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

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devesh38 said:
I got these stickers done in Anna Nagar,(right side of Yesesi Supermarket). They are just reflective stickers. Which if u throw light, reflect back. Thus while taking pics if u flash is on, these stickers become LED.
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Thats all.

Actually i had bought RIM stickers from Bangalore which also had KTM logo cut out. But the quality of those RIM stickers wasn't good, which i came to know when i reached that shop where i wanted them to stick my stickers as I would definitely screw it up. There they showed there own stickers which looked of better quality than mines. But they didnt have the KTM logo cut out. So i used my KTM logo with there RIM stickers. And the result was really good.

Here's a pic in day time :

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you mean they wont just glow in the dark until there some light directly pointed towards it?? it wont glow if you just take it out for a ride in the night???
 
puneetritehere said:
you mean they wont just glow in the dark until there some light directly pointed towards it?? it wont glow if you just take it out for a ride in the night???
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^Yes... They are reflective stickers. Otherwise u need either LED strips but very difficult to connect to batteries. Or take some Radium based stickers. But i dont know how much they would glow. And als not sure whether you will get them in orange color or not.
 
devesh38 said:
^Yes... They are reflective stickers. Otherwise u need either LED strips but very difficult to connect to batteries. Or take some Radium based stickers. But i dont know how much they would glow. And als not sure whether you will get them in orange color or not.
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no.. what i want to clarify is that if i take the bike out in the evening say around 7 to 8, when theres lots of traffic and the streets are lit up, will these stickers glow or do they specially need very bright lights directly focused towards them. like your stickers are glowing so much because of the camera flash right?? so what i am asking is that is such a bright light required for them to glow or the street lights and the general lighting in the city during evening hours is good enough to make them glow???
 
abhifusion said:
Guys hows the seating position of Duke ?? Is it comfortable over long distance like 300-400 kms ?? I got test ride and feel seating position is a bit awkward...

Many reviews say that its perfect city tool but could be troublesome for long tours
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Sharing a kickass review below...

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FOjkjBKBvOE[/media]
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even i was a little skeptical about the seating position being very comfortable over long hours.. although, the seating is not entirely sporty and doesnt require you to bend down on the tank, it still might not be very comfortable to all due to the position of the gear shift levers..
 
puneetritehere said:
no.. what i want to clarify is that if i take the bike out in the evening say around 7 to 8, when theres lots of traffic and the streets are lit up, will these stickers glow or do they specially need very bright lights directly focused towards them. like your stickers are glowing so much because of the camera flash right?? so what i am asking is that is such a bright light required for them to glow or the street lights and the general lighting in the city during evening hours is good enough to make them glow???
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they wont glow that way. yes my stickers are glowing because of camera flash. the light should fall on stickers right beside the eye from which it is being watched, like in camera. Then also it was digital camera in the phone which took the pic in such a way.

It never looked the same when i watch the bike, throwing light on it using a torch/flash. It is just like any reflective stickers not how it is seen in pic.

abhifusion said:
Guys hows the seating position of Duke ?? Is it comfortable over long distance like 300-400 kms ?? I got test ride and feel seating position is a bit awkward...

Many reviews say that its perfect city tool but could be troublesome for long tours
sad.gif
...

Sharing a kickass review below...

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FOjkjBKBvOE[/media]
Click to expand...

The seating is good for only 1 hour of journey. Beyond that butt starts to ache. In one whole days ride, one needs Butt Transplant.
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I did 470kms in one day. It was a bit uncomfortable in the evening during last 100kms. But manageable. In my opinion 400-500 kms is more than enough in one day. I am pretty sure the other bikes will also be uncomfortable if ridden that much in one day. I have read people doing 1000kms in one day n Duke 200 as soon as the bike was launched which is Iron Butt challenge.
 
puneetritehere said:
even i was a little skeptical about the seating position being very comfortable over long hours.. although, the seating is not entirely sporty and doesnt require you to bend down on the tank, it still might not be very comfortable to all due to the position of the gear shift levers..
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devesh38 said:
The seating is good for only 1 hour of journey. Beyond that butt starts to ache. In one whole days ride, one needs Butt Transplant.
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I did 470kms in one day. It was a bit uncomfortable in the evening during last 100kms. But manageable. In my opinion 400-500 kms is more than enough in one day. I am pretty sure the other bikes will also be uncomfortable if ridden that much in one day. I have read people doing 1000kms in one day n Duke 200 as soon as the bike was launched which is Iron Butt challenge.
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I usually go for long rides once a few months, also would like to attempt Saddlesore and bunburner on the new bike... So I guess I'll have to go with CBR250R which I think is way too overpriced at 1.95L for ABS version
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guys.. heres an excellent, detailed and comprehensive comparison test review of the KTM Duke, CBR250, R15.. please do check it out and read the whole thing.. it will help you guys a lot in deciding between the CBR and the duke..read the whole thing, and then decide if you are willing to pay the premium for the CBR 250 or not... because, if the price difference is not given much of an importance, the CBR is definitely a better bike..

http://www.motorbeam.com/bikes/yamaha-r15-bikes/ktm-duke-200-vs-yamaha-r15-v2-0-vs-honda-cbr250r-shootout/
 
^ Price difference is one of the main thing dude, I could get S3 + Ivy Bridge Upgrade form my comp if I go for Duke instead of CBR250R(ABS)
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i personally dont think theres any need to buy the ABS version.. we've all been riding bikes with normal disc brakes.. they are absolutely fine...no point spending so much more on ABS.. you can rather spend dedicated time to practice braking. i do that every once in a while and my braking has greatly improved..
 
I wont be opening a new thread for my query, but need your valuable inputs to decide on a bike.

