KTM has added a new member in its RC family in India with the launch of RC 160. Priced at Rs 1.85 lakh ex showroom, this is now KTM’s smallest fully faired sportbike on sale from KTM in the country. It sits just above the 160 Duke in pricing and brings proper race bike styling to a more accessible level.
At first glance, the RC 160 does not appear to be small at all. It shares its sharp design and aggressive position with the RC 200 and 390. The full fairing, low clip on handlebars and compact tail section give it the right track bike feel. If you like motorcycles that look fast even when standing still, the RC 160 fits that bill well.
Underneath the bodywork, the bike uses a trellis frame. Suspension duties are to be carried out by 37mm inverted forks at the front and a monoshock at the rear. KTM has kept the set up sporty, so the bike should feel stable and confident at higher speeds. It rolls on 17 inch alloy wheels with tubeless tyres.
Braking is taken care of by a 320mm front disc and a 230mm rear disc. Dual channel ABS is standard, and and it also gets Supermoto mode, which allows some slip of the rear wheels for sporty riding. This is something usually seen on bigger KTMs so it is nice to see it here too.
Power is provided by a 164.2cc liquid cooled single cylinder engine. It generates 19 PS at 9500 rpm and 15.5 Nm torque at 7500 rpm. The motor likes to rev and go all the way up to 10,200 rpm. The power is transferred to the rear wheel via a 6 speed gearbox paired with an assist and slipper clutch. KTM claims a top speed of 118 kmph.
Some of the important features on the RC 160 include
- Trellis frame, with full fairing
- Inverted front forks, rear monoshock
- Dual channel ABS + Supermoto mode
- Assist and slipper clutch
- LCD instrument console
- Full LED lighting
- 13.75 litre metal fuel tank
Unlike the Duke 160 TFT variant, , the RC 160 uses an LCD display instead of a colour screen. It still displays all essential information well and the TA variant adds navigation support.
For now, the RC 160 is available in just one colour option. It comes in black with white and orange graphics. More colours are anticipated in the future.
The KTM RC 160 is for riders who want the look and feel of a proper sportbike, but don’t want to jump straight to higher capacities. It maintains the racing attitude but keeps it usable and approachable. For many young riders, this may be the first actual step into KTM’s RC world.