KTM 125 Duke – already driven

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KTM 125 Duke - already driven
wolf

KTM 125 Duke - already driven

KTM 125 Duke - already driven

KTM 125 Duke - already driven

KTM 125 Duke - already driven

15th pictures

KTM 125 Duke - already driven
KTM

1/15
… the designer must be a fan of the 80s.

KTM 125 Duke - already driven
wolf

2/15
Now for the test drive with the 125 Duke. This shows that the KTM 125 Duke is not old and prudish, but that it is a real street sweeper.

KTM 125 Duke - already driven
wolf

3/15
Smart: LCD instrument panel with gear indicator and “reserve” warning, everything in the style of the big KTM.

KTM 125 Duke - already driven
wolf

4/15
Whether on the country road…

KTM 125 Duke - already driven
wolf

5/15
… or in the city, the KTM 125 Duke is incredibly fun and pulls forward strongly despite the low number of horsepower.

KTM 125 Duke - already driven
wolf

6/15
Clever: DOHC single cylinder with four valves and injection. Neat: compact, short underfloor exhaust.

KTM 125 Duke - already driven
KTM

7/15
Fortunately, a duke can wear clothes like that too.

KTM 125 Duke - already driven
KTM

8/15
In this color variant with its tones in turquoise and purple …

KTM 125 Duke - already driven
KTM

9/15
The brand new 125 Duke from KTM comes very grown up and …

KTM 125 Duke - already driven
KTM

10/15
This is what the standard version of the 125cc looks like from the front, and …

KTM 125 Duke - already driven
KTM

11/15
.. in a typically aggressive design for the Austrians.

KTM 125 Duke - already driven
KTM

12/15
KTM attaches great importance to this with the 125 Duke, …

KTM 125 Duke - already driven
KTM

13/15
… that every driver can personalize his Duke.

KTM 125 Duke - already driven
KTM

14/15
… so if you equip them with accessories from KTM.

KTM 125 Duke - already driven
wolf

15/15
Thanks to the liveliness of the KTM 125 Duke, you can waggle neatly through the curves.

motorcycles

KTM 125 Duke – already driven

Driving report KTM 125 Duke (with videos)
The first driving report of the KTM 125 Duke

Versatile, mature and unmistakable, the KTM 125 Duke, made in India, should become a real street sweeper. Worldwide, not just in Europe.

Thomas Schmieder

11/25/2010

She’s not just a new little street single, that KTM 125 Duke. But maybe the most important new motorcycle of the coming season. On the one hand, the little Duke is trying to inspire a new, young target group not only for KTM, but for motorcycling in general. For another, this model is considered a real one “World bike” designed. It should enable the brand from Mattighofen in Austria to expand powerfully into the emerging markets of Asia, Africa and South America. And at the same time to meet the tastes of European and American youth.

With a completely new design, a real downsizing KTM. This goes right up to the completely new, water-cooled four-valve DOHC engine. The second largest two-wheeler manufacturer in Europe and India, KTM and Bajaj Auto, have teamed up for the exciting entry-level motorcycle. Austria meets India. Bajaj produces more than three million two-wheelers annually and now holds more than a third of the KTM shares. After the final go-ahead for the 125 project at the beginning of 2008, it quickly became clear how the Duke 125 joint venture had to run: KTM designs, Kiska Design in Salzburg does the optics (see interview), and Bajaj, who is significantly involved in the technical development, takes over the production completely. One of the main development goals of the elaborate little Duke can only be achieved through the much lower production costs on the Indian subcontinent: to remain affordable.

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KTM 125 Duke - already driven

Driving report KTM 125 Duke (with videos)
The first driving report of the KTM 125 Duke

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High, European quality standard from Asia. With the exception of the wheels from China and the aluminum forged parts from Poland, all components of the Duke 125 come from India without exception. Quite a few suppliers had to raise their quality standards far above the usual level within a very short time, up to and including investments in machinery.

