Bike India – August 2019

whichhadusstraintheenginea bitandbeingina fulltucked
ridingposition.Speedsofabout 90 – 100km/hseemedtosuit
theRC 125 a lotbetter.Yes,youdofeela fewvibestoo,however,
onlyat thehigherendoftherev-counter.Thesevibesshouldnot
mattertoomuchtoo,sincethisbikeis aimedtheentranttosports
bikes– youngmenandwomen,whorelatevibestofeelat music
festivalsandother‘auras’.
Sportsbikesgenerallyarewellfocusedandoftentendtobea
littlecumbersomeintherealworld.Thatis notthecasehere.
TheRCwascomfortableevenwhenlumberingoninthe
middleoftherev-rangethroughthegears.Wemadeit a point
tomakea fewdetoursat timesovercurbs,allowingthebiketo
gooffthetrackandbackontoit togiveusanideaofhowthe
suspensionwouldhandleournot-so-smoothroads.Weare
happytoreportthatat nopointdidit feelharsh.The43-mm
USDforksseemedstiffat first,butgavegoodfeedbackand
inspiredconfidenceinthefrontwheel.Therearsuspensionhas
a 10-stepadjustablemonoshockwhichwasat itssoftestsetting
andhadnoproblemseitherwhilesoakingupanybumpsor
stayingplantedthroughcornersoncethepacehadquickened.
TheRC 125 hasthesamebrakingset-upasitseldersibling,thoughwithonlysingle-channel
ABS.Thebikegetsdiscbrakesbothat thefrontandtherear,300-mmand230-mm
respectively.YoufindthesameontheRC 200 andtheydotheirjobwell.Theymayfeela little
spongyat first,butweneverfoundourselvesina crisisevenwhenpushingthisbabyRC.
Groundcontactis madeby17-inchcastalloywheelsdrapedinMRFRevztyres,whichevenon
thedamptrackofferedmorethanenoughtractiontobeleanedwellover.Nocomplaintsthere.
Pricedat Rs1.47lakh(ex-showroom),theKTMRC 125 is Rs7,000moreexpensivethanits
principalrival.TheJapaneserivalinquestionis cheaper,faster,andlighterthantheRC125,
whichdoesputKTMina spothere.However,theRC 125 is almostidenticaltotheRC 200
component-wise,is easiertoridefora beginner,hasgreatergos,andis morecomfortablewhen
ridingintherealworld.Thissureis a greattimefortheyoungsters,fortheynowhavetwo
brilliantchoicesforthebabysportsbikemarket.

NEEDTOKNOW

KTMRC 125

Price:Rs1.47lakh(ex-showroom)

Engine:124.7cc,DOHC,four-valve,liquid-cooled,

fuel-injected,singlecylinder

Output:14.5hp@9,250rpm, 12 Nm@8,000rpm

Transmission:Six-speed,chaindrive

Brakes:300-mmdiscwithABS(F),230-mmdisc(R)

Tyres:110/70R17(F),150/60R17(R),tubeless

Weight:160.4kg

TheRC 125 iseasiertoridefora

beginner,hasgreatergos,andis

morecomfortablewhenriding

intherealworld

RIGHT:

A 10-step

adjustablerear

monoshock

RIGHT:

Thefrontand

rearseatsare

comfortable

andlookquite

goodtoo

KTM RC 125

56 Bike India^ August 2019