Austrian manufacturer KTM has added a 250 Duke and RC 250 to its line-up, but they are unlikely to come to Australia.
KTM showed the two new models this week at the 42nd Tokyo Motorcycle Show as well as announcing it would add a slipper clutch to its 390 models which had previously only been available in the Indian market.
However, KTM Australia marketing and communications manager Greg Chambers says we probably won’t get the 250s and may not get the slipper clutch.
KTM 250 Duke“The 2015 (390) model arrived earlier this year though it does not have a slipper clutch fitted,” he says. “I still have no news on the 2016 model, it’s arrival date or if it will have a slipper clutch fitted as standard.
“I just learned about the 250cc version of the Duke today. This is currently for the Japanese market only as far as I’m aware.
“We can be certain that it won’t make it to Australia as the 390 Duke makes far more sense with our current LAMS laws.”
KTM RC 250Australian LAMS rulkes allow novices to ride bikes up to 650cc with a ceiling power-to-weight ratio of 150kW per tonne.
The KTM RC 250 and 250 Duke are powered by the current 373.2cc, four-stroke, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, 4-valve, DOHC engine with electronic fuel injection.
Maximum power is 23kW at 9000rpm and maximum torque is 24Nm at 7250rpm.
Apart from the engine, everything else is the same as the 390 models including all-disc brakes with dual channel Anti-lock braking system, wide Metzeler tyres and a six-speed gearbox with a wet multi-plate clutch and back-torque limiter slipper clutch to prevent rear wheel lock-up.
But while Kawasaki Australia seems happy to keep adding more models to its learner line-up, such as the Z300 and Z250SL, KTM seems adamant to not opt for the 250s in an already crowded LAMS market.