Thumb the starter on the KTM Duke 160 and the first impression is of familiarity – those tense lines, sculpted tank and sit-in stance that signal ‘Duke’ before the wheels even turn – yet there’s also a welcome lightness to how it picks up and changes direction at parking speeds and in the first hundred metres. That easy agility is backed by a chassis brief that reads serious on paper – trellis frame with bolt-on subframe, lighter five-spoke wheels, hollow axles and geometry that’s a shade sharper than the bigger siblings – so the bike feels eager without getting nervous when the pace rises.

Within a few blocks, two things set the tone for daily life: a clutch that’s genuinely light and progressive and a gearbox that slips through ratios cleanly, letting short, tidy shifts replace the usual 160cc thrash – helped by a slipper clutch that takes the drama out of hurried downshifts when traffic opens and closes without warning.

What stands out

The Duke 160 looks and feels like a proper Duke – tense lines, sculpted tank, sit-in stance – and backs it up with a genuinely light and eager front end thanks to the trellis frame, lighter five-spoke wheels and sharper geometry. The motor’s real-world strength is tractability and in-gear urge rather than fireworks off the line; timed roll-ons of 30–70 kmph in 6.8s (4th) and 9.1s (5th) make short overtakes easy without constant downshifts, echoing the sentiment that it feels brisk between gaps more than it feels explosive from a standstill.

Braking hardware is a headline win: a 320mm front disc with braided lines and dual-channel ABS (rear channel switchable) gives bite and progression few 160s can match and it shows when hustling or panic-stopping in town.

The everyday reality

At 815mm, the seat is on the taller side for an average-height rider; those around 5ft 8in may tip-toe at awkward cambers, though the wide bar and neutral pegs help low-speed balance and leverage in traffic. The clutch and gearbox pairing is excellent – light, smooth and confidence-inspiring – so creeping traffic and quick, clean shifts become second nature within minutes of riding. Lever placement is not perfect from the crate; both the gear and brake pedals could use a quick adjustment during PDI to better match different boot sizes and ankle angles, which takes the edge off initial niggles.

Ride and features

Suspension tuning leans towards control with acceptable compliance: the Duke stays planted and keen to turn, yet retains enough travel to keep sharp edges from jarring too much in the city, though rougher patches still remind that it’s set up to feel taut rather than plush. Thermal management is a positive: a larger radiator surface area helps in slow-moving traffic and while the fan cycles in dense conditions, heat never tips into discomfort during typical urban use in this test window. The monochrome LCD with a dot-matrix pane is clear in bright light, offers all the basics at a glance and the microswitch cubes feel a cut above the class; Bluetooth navigation remains an accessory, which keeps base weight and price in check.

Verdict

Against the Yamaha MT-15 V2, the Duke 160 trades efficiency for feel: the Yamaha is lighter and significantly more frugal (users often report 50+ km/l), while the KTM bites harder on the brakes, feels more planted at the front and pulls stronger in mid-gear bursts on paper and in practice. The KTM’s 19PS and 15.5Nm edge the Yamaha’s 18.4PS and 14.1Nm and its 320mm rotor dwarfs the MT’s 282mm, but the MT-15 counters with lower kerb weight and everyday economy advantages that matter to commuters. If weekly highway runs and traffic sprints define the brief, the Duke’s chassis feedback, brake feel and roll-on pace make a compelling case; if fuel economy and a lower seat are top priorities, the MT-15 remains the pragmatic pick and price positioning in on-road terms still favours the Yamaha in many cities.

In short, the Duke 160 is not the outright quickest feeling 160 off the mark, nor the most frugal, but it is the most ‘KTM’ in the way that matters: front-end feel, braking confidence and mid-gear urge that make real-world riding more engaging and assured than the spec sheet alone suggests. It could do with lower seat options from the factory and cleaner lever ergonomics out of the box; sort those and it becomes an easy recommendation for riders who value control and character over kilometre-per-litre bragging rights.

