Is KTM 125 Duke really overpriced? Know the Facts

The 125 CC Duke is an entry level premium mass market bike from the Austrian brand KTM.

Currently, the KTM Duke 125 price stands at Rs. 2, 06,473. Most bikers would point out that the price is quite steep for a 125 CCC bike. But should one justify the price of a bike based on its engine’s displacement?

Experts say no.

One must always remember that, unlike other mass market bike brands, KTM offers read-to-race and track ready motorcycles. The same DNA is carried by the Duke 125.

The following sections will enunciate the several aspects of the bike that justifies the current KTM price in India.

Its engine is known for its best-in-class performance

KTM has equipped the bike with a 124 CC, BS6-compliant engine built from scratch and meant for the Indian market. The engine has a single-cylinder and is fuel-injected. To keep the high-performance engine cool, an efficient liquid-cooling system is also part of the OEM package.

The engine is tuned to produce 14.3 bhp of peak power. On the other hand, the peak torque produced by the engine is 12Nm. In terms of overall performance, experts can plot the same in a linear graph. A performance-oriented engine with a linear power delivery means that this bike is ideal for new riders. 

The best part about the engine is the mid-range. The engine is rev-happy hence it has a 9500 RPM redline! One can cross the 100 KMPH mark in no time. The bike is electronically limited to achieve 112 KMPH top speed.

The transmission married to the engine is smooth-shifting and has six precision engineered gears. The precise gear ratios allow the rider to use every BHP and Nm of the engine.

The bike looks and feels premium

The latest iteration of the bike comes with visual elements that enhanced its road presence. In simple words, the latest aesthetic revisions allow the bike to look similar to its sibling, the KTM Duke 200.

The bike is a semi-naked streetfighter with a partially exposed subframe. The fuel tank design is muscular. The fuel tank is also equipped with two impressively designed shrouds bolted onto its side.

The rear section of the bike has a stubby look that enhances the appeal factor of the bike by many folds. To achieve this look, the Trellis subframe had to be re-engineered as well.

The OEM packaging for the bike is unmatched as well

The Duke 125 is a feature-loaded motorcycle.

The headlamp unit now boasts a sharper look and comes with an integrated LED DRL. Every lamp on the bike such as its turn indicators, and tail lamp unit, is illuminated by LEDs. 

The suspensions on the bike are from the WP Apex series. The front suspension is an inverted fork unit. The rear suspension is a preload-adjustable monoshock. 

The LED instrument cluster unit now comes with an orange backlight and is programmed to offer essential ride-related information. 

The bike has a ride quality that is second to none!

The riding triangle is aggressively designed that would keep the rider in an aggressive stance. This can prove to be a bit uncomfortable on long rides. But city commutes will be a breeze thanks to rear set footpegs and the raised handlebar. 

Ample inner thigh support is available for the rider. The redesigned seats now boast extra padding and contours. 

The overall suspension setting is set on the harder side in a bid to keep the bike planted at high speeds. A stiff suspension setting also helps keep the bike stable when the rider tackles a corner at high speed.

Engine refinements were an issue when the bike was launched. But the latest iteration of the Duke 125 has a quieter engine. But that doesn’t mean that the hooligan-like character of the engine is lost!

Verdict

The Duke 125 is a feature-loaded, impressively styled, and performance-oriented motorcycle. Hence, the price is justified. To learn more about the bike, riders should test ride the bike and decide for themselves.