Car & Bike TestDriven: The New KTM Duke 200 Launched in India

[puneetritehere]

excellent . sexy..

congrats for your purchase, about fuel indication , i think digital indicators are not good in showing exact fuel in tank, because my yamaha fz fuel indicator always blinks if it is still has half the tank of fuel.

that must be some problem with your indicator.. i dont have a bike with fuel efficiency indicators, but in our Polo and Corolla Altis, the fuel indication and fuel efficiency indication both are digital and pretty accurate.. .i mean accurate up to a deviation of 1 to 1.5 KMPL.

 

[Rahul]

Got Duke'd today..

Now finally the wait is over. I went to chennai KTM showroom to collect the bike today evening. One guy was taking the delivery when i reached there and left as soon as i entered. ........................

What time did you got to the showroom ?? if it was in the evening then i am the "other guy" taking the delivery before you

 

[puneetritehere]

What time did you got to the showroom ?? if it was in the evening then i am the "other guy" taking the delivery before you

heheh.. nice coincidence guys.. its fun when small things like this happen in life.. anyone planning on showing off some videos???

and some more indetail overview of the bike..

 

[devesh38]

What time did you got to the showroom ?? if it was in the evening then i am the "other guy" taking the delivery before you

I reached the showroom at 430pm when one guy was just leaving the showroom on duke. Was that you? Plus when i left the showroom around 6pm one more guy(may be same one whom i saw at 430pm) just sped off past me on duke. Were you among any of above two mentioned persons. I had come with my friend who had yellow r15.

Anyways, how is your bike doing? Where do you stay in chennai? may be we can meet up some day.?

heheh.. nice coincidence guys.. its fun when small things like this happen in life.. anyone planning on showing off some videos???

and some more indetail overview of the bike..

Yes... its fun knowing these small things happening. Regarding the in detail review, cant give much but will sure post my impressions when i take my bike for a considerable long ride. As for now i did a small ride of around 20kms on 100feet road in chennai. I was cruising at 50-60kmph in 5th or 6th gear. The ride was much much smoother and better than the one i had bringing the bike from showroom. There was a little chain noise in 6th gear at around 50kmph but its no issue. I was surprised to see the bike run at even 30kmph in 6th gear easily without engine stalling. This means that the 6th gear has a range of around 30-136kmph. Thats just HUGE. :0

Will ride more in the weekend. I have completed only 110kms till now and its still in running in period. Plus as this is my first ever bike, i am also side by side learning to ride this bike as i am getting used to bike. And as I am still a rookie in driving, so not going any hard on the bike yet.

for now some more pics :

 

[Rahul]

I reached the showroom at 430pm when one guy was just leaving the showroom on duke. Was that you? Plus when i left the showroom around 6pm one more guy(may be same one whom i saw at 430pm) just sped off past me on duke. Were you among any of above two mentioned persons. I had come with my friend who had yellow r15.

Ya that was me i got my bike around 4.30, later i was not there hehe, after all its a small world. sure man will catch up sometime.

[attachment=12165:3.jpg]

Initial review

Pros:

Riding position.

Info display like average speed, riding time, km/l etc

Great brakes with linear operation.

Light weight, easy to maneuver in city traffic.

Great looks and attention to detail.

Overall quality of components.

Peppy engine.

Cons:

I hate the all digital speedo, at least they should have given analog rev counter.

Extra wide 150mm rear tyre, IMO its not need for a 25BHP bike.

Brake and gear lever are short.

Engine does not feel very refined, even my 5 year old ZMA feels more refined.

I can see some wires with loose tape and stuff behind the engine, i feel wires should have be properly routed.

Gearbox is really short ratio.

First mod i did was removing the Sari guard

and fixing a tank pad.

Riding the bike reminded me of my early day when i got the CBZ and people used to turn around and look and annoy you with lot of questions. In this case its worst as people don't even know what is KTM. i mostly tell them its Bajaj.

 

[devesh38]

Ya that was me i got my bike around 4.30, later i was not there hehe, after all its a small world. sure man will catch up sometime.

[attachment=12165:3.jpg]

Initial review

Pros:

Riding position.

Info display like average speed, riding time, km/l etc

Great brakes with linear operation.

Light weight, easy to maneuver in city traffic.

Great looks and attention to detail.

Overall quality of components.

Peppy engine.

Cons:

I hate the all digital speedo, at least they should have given analog rev counter.

Extra wide 150mm rear tyre, IMO its not need for a 25BHP bike.

Brake and gear lever are short.

Engine does not feel very refined, even my 5 year old ZMA feels more refined.

I can see some wires with loose tape and stuff behind the engine, i feel wires should have be properly routed.

Gearbox is really short ratio.

First mod i did was removing the Sari guard

and fixing a tank pad.

Riding the bike reminded me of my early day when i got the CBZ and people used to turn around and look and annoy you with lot of questions. In this case its worst as people don't even know what is KTM. i mostly tell them its Bajaj.

gr8. For me the saree guard does not look that off, so keeping it on for now. Leg Break lever is definitely short, haven't yet got used to it till now. Rest all is gr8 in my opinion.

