The Indian bike market has been steadily maturing over the years and there has been slow but steady movement towards more powerful and larger performance bikes. Many of these are increasingly being locally produced and so IMOTY 2013’s list of contenders had a healthy mix.
The KTM Duke 200 joined the fray, but faced serious competition from a variety of motorcycles in different classes – the Bajaj Pulsar 200NS and Discover 125ST, the Honda Dream Yuga and CBR150R, the Suzuki Hayate, the Hero Ignitor, the Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500, the Hyosung GT250R and the TVS Phoenix. The KTM Duke 200 won the IMOTY with a total of 56 points, but the Pulsar 200NS ran it very close indeed with 47 points, while the Dream Yuga polled 30 points to come in at third place.
The Duke is the first offering from KTM in India, and it has been an instant hit, both critically and commercially. Its aggressive, modern design, powerful 200cc, 25.5 bhp engine and raw, energetic nature give it a unique position compared to the other motorcycles in its class.
The two awards were given away to the manufacturer’s representatives at a gala ceremony held in Mumbai on December 20, 2012. JK Tyres, which has been a supporter of the ICOTY and IMOTY was the sponsor of the awards ceremony in Mumbai.
