Introduction of the KTM 160 Duke review

In the fiercely competitive world of entry-level motorcycles, manufacturers often create machines with a single, focused goal. The new KTM 160 Duke is precisely that kind of machine. But its purpose isn’t just to handle a specific road or style; it was engineered with one target in its sights: to dethrone the incredibly popular Yamaha MT15. This is a detailed look at how KTM and Bajaj have built a lightweight, agile, and feature-packed contender designed to dominate this segment and become the new gateway into the “mad orange world.

The Single-Minded KTM 160 Duke

Single-minded motorcycles, as the term suggests, are machines that were created with a particular purpose in mind. For example, a sports bike was designed to carve up a track or a twisty section of road. And a cruiser was made to amble along a long and straight highway, so on and so forth. Which is why I think this new KTM 160 Duke is a bit of a single-minded machine. Not because of the sort of riding experience you’re going to get from it, but because it was created with the sole intent of dethroning a certain blue motorcycle at this end of the market.

The Reason for the 160 Duke’s Existence

You see, in the Indian context, the KTM 125 Duke always found itself fighting an uphill battle against bikes that it was positioned and priced against. That’s because even though it had a properly sporty chassis, its 15-horsepower engine just couldn’t justify its 1.8 8 lakh rupees sticker price. After all, that’s exactly an area which is populated by some properly credible 250s and even Bajaj’s own Pulsar 400. However, the most serious threat to that machine came from the Yamaha MT15. Because the MT15 promised peppy performance, aspirational brand value, and exceptional fuel efficiency, a synergy that no other rival at this end of the market has been able to offer. That is exactly why Bajaj created the new 160 Duke, because Yamaha now sells over 10,000 MT15s a month, which is exactly why Bajaj can’t afford to ignore this end of the market.

The Riding Experience: Position and Engine

And now, coming to the main reason you clicked on this video, the 160 Duke’s riding experience. First things first, when you get a ride on this motorcycle, you’ll realise that, unlike the current 250 and 390s, this is a really spacious and open riding position. That’s because the 160 is based on the 200 Duke, which itself is based on the same platform that debuted with the 2017 390 Duke. This spacious and open riding position is really helpful for a taller person like myself, but it’s still got an accessible 815 mm seat height, so shorter riders will, by and large, be able to flat foot this machine with relative ease.

Coming to the engine, it’s a typical KTM engine. It’s a brand new motor that’s been derived from the 200. And in typical KTM fashion, all the performance is delivered once you whack open that throttle. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still tractable and docile enough for city work. But the real fun here is opening that throttle and chasing the red line.

Gearing, Top Speed, and Chassis

Chasing the red line is something you’ll do very often because the 160 is hilariously short gearing. It’s shorter geared even in comparison to the already aggressively short geared 200 Duke. It’s got a three-to larger rear sprocket, while internal gearing stays the same. As a consequence of that shorter gearing, top speed on the 160 Duke should be somewhere in the mid 120 kph mark, which is a little bit lower than the MT15, but still a respectable thing in that regard.

Another area where the 160 Duke shares a lot of similarities with the 200 is in the chassis front. It uses almost the same main frame and subframe as the 200, but interestingly, the wheels and brakes have been derived from the latest-gen 390 Duke. That means you get a big 320 mm disc up front with a radially mounted four-piston calliper. That has to be some of the best braking hardware at this end of the market, especially in this displacement category. Even though it is still running organic brake pads, the amount of braking progression, bite, and feedback I got from these brakes really didn’t leave me wanting today.

A Deep Dive into the Weight Saving

And Bajaj has also gone to great lengths to make sure that the 160 Duke is as light as possible. And at 147 kilos is just a few kilos more than the MT15. The lengths that Bajaj has gone through are truly great. They’ve gone through the entire engine with a fine-tooth comb. They’ve shaved off 1 kilo compared to the 200 Duke. And in fact, the entire chassis, they’ve used thinner frame tubes just to shave off those precious few grams. They’ve also used slimmer pillion grab rails. And the 160 Duke, even though the fork looks the same from the outside as the other ones, it’s a slimmer 37mm unit. Every gram helps.

How It Handles on the Road

All of that hard work when it comes to the weight saving has really helped the 160 Duke’s case when it comes to handling. You see, this bike is going to spend the majority of its time inside the city, and that is an environment where it really excels. It feels light, agile, and manoeuvrable. And it can really squeeze through some of the tightest gaps you can find. And the other plus point is that since this is a proper KTM uses a nice sporty, well-set-up chassis, when you show it a set of bends, it really eggs you on and gossips to you, but it still also instils that sense of confidence. And the other plus point is that since this is a light machine, newer riders, who are probably the most important target audience for this sort of machine, will find it that much easier to get on with it in day-to-day life.

Design and Features

And as you can see, the 160 Duke looks visually very similar to the 200 because the two have a lot of shared body parts and chassis components between them. That’s really no bad thing because, to my eyes, the Gen 2 KTM Duke platform really set the benchmark when it came to sharp and aggressive designs without going over the top. You guys let me know your thoughts on which generation of KTM Duke looks the best to you.

When it comes to the features front, the 160 is a decently well-equipped thing. It’s got an LCD, a slipper clutch in true KTM fashion, supermoto ABS, which is a feature I really enjoyed using today. And this tactile switch cube that’s borrowed from the bigger 250 and 390 Dukes. This LCD is also Bluetooth compatible. However, the Bluetooth module itself is sold as an optional 5,000 rupee accessory. And in that context of the display, the MT15 was recently updated with a TFT display on the top DLX variant. So, that is a bit of a leg up that the Yamaha has over the KTM.

Price and Final Verdict

At rupees 1.85 85 lakh ex-showroom. This KTM 160 Duke is just a few 000 rupees more than the now-discontinued 125. And for that small increment, you get a considerable step up in performance, componentry, features, and, not to mention, bragging rights. That’s an important consideration for a target buyer of this motorcycle. And not just that, say you’re somebody who wants the image of having a KTM without the frantic performance or the initial high purchase price, then this 160 really is a wonderful stepping stone into this mad orange world.

And not just in isolation. Even in comparison to the Yamaha MT15, this Duke does fare better in some regards. However, only a full-blown comparison will paint a proper picture of which is the better sporty 160 C Street Fighter to buy. And that’s a story we hope to bring you very soon.