And yes people do annoy with lot of questions. Plus can't park the bike on road side. Once i parked my bike outside a shop. By the time i came back in 5 min, there were 5-6 persons surrounding my bike. The main problem is some even try to fiddle with it too.

 

[puneetritehere]

Cons:

Extra wide 150mm rear tyre, IMO its not need for a 25BHP bike.

no man.. when i took the bike out for a test ride, and pushed it on corners, the rear tended to slide out.. once or twice the rear also started skidding but because the tyres are good, as soon as i let the throttle go, the bike was very easily controllable.. so theres no way a thinner tyre is acceptable.. this is like the minimum grip required on the bike..

And yes people do annoy with lot of questions. Plus can't park the bike on road side. Once i parked my bike outside a shop. By the time i came back in 5 min, there were 5-6 persons surrounding my bike. The main problem is some even try to fiddle with it too.

heheh.. true.. during my test ride, i saw all the other people on the road kept turning their heads to see where that revving sound is coming from.. especially the school boys riding their activa's and super sport Dio's

touche.. were worth a watch.. the look on their faces was fun to see. . they were like.. oh shit.. what the hell. what bike is this.. one guy even tried to start racing his dio as soon as he heard the fast revving sound closing up fast behind him and he was taken by total surprise how fast i crossed him.. poor guy didnt even get the time to see what left him in the dust..

 

[Rahul]

Some pics from today 200km ride on ecr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rahulkool/sets/72157629187822618/with/6973000233/

 

[bottle]

^Can I have your palio for spares ?

 

[devesh38]

Some pics from today 200km ride on ecr

[media]http://www.flickr.com/photos/rahulkool/sets/72157629187822618/with/6973000233/[/media]

awesome pics..

 

[Rahul]

no man.. when i took the bike out for a test ride, and pushed it on corners, the rear tended to slide out.. once or twice the rear also started skidding but because the tyres are good, as soon as i let the throttle go, the bike was very easily controllable.. so theres no way a thinner tyre is acceptable.. this is like the minimum grip required on the bike..

I don't think rear will slide out on any of these less 200 cc bikes, unless there is some gravel on the road. Another reason might be if you are entering the corner at really insane speeds, which i won't suggest neither i do . A thin but sticky tyre is lot better than hard compound wide tyre, thin tyre will help you go fast and increase <acronym title='FunEnclave'>FE</acronym>.

 

[puneetritehere]

I don't think rear will slide out on any of these less 200 cc bikes, unless there is some gravel on the road. Another reason might be if you are entering the corner at really insane speeds, which i won't suggest neither i do . A thin but sticky tyre is lot better than hard compound wide tyre, thin tyre will help you go fast and increase <acronym title='FunEnclave'>FE</acronym>.

no man .. i wasnt entering the corner at insane speeds.. its just that i have a lot of fun accelerating fast once i am about to exit the corner. . especially when the rear drifts out a little bit barely due to acceleration.. i actually try to drift the tyres out..

i agree.. a thin tyre will obviously be lighter and contribute to better acceleration, but on a bike like this, it just doesnt look good. i mean, i love those fat tyres.. it actually makes the bike look more aggressive..

 

[Rahul]

Another snap of the duke.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rahulkool/6977126523/in/photostream

 

[puneetritehere]

those who've finally got the bike, an indepth review with snaps will be really nice..

 

[Rahul]

Few things i have noticed

- Headlamp stays on for few secs if you switch off the engine through kill switch.

- Another thing is if you push the bike with headlamps on and ignition on, headlamp will be turned on in 2-3 secs and switches off 2-3 secs after stopping. I noticed this while coming very late yesterday night was just getting the bike inside as everyone was asleep, didnt wanted to distubed so didnt start the bike pushed it inside while ignition and headlamp was in on position.

- The coolant cap is at wrong position and anyone can open it, it should have been inside not visible.

- The lower rubber coolant pipe can be easily damaged, they should have been covered with metal pipes.

- Front shocks are a lot stiffer that ZMA.

- Front shock have some texture on it, it really gives quality feel. just touch it and you will know what i am talking about.

- If you have more than one error the yellow triangle warning light starts flashing.

- One more problem i have noticed is while parking, as the side stand bike is almost straight, it can topple over very easily. The side stand should have been little shorter, wonder why they have designed like this.

 

[devesh38]

Few things i have noticed

- Headlamp stays on for few secs if you switch off the engine through kill switch.

- Another thing is if you push the bike with headlamps on and ignition on, headlamp will be turned on in 2-3 secs and switches off 2-3 secs after stopping. I noticed this while coming very late yesterday night was just getting the bike inside as everyone was asleep, didnt wanted to distubed so didnt start the bike pushed it inside while ignition and headlamp was in on position.

- The coolant cap is at wrong position and anyone can open it, it should have been inside not visible.

- The lower rubber coolant pipe can be easily damaged, they should have been covered with metal pipes.

- Front shocks are a lot stiffer that ZMA.

- Front shock have some texture on it, it really gives quality feel. just touch it and you will know what i am talking about.

- If you have more than one error the yellow triangle warning light starts flashing.