With success. There are now five pre-series prototypes in Mattighofen, which together have covered more than 100,000 kilometers of road testing. In addition, there are dozens of the new twin camshaft singles that had to endure 150 hours of endurance testing on the engine test bench. Endurance was one of the core development goals, along with top performance. KTM has incorporated experience from the heavily loaded 250cc motocross engine into the development of the 125cc single-cylinder engine, which weighs 28 kilograms. A 58 millimeter bore with a stroke of at least 47.2 millimeters is almost a square ratio today. The piston with its three piston rings compresses the mixture supplied by injection high to 12.6.


KTM 125 Duke - already driven


wolf

Thanks to the liveliness of the KTM 125 Duke, you can waggle neatly through the curves.

This is supposed to be the single full 15 hp at 10500 tours Balance on the one-piece, roller-bearing crankshaft using a steel forged connecting rod. The specified maximum torque of a full twelve Newton meters at 8000 rpm makes you sit up and take notice. The engine willingly starts work when the button is pressed and is very sensitive to the gas. The coupling can be easily pulled and adjusted. An important point, especially for beginners. The next gear can be engaged gently. A great drive train.

With a full tank of 125 kilograms, the 125 cc is quickly set in motion. The little guy from the four-stroke engine comes across as pretty strong. So you can shift up early, two of the six gears always fit. Only those who absolutely want to have to turn the single down to the limiter at 11,000 tours. And feel like the Red Bull rookies on their two-stroke 125cc KTM GP racing machines. The gear-driven balancer shaft completely eliminates disturbing vibrations. Dull, almost racing-like for this class, it sounds from the low-lying exhaust. The mechanical noises are extremely subtle. A chain drives the overhead camshafts. For Indian standards, rocker arms for operating the four valves are new territory. From the outset, the Duke 125 was designed as a platform for other models and engines. To Start of series production in February 2011 and market launch in spring 2011 should in the future be a 200 cubic set as a “Power kit” consequences. The chassis, water cooler, air filter box and underfloor exhaust are already designed for the extra performance of the 200 cm3 version. Only the 33 mm throttle valve body and the manifolds would have to be changed, and the software of the ignition / injection system supplied by Bosch India would have to be adapted.

Thus, the entry-level Duke should grow with the demands of its drivers, once they are older and have the large driver’s license. The visual appearance should also be easy to customize. The color and look can be changed quickly by swapping paint parts, headlights and seat. The studies that conjure up an SM or circuit racer from the series duke go even further, see page 58. Chameleon cool. Customizing via the KTM catalog should therefore be possible for a significantly younger clientele in the future. Above all, 16-year-old road riders should now be able to enjoy the typical KTM driving experience.

Little Duke is a really big one. That starts with stately 81 centimeters seat height, a tribute to absolutely adult proportions. At 1.82 meters and a multiple of 16 years you feel really well accommodated on this 125cc. The hands find their way to the orange-black handles on the wide, high handlebars by themselves. The legs and knees in turn find enough space in the bulges of the eleven-liter tank. This should always 300 kilometers range make possible.


KTM 125 Duke - already driven


KTM

With the 125 Duke, KTM attaches great importance to the fact that every rider can personalize their Duke.

Naturally upright you can enjoy every curve. This 125cc bears the venerable name Duke with good reason. With its 1.35 meter short wheelbase, the flyweight folds down easily and yet predictably, and remains neutrally on course in an inclined position. Like a downsized 690. The 17-inch radial tires are wider than usual on 125s, 110 millimeters at the front and 150 millimeters at the rear. But narrow enough. The prototypes roll on sticky Michelins, the series will be worn by Indian MRFs as original equipment.

The radially operated four-piston front brake from Bybre, the Indian subsidiary of Brembo, safely catches the Duke again. Front and rear, 160 millimeters of suspension travel each offer enough reserves in rough road conditions. Developed by WP and produced by the Indian partner company Endurance is the non-adjustable 43 mm upside-down fork. Likewise, the directly hinged strut with adjustable rebound. With a similar tubular steel chassis, a 250-300 offshoot will follow 18 months after the 125cc.

