KTM debuts in India with 200 Duke, 350cc to follow next year

Austrian motorcycle manufacturer KTM (in which Bajaj Auto owns a 40 percent stake) has entered the Indian market with its premium street bike brand, the 200 Duke with an introductory price tag of Rs 117,500 (ex-showroom Delhi). KTM already exports the 125cc Duke on the same platform from Bajaj Auto’s Chakan plant to overseas markets, and a 350cc variant is expected around the end of this year.

According to Stefan Pierer, CEO of KTM Sportmotorcycle AG, KTM plans to market about six to seven new models in a two-year time-frame, both in India and global markets, targeting the top end segment.

Branded KTM, and following the trademark naked streetfighter styling of all KTM bikes, the Duke will be the sole bike in a segment crowded with fully-faired Japanese motorcycles. The high-end 200 Duke in orange colour will be powered by a single-cylinder, 199.5cc liquid-cooled, DOHC four-valve engine that will deliver 25bhp and a maximum torque of 1.94kgm. The 200 Duke offers a best in-class power-to-weight ratio of 183.8bhp/tonne and uses high-strength, low-weight components.

The Duke sports features such as a trellis frame, upside-down forks by European specialist WP, an alloy swingarm, and MRF-made radial tyres front and rear. Developed over four years and produced at Bajaj Auto’s modern manufacturing facility at Chakan, the new bike contains a localisation level of over 95 percent, with vendors from a local supplier base of 150 providing components.

Rajiv Bajaj, managing director, Bajaj Auto, says the KTM Duke shares the same suppliers and manufacturing facility as the popular Pulsar motorcycles. Bookings for the KTM 200 Duke are expected to open from the first week of February, at Bajaj’s Probiking showrooms that have been converted to KTM. The marketing strategy for the 200 Duke is to move out the Pulsar bikes, which hold a 50 percent market share in the sports category as well as the Avenger models from the Probiking showrooms, to make way for the KTM bikes as the “Pulsar of 2001 is the KTM of today” says Bajaj. Ninja Kawasaki bikes that are also marketed at Bajaj’s Probiking showrooms will, however, continue to be displayed there and Bajaj says that there is no conflict between the two companies as the bike sells in small numbers of 100 units per month. Exports also commence from the first week of February with initial target markets being Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Latin America and Columbia with Brazil among others to follow later.

Last year 11,000 units were exported from India. This year the partners are looking at doubling that figure. Bajaj is optimistic that they will export 100,000 units soon as the export markets are expanded, for which capacity is being built at its Chakan facility.

KTM has also begun importing components from India for its higher end bikes built in Austria like the 690 Duke, both for OE and aftermarket requirements. It sources suspensions through a strategic partnership that White Power has with an Indian supplier besides, electricals, machine parts, exhausts, oil pump and engine valvetrain parts. A supplier base of 15 to 20 vendors are supplying these components currently.

SHOBHA MATHUR