KTM RC125 to challenge the Yamaha R15 in India?

Fresh off the heels from the success of the 125 Duke, Ktm now seems to be working on its future plans already. The company launched the 125 cc version of the Duke some time back and it has already become the best selling bike of the company. Going by this, the company is apparently developing a 125 cc version of the RC bike series. Deemed to be called the Ktm RC125, it will challenge the likes of the Yamaha R15 and Bajaj RS200 among others when launched. The spy shots below show the bike being ridden somewhere near Pune.

As suggested by these pics, the KTM RC125 will use the same body shell and frame as that of the RC200. The uncamouflaged bike here sports red number plate with white digits suggesting it’s a test vehicle. However, the body and decals suggest it is the RC200. The only difference here is the colour scheme, as the bike in these pictures is wearing white paint along with an orange tank. The RC200 gets black or white paint shades to choose from and both paint schemes get matching fuel tank colour along with orange decals.

If Ktm is really doing what it seems, it is good news for enthusiasts who were long looking for an alternative to the Yamaha R15 in the affordable segment. This makes sense too because despite being quite expensive than other 125 cc or even 150 cc bikes, the KTM 125 Duke is doing quite well in the market. It may be low on displacement but delivers a 14.3 Bhp power punch in a body that weighs 148 kg. It shares its body parts and frame with the Ktm 200 Duke and same will be the case with the RC125, which will share its body with the RC200.

As for the engine and transmission, the RC125 will share these mechanical bits with the 125 Duke. This means that the 124.7 cc liquid cooled motor will be used on the RC125 too, along with the 6-speed gearbox. This engine churns out a good 14.3 Bhp of power at 9,250 RPM along with 12 Nm of torque at 8,000 RPM. However, it will weight more than the 125 Duke due to its full fairings. Nonetheless, the sporty nature of the 124.7 cc motor is not expected to be changed.

Ktm is keeping itself quite busy these days and is also working on the long-awaited 390 Duke Adventure. The bike has been spotted yet again and will be the brand’s first adventure tourer motorcycle in India. It also increased the prices the 125 Duke recently and the bike now starts at Rs. 1.25 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Talking about the RC125, if the company finalises the bike for the Indian market, it could be launched by the end of this year of by next year. Expect it to be priced lower than the Yamaha R15 to keep the competition alive.

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