DSK Hyosung showcased the RT125D at the 2014 Auto Expo, creating quite a stir. The bike managed to pull off the same kind of attention when I rode the motorcycle to and fro from the showroom, with many curious about the skinny machine with bulbous tyres.
As far as looks go, the RT means business, with minimalistic design cues and hefty tyres running on spokes. The halogen-powered headlight provides good visibility at night with clear lens indicators and a daytime running pilot lamp and tail-light. The small off-set digital instruments cluster consists of a speedometer, odometer, twin trip meters and a clock, with a missing fuel gauge. The high raised flat handlebar with decent switches, palm grips and neatly placed rear view mirrors with good visibility, provided an upright riding posture, seating the rider on a soft and slim saddle with feet firmly planted on the machined alloy footrests finished in black. A fairly miniscule 9.1-litre tank is provided with a plastic fuel filler cap with no lock system in place. A smart alloy platform is placed at the rear to mount excess baggage.
The RT125D can easily be distinguished from other 125cc motorcycles present in the market, thanks to the meaty 130/80 x 18 (front) and 180/80 x 14 (rear) Shinko tyres that carry the 135kg motorcycle effortlessly over our harsh roads. The 125D also proved to be a capable dirt mangler as I took it for a quick spin off-road. Powered by a four-stroke, 124.5cc, oil-cooled, single-cylinder and carburetted engine, the bike felt refined, producing 10bhp of maximum power at 10000rpm, and 1.1kgm of torque at 8000rpm.
This, however, fails to impress the rider when it comes to performance, as the carburetted motor struggled to drag the motorcycle up to speed, the gigantic tyres further adding to the equation. Shift the five-speed gearbox into first gear and the bike manages to climb over steep slopes effortlessly, with a strong low grunt clearly stating its off-road capability, the front telescopic forks and rear monoshock working efficiently. Nevertheless, DSK confirms that it will be powering the RT with the same 250cc motor installed in the GD250N specifically for India which, quite frankly, is necessary and will definitely work to enhance the riding pleasure offered by this Hyosung.
As far as corners are concerned, I could sense the drag from the chunky tyres, which on the other hand, felt remarkably stable, pouncing and landing with ease on the dirt track which I believe we will all appreciate. The 275mm front disc, along with the rear drum brake, provided ample of bite with a progressive feel on the brake levers.
DSK Hyosung has indicated that it’s working towards making the RT250D a production reality, and we hope to see the motorcycle with a new beating heart by 2015.
Karan Narsu
Dinshaw Magol
Azaman Chothia
Rishaad Mody
Ved Janve
