350cc Archives - Asphalt & Rubber

We here at Asphalt & Rubber are all about the scooters. Mmm…yes, we love us some scooters! Scooters. Are. The. Best.

Ok, I will admit that it is hard to get excited about a scooter, even if it is from a luxury brand like BMW Motorrad. So loath is the lowly scooter to the modern rider, most motorcyclists won’t even extend a wave when one passes by in the other direction.

This will probably be the case with the new BMW C400X, but don’t be so quick to judge this 400cc class scoot, as it is an integral part to BMW’s urban mobility plan, and it compliments the German brand current lineup of 650cc scooters.

More importantly, we need to embrace the fact that transportation is changing, and the truth is that the more two-wheelers there are on the roads, the better it is for all motorcyclists…even if those bikes are maxi-scooters like the BMW C400X.

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After first announcing that KTM would build a 200cc model of the new KTM 125 Duke for the Indian market, KTM CEO Stefan Pierer has been quoted as saying that a larger, 350cc, model is in the works, and will debut as a 2013 model year motorcycle. It would seem that the 2012 KTM 350 Duke is also slated as an India-only model, though rumors and plans for a larger displacement Duke for the US market were banded about when the 125cc Duke launched at EICMA last year.

KTM seems set to take the 125 Duke platform as versatile bike for the global markets, matching configurations with localities. Since the 125cc format makes little sense in the United States (do you hear that Aprilia?), expect at least a 250cc version of the Duke to debut later this year, and likely a larger format (450cc?) as well for the US at a later point in time.

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350cc

BMW C400X, A Luxury Middleweight Scooter

KTM 350 Duke in 2013 – India Only?