2019 KTM 125 Duke review, road test

UPDATE: The KTM 125 Duke has received a price hike of Rs 6,835. It now costs Rs 1.25 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi)

It’s been around two decades since we considered a motorcycle in the 125cc space to be genuinely sporty. These bikes in our market start at around 150cc, but KTM has chosen to take a different approach. Its recently launched 125 Duke is essentially a 200 Duke with a 125cc heart, and is the very same one that KTM developed for the light motorcycle license category (A1) in the United Kingdom. We head out to the streets to see how well the new KTM does its job.

The design of the 125 Duke was first seen on the 200 Duke in India, and it was considered ahead of its time by many. And that proved to be true since it was launched nine years ago and the sharp edges and unique styling cues – inspired from higher-capacity Dukes of that time – have aged well, and the motorcycle stands out even today.

Engine temp gauge lives near maximum in traffic, like other Dukes.

Add to that the bright orange colour scheme the company is known for, and you have something that looks so striking that it may not appeal to those with a more subtle taste. However, that said, the design of the 250 and 390 Dukes would have made it a sweeter package, but the consistently strong sales numbers of the 200 Duke reveal that India is still quite enamoured by the old shape. Also, there’s the problem that the new-gen 125 Duke (sold internationally) would cost more than the 200 Duke here – can’t have that now, can we?

Halogen-powered headlight now showing age, but works well.

The 125 Duke has identical ergonomics to the current 200 Duke and the previous-generation 390 Duke, both of which have a great reputation of carving corners and acing racetracks. What it means is that you are sat in a sporty riding stance with your feet quite far backwards. However, with the positives of the old design come the negatives, and the 125 Duke does feel cramped for taller riders whose knees come in constant contact with the muscular tank extensions.

Seat offers just about enough room, but larger riders will wish for more.

KTM’s 124.7cc, single-cylinder engine is modern and uses a fuel-injection, liquid-cooling, four-valve, DOHC setup. It makes 14.5hp and 12Nm, which not only are the highest among 125s but are also on par with most 160s sold in India. Power at low revs is expectedly weak, but the motor does come alive at around 7,000rpm and pulls until just short of the 10,000rpm redline. The bike sounds just like a KTM should too, albeit not quite as deep as its bigger siblings.

Components like the radiator also remain unchanged from other Dukes.

This engine is paired to a smooth-shifting, precise 6-speed gearbox. And just like on the 200 Duke, the gearbox has very closely packed ratios, which offer an eager performance as well as the flexibility to ride around in higher gears at city speeds. The 125 Duke will touch 120kph on a long straight with the rider fully crouched, but it takes long to get there as the acceleration slows down past 80kph.

What’s nice is that the 125 never feels hot, despite the fact that the engine temperature gauge lights up all the bars in heavy traffic, like on its higher-capacity siblings.

The engine makes all the right noises, just a little lower on the bass.

The trellis frame and the segment-leading, premium WP-branded USD fork and monoshock on the 125 are the same ones as on other Duke models (including the 390) in India. What this means is that the new Duke has a similar firm and sporty ride where comfort takes a back seat to favour dynamics.

As a result, the 125 feels over-engineered for the level of performance that it offers and you almost wish it was specced-down a bit to help reduce the weight, which at 148kg is the same as the 200 Duke. While the bike does feel light and easy, a lower weight figure would have helped performance.

KTM has equipped the 125 with single-channel ABS on the same 300mm and 230mm discs as the 200 Duke. While the brake bite and lever pressure is good, it lacks the force we would have liked under hard braking.

300mm disc at the front has good feel, but needs more stopping power.

This is where the puny powerhouse really shines. Despite being such a high-compression and high-revving motor, the 125 delivered impressive fuel-efficiency figures. The bike gave us 39.1kpl in the city and 46.5kpl on the highway. Both figures are impressive for real-world conditions, but the urban efficiency is truly admirable. The KTM achieved this thanks to the flexibility gained from the short gearing on the bike.

Rs 1.18 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) now gets you entry into the KTM brand. And you get quite an authentic experience, too, because the 125 Duke feels exactly like its big siblings, except for the fact that it’s pleasantly efficient and the riding experience, in comparison, feels like it’s in slow motion.

 As a first sports bike, the 125 Duke is a great option, especially for someone relatively new to motorcycling. It has the feel-good factor of a sporty motorcycle and offers all the kit you could dream of having on an entry-level machine. But this is not the bike you want if speed is what you are after, and it won’t be a satisfying upgrade for those looking to scale up from their Pulsars, Gixxers and RTRs. If that is where you are coming from, you would be better off buying a more powerful motorcycle for similar money, the choices for which are plenty.