- One more problem i have noticed is while parking, as the side stand bike is almost straight, it can topple over very easily. The side stand should have been little shorter, wonder why they have designed like this.

Hey i need to buy a good mesh jacket and gloves. Am considering cramster brand. As i am new to biking world, so need more suggestions. What would you suggest?

and about your bike : How many kilometers have you clocked? done any long riding?

I am planning small out of chennai trip this Saturday. Gotta see how this bike does in the less traffic. As still in run in, wont be ripping it.

 

[puneetritehere]

Few things i have noticed

- Headlamp stays on for few secs if you switch off the engine through kill switch.

- Another thing is if you push the bike with headlamps on and ignition on, headlamp will be turned on in 2-3 secs and switches off 2-3 secs after stopping. I noticed this while coming very late yesterday night was just getting the bike inside as everyone was asleep, didnt wanted to distubed so didnt start the bike pushed it inside while ignition and headlamp was in on position.

- The coolant cap is at wrong position and anyone can open it, it should have been inside not visible.

- The lower rubber coolant pipe can be easily damaged, they should have been covered with metal pipes.

- Front shocks are a lot stiffer that ZMA.

- Front shock have some texture on it, it really gives quality feel. just touch it and you will know what i am talking about.

- If you have more than one error the yellow triangle warning light starts flashing.

- One more problem i have noticed is while parking, as the side stand bike is almost straight, it can topple over very easily. The side stand should have been little shorter, wonder why they have designed like this.

well .. about the coolant.. i am not sure how many people would want to risk opening that cap without knowing if the coolant is hot or cool..

yep.. the build quality of the bike is good. and not only the shocks, i even liked the overall quality of plastic parts as well as the tyres used in the bike..

about the side stand, its like this bike is not India proof yet..

this is a popular company in Europe, where people need not worry about uneven surfaces while parking their bike..

is there no way to adjust the front forks?? i didnt study this detail while test riding the bike..

 

[rad0]

Was crossing the KTM showroom near Indiranagar,Bangalore. Stopped by to check the bike, they were unloading the bikes

1. Is there any other color available apart from this ?

2. The engine sound doesn't sound polished. May be first impression is not correct.

3.Rear tyres are wide

Noob Question.

Is KTM anyway related to Kawasaki ?

Asking this as i could see Kawasaki label at the showrrom. Or was it a illusion

 

[Rahul]

Hey i need to buy a good mesh jacket and gloves. Am considering cramster brand. As i am new to biking world, so need more suggestions. What would you suggest?

and about your bike : How many kilometers have you clocked? done any long riding?

I am planning small out of chennai trip this Saturday. Gotta see how this bike does in the less traffic. As still in run in, wont be ripping it.

I have done ~250kms on ecr last sunday, haven't rode the bike much in city, total is <400kms. I am keeping the engine under 4500rpm, mostly riding below 3500rpm. I got a <acronym title='FunEnclave'>FE</acronym> of 52kmpl on the highway and 43-48kmpl in the city. I am really surprised by this was expecting something like 35-38kmpl. I guess once run in is over it should be around 35kmpl if ridden the way it meant to be

.

You can check out the gloves and jackets here http://www.planetdsg.com/ , i have ordered 2-3 times and usually they deliver in 2 days time.

well .. about the coolant.. i am not sure how many people would want to risk opening that cap without knowing if the coolant is hot or cool..

yep.. the build quality of the bike is good. and not only the shocks, i even liked the overall quality of plastic parts as well as the tyres used in the bike..

about the side stand, its like this bike is not India proof yet..

this is a popular company in Europe, where people need not worry about uneven surfaces while parking their bike..

is there no way to adjust the front forks?? i didnt study this detail while test riding the bike..

Its India mate, anyone standing around the bike will try to fiddle with anything which can be moved, opened, twisted lol. I don't think front shocks are adjustable.

 

[puneetritehere]

Is KTM anyway related to Kawasaki ?

Asking this as i could see Kawasaki label at the showrrom. Or was it a illusion

dude .. KTM is not related to kawasaki.. bajaj is related to kawasaki and KTM. Kawasaki-Bajaj.. refresh any old memories??? Kawasaki launched itself in India after affiliating with Bajaj because at that time for the development of Indian industry, any foreign company had to tie up with an Indian company.. later, when norms were relaxed, kawasaki started selling bikes separately but the recent Kawasaki Ninja 250 and 650, are being marketed by bajaj in India. .You can see them only at Bajaj Probiking showrooms. and Bajaj has acquired a 40% stake in KTM. even KTM is only available in Bajaj Probiking showrooms.. Hence, in a bajaj probiking showroom, you will see the following bikes and brands
Bajaj - Pulsar 220, 200, Avenger 220

Kawasaki - Ninja 250, Ninja 650

KTM - Duke 200

it is for the very same reason, we have and had Maruti-Suzuki(still holding high), Ford-Escorts (no more), TVS-Suzuki(no more), Kawasaki-Bajaj (no more), Hero-Honda (no more) (Hero was just a bicycle manufacturer then). this caused the Indian companies to steal all the technology from their foreign counterparts, but it also resulted in the upliftment of the Indian Automobile Industry.