KTM is one brand for which the entire biking community is waiting eagerly and impatiently for. Since the day Bajaj Auto owned a 39 per cent stake with the Austrian major, the hype started on which model will the company launch for India. There was a time when all the media were publishing and posting the spy pics of KTM 125 Duke clicked here and there along Pune – Mumbai highway. (Fact being Bajaj’s manufacturing plant is located close-by in an locality called Chakan )When I went for the Ninja 650R’s launch to this plant in Pune, I did see a couple of Dukes being strolling along the roads and was surprised seeing this.
Then after quite some time, the company confirmed the fact this is for the European market exclusively and not for the Indian. Probably, this is when the company felt that Indian bikers are in need of a real powerful bike to quench their thirst. Then came the announcement from Bajaj that Duke 200 will launch in the near future targeting the Indian youth segment. Th9is had finally market an end to all the rumours that sounded to be never-ending at that point of time.In the meanwhile, I’d reviewed the Duke 125 in Singapore exclusively for BikeAdvice, thereby becoming one of the first very few sources to review this bike from India. That’s when I realized the real potential of KTMs. The overall quality appeared dramatically stunning with fit and finish offered high levels of attention offered. Despite the fact that it was just a 125 cc bike, the engine performance was remarkably convincing.
The design factor demands a special mention right here. This makes the KTM bikes stand unique from its erstwhile competitors. Thoroughly, a unique masterpiece. Now, it’s almost time for Bajaj to unveil this product for the Indian market. We’ve high hopes that the KTM Duke 200 will be revealed for the public in the upcoming Delhi Auto Expo 2012 to be held in the beginning of January.
The Dukes, across the globe are considered to be all – rounders and the Duke 125 which I tested personally clearly revealed this fact by being no exception to the above mentioned statement. The Duke 200 will be one of the bikes that Indian youth will ready be ready to get their hands on.
The point now is that KTM had added India in its global website. With the Duke 200’s launch just round the corner, this is really happy to see. Following the Duke 200, there are chances for the company to launch another model – KTM 350 by the end of next year or so.
Will KTM be the ‘Real’ bike that India is in need of? How’re we gonna perceive this European class bike? Will KTM burn it’s tyre in the Indian roads. We’ll have a great time watching this game.
Regards,
M.Naren.
Author – BikeAdvice.in
