KTM’s market is huge in India. Whether we talk about the KTM Duke 200 or KTM RC 390, there is a huge fan following of all KTM bikes in India. Recently, KTM updated their fully-faired motorcycle series, known as the KTM RC series. Now to keep their line updated with the naked Duke series, KTM has decided to start with their smaller motorcycle series that is with the KTM Duke 125. The updated Duke 125 was recently spotted testing abroad. Let’s take a look at the changes.
What to expect
From the front, the most noticeable change is the headlights and headlight housing. The headlights are now available with dual LED lights. The housing around the headlight is beefier now. The tank also seems to be larger than before. It has not much changed from the side. The alloys are updated, taking inspiration from its bigger sibling. the KTM RC390. At the rear, there is not much change but the taillight seems to be updated with a new design.
There are a lot of changes mechanically. Starting with the frame, the frame has been changed to the trellis frame that gets more crossbeams than the current-gen KTM Duke 125. It can also be seen that the chassis is also updated to the stiffer setup for better handling. The sub-frame is also lengthened. The biggest change is the engine. It is rumored that the 125cc engine is now updated to produce more power and torque and can also result in better fuel efficiency. The Lattice-type structure swing arm is fitted to the upcoming KTM duke 125. The rear mono-shock suspension will be shifted to another position, unlike the existing middle-mounted mono-shock suspension.
KTM Duke 125: a quick recap
To give you an idea, this updated BS6 model costs around INR 15,000 more than the BS4 model that we used to have before. Because the 2021 Duke 125 is around INR 8,000 dearer than the BS6 one and that one already asked for around INR 7,000 more than the BS4. KTM Duke 125 clearly draws inspiration from its elder sibling, the BS6 Duke 200.
The visual differences are quite prominent as it now follows the same design philosophy seen in other bigger KTM naked like the Duke 200. It now looks more in line with the rest of its cousins. The front end is now sharper than before and includes a new headlamp unit. Although, it still makes do with a halogen headlamp unit, like the BS6 Duke 200, and misses out on LED headlamps. Other cosmetic upgrades include new tank decals and extended tank shrouds while the rear end looks inspired too, from the bigger KTMs.