KTM Duke 125

Are You Ready ?
GB
MAGAZINE
2011
CITY
RUMBLE
Five friends turn the city into their playground
KEN
ROCZEN
ROK
KTM’s 16-year-old factory motocross racer gives his verdict on
the 125 Duke
BAGOROs
The street stunt rider on the 125 Duke

PRO RACE
HELMET 11
SPLATTER TEE
KTM RACETCH
GLOVES 11
KEVLAR
RIDING JEANS
Cover story
Skate park: city
Skateboard: KTM 125 Duke
Skate crew: Five friends
AGES 4 -28

Interview
Ken Roczen.
KTM’s factory motocross racer, Ken Roczen, tells us
about the quality of two-strokes, four-strokes and
women.
AGES 10 -11
CREATE YOUR
OWN BIKE
The KTM 125 Duke looks good straight from
the factory. With KTM PowerParts, you can
stamp your own style on it.
AGES 16-17
Interview
Rok Bagoros. Previously, street-stunter
Rok performed his tricks on a scooter. Now
he has a KTM 125 Duke. What does he have
to say about the bike and himself.
AGES 22 -23
The reason
why
6 reasons for the 125 Duke.
AGES 26-27

COVER STORY
09 H. 15 MIN. 25 SEC. Cold start
AGE 4 / 5

Cold start
The designers at KTM take every motorcycle they build very seriously – from
the small 50cc cross bikes for kids to the 1,190cc Superbike. That’s why
this 125 is no poor imitation that looks like a big bike, with chopstick-thin fork
tubes and tyres as narrow as cutting discs. The 125 Duke is a real KTM with
great road-holding, wide tyres and components that withstand even the
toughest of stunts. That’s what they say at KTM. We’ll take them at their word
and try it out for ourselves. Today is Sunday. We have the whole day to turn the
city into our own big 125 Duke skate park.
We are travelling on what is currently one of the best and quickest means of transport around town: the 125 Duke.
Today the city belongs to us.

COVER STORY
Vagrants
Almost everything is more fun with more people. Everything is
definitely more fun with more people on the 125 Duke – if they’re
the right people, of course. One of the best feelings in the world is
going for a ride in a proper pack on motorbikes. It starts at the
“fuel station” rendezvous, when everyone takes their seats,
starts their engines and tries to push their way to the
front of the grid at the traffic lights. Yes, it feels good to
fathom out for yourself how a curve can be ridden to
perfection. But you simply can’t beat the moment
when the whole group takes on a corner and
everyone leans over at the same time, just like
a perfectly coordinated squadron of F-16
fighter jets.
THE DUKES:
ROK
Wanted more than just a scooter.
Denise
Everything but chick stuff.
Julien
Talk less. Ride more.
Robert Can be dolled up.
And speeded up too.
10 H. 23 MIN. 04 SEC. Vagrants
AGE 6 / 7

Andreu
No stunt too extreme.
My own two wheels at last. Denise’s parents were against it. But car, bus and train are just nothing like the
KTM 125 Duke. And now Denise rides so well that Dad pitches the 125 Duke as his own idea.

Ready ... Race!
The weather is perfect. We swing from the apex of one curve to the next, through the suburbs. The journey here is
only a partial reward, since we are on our way to this little kart track. Stop watches tell no lies.
Speed is relative. It depends on the camber of the road, the weight of the vehicle and massively on the ability
of the rider. And that is the major reason why we ride the 125 Duke. It integrates the rider with perfect
ergonomics. So that he or she can translate his or her ability into action. The bike is light with optimum
weight distribution. This allows the chassis to build up grip. Together with the powerful engine, this
combination makes us really quick on the short course. But then we run into someone who rides
125 cc racing machines ...
12 H. 42 MIN. 58 SEC. ON THE RACE TRACK
AGE 8 / 9

COVER STORY
On the racetrack: a racing rider. Time for a little duel between vagrants and the professional.
I want to ride too!
Dani Ruiz is a racing rider, and racers race everything that can be made to move by whatever means. Of course he
wants to try out the new 125 Duke, whatever the cost. His expectations are not so great, since he normally rides real
KTM 125 cc racing machines in the Red Bull Rookies Cup. But the 125 Duke surprises him: “Wow!”

