KTM 125 Duke Bike Overview
The KTM 125 Duke is one of those few 125 cc bikes in the market with the same glamour and style as those of the larger CC V-twins sold by KTM. The 2017 model of the KTM 125 Duke retains its customised engine and all the stuff you expect from a bike of its size.
It comes with double overhead cams, a four-valve engine and fuel injection snugly fitted on a tubular trellis designed frame with a separate bolt-on rear sub-frame. It is in keeping with the tradition of the bigger boys of the KTM stable and serves a more practical purpose of cheaper repairs in case of a crash.
The suspension is chunky – with 43mm WP forks at the front and an adjustable mono-shock at the rear. It makes for a much smoother ride than the earlier version. In terms of speed it does between 65-75 mph depending on the terrain. The engine is not really souped up, giving a max of 15 bhp – although it does have a nippy pick-up. The handling is sharp and well balanced that makes it great around sharp turns.
The highlight is its TFT dash instead of dials and gauges, which is clear and crisp even in the foggiest of conditions. This makes it one of the most attractive displays around. With head-turning looks, it is in a class apart from its contemporaries.
While it is pricey at around £4,099, it does offer the quality, sophistication and class expected of a bike in its segment.
Take a look at the KTM 125 Duke…
KTM 125 Duke Bike Spec
- Capacity125cc
- Weight127kg
- Average fuel consumption75mpg
- Top speed78mph
- Seat height810mm
- EngineFour stroke, single cylinder, DOHC, liquid cooled
KTM 125 Duke Bike Insurance
KTM 125 Duke Bike Gallery
Owner Reviews
Pros
The ability to make me smile like a school boy every time I go out on her.
Cons
Suspension adjustment would be a nice addition.
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I once rode for two and a half hours without a break and apart from a slightly numb bum no other complaints. I have since bought a KTM Powerpart comfort seat and really does make a difference.
The bike in general seems to be well built, I have had no real problems apart from I had warranty work done to a seal on the engine and my tft screen replaced.
The brakes work fine to a degree until you really need to STOP! Front brake being a single disc seems weak, the back brake feels fine but I would prefer it without ABS.
The bike feels light and nimble and inspires confidence through the twisty bits, I’ve ridden this bike in pretty much all weather and as long as you ride to the condition of the road it will reward you with a smile.
My bike is a 125 so it is obviously limited in power ( 15 bhp ) but with that being said it delivers its power quite progressively and tops out at 76 mph on a private road.
This is my first bike so I have no others to compare it to. But I have covered quite a few miles this year and on average it returns 65 to 75 miles per gallon, insurance is quite low as I’m older, servicing is what you would expect from a main dealer.
Pros
Look
Cons
Power
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Ok for short rides
No problems
Great
Great for size but you will outgrow quick
It’s a 125
Very cheap
Pros
Economical. Fun to ride. Lovely first bike to gain confidence on.
Cons
Alarm not draining the battery.
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Comfortable ride. Great seating position.
Reliable. No issues since I've had it. Only criticism is that the alarm appears to drain the battery.
Braking is good. Stops quickly and safely.
Lovely smooth ride. Easy to ride. Good top speed for a 125cc. Weight is well balanced and is not too heavy like some other bikes I tried. Corners great.
Nippy and good top speed for a 125cc.
Don't do too many miles so cannot tell you how much it costs over a year. Fill the tank up though and it seems to keep going forever. Very economical.
Pros
So easy to ride.
Cons
None.
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Very light idea for short journeys quick for what it is.
Had no problem with it at all.
Brakes are spot on.
Very light easy to corner fun to ride.
Quick for a 125 cc.
Very good on fuel.
Pros
The best? It's a KTM. Even though you ride a 125cc bike because of it's sound (yeah even the stock exhaust sounds better than most of the 125cc bikes ) and BIG rear wheel (which absolutely you can't find on of the 125cc except DUKE125) you make other people gaze at your bike. Even if it's a 125cc it's really cool looking and flashy. The bike itself is really responsive and agile. Can keep up with the traffic on the motorway and of course it's a great pleasure to ride the bike itself.
Cons
It's really hard to take it apart and to get to some parts because everything is very compact under the plastic and there is minimum of free space.
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Incredibly stable and agile bike with a great cornering ability for a common and uncommon city use.
For a 125cc it has an incredible 15bhp which allows this bike easily do wheelies and stoppies.
It's really hard to take it apart and to get to some parts because everything is very compact under the plastic and there is minimum of free space.
For the 4 years (17k) miles of bike ownership only chain, sprockets and oil has been changed. Very strong bike
KTM is one of the first brands to put an ABS system onto a 125 motorbike. (you can easily disable or enable the ABS via the hidden button on the dashboard) Bike doesn't skid on the gravel or anything loose what's on the road and doesn't send you flying over the handle bars if you do an emergency stop.
Pros
Great bike, it's my first so it does exactly what i need it to do, great handling and pretty comfortable too! Holds its value well too. I love the aesthetic look of the Duke and it gives out good power and great handling with the chunky back tyre.
Cons
With being over 6ft, i find my knees sometimes hit the sides of the petrol tank.
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With being over 6ft, i find my knees sometimes hit the sides of the petrol tank.
Pros
Looks like a bigger size engine bike
Cons
The weight, I’m only small so if I fall off which I’m not going to but it would flatten you.
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Pros
It looks awesome! Overall a great starter bike! Looks super cool, goes really well and when people on 1000cc bikes compliment your bike you know it’s good
Cons
Some cheap Chinese parts that are used but can be changed
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It’s a very light bike to ride. I do a mixture of town and back road bashing and it rides great! Super confidence inspiring and has made me a better rider
Most powerful 125cc on the market so it’s great! Tops out around 80mph which is enough
Very economical! To fill up it’s a tenner and that can last up to a week!
Overall great build quality! Only thing I would say is that they use cheap bolts and screws which go rusty but there are aftermarket ones you can buy
Super strong and great feel! Abs comes as standard and it’s a 125!!