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Bengaluru-based electric vehicle maker Ultraviolette Automotive has accelerated its nationwide presence by opening six Experience Centres across Mumbai and Pune within 48 hours. The locations include Andheri, Vashi and Thane in Mumbai, and Shivajinagar, Baner and Kharadi in Pune. This expansion strengthens the brand's foothold across 30 cities nationally.

The new UV Space Stations, in partnership with Hallmark Mobility (Mumbai) and KHV Mobility (Pune), offer customers the opportunity to explore Ultraviolette's motorcycles: the X-47 Crossover, F77 SuperStreet and F77 MACH 2. The centres provide test rides, sales, service, spares and a range of motorcycle accessories, catering to the end-to-end customer lifecycle.

Narayan Subramaniam, CEO and Co-founder, Ultraviolette Automotive, said, “At Ultraviolette, our mission has always been to engineer products that push boundaries of performance and technology while delivering an after-sales and ownership experience built on trust and dependability. With our expanding network of retail and service hubs across Maharashtra and other key markets, we are unifying sales and service to offer riders a seamless journey from the first moment they walk into a reliable after-sales experience. As we continue to grow, we are also building a connected ecosystem that brings technology, sustainability, and convenience together. Every Ultraviolette Space Station is designed to represent the future of mobility, where innovation becomes accessible, and every rider resonates with the future driven ethos of Ultraviolette.”

Kaushik Kothari, Partner at KHV Mobility, said, “In line with our vision of driving growth through strategic opportunities, we are proud to be associated with Ultraviolette. We firmly believe that EVs represent the future of two-wheeler mobility, and Ultraviolette’s sharp focus on engineering, design, and customer-centricity resonates deeply with our values. Together, we are confident of contributing to a shared journey of innovation and mutual success.”

Earlier this year, the company launched two other offerings: the Tesseract electric scooter, featuring an integrated radar and dashcam and the Shockwave electric motorcycle.

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TVS Motor Company (TVSM) and BMW Motorrad have announced the production of 200,000 units under their partnership. This milestone highlights the success of the collaboration, which began in 2013 and focuses on the sub-500cc two-wheeler segment.

The partners also announced the start of manufacturing for the new BMW F 450 GS, which was recently showcased at EICMA 2025 from the Hosur plant.

KN Radhakrishnan, Director and CEO, TVS Motor Company, said, “In our over a decade-long partnership with BMW Motorrad, our engineering synergy and shared values of innovation and quality have formed the foundation of every achievement. Together, we have designed and brought several path-breaking products that resonate with customers across leading markets in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. This collaboration’s engineering prowess has set new benchmarks, and our co-developed products are now embraced by riders in over 100 markets globally. Today, as we celebrate the 200,000 unit milestone, we also mark the dawn of a new era with the roll out of BMW F 450 GS that was recently showcased at EICMA 2025. The newly introduced BMW F 450 GS, highlights TVS Motor’s state-of-the-art manufacturing excellence in producing high-end motorcycles.”

Markus Flasch, CEO, BMW Motorrad, said, "This 200,000 unit milestone is a demonstration of the success and strength of our collaboration with TVS Motor Company. What began just over a decade ago as a bold alliance has flourished into an extraordinary success story, with our sub-500cc models setting new standards and delighting riders across the globe. The BMW G 310 R, G 310 GS and G 310 RR enjoy unrivalled popularity worldwide and have become a key pillar of BMW Motorrad’s global growth. The rollout of the new BMW F 450 GS marks the next exciting chapter in our journey together. We look forward to building on this strong foundation to deliver even more innovative, accessible, and truly world-class motorcycles for riders everywhere.”

TVS Motor Company and BMW Motorrad are driving forward investments in new platforms and future-ready technologies. The collaborative R&D efforts are aimed at meeting evolving customer needs across urban and premium mobility.