interview roczen AGE 10 / 11
INTERVIEW

Motocross whiz kid Ken Roczen tells us his views on the subjects of KTM,
four-strokes, two-strokes, women and of course, the Duke 125.
Ken, what are you doing in today?
I’m picking up my 125 Duke.
What do you think of the 125 Duke?
I think it’s wicked! I love the aggressive look
with the angular lines typical of KTM; I like
the thick fork, the wide tyres and the sporty
seat position.
And it’s a two-seater. You could take
your girlfriend with you.
Well, I haven’t really
got a girlfriend.
How come?
There’s no lack of interest.
Yes, but I still don’t have anything serious on
the go. It would be nice to have a girlfriend,
someone to look after me well, but I don’t
want anyone just for the sake of having a girlfriend.
I prefer to wait for something better.
What do you do then to relax?
I like to check things out on the laptop, see
what everyone’s up to and what’s happening
out there. And, of course, I hang out with
my friends. That relaxes me. I’m not alone
very often; there are almost always people
around me.
Who are the toughest opponents for
the 2011 season?
Well, first of all, there’s my team mate Jeremy
von Horebeek and, apart from him, Jeffrey
Herlings. They’re both young and very fast.
Otherwise, Tommy Searle is very competitive
this year. He also knows where his throttle is.
But wait and see. Everyone’s still really hot
at the start of the season. Come mid-season
we’ll see who’s not only fast but tough as
well. That’s the time when you’re tired and
your body feels battered. Then we’ll see who’s
fighting who for the top places.
Apart from the competition, MX “godfather”
Stefan Everts says it too – he’s
still riding after all these years.
Stefan is still a fantastic rider. But perhaps
we’ll find out who’s faster sometime or other.
Our styles are not that different; we both ride
very smoothly, so it’ll be really exciting.
The fans expect you to be the next
world champion. How does that feel?
It’s great to hear that the fans believe in me.
Generally, I try to be relaxed about everything,
although the world title is a realistic goal.
But I’m keeping my feet on the ground and
riding the races like I always do.
You can also always be seen with a relaxed
smile in all your photos.
Exactly, because if I’m not always thinking
about it and putting pressure on myself,
most things seem to happen by themselves.
How do you like it in the USA?
I’m really happy there; I think it’s great. I’d
really like to stay there and take part in the
national championships as well, but that
clashes with the timetable for FIM races in.
How do you manage to combine racing
with high school?
I don’t. I left school with an intermediate
certificate instead of a high school diploma,
because I was travelling around so much. I’m
working now – as a racing rider.
How long have you been riding MX now?
Since I was two-and-a-half years old.

On the outskirts of town, there’s a ramp. A wall ride is
possible, surely. Time for an “I dare you!”
This ramp is a reminder of every cliff when boarding: it
just has to be possible. We’ve been here so often already
and talked and talked and talked about it, that a wall
ride “has to be possible” here. But the talking is over
now, because Andreu has simply gone for it and completed
the wall ride. According to the unwritten rules of
the group, this means that we all at least have to try it
ourselves.
Robert analyses it. Julien doesn’t dare. Robert is spurred
on by ambition. He approaches it at great speed and
almost jumps over the wall. Safely back on the ground,
he makes out that’s what he planned to do anyway –
intentional.
Then it’s Denise’s turn – and she nails the wall ride at
the first attempt. We all look at Julien. Julien looks at
his shoes as if they were highly interesting. Suddenly,
it clicks – you can almost hear it. He swings himself
onto his 125 Duke and rides at the wall even faster than
Robert ...
14 H. 06 MIN. 27 SEC. CLIMBING WALL AGE 12 / 13

COVER STORY
“You just have to switch off and
concentrate on what’s in front of you.”
YOUR
CLIMBING WALL

