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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TVS Motor Company (TVSM), a global leader in the two-wheeler and three-wheeler segments and a part of TVS VENU, has announced the launch of its premium motorcycle experience channel – TVS Paddock.

The strategic initiative comes in response to India's rapidly growing premium mobility market, where rising affluent consumers and shifting luxury lifestyles favour personalised, community-oriented brand interactions over standard product transactions.

TVS Paddock introduces a holistic retail environment that brings motorcycles, merchandise, personalisation and community spaces together under a single roof.

To create these spaces, TVS Motor Company partnered with Checkland Kindleysides, a London-based boutique retail design agency recognised for creating culture-shaping retail experiences. The resulting network reimagines the complete customer journey from initial product discovery to long-term aftersales support.

The TVS Paddock store aesthetics are explicitly modelled after TVS Motor Co’s four decades of racing heritage and mechanical engineering. It integrates end-to-end digital pathways streamline the vehicle exploration, customisation and transactional phases.

Specialised areas for Built-To-Order (BTO) customisation allow buyers to personalise their motorcycles.  A unique product layout approach engineered to enhance physical bike discovery and experiential presentation. Immersive zones dedicated to exclusive brand merchandise, performance apparel and collaborative accessories. These outlets will house specialised service capabilities and expert technical consultation to ensure high-tier aftersales support.

TVS Paddock is scheduled for an official commercial rollout in Q2 FY2027 (July–September). The network will function as an independent, premium retail ecosystem designed to strengthen customer connections through community building and tailored brand touchpoints.

Sudarshan Venu, Chairman, TVS Motor Company, said, "TVS Paddock is our strategic commitment to redefining premium ownership by bringing together innovation, personalisation, and immersive engagement to build deeper customer connections. The future of premium motorcycling will be defined by the experiences, communities, and ecosystems we create around them. As premium motorcycle customers continue to evolve, seeking deeper, meaningful and holistic engagement, TVS Paddock will cater to these aspirations and deliver a truly elevated brand experience."

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Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters, has introduced its first flex-fuel vehicles – the Splendor+ Flex Fuel and the HF Deluxe Flex Fuel. The launch introduces the first flex-fuel motorcycles to India's 100cc mass-market segment, establishing a new milestone in the country's transition toward alternative fuels.

The Hero HF Deluxe Flex Fuel will be sold at INR 72,792 and Hero Splendor+ Flex Fuel at INR 82,710 (ex-showroom Delhi).

Engineered for everyday commuting, these new models are fully compatible with ethanol-blended petrol ranging from E20 up to E85. The localised technology supports India's national directive to lower economic carbon intensity by 45 percent by 2030.

The vehicles were unveiled ahead of World Environment Day in New Delhi in the presence of Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) and Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), alongside Hero MotoCorp leadership.

Developed at Hero MotoCorp's Centre for Innovation & Technology (CIT) in Jaipur, the flex-fuel line features minimal-to-no imported component content. The initial market release is scheduled for July 2026 across Delhi and select regions of Maharashtra, with a nationwide rollout to follow shortly thereafter.

Both motorcycles are powered by a modified 97.2cc engine architecture engineered to dynamically adapt to varying ethanol-to-petrol ratios. When running on E85 fuel, the powertrain delivers a peak power output of 6.3 kW at 8,000 rpm and maximum torque of 8.3 Nm at 6,000 rpm. To handle the corrosive and chemical properties of high-concentration ethanol blends, both models incorporate revised Electronic Control Units (ECUs) and structurally upgraded fuel system components.

Harshavardhan Chitale, CEO, Hero MotoCorp, said, "The launch of the Flex Fuel-ready Splendor+ and HF Deluxe marks another important step in our commitment towards cleaner and sustainable mobility. Developed at our Centre for Innovation & Technology (CIT) in Jaipur, these motorcycles underscore our commitment to delivering future-ready and locally relevant technologies. With minimal-to-no import content, our motorcycles strongly reflect India’s disruptive capabilities in manufacturing, while reinforcing the Government of India’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, Viksit Bharat and long-term energy security.”

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Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters, has reported total wholesale dispatches of 570,068 units for May 2026, up 12 percent YoY, as compared to 507,701 units sold last year.

Overall domestic dispatches stood at 536,784 units for the month, registering around 10 percent growth compared to May 2025. The growth, the company said, was primarily driven by double-digit volume gains across the Deluxe 125cc, premium motorcycle and scooter segments. To further consolidate its position, the company launched the all-new Super Splendor XTEC 2.0 in the 125cc category.

On the exports front, sales grew around 78 percent YoY, albeit a low-year-ago base, with dispatches rising to 33,284 units in May 2026 from 18,704 units in May 2025. This global momentum was backed by an expanding premium product portfolio and targeted market entries.

The company's domestic retail momentum remained robust, supported by 496,957 official VAHAN registrations (excluding Telangana) recorded during the month.

Furthermore, VIDA, Hero MotoCorp’s emerging electric vehicle (EV) brand, continued its rapid retail scale-up, registering 19,052 units on the VAHAN platform in May 2026, up 166 percent over the corresponding period last year.

VIDA also commenced retail operations for the Dirt.E K3 electric motorcycle in select markets, expanding its product accessibility to target younger riding demographics.

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Suzuki Motorcycle India (SMIPL), the two-wheeler subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan, has recorded its highest-ever monthly sales volume, delivering 132,244 units in May 2026, up 3 percent YoY, as compared 128,897 units sold last year.

The milestone performance was driven by an all-time high in domestic dispatches alongside steady growth in international export markets.

Suzuki Motorcycle India saw positive momentum in both the domestic market and exports. The company sold 110,028 units in the domestic market, up 2 percent YoY, while exports came at 22,216 units, up 5 percent YoY.

In addition to whole vehicle distributions, the manufacturer's spare parts division recorded financial gains. Spare parts sales generated revenue of INR 953.60 million in May 2026, marking a 14 percent growth rate over the prior year's corresponding month.

The volume growth highlights the impact of rising customer demand and SMIPL's expanded market outreach. Moving into the next phase of the fiscal year, the company plans to focus on brand activations and targeted engagement initiatives to maintain momentum.

Deepak Mutreja, Vice-President of Sales & Marketing, Suzuki Motorcycle India, said, “SMIPL’s strong performance in May 2026, marked by the highest-ever monthly sales, reflects the positive response to our products and services in the market. The domestic growth highlights the impact of a customer-centric approach and sustained engagement efforts in building deeper connections. Going forward, the focus remains on further enriching customer experiences through impactful engagement initiatives and brand activations.”

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