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Royal Enfield has announced the launch of the Himalayan Mana Black Edition in India at Motoverse 2025. This follows its global unveiling at EICMA 2025. The new version, priced at INR 337,000 (ex-showroom) is inspired by the Mana Pass, a high-altitude route located at 18,478 feet (5,632 meters) above sea level.

The design and ergonomics of the Mana Black Edition are created to maximise off-road riding. The edition features matte details and a Stealth Black finish, suggesting purpose and adventure. It is intended for riders who view every route as a calling.

The Mana Black edition is intended for the spirited rider prepared for adventure and comes with factory-fitted equipment. The machine embodies Royal Enfield's Philosophy, enabling those who aspire to travel farther and conquer.

A distinguishing feature of the Mana Black Edition is its factory-accessorised setup, complete with curated adventure equipment. Components include – black rally hand guards, black rally seat for grip and long-distance comfort, rally mudguard for rough routes and tubeless spoked wheels for durability.

The motorcycle is powered by the Sherpa 450 engine, maintaining the performance and agility of the new Himalayan platform.

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Bengaluru-based electric vehicle and technology company Ultraviolette Automotive has officially launched its F77 Mach 2 Recon and F77 SuperStreet Recon electric performance motorcycles in the United Kingdom. The expansion is in partnership with MotoMondo, the company's exclusive distribution partner in the region.

The launch was announced at the Motorcycle Live Show in London. Ultraviolette showcased its full product portfolio, including the F77s, F77 SuperStreet, X-47, Tesseract, Shockwave and the F99.

Narayan Subramaniam, CEO & Co-founder of Ultraviolette, said, “Earlier this year, we achieved a key milestone with the launch of the F77s across Europe, followed by the showcase of our future product lineup at EICMA. Today, I am pleased to announce that the F77 is officially launched in the United Kingdom, a nation renowned for its deep motorcycling heritage. It is a proud moment for us as we bring advanced performance and innovation to riders across the UK. With progression on the UK-India Free Trade Agreement, we believe it will further enhance the ease of bringing advanced mobility technology to the region and strengthen cross-border collaboration. We have unveiled our future product line-up: the world’s first motorcycle with radar as standard- the X-47 Crossover, along with our scooter platform-the Tesseract, and our light motorcycle platform- the Shockwave. Our product portfolio offers a clear glimpse into the future of mobility, where intelligence, purposeful design, and instinctive safety come together. With the support of our strategic partner MotoMondo, Ultraviolette is committed to setting new benchmarks across the United Kingdom and beyond.”

The F77 series draws inspiration from aeronautics. The motorcycles deliver 30 kW of peak power and 100 Nm of torque, resulting in a top speed of 155 kph. The bike is powered by a 10.3 kWh battery pack, offering a range of up to 323 kms (IDC).

It features the company’s proprietary artificial intelligence system, Violette A.I., switchable Dual-Channel ABS (developed by Bosch), 10 levels of Regenerative Braking, 4 levels of Traction Control and Dynamic Stability Control.

At the show, Ultraviolette unveiled the X-47 Crossover, a motorcycle that blends two segments and is engineered for versatility across terrains. The X-47 is the first in its class to feature integrated radar technology as standard across all variants, which adapts to lean angles up to 20 degrees. This system, powered by UV HyperSense, introduces the Advanced Rider Assistance System (ARAS) to the segment.

Jan Ykema, Managing Director of MotoMondo, commented “We are proud to bring Ultraviolette to the UK, marking a historic first step in bringing their revolutionary electric motorcycles to riders across the United Kingdom. The F77 series embodies cutting-edge technology, aerodynamic precision and performance-driven engineering, perfectly aligning with the dynamic motorcycling culture in the UK. It is a genuine and affordable mobility solution in a world where there will be more and more restrictions for ICE vehicles of which the cost of ownership will continue to rise. We are excited to partner with Ultraviolette and look forward to seeing the enthusiasm of riders as they experience the future of motorcycling first-hand.”

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