Tech Facts
As fast as it looks: KTM 125 Duke.
DETAIL
Lightweight construction:
Swingarm and rear wheel
rim. As with all KTM models,
the focus with the 125 Duke
is on radical lightweight
engineering. That’s why KTM
manufactures the rim and the
open lattice-work swingarm
from delicate, but extremely
stable die-cast aluminium.
Twin overhead camshafts.
To ensure good charging and therefore
optimum power, an intake and an exhaust
camshaft each actuate four valves in flowoptimised
ducts.
The underfloor exhaust system combines
sound and performance with a low centre
of gravity. In its place between the rear
wheel and the engine, the exhaust pipe
disappears almost completely. But the deep
bass tone of the single cylinder remains.
11 H. 46 MIN. 12 SEC. Tech Facts AGE 14 / 15

BIKE
The appearance of the 125 Duke speaks for itself.
On top of everything, it has internal qualities: WP
suspension elements. Braided steel brake lines.
Fuel gauge. Fuel consumption indicator. Formula 1
engine technology. Lightweight chassis designed
in the finite element simulator. To name but a few.
A fat upside-down fork with radiallymounted
brake caliper guides the
front wheel on the 125 Duke. This
43 mm WP fork responds sensitively
on every road surface and has massive
reserves, since it could provide the suspension
for a much larger motorbike. It
also provides an indication of the quality
of the road surface straight to your
fingers.
Engine type
Motor
Displacement
Bore / stroke
Power
Transmission
Chassis
Technical
Data
single cylinder, 4-stroke
124.7 ccm
58 / 47.2 mm
11 kW (15 hp) @ 9,500 rpm
6 gears
Front suspension
Rear suspension
Susp. travel front / rear
Tank capacity
Weight (ready to race)
WP-USD Ø 43 mm
WP-Monoshock
150 / 150 mm
approx. 11 Liter
approx. 124 kg
Strict limits apply for 125cc engines. KTM has made the most of them all. Legally,
125s can have no more than 15 hp, so the Duke 125 has all 15. However, power
is only of use to the rider if it can be applied well to the road. Therefore, the new
single-cylinder has a short-stroke design with the widest possible usable rev range.
So that headway is made with every rev.
First Oil Filling for
all KTM Engines.

fowerfarts
Briefing in Robert’s garage. There’s a problem; a serious one: Denise’s 125 Duke is too
original. That has to change. We start with the hand guards and a couple of stickers from
KTM’s PowerParts range, because they make a big difference for little money.
CREAT
OWN B
LOOK COOL WITH:
» Smaller headlight mask
» LED kit
» Sprockets
Also good looking: the KTM-orange chain ring. For that, the rear wheel first has to be
removed of course. Good that the 125 Duke can be dismantled easily, just like every other
KTM. Once removed, the rim can be decorated with stickers more easily.
SAFE & QUICK WITH:
» Racing footrests
» Crash pads
» Wave front brake disc
The pit stop complete in record time: away we go!
15 H. 26 MIN. 21 SEC. CREATE your own bike
AGE 16 / 17
The use of several articles from the KTM PowerParts range is not permitted on public roads under certain
circumstances (differs from country to country). Further information can be obtained from your KTM dealer.

E YOUR
IKE!
The five of us probably get along
together so well because we’re so
different. So our 125 Dukes are
different too.
The most radical example of which is
Andreus’ machine. First of all, it has
been converted to a single-seater,
seeing as no one really dares take the
pillion seat, since that thing with the
long flight of steps and the railings.
But at least the bike looks a lot better
now. Andreu has of course also gone
for the smaller licence plate holder.
On top of that, he has the orange
chain, the brake disc with orange
anodised aluminium carrier, the steel
chainguard, the hand guards, a set
of stickers in military colours and
axle protectors for his crashes. In the
meantime, his Duke looks just as wild
as him. Hard to top. Robert, however,
intends to outdo him this evening in
the dark, with LED strips along the
bellypan of his 125 Duke. All parts that
are guaranteed to fit, because they
come straight from KTM’s PowerParts
range.
check
the web!
www.125duke.com

