BMW F 850 GS versus KTM 125 Duke
BMW F 850 GS
KTM 125 Duke
Year of construction / RRP / Test report
Competitors
- raised seating position
- good handling on and off-road
- Wide range of extras and accessories
- successful appearance
- Processing
- High-quality components
- Weight
- Economical engine
- Windscreen could be slightly larger
- Price skyrockets with extras
- not quite as manoeuvrable
- Pillion comfort
Dimensions & Weight
Length : 2.305 mm Height : 1.356 mm
Seat : 860 mm until : 880 mm
Weight : 229 (max: 445 ) kg
Length : 2.029 mm Height : 1.090 mm
Seat : 830 mm
Weight : 143 (max: 282 ) kg
Engine
Displacement: 853 ccm
Hub: 77 mm
Hole: 84 mm
Cooling: wassergekühlt
Drive: Kette
Aisles: 6
Displacement: 125 ccm
Hub: 47 mm
Hole: 58 mm
Cooling: flüssig
Drive: Kette
Aisles: 6
Performance
Performance: 95 HP at 8.250 U/Min
Torque: 92 NM bei 6.250 U/Min Tank contents: 15 Litre
Consumption: 4 l
Reach: 341 km
Performance: 15 HP at 10.500 U/Min
Torque: 12 NM bei 8.000 U/Min Tank contents: 13 Litre
Consumption: 2 l
Reach: 554 km
Chassis
Steel bridge frame in shell construction (steel) Front suspension:
Upside-down fork, Ø 43 mm (travel 204 mm) Rear suspension:
Mono strut (travel 219 mm)
Rear suspension:
Two-arm swingarm Tyres at the front: 90/90 21
Rear tyres: 150/70 R17
Tubular space frame, powder-coated (chrome-molybdenum) Front suspension:
WP Apex Upside-Down Ø 43 mm (travel 142 mm) Rear suspension:
WP-Apex Monoshock (travel 150 mm)
Rear suspension:
Two-arm swingarm, aluminium box swingarm Tyres at the front: 110/70 ZR 17
Rear tyres: 150/60 ZR 17
Brakes
Double disc (∅ 305 mm) Rear brake
Disc (∅ 265 mm)
Four-piston fixed radial caliper, brake disc (∅ 320 mm) Rear brake
Single-piston floating caliper, brake disc (∅ 230 mm)
The opponent in his own stable
After the test, it is quickly clear why the KTM 125 Duke is such a sales success: it is the most grown-up motorcycle in its class. The high-quality components as well as the close relationship to the 390 Duke play their part.
If you have an open driving licence, you may like the 125 class as a newcomer, but not for long. For this purpose, the range of services is simply too low and the price-performance ratio too poor. The KTM 125 Duke costs 4,728 euros. This makes it even cheap in its class. As with the Yamaha, you are struggling with the competition in-house: the KTM 390, its technical relatives, is on the price list with 5,550 euros, so the gap is too small.
The test bike was provided to us by Motorrad Ruser in Haseldorf.
What can I do with the A1 ticket? This is precisely what the legislator has specified:
1. Motorcycles (also with sidecars) with a cylinder capacity of up to 125 cubic centimetres, an engine power not exceeding 11 kW, where the ratio of power to weight does not exceed 0.1 kW/kg
2. Three-wheeled motor vehicles with symmetrically arranged wheels and a cylinder capacity of more than 50 cm3 for internal combustion engines or a maximum design speed of more than 45 km/h and with an output of up to 15 kW.
The minimum age for this driving licence is 16 years, the training takes place normally in a driving school.
If you are at least 25 years old and have had a driving licence for five years, you can achieve a significant abbreviation of this training. This abbreviation is called B196.
The legislator has defined as training for B196:
Theory: 4x motorcycle theory lessons 90 minutes each
Practice: 5x motorcycle driving lesson 90 minutes each
Examination: No theory or practical examination
