58mm
stroke : 47.2 mm
Power : 11 kW (15 PS ) @ 9,500/min
Torque : 12 Nm @ 8.000/min
Compression ratio : 12.7:1
Cooling : Liquid cooled
Lubrication : Wet sump
Transmission : 6 gears
Primary drive : 72:22
Final drive : 14:45
Clutch : Wet multi-disc clutch, mechanically operated
Fuel system : Bosch EFI
Silencer : Stainless steel silencer
Starter : Electric starter
Battery : 12V 6Ah
Frame : Steel trellis frame, powder coated
Sub frame : Steel
Handlebar : Aluminium, tapered, 26/22 mm
Front suspension / suspension travel : WP-USD Ø 43 mm / 150 mm
Rear suspension / suspension travel : WP-Monoshock / 150 mm
Front brake : Four piston, radially bolted caliper, brake disc 280 mm
Rear brake : Single piston, floating caliper, brake disc 230 mm
Wheels front/rear : Cast aluminium wheels 3.00 x 17″/ 4.00 x 17″
Tyres front/rear : 110/70 R 17; 150/60 R 17
Chain : X-Ring 5/8 x 1/4″
Steering head angle : 65°
Wheel base : 1350 mm
Ground clearance : 185 mm
Seat height : 810 mm
Tank capacity : 11 Liters (Approx)
Weight : 124 kg (Approx)
Regards,
M.Naren.
Author – BikeAdvice.in
