KTM RC 125: What to expect?

KTM recently confirmed the India launch of its entry-level fully-faired motorcycle, the RC 125, by releasing a teaser video. Subsequently, bookings for the RC 125 have also begun at select dealerships at a token amount of Rs 5,000. Now that the baby RC is just a few days away from its official debut, we tell you what to expect from the motorcycle. 

Design and features:

The RC 125 borrows its overall design from its elder siblings, the RC 200 and the RC 390. The hunched-forward stance with a sharp fairing and an upswept tail section is retained on the bike. However, there are a few distinctive elements which set it apart in terms of looks. The recent spy shots suggest that the bike will get a new set of decals with bold ‘RC 125’ badging running from the fuel tank to the fairing. Moreover, the orange frame and sub-frame of the bigger RCs have been replaced by a blacked out chassis on the RC 125. 

On the feature front, the motorcycle gets twin projector headlamps with LED position lamps while the tail lamps are also LED units. The instrument cluster is a fully digital unit which displays a host of information including speedometer, tachometer, odometer, two trip meters, fuel guage, temperature gauge, gear position indicator, side stand indicator and clock. Notably, this is the same unit which does duty on all the KTM models available in India, except for the 390 Duke. 

Engine:

The RC 125 is powered by the same motor which propels its naked sibling, the 125 Duke. It is a 124.7cc, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected motor which churns out 14.3bhp at 9,250rpm and 12Nm at 8,000rpm. The engine comes mated to a six-speed gearbox. These numbers take the bike a notch higher than other 125cc commuters and put the RC 125 in the territory of 150cc motorcycles.

Cycle Parts:

Similar to the engine, the RC 125 also shares its cycle parts with the naked 125 Duke. Underpinned by a trellis frame, this entry-level KTM features WP upside-down forks at the front and an adjustable monoshock at the rear. Braking duties are handled by a 300mm disc at the front and a 230mm disc at the rear with single-channel ABS being available as a standard fitment. 

Pricing:

As we earlier mentioned in our price expectation story, our sources informed us that the RC 125 will demand a premium of around Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 over the 125 Duke, which costs Rs 1.30 lakhs. That translates into a sticker price of around Rs 1.45 lakhs. With that pricing, the motorcycle will compete against the fully-faired Yamaha YZF-R15 and the Yamaha Fazer 25. (All prices are ex-showroom).