2017 KTM Duke 250, RC 250 India launch not happening

KTM recently launched the RC 390 and the RC 200 in India and the company also announced about their plans to launch the new Duke 390 by the end of February 2017. But no announcement was made regarding the RC 250 and Duke 250 even though both of them are manufactured at Bajaj Auto’s Chakan plant.

The main reason for KTM not planning to launch their 250cc bikes might be that the production cost for the RC 250 and the Duke 250 is a bit higher than that of the Duke 200 and the RC 200, since the bikes share the same platform as that of the RC 390 and Duke 390.

The motor used in the Duke 250 and the RC 250 is a 249cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine that produces 31 BHP and 24 Nm. This engine comes mated to a 6-speed gearbox.

Both the bikes get ABS and slipper-clutch as standard. If the bikes are to be launched here in India it will cost KTM a lot and their profit margins will also come down as they would have to price the bikes between the range of their 200-series and 390-series bikes.

The bikes are currently sold in Japan, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. KTM currently plans to first launch the Duke 390 in India followed by the 390 Adventure that they are currently working on.