KTM has discontinued its entry-level bikes, 125 Duke and RC 125, in India. The brand even removed them from its Indian website. The motorcycles have been experiencing low sales for some time, most likely owing to rising competition from rivals. For instance, the KTM 125 Duke sold just 17 units in January 2025 a significant decline in sales. Check full details here.
What’s the Reason?
The KTM 125 Duke and RC 125 were the best options for beginner riders who want agility and bold-looking bikes in the 125cc segment. However, compared to competitors, the prices of both models were a little too expensive. For comparison, the more powerful Yamaha MT-15 was over Rs 12,000 less expensive than the KTM 125 Duke, which was priced at Rs 1.75 lakh to Rs 1.80 lakh (ex-showroom).
Similar circumstances apply to the KTM RC 125, which had an ex-showroom price of Rs 1.90 lakh. Therefore, This KTM bike was around Rs 3,000 more costly than the Yamaha R15 V4. From a value for money standpoint, the R15 delivers an increase of 3.9PS and 2.1Nm, which may not seem like a significant premium.
The fact is that most riders outgrow the KTM 125 rapidly due to its unimpressive performance. The upcoming KTM Duke 160 and KTM RC 160 may now take the place of these motorcycles. Moreover, both the upcoming models were spotted on Indian roads while testing.
What to Expect From Upcoming Models?
The upcoming models, Duke 160 and RC 160, probably will have bored-out 125cc engines of the discontinued models. The new engine may potentially produce 20PS of power and 14- 15Nm of torque. As a result, this performance boost will enable KTM to more effectively compete with rivals. It is anticipated that the motorcycles will arrive in India by the end of 2025 and may cost between Rs 1.80 and Rs 1.90 lakh (ex-showroom).
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