By introducing a product in a very niche category with the Duke 125, Austrian brand KTM got many more customers in the Indian market. Most would’ve been sceptical about the reception for an INR 1 Lakh plus 125 cc motorcycle in India. But KTM really played blind this time around and landed a full house it seems. The Duke 125 is enjoying a successful stint in the market by offering a really good chassis, combined with an engine which would never land you in trouble. Parents too, do not seem mind buying the said motorcycle for their kids considering it is much safer, because of its smaller cubic capacity. Is KTM looking to repeat the success by offering the same engine in their more track-focussed RC motorcycle? If rumours are to be believed, the answer is yes.
Spied undergoing testing on Indian roads quite a few times already, the RC 125 shall use the same 125 cc motor as the Duke 125. This motor uses a DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder, liquid cooled and fuel injected setup, generating 14.5 PS at 9,250 rpm and a twisting force of 12 Nm at 8,000 rpm. Just like the Duke, expect KTM to provide an upside-down fork suspension in the front and a pre-load adjustable mono-shock at the rear. Brakes too, are expected to be the same as the Duke 125, measuring 300 mm front disc and a 230 mm unit at the rear with a single channel ABS module offered as standard. The trellis frame of this motorcycle will be the same a that of its larger siblings, imparting very good riding dynamics to the machine.
Also Read: KTM Hikes Prices Of Its Entire Range Of Motorcycles In India
If launched, expect the KTM RC 125 to be priced marginally more than the Duke 125 which comes with an ex-showroom price tag of INR 1.25 Lakh, perhaps in the range of INR 1.35 Lakh to INR 1.40 Lakh. At that price point, this entry-level sports bike will compete with the Yamaha YZF-R15, which has an ex-showroom price tag of INR 1.39 Lakh. Although being lower on power, the RC 125 will make up for it with its more capable chassis. Keep looking at this space for more news around this Austrian pocket rocket.
