Road test of KTMRC 125 2015 A sportswoman like no other!

take the 125cc from an Austrian brand, add a little Indian spice, sprinkle in a sporty design and, finally, to really stand out from the crowd, serve with a crazy sauce... The result is :

the KTM RC 125.

testing a KTM 125 is always surprising. Having already tested the Duke 125 before, and having had a look at the first tests of this new sports bike, I wondered how you could keep the spirit of the Duke in the mechanics, but change completely in the way you approach the roads and the looks of passers-by.

a sports bike like no other!

a very expressive, even old-school fairing at first glance. But once you're a little more attentive, you'll be disabused of the notion... LED headlights, a windscreen that extends right up to the fork head, mirrors equipped with turn signals, a passenger seat worthy of the greatest illusionists, a riding position somewhere between a sports bike and a trail bike and, as always, the brand's well-known ABS as standard. There's no doubt about it, this new Indo-Austrian jewel will not leave the category's sports bike enthusiasts indifferent...

something concrete?

the brand's first strong point is its ergonomics. At over 1.90 m tall, my knees trembled at the sight of this little monster. But as usual, KTM has made sure that most riders will quickly feel at ease. Of course, if you ignore the firmness of the seat...

it's by no means this little negative point that will detract from the RC 125's obvious grip.

an excellent turning radius, a precise gearbox thanks in particular to its very smooth selector, braking and ABS (deconnectable to the dashboard), a top speed of up to 134 km/h, and above all low fuel consumption (10 l for just under 300 km) make it the ideal partner for your daily commute.

weaknesses...

yes, everyone has their little weaknesses! Mademoiselle proved to be very tricky to get to grips with on the gearshift, and sometimes 3rd gear would skip... (According to the mechanic, this was a tuning problem, as the bike had just been run in). it can happen, that's for sure! As for the (concrete?) seat, it seems that the engineers of small-displacement sports bikes neglect this detail, which has a major impact on the bike's comfort. Okay, the riding position is very appreciable for a sportbike, but let's go all the way and give us a little comfort seat...

final thoughts?

having had the chance to try out quite a few 125 cc sport bikes and other bikes, I wouldn't go so far as to say that the design is a real success. As much for the finish once you're sitting on it as for its fairing. On the other hand, in terms of engine speed, it feels like it could do better. I found it very (too) sluggish at low revs, which takes some getting used to, especially if you're riding in town.

are you a fan of orange and sportbikes, but want to keep things reasonable? The KTM RC 125 is for you... If it's just a question of your license, you'll be even happier with its big sisters(RC 390), or even, who knows, one day, the biggest in the series? The RC8...

See you soon for more tests.

Nico the Belgian.