KTM 125 Adventure could use the hardware from its naked streetfighter sibling and will likely boast a longer travel suspension
The dual-purpose adventure motorcycle segment has received tremendous attention in recent times and the arrival of Royal Enfield Himalayan that many people would actually afford compared to the premium advs costing in lakhs was a big turning point in early 2016. In response to the increased numbers of takers, more manufacturers hopped on to the bandwagon.
For instance, Kawasaki introduced the Versys X-300 and BMW hosted the long sought after market debut of the G310GS last year. But their expensive pricing did take a toll. Hero MotoCorp’s XPulse 200 was launched along with 200T and Xtreme 200S in May 2019 and it slots well below the Royal Enfield Himalayan at around Rs. 1 lakh (ex-showroom), making it a compelling offering for the buyers wanting a small capacity adventure bike.
KTM took to the 2019 EICMA show to unveil the Adv based on Duke 390. The 390 Adventure will go on sale early next year in India and it will be priced lower than the G310GS with better equipment level. Speculations surrounding an adventure bike based on Duke 250 have been there for months and it could make for a direct rival to the RE Himalayan.
It is now said to make its domestic entry in the middle of next year as well and it has plenty in common with the bigger 390 Adventure. Additionally, in a recent investor meeting, KTM mentioned three displacement sizes for the upcoming adventure motorcycle range and they include the smaller 125 cc. The regular Duke 125 has been around for just over a year now and is accompanied by the faired RC 125.
The entry-level portfolio could further be strengthened with the arrival of the 125 Adventure. It may currently be in its initial stages of development and the 124.7 cc single-cylinder motor producing 14.3 bhp at 9,250 rpm and peak torque of 12 Nm at 8,000 rpm will likely be retained with BSVI compliance. The powertrain is connected to a six-speed transmission and the gear ratios could be tuned in the Adv.
The KTM 125 Adventure could be built on the same trellis frame as its naked streetfighter sibling and it will expectedly feature an aluminium swingarm, 43 mm USD front forks, 10-step adjustable rear monoshock, 300 mm front disc, 230 mm rear disc and dual-channel ABS as standard. A longer travel suspension should be part of the agenda and the styling will be influenced by the 390 Adventure.
*Pics For Reference Only