BS6 KTM 390 Duke, 125 Duke, 250 Duke & Others To Get A Heavy Price Hike

The BS6-compliant range could command a five-digit increment

• KTM is likely to launch the BS6-compliant lineup by the end of this month or early next month.
• The most affordable bike under KTM’s lineup is the 125 Duke, which currently costs Rs 1.32 lakh.
• Expect the BS6-compliant 125cc KTMs to be more expensive than the BS6-compliant Yamaha R15 V3.

As per our sources, KTM is likely to command a premium of around Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 for the BS6-compliant models. This price hike will apply to all the bikes sold in India, namely the 125 Duke, 200 Duke, 250 Duke, 390 Duke, RC 125, RC 200 and RC 390. KTM is likely to launch the BS6-compliant lineup by the end of this month or by early January 2020. 

At present, the most affordable KTM is the 125 Duke, which is priced at Rs 1.32 lakh. If the 125 Duke’s price is hiked by even Rs 15,000, it will be dearer than the BS6-compliant Yamaha YZF-R15 Version 3.0! For reference, the BS6 Yamaha R15 V3 costs Rs 1,45,900. Similarly, while the KTM RC125 already costs more than the R15 V3, at Rs 1.48 lakh, the BS6-compliant version could exceed the Rs 1.6-lakh mark, making it absurdly expensive for a 125cc motorcycle. 

Expect KTM to use a side slung exhaust system for the 125 Duke, RC 125, 200 Duke and the RC 200. This layout offers greater room to accommodate the components responsible for emission control compared to the underbelly unit, which these bikes currently use. As for the 250 and 390 twins, KTM is likely to reroute the exhaust system in a similar fashion as that of the 250 Adventure and the 390 Adventure, respectively.

One of the reasons for such a heavy premium could be the added cost of implementing a new exhaust layout, apart from the regular emission-controlling equipment. We’ll have a clearer picture once KTM launches the BS6-compliant models. Stay tuned for updates!