KTM Duke 125

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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.
Page 1 and 2: Are You Ready ? GB MAGAZINE 2011 CI
Page 3 and 4: Interview Ken Roczen. KTM’s facto
Page 5 and 6: Cold start The designers at KTM tak
Page 7 and 8: Andreu No stunt too extreme. My own
Page 9 and 10: COVER STORY On the racetrack: a rac
Page 11 and 12: Motocross whiz kid Ken Roczen tells
Page 13 and 14: COVER STORY “You just have to swi
Page 15 and 16: BIKE The appearance of the 125 Duke
Page 17 and 18: E YOUR IKE! The five of us probably
Page 19 and 20: CREATE YOUR OWN BIKE Solo seat No g
Page 21: KTM knows all about drifting in the
Page 25 and 26: PRO RACE HELMET 11 STEP UP GOGGLES
Page 27 and 28: 4. Chassis / brakes A steel tubular

KTM Duke 125

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