Expert Reviews on KTM Bikes

KTM introduced the 125 Duke in India late last year and it was evident that its fully-faired, ‘Race Competition’ variant would follow soon. Well, here it is then, the KTM RC 125 in flesh. And while it was being manufactured in India for a while, the company initially decided to limit its sales only to the international markets. So why is the RC 125 here now? To figure out an answer to that question, we rode the RC 125 around KTM’s testing track because, after all, an ‘RC’ belongs on the race track, isn’t it?

Offering the same looks as the 200 Duke with a smaller motor, KTM has ventured into the 125cc space with a performance-oriented motorcycle. With premium features and a price tag that crosses the one lakh mark for a 125cc bike, is the 125 Duke worth the price it demands?

It’s finally here. Ever since KTM entered the Indian market with the Duke 200, it got accepted quickly by motorcyclists on the lookout for a swift, nimble and potent machine that was ready to offer a rush of adrenaline when desired. The 200 Duke did well and it still does by making for a major chunk of the sales by KTM India. The Indian arm of the Austrian brand had been already manufacturing the 125 Duke alongside the 200 Duke. But, back then it was limited to only exports. You might think, why introduce it here now? Well, KTM feels now is the right time to do so.

This comparison between the KTM and the Bajaj will answer questions like, is it really worth going for the much more expensive 2017 Duke 390 or you can settle for the well-priced and powerful Bajaj Dominar 400, which shares the same engine architecture.

The 2013 Duke 390 was fast, fun but flawed. The new one though is as much fun and well rounded machine.

The KTM Duke range has always been a hacksaw in a world of kitchen knives. The 200 Duke and 390 Duke redefined our perception of performance and lightness. They stood apart from the herd of commuter bikes, and ushered in a new reality for enthusiasts. However, while a hacksaw would get the job done in a jiffy, it also means one would have to put up with its raw character. It has been four years since the 200 Duke came out, and KTM has been busy, in the meantime, trying to add finesse to the hacksaw. And here is the result - the new KTM 250 Duke.

Call it the baby 1290 Super Duke R or the BMW G310R destroyer, the 2017 390 Duke is a new bike from KTM that is made in India and exported to the world. The older iteration of the 390 Duke was known for its aggressive nature and the ability to keep up with some parallel-twin bikes on the highway. The 2017 390 Duke does that too, but offers more features, is comfortable and has a design that can make the owner the talk of the town. 

It is the KTM 250 Duke – the new addition to the KTM lineup that sits between the 200 and the 390. It is built like a Duke 390 but gets a smaller motor and fewer things off the equipment list. 

Our review of the 2017 KTM Duke 200 at Bajaj's test track at Chakan.

This is the new-for-2017 KTM RC200, which like an ignored child, gets very few upgrades compared to the new RC390. Sure, all the 200’s tantrums have forced KTM to give it a new set of clothes. But with that white hue, the paint job looks more like the older RC390’s hand-me-down clothes; only these are altered for the 200’s size. Now, haven’t all the second-born amongst us experienced that, especially when it came to school uniforms?