Create your
own 125 Duke!
With high-quality
parts from the
PowerParts range,
you can turn a
125 Duke into
“your” 125 Duke.
Sticker kits
Respraying parts is tricky and looks lousy if not carried out by qualified hands.
That’s why there are PowerParts sticker kits with which you can decorate your
Duke. Application is quick and easy – removal is too.
HEAD-
LIGHT
MASK
The small headlight mask is as flat
as a Supermoto number plate and
makes the front of the Duke just as
flat too. Without any spray-painting
equipment, you can make the mask
your very own with PowerParts trim
stickers.
125DUKE.COM
125DUKE.COM
Brake disc
Swap the standard single-piece brake
disc for this racing component: a KTMorange
anodised bracket made of lightweight
aluminium provides a floating
hold for a jagged wave disc made of
grippy stainless steel.
15 H. 32 MIN. 49 SEC. CREATE your own bike
AGE 18 / 19

CREATE YOUR OWN BIKE
Solo seat
No girlfriend or boyfriend? Invest the money
you’ve saved in a single-conversion: instead
of the pillion seat, fit a racing-style cover with
padding – and lose the grab handles!
LICENCE PLATE HOLDER
Shorten the standard licence plate holder drastically
with the PowerParts version. Licence plate and indicators
are also removed quickly when you want to take a
ride on the kart track.
Lighting kit
These slim, space-saving LED strips can
be fitted anywhere on the Duke, even
behind the visible parts, for example
to illuminate the engine indirectly. God
knows, it deserves it.
Stainless
steel
chainguard
The chainguard made from
stainless steel sheet looks
extremely high quality, it’s
wear-resistant and fits in
perfectly with the pure,
tough profile of the Duke.
Orange chain
When your chain needs replacing, whether due
to wear or simply due to appearance, you can
fit this PowerParts replacement: riveted, no
connecting link and in the fashionable colour of
“glowing manifold orange”.
Rim stickers
We supply the 125 Duke with black rims so that you can make them
your own with the minimum of effort. PowerParts rim stickers don’t
cost much, but they make a big impression.
Crash pads
Sometime or other you’re going to drop
your Duke. No problem. It tumbles even
better with these bolt-protecting pads on
the axles.
The use of several articles from the KTM PowerParts range is not permitted on public roads under certain
circumstances (differs from country to country). Further information can be obtained from your KTM dealer.

COVER STORY
A place
to play
18 H. 44 MIN. 02 SEC. harbour location
AGE 20 / 21

KTM knows all about drifting in the dirt: the 125 Duke simply performs.
Julien recently discovered a large empty spot, by chance,
down by the harbour, where we now play around with the
125 Dukes. Everyone who wants to try out a few things on
his or her bike knows that you need a lot of space for that. A
space where no one pressurises you with stupid remarks, where
there’s plenty of run-off if something goes wrong and that is
so secluded that no residents can complain about squealing
tyres. Julien’s discovery down by the harbour is just such a
space. There are areas with grip, where you can test how low the
125 Duke can go.
But there are also spots full of dirt, where we want
to practise drifting today. Robert reads motorcycle magazines
and they are always writing about “controlled gravel drifts”. If
they can do it, then so can we! After all, KTM is “the” expert
when it comes to dirt and supermotos. Actually, the Duke can
be controlled really well, even when the rear wheel swerves out
for overtaking. Even the slightly grazed Julien is smiling again
and we stay until long after dark.
How low can you lean the Duke then? Hint: pretty low.

INTERVIEW
ROK is a stunt rider
from, model year
1989. He has always
loved motorsport, even
when such things as
basketball and tennis
intervened as a child.
At the age of 15, he
acquired a scooter
and an appropriate
licence so that he
could copy the tricks of
elite street-stuntmen
on his bike. Now he
rides a 125 Duke.
20 INTERVIEW H. 55 MIN. BAGOROS
05 SEC. Meet and greet AGE 22 //23

