KTM Duke 160 Launched At Rs 1.85 Lakh- India's Most Affordable Duke!
KTM has commenced the launch of the most affordable product in its India lineup- the Duke 160. Priced at Rs 1.85 lakh, ex-showroom, it has become the most powerful bike in the 160cc segment. The Duke is a naked streetfighter series sold by KTM. The new addition has brought down the entry price point. The company previously had the Duke 125 on sale here, which was discontinued in March this year.
The Duke 160 goes against the likes of Yamaha MT-15 V2 in the Indian market and is expensive by Rs 15,000. The premium can be attributed to the fact that the 160 Duke is more powerful has better kitted.
2025 KTM Duke 160: A Closer Look At It
On the design front, the 160 Duke stays true to the Duke family. The design of the LED headlamp seems familiar. It rides on 17-inch wheels which come with tubeless tyres (110-section rubber at the front and 140-section at the rear). The fuel tank can accommodate 10.1 litres.
The suspension setup consists of 43mm WP upside-down forks at the front and a preload-adjustable mono-linkage unit at the rear. The front offers 138mm of travel while the rear end has 161 mm. Braking is carried out by discs- 320 mm at the front and 230 mm at the rear. It also gets Brembo-sourced dual-channel ABS (anti-lock braking system). The 160 Duke is based on a Steel trellis frame and has a wheelbase of 1,357 mm.
KTM offers the Duke 160 in three colours- Electronic Orange, Atlantic Blue, and Silver Metallic Matte. The bike comes with a 5-inch LCD console (KTM may have chosen to give an LCD display instead of a TFT to keep costs under check), turn-by-turn navigation, Ride-by-wire throttle, mobile phone connectivity, call/music control and navigation. The motorcycle weighs 147 kilograms and comes with a seat height of 815 mm.
The Biggest Highlight: Engine!
The biggest talking point on the Duke 160 is its performance. It is powered by a 164.2-cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, SOHC engine, which is essentially a bored-down version of the 200 Duke’s motor. This liquid-cooled engine is capable of producing 18.74bhp at 9,500rpm and a peak torque of 15.5Nm at 7,500rpm. It is mated to a 6-speed transmission, aided by a slip and assist clutch.
Duke 160's Rivals
The Duke 160 will face competition from Yamaha MT-15 and TVS Apache RTR 160 4V. The Apache RTR 160 4V has a starting ex-showroom price of Rs 1.25 lakh. The Yamaha MT-15 has an ex-showroom price of Rs 1.70 lakh . Clearly, it is the Apache that's the most affordable of the three.
The Yamaha MT-15 is powered by a 155cc, liquid-cooled, DOHC engine that has a peak power of 18.4 hp and makes a torque of 14.1 Nm. The Duke is marginally more powerful and has more torque.
The TVS Apache RTR 160 4V gets a 159.7cc, oil-cooled, SOHC engine that makes 17.5 hp and 14.8 Nm. It is notably lower than the output figures of the Duke 160.
KTM RC 160 In The Works
KTM India is also known to be working on a fully faired version of the Duke 160, which will be sold as the RC160 when launched. It will then become the most affordable RC in India. The KTM spokesperson confirmed that it will be launched “within a matter of a few weeks if not months”. It will slot in below the RC200, in KTM's lineup. Think of the RC 160 as a fully faired version of the Duke 160. It is expected to be heavier than the naked and will likely come with clip-on handlebar as well.