Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are purely of the author and not of the organisation ‘BikeAdvice’. The author confirms that he has no association with the bike maker and does not own any share of the brand or any of its subsidiaries.
KTM Duke 200 was the first ‘Orange‘ motorcycle to be launched in India and it took the market by storm! In fact it was then the most affordable motorcycle to give so much of adrenalin to the rider without costing a bomb. That was 2012. Enter circa 2016 and KTM is now a household name synonymous with performance. The 390s have taken the market by storm not just in India but the world over.
The smaller KTMs which include 8 motorcycles (Duke 125, RC 125, Duke 200, RC 200, Duke 250, RC 250, Duke 390 and RC 390), have literally helped the KTM brand emerge to new heights globally after their balance sheets went red a few years back. They are one of the largest selling motorcycle maker in Europe. Four years down the line, the range is all set to enter its second generation next year. So I think the time is opportune to talk about what I foresee as the brand’s way ahead in India.
I believe it is now the perfect time for KTM to discontinue the 200s in India and bring the 250s. The 250s were showcased first at the Tokyo Motor Show in March last year for the Japanese market (which has certain capacity and output restrictions). The 250 churns out 31 PS of power and 24 Nm of torque. While this motor has been re-sleeved from the 390’s mill, the Duke 250 and RC250 will be perfect for those who do not want the outright power of the 390s but find the 200s too tame. They even get slipper clutch, a feature missing in the 200s.
Thanks to a few reliable sources, we have also received a word that KTM may be planning to bring the 250s to India, replacing the 200s. Of course it is a possibility that KTM might bring just one of the 250s and keep one of the 200 on sale.
So will the 199.5 cc mill go waste? No, that’s where Bajaj comes in. I believe Bajaj will continue using this mill in the present crop of motorcycles they have and possibly bring more new motorcycles based on it. KTM can replicate this trend globally as well, considering the fact that the 200 cc platform is not a standard in any region. A 250 makes much more sense making it a perfect rival in the quarter liter/300cc segments. It helps when they have the most powerful 250 cc motor in the market.
Read More: 5 Sneaking Bits About KTM’s New 800cc Twin Including Power Output [Exclusive]
Of course the 390s, which have a 373.2 cc mono cylinder mill, will also get a refresh. The 390 family already leads the segment in terms of output, even when pitted against the significantly more expensive twin cylinder Japanese rivals. If they continue to add features the way they have done in every iteration, we do not see any real competition to this duo in the times to come…