How did you come to KTM or rather
the 125 Duke come to you?
After four years on a scooter, I was ready for a new challenge. At
the Intermot in 2010, I spoke to KTM about the 125 Duke, which I
only knew previously from pictures. It appeared to be the perfect
stunt bike. And apparently KTM thought I was the appropriate rider.
Your old work tool was a two-stroke stunt scooter. What were
your first impressions of the extremely different 125 Duke?
I was afraid that it would take me a while to get used to the
125 Duke, but it was exactly the opposite: After two days, I had
already nailed the first tricks and now, two months later, I can ride
it better than I could the scooter.
What are currently your favourite stunts on the KTM?
At the moment, my favourite tricks are the so-called “combo circles”,
which are circle wheelies where you try to change your body
position as much as possible. Apart from that, I like the “jump-toswitch”
wheelie, where I jump off during the wheelie and land with
my legs crossed.
You have been able to test the 125 Duke a bit now. How will it
withstand the tough daily routine of a stunt machine?
The biggest problem with stunt bikes is that the frame soon breaks
due to the impact forces in crashes. That’s why there are only a
few bikes that are really suitable for stunts. The 125 Duke is one of
them. Its tubular steel frame makes it very robust and crash-proof.
Stunts need an audience. How well does the 125 Duke go down
with the spectators?
They’re all surprised how zippy the 125 Duke is and how well the
tricks are going. Then people not in the know ask me whether the
Duke is a 600 or 800 cc machine. And those who do know what
they’re talking about ask me how I make drifts, burn-outs and
wheelies look so easy with only 15 hp. And the engine hasn’t even
been tuned.
What are your (next) goals?
In the short-term, I want to ride as many shows as possible. But
my main goal is to become world stunt champion.
How much do you practice per day?
I train for 3 or 4 hours almost every day, whatever the weather.
And what have you broken doing that?
I haven’t broken anything at all yet. But you can feel the long training
sessions every day. In fact, I always have bruises and grazes
somewhere or other.
What should a 125 Duke rider definitely have a go at?
The brakes and fork are tailor-made for stoppies. The centre of
gravity also helps. And, if something goes wrong, it withstands
it really well.

COVER STORY
Rock
down home
What a day. Nothing apart from bike riding and having the best time
possible. Now we’re heading home, towards food and bed. After every
session on a track like the one down by the harbour, riding a motorcycle
just feels so much better – greater safety thanks to greater expertise.
We take a diversion through the multi-storey car park in the city centre,
because the surface there isn’t especially grippy, and look: Here too, we
competently turn in some controlled drift-work.
At our rendezvous, we say our goodbyes. Everyone has that satisfied smile
on their face. On the way home, the 125 Duke proves that it can handle
the routine part of the day today just as well as the fun part: The fuel
gauge still shows half a tank remaining. Back home, the 125 Duke
illuminates the path for a few seconds more, so that you can find your
way to the door in the dark as well.
STEP UP
JACKET
What we learnt today: now we can do controlled drifts in the car park as well.
21 H. 26 MIN. 12 SEC. ROCK DOWN HOME
AGE 24 / 25

PRO RACE
HELMET 11
STEP UP GOGGLES
RADICAL X
GLOVES WHITE
KEVLAR
RIDING JEANS
KTM DRIFT SHOE

The Reason why
2.
Fully fledged
6 reasons ...
1.
A proper motorcycle
The 125 Duke has the DNA of a fully-fledged sports bike.
Its two big brothers answer to the name of 690 Duke
and 990 Super Duke respectively; you could say the 125
is a chip off the old block! Thanks to an outstanding
power-to-weight ratio, it is incredibly easy to handle,
extremely powerful and very comfortable to ride, both
alone and two-up. Full to the brim with superior features
and 11 litres of petrol, the 125 Duke weighs in at
only 135 kilograms.
Before we say anything else: the KTM 125 Duke is not a kids’ bike! Those who churn out race success
after race success know how cool bikes are produced The KTM 125 Duke has been developed
by motorcycle riders for motorcycle riders. It looks like a real KTM, it’s equipped like a real KTM and
it rides like a real KTM – in short, it is a real KTM!
3.
Fair price
Back in the 60’s and 70’s, KTM was already successfully
selling small-displacement motorcycles for daily road use.
With the 125 Duke, KTM has come full circle back to these
roots, offering the best-possible introduction to the world of
motorised two-wheelers, all at a fair price.
6 reasons for the 125 DUKE AGE 26 / 27