I have already paid 22K in April, as a booking amount for R15 V2 Limited edition. The wait period as promised by Yamaha dealer is 4 to 5 months. Its too steep for my liking. I have read many reviews and ownership threads on KTM duke and Yamaha R15 V2. But have only added confusion in my mind to go for Duke or to wait for V2.

I am not a guy who is going to change bike every 2 or 3 years, but planning to keep it for atleast for 6 to 7 years. So I need a good engine which wont wear out in such a long run. As Duke is a new bike, I cant be sure that its engine is built to last long. But on the other hand, I have many friends riding Yamaha R15 V1 for more than 2 to 3 years and even now those bikes ride like new.

For your info, I own a RX135 from 1998 and still its torque is more than any other bike I have seen and still runs great. Wont compare any other things as its a 2 stroke machine.

Kindly clear my following concerns:

1. Which one of the two, Duke or R15 V2 has torque near/equal/better than Rx135? (at low rpm ofcourse)

2. I am fond of taking rides in hilly areas/ghats. So which one of the two has the power to keep climbing the steep roads fast? ( Have an input already from #[member='devesh38'] about this, but would like more info)

3. Which bike gives the feeling of riding a powerful bike?

4. Engine durability.

5. Maintenance costs.

6. Wind blast on high speed.

And sticking to the thread, I have test driven a duke
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chiragsthakur said:
Kindly clear my following concerns:

1. Which one of the two, Duke or R15 V2 has torque near/equal/better than Rx135? (at low rpm ofcourse)

2. I am fond of taking rides in hilly areas/ghats. So which one of the two has the power to keep climbing the steep roads fast? ( Have an input already from #[member='devesh38'] about this, but would like more info)

3. Which bike gives the feeling of riding a powerful bike?

4. Engine durability.

5. Maintenance costs.

6. Wind blast on high speed.

And sticking to the thread, I have test driven a duke
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1. Both will have more torque that the two stroke RX. Two strokes by design have less torque. Duke has more torque that R15 throughout the rev range.

2. Really depend upon you, because both bike have different riding stance and power delivery. R15 is agressive riding stance and you have rev it properly to enjoy. on the other hand duke riding stance is very street oriented and power even in the lower rev range is good.

3. Again subjective thing but duke is a whole lot faster than R15 and exhust note after 5-6k is really good.

4. don't know as duke is new bike where R15 is there for some time now, IMO R15 engine has to be more durable.

5. Both should be same.

6. Bad on Duke after 120kmph, R15 will be marginally better.

Both are completely different bike, take a proper test ride for both and decide.
 
Thanks for your valuable inputs.

Are you sure about the torque thingy that a 2 stroke has less torque (maybe the power per rpm) than 4 stroke??

Already did a test ride of Duke and a ride on R15 V2 (Friends bike), but to be true, I found Rx135 has better pickup and reaches 0-60kmph faster than v2, but while compared to Duke, Rx135 looses by maybe 2 to 3 seconds.

Have never taken both bikes above 60kmph as both were new. The duke use to turn off sometimes in traffic, had to be revved continuously to keep it alive. Once it catches up speeds, then I agree its a bliss to ride it.

Now speaking from maintenance point of view, is it hard for maintaining R15 V2 coz of its fairing??
 
#[member='chiragsthakur'] the feeling of instant pickup that you get in the RX135 is due to its 2 stroke engine.. 2 stroke engine has a very short stroke, and quickly climbs up to its top rpm as unlike the 4 stroke it does not have idle rounds after every power stroke.. this is the reason 2 strokes are still preferred for offroad stunting and platform riding....

as far as the riding position is concerned, the R15 has an aggressive sport riding position which will allow you for leaning and aggressive cornering which i think you wont prefer on the streets..

I personally dont like the KTM Dukes riding position. its like a mix of both comfort and sporty which gives it a very weird feel and may take some time getting used to and definitely not for long hours of riding.. the seating is upright, with wide handle bars, like made for comfort riding, and the gearshift levers are placed laid back and a little high.. as if made for a leaned sport riding position.. this combination makes for an overall not very comfortable riding position..

about the engine power, the KTM duke obviously is the winner over here with its 200cc engine compared to the 150cc R15. the engine displacement is the only that lets down the R15. otherwise, I personally think the R15 v2 is a winner in every other aspect.. the looks, riding position (atleast its full sporty so that can be utilized to its max potential), overall dynamics and aesthetics of the bike..

but even then, the R15's engine is a very efficient one and you wont feel as if you are straining the engine too much.. on the other hand, with the powerful Dukes engine at 25 hp and 19 Nm of torque, the bike pulls forward effortlessly and on top of that has quite short gearing which again increases pickup.. on the duke, even at 6th gear you will feel as if you are riding on your 4th gear.. nevertheless, both bikes are excellent ,

and if engine displacement is not an issue for me, i would pick up the R15 over the Duke anyday without any thought.

the fairing of the R15 is not going to add any maintenance hassles to the bike. it only improves the overall aerodynamics and results in a more streamlined structure of the bike.. however, you will have to be a bit careful in the traffic not to scratch or break it. and yes, if the bike falls, the fairing's definitely gonna take a hit..

you dont have to worry about the KTM technology.. its a proven company, and quite popular in Europe. i have known about this company well in advance of about 1 year before it was launched in India.. at that time, there were only faint rumors running around about this company bringing its bikes to India, but then Bajaj bought a controlling stake in the company and introduced it..

the engine of the R15 is already proven and needs no explanation or justification. .its the star of its class and the traditional pulsars and apaches even with higher displacement engines..

the KTM engine is also quite smooth and revvy, the bike also has oil cooling, you can feel a lot of heat being dissipated once the radiator fan spins up