KTM boss Pierer is even thinking about a new model family with 400 and 600 single cylinders in order to reach younger customers and new countries for KTM, such as India itself. After all the successes in the Motocross and Enduro World Championships, the little Duke KTM seems to be paving a new way on asphalt. So that is “World bike” technologically and socially remarkable. Even the competitors would have to hope that this strategically placed 125cc will be a success.

Click here for the video of the Intermot presentation of the KTM 125 Duke:

And here’s the KTM promotional video:

Technical specifications


KTM 125 Duke - already driven


wolf

Clever: DOHC single cylinder with four valves and injection. Neat: compact, short underfloor exhaust.

Engine:
Water-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke engine, two overhead, chain-driven camshafts, four valves, rocker arms, wet sump lubrication, injection, Ø 33 mm, alternator 230 W, battery 12 V / 6 Ah, mechanically operated multi-plate oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, secondary ratio 45:14.
Bore x stroke 58.0 x 47.2 mm
Displacement 124.7 cm³
Compression ratio 12.6: 1
rated capacity 11.3 kW (15 hp) at 10500 rpm
Max. Torque 12 Nm at 8000 rpm

Landing gear:
Steel tubular frame, upside-down fork, Ø 43 mm, two-arm swing arm made of aluminum, spring strut, directly hinged, adjustable spring base, front disc brake, Ø 280 mm, four-piston fixed caliper, rear disc brake, Ø 230 mm, single-piston floating caliper.
Cast aluminum wheels 3.00 x 17; 4.00 x 17
Tires 110/70 ZR 17; 150/60 ZR 17

Mass and weight:
Wheelbase 1350 mm, steering head angle 65.0 degrees, caster 100 mm, spring travel 160/160 mm, 125 kg with a full tank *, seat height 810 mm, tank capacity 11.0 liters.
guarantee two years
price 3995 euros
extra costs 200 euros


KTM 125 Duke - already driven


KTM

Gerald Kiska, KTM designer.

Gerald Kiska has been responsible for the characteristic design of all KTMs for more than 20 years. He also played a key role in the development of the 125 Duke – conceptually and creatively. He explains this in his Salzburg office, where 80 employees are based.

? In your opinion, what is special about the Duke 125?

! It should open up a completely new target group, be the entry level into the world of KTM. We conducted a series of interviews with 15 to 20 year olds. It was noticeable that these people think fundamentally differently than those over 30. You mean by “perfomance” something completely different. This is already evident from the types of transport and sports in the young age group: BMX, mountain bikes, snowboards and skateboarders. For them, competitions are not based on a stopwatch and lap times, they judge on style. You want to be the coolest, the bravest, the most admired, the one who can do the most extreme tricks. Above all, the young people want to express themselves.

? This also applies to India and other boom markets?

! There, too, the motorized two-wheeler is currently experiencing a change in meaning away from the cheapest individual means of transport to a vehicle with which one can express one’s own personality. So to a fun device that tells others: “Look, I’m sporty and cool”. We now want to offer these people a European motorcycle made in India. From a global perspective, young people should have the opportunity to purchase a Duke 125 cheaply and then improve it individually with parts from the KTM accessories catalog. But for that we have to move towards these special customers. Because they define performance differently and they have to be addressed differently, in their language. In their places and directly. This generation is not ready to wait for anything.

? What was the requirement for the design of the Duke 125?

! The same as with other KTMs, it just has to be recognizable as a KTM at first glance. Even if it’s not orange. Here in Europe we invited the same people we interviewed to see what we made of it. Your wishes fed our design guidelines. When you’re 16, the design has to be right today, not sometime.

? The Duke 125 is said to be the platform for a whole new family of models, starting with the 200 cubic kit?

! In the coming years we want to re-establish models with different cubic capacities in similar chassis. The 250cc should make the start. However, the modular framework concept has to be slightly modified for this. It’s not that easy to build a 250cc Enduro with the exact same frame by simply plugging in bigger wheels. There you have to “platform” Understand quite differently than in the automotive industry, where you simply put a differently shaped sheet metal shell over the same innards in order to transform them into something new.

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