4.
Chassis / brakes
A steel tubular space frame with die-cast
aluminium swingarm keeps a tight rein on the
unbridled power of the engine. The WP shock
absorber at the rear and a 43 mm WP upsidedown
fork at the front ensure that the power also
feels smooth on the road. Cast aluminium rims
and extra wide tyres finally apply this power to
the asphalt. Thanks to the aluminium footrests,
the 750 mm wide handlebars and the fat front
brake disc with radially- mounted four-piston
brake caliper, you’ll certainly be faster, but safer
as well!
6.
5.
Top technology
Style
The LED indicators, LED tail light and LED licence plate illumination make the 125 Duke
the hottest high-end bike in this motorcycle class. It already makes a cool, grown-up and
stylish impression straight from the dealer, but it looks even better once you have put your
own stamp on it. “Create your own bike” and tune your Duke individually with the extensive
PowerParts and PowerWear range.
The free-revving 125 cc single cylinder mobilises a whole 15 hp and presses on solidly with every rev. The power unit
clearly reflects KTM’s experience in compact and lightweight high-performance engines. The engine sounds furious
and only consumes 3.3 litres of fuel every 100 kilometres (86 mpg); on top of which, it’s extremely low on emissions.
Digital rev counter with gear indicator, fuel consumption in litres / 100km and an indication of the remaining range
naturally all come as standard.
... for the 125 DUKE

Are You Ready ?
www.kiska.com
125DUKE.COM
Engine
Engine type
Displacement
Bore / stroke
Power
Torque
Compression ratio
Control
Cooling
Lubrication
Engine oil
Transmission
Primary drive
Final drive
Clutch
Fuel system
Engine management / ignition
Silencer
Starter / battery
Single cylinder, 4-stroke
124.7 cc
58 / 47.2 mm
11 kW (15 hp ) @ 9,500 / min
12 Nm @ 8,000 / min
1 : 12.7
4 V / DOHC
Liquid cooling
Wet-sump lubrication
Motorex Formula 4T
6 gears
72 : 22
14 : 45
Wet multi-disc clutch, mechanically operated
Bosch EFI
Bosch EMS
Stainless steel silencer with regulated catalytic converter
Electric starter / 12 V, 6 Ah
125DUKE.COM
125DUKE.COM
Chassis
Frame
Subframe
Handlebar
Front susp. / SUSP. TRAVEL
Rear susp. / SUSP. TRAVEL
Front brake
Rear brake
Wheels front / rear
Tyres front / rear
Chain
Steering head angle
Trail
Wheel base
Ground clearance
Seat height
Tank capacity
Weight (ready to race)
Chromium-Molybdenum trellis frame, powder coated
Steel
Aluminium, tapered, Ø 26/22 mm
WP-USD Ø 43 mm / 150 mm
WP-Monoshock / 150 mm
Four piston, radially bolted caliper, brake disc Ø 280 mm
Single piston, floating caliper, brake disc Ø 230 mm
Cast aluminium wheels 3.00 x 17"; 4.00 x 17"
110/70 R 17; 150/60 R 17
X-Ring 5/8 x 1/4"
65°
100 mm
1350 ± 15 mm
185 mm
810 mm
approx. 11 liter
approx. 124 kg (without fuel)
The motorcycles advertised in this folder are only suitable for use
in normal traffic in the homologated version.
The use of several articles from the KTM PowerParts range is not
permitted on public roads under certain circumstances (differs
from country to country). Further information can be obtained
from your KTM dealer.
When purchasing a motorcycle, it is necessary to clearly observe
all safety aspects and appropriate warnings. The motorcycles
illustrated are in part equipped with extras that are subject to
additional costs. All information concerning delivery, appearance,
performance and weights and measurements of the
vehicles comply with KTM’s sales program in Austria at the time
of printing and all information is supplied without obligation and
may be subject to alteration at any time. Please note that model
specifications can be different from country to country.
LEGAL DISCLAIMER
Should not be emulated.
The riders illustrated are professional motorcycle riders. The
photos were taken on a closed racing circuits or closed roads.
KTM draws to the attention of all motorcycle riders that they
should abide by all traffic laws and regulations, that they should
wear the recommended protective clothing and always ride in
a responsible way.
ART. NR.: 3.212.354GB Photos: H. Mitterbauer, R. Schedl, S. Romero
KTM-Sportmotorcycle AG 5230 Mattighofen, Austria www.ktm.com
© 2011, KTM-Sportmotorcycle AG