The 160 Duke came in as a replacement for the erstwhile 125 Duke, and we were also expecting an RC iteration of the 160 Duke. Now, an image of the RC 160 has surfaced on the internet. Here’s a breakdown of all the things we see.
1. RC 160 features a livery similar to that of the RC 200
2. It will share its engine and fundamentals with the 160 Duke
3. 160 Duke’s engine produces 19hp and 15.5Nm
KTM RC 160 leaked: What to expect
The RC 160 will rival the Yamaha R15
A right-side profile shot of the RC 160 has surfaced online. Compared to the RC 200 that’s on sale, it has a few subtle differences, but there are also a lot of similarities. Starting with the livery, it looks nearly identical to the RC 200’s Black colour. Even the headlight and tail-light have been plucked right off the RC 200.
As for the differences, the RC 160 gets a rear tyre hugger, a shorter rear number plate holder and a pillion grab rail. The chassis, suspension and tank look similar, but a few engine differences give away that this is indeed the 160cc unit from KTM. The exhaust and the mid-pipe look quite similar to the 160 Duke, although in this application, it gets a blacked-out look.
This bike will be powered by the same engine as the 160 Duke – a 164.2cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled mill that is based on the 200 Duke’s unit, producing 19hp at 9,500rpm and 15.5Nm at 7,500rpm, mated to a 6-speed gearbox.
This will help the smallest RC to take on the Yamaha R15 more effectively. The erstwhile RC 125’s Achilles heel was that it couldn’t match the outright performance that the R15 offered. Now with the RC160, the power figures are similar. Upon launch, the RC160 will serve as an entry point to the RC family.
The RC 160 could be priced slightly higher than the 160 Duke. For reference, the 160 Duke starts at Rs 1.71 lakh. We expect the RC 160 to launch in the coming months.
Image Source: Bikewale
Vishal Venugopal
Azaman Chothia
