KTM Dukes: Redefining Performance Motorcycles In India

There’s no doubt about the fact that had it not been for the KTM Dukes, the Indian motorcycling scenario would have been a far more dire and underwhelming place. Yes, we did have the likes of the Bajaj Pulsar 220F, Hero Karizma ZMR, and the Yamaha R15, but that raw torque delivery was something unique to the KTMs back in early-2010s. It was almost two-stroke-like, and the performance on offer shattered all concepts of time and distance. 

So, on the eve of the Duke’s 30th anniversary, here’s how this powerhouse of naked sports motorcycles evolved over the past decade in India and what it currently stands for:

2012 - KTM Starts Its Journey In India

If you wanted to get your hands on an all-out performance bike in India in 2012, your choices were either an expensive Kawasaki Ninja 250R or the Yamaha R15. Although the latter kind did give us a taste of what it was like to ride a sport bike, the performance on offer was not mind-blowing per se. 

It was in this background when KTM started its journey in India with the 200 Duke. At ₹1.18 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), the Gen 1 KTM 200 Duke was everything that every speed enthusiast in India dreamed of. Powered by a proper, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine with double overhead camshafts, and producing 25 bhp at 10,000 rpm and 19 Nm at 8000 rpm - the performance was just jaw-dropping. Being a naked bike, weight was also negligible, and at 148 kg, the 200 Duke felt nimble around corners and was an absolute rocket when it came to accelerating down the straight roads of India. 

2013 - KTM Introduces The 390 Duke

As the market was warming up to the 200 Duke, KTM introduced the 390 Duke. With a bigger engine nestled inside that lightweight trellis chassis, the first-gen KTM 390 Duke was mayhem. The 373.33 cc engine used to produce 44 bhp at 9500 rpm, 35 Nm at 7250 rpm - numbers that were unheard of ten years back. Coupled with weighing less than 150 kg wet, the 390 Duke had the highest power-to-weight ratio of 316.5 bhp per tonne in its class. And with no ride-by-wire, the acceleration on the KTM 390 Duke was unhinged and we got our first taste of what “razor-sharp handling” feels like. 

But what left Indians more amazed was the fact that all that performance was available at just ₹1.80 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Just to give you a perspective, currently, the base R15 is priced at Rs 1.87 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). Talk about inflation! 

2017 - The 2nd Gen Dukes Launch - Become Sharper In Design And Much More Tech Savvy, New 250 Duke Added

2017 saw KTM unleash a new ‘Orange’ squad. They not only launched the second-gen 390 Duke but also ushered in the brand-new 250 Duke.

The second-gen 390 Duke packed in all sorts of bells and whistles. From ride-by-wire to a new TFT display with Bluetooth connectivity, to a larger front disc brake, adjustable control levers and a side-slung exhaust which looked similar to the aftermarket option from Akrapovic. The underpinnings were even updated and the split trellis frame was now mated to a diecast swingarm. However, the ferocity of the engine was tuned down a bit but it still produced 43 bhp at 9000 rpm and 37 Nm at 7500 rpm. 

The new 250 Duke debuted alongside and although the hardware was same as its elder sibling, there were slight changes. For starters, it had no ABS, and got black colour alloys (instead of orange ones). The 250 Duke was the gentler younger sibling to the 390 Duke, it was comparatively calm and composed. Something that newbie enthusiasts could approach without being silly, or scared. 

2018 - Baby Duke Enters The Scene

With the frequent updates the KTM Duke range had also become quite pricey. What better way to make the whole family all the more accessible than by bringing in the one that supposedly was not for India: the 125 Duke. In a typical KTM fashion, the 125 Duke was powered by a liquid-cooled, 124.7 cc, DOHC engine that produced 14.5 bhp at 9250 rpm and 12 Nm at 8000 rpm. 

While the motor’s lack of outright punch was felt, its handling setup always superseded, turning boys into… well, boys with some testosterone. Moreover, the 125 Duke was also the first two-wheeler in the 125 cc segment to come equipped with a single-channel ABS. 

2019 - Biggest KTM Duke ever to launch in India

Known as the ‘Scalpel’, the KTM 790 Duke continues to be the biggest Duke to ever launch in India. Unlike the other Dukes sold in India, the KTM 790 Duke was brought to India via the CKD route and it was assembled at Bajaj’s Chakan plant. It was powered by a 799 cc, parallel-twin engine that churned out 105 bhp at 9000 rpm and 87 Nm at 8000 rpm. The 790 Duke has not just been the most powerful Duke to ever sale in India, at ₹8.64 lakh, it was also the most expensive Duke to ever launch in India. However, KTM didn’t take the project that seriously as the 790 Duke never really came back in a BS6 avatar. Plus, internationally too, KTM did a lot of tinkering with its middleweight product lineup, 790, 890 and now 990. So, there wasn’t much clarity as to which big Duke to get next.

2020 - BS-VI Dukes Launched, 200 Duke’s Look Revised

Right before the pandemic kicked in, KTM updated the Duke line-up to comply with the latest emission norms. While changes made to the 390 Duke were limited to just two new colour options, it was the 200 Duke that underwent a radical transformation by ditching its old gen-1 design for the more Super Duke-inspired sharper body design that the other two larger Dukes in the country featured. Later in August, KTM updated the 250 Duke aesthetically as well by installing the same split-headlight design from the 390 Duke but not the colour-TFT screen. 

2021 - Baby 125 Duke Updated As Well

With the pandemic at its peak, two-wheeler sales were dwindling. It was at this juncture when the KTM 125 Duke underwent its first major update in India. It now sported the same sharp body design as its international counterpart with a few compromises to make it price effective in India. Along with that, its chassis was also updated and the fuel tanks size also increased from 10 litres to 13.5 litres. Prices had also increased and the new bike costed ₹1.50 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). 

2023 KTM Dukes - The Third Generation

And now jump to 2023, KTM ushered in the third-generation Dukes, which not only look radically different from before, but they just got a whole lot sharper and lighter (courtesy of the newly designed trellis frame). 

Complimenting this new body style is the bigger, latest generation LC4c engine displacing 399 cubic centimetres (unlike the 374 cc before). It now produces 45 bhp and 39 Nm (up from 37 Nm). Additionally, the 390 Duke also debuts segment-first features like launch control, three ride modes, and more comprehensive adjustability to both front and rear suspension units. 

Similarly, the 250 Duke also gains updates on the lines of the new 390 Duke. The latest generation 249 cc, LC4c engine (redesigned cylinder head and larger airbox) has also slightly increased power and torque in the 3rd-gen 250 Duke. Although it doesn’t get ride modes like the 390 Duke, the addition of a slipper clutch and bi-directional quickshifter as standard equipment just amps up its easy ride quotient. 

Conclusion

The journey of KTM in India started on a very VFM note. Along with that, it not just changed the perception of performance motorcycles in India, in the process it also brought in a revolution of sorts. Despite the repeated price hikes that the pandemic forced in, the KTM Dukes never lost its position as the ultimate machines in India. 

The current-gen 390 Duke is priced at ₹3.10 lakh and the 250 Duke has a sticker price of ₹2.50 lakh. In 2024, the new 390 and 250 are back to becoming good value-for-money propositions. And this has always been the USP of the Dukes in India - mind-blowing performance at an affordable price tag. Now that we are a decade in, we cannot wait to experience the next decade of this orange madness. Ready to race? You bet.