2009 Milan Show: KTM Concept 125 Supermoto Racer

Oh, to be a teenager! KTM is a huge supporter of mini-motocross with its big range of beautiful and highly refined off-road and motocross racers in a wide range of small displacements, both two-stroke and four-stroke. But at the 2009 Milan Show the Austrian company took another step forward by unveiling a pair of beautifully turned out and very high-spec mini-supermoto concept bikes powered by a 15-horsepower, 125cc four-stroke Single. The machines are dubbed, simply, "KTM 125."

Concept bikes, yes, but these 125s appear ready for production any time KTM's top management gives the green light. The bikes are so new that no pictures were included in the Milan Show press kit! The two 125 Supermoto bikes—one in racing trim, the other in street-legal form—are appropriately compact to make them accessible to younger riders.

The 125s were inspired by the purest, most hard-edged KTM supermoto machines. In fact, they were developed by the same technical team that produced the mighty 690 Duke and are intended to offer the younger generation the opportunity to discover the fun of closed-course racing. No reason adults couldn't have a good time on one either! Imagine the fun the street-equipped version would be ripping around town or on a tight backroad...

It appears nothing has been spared in the engineering and execution of this project. The bikes are said to be extremely light and are fitted with top quality components from WP (suspension) and Brembo (brakes and ultra-lightweight cast-aluminum wheels).

The KTM 125 racer is fitted with slicks and a track-oriented exhaust with a megaphone-style silencer that promises a throaty note. The KTM 125 is intended to be "ready to race" for the motorcycle enthusiasts of tomorrow, and KTM is likely to support—in Europe, at least—a 125 supermoto series to get new racers started. The relatively tame state of engine tuning promises low maintenance costs. Cool concept bikes; no word on when or if these 125 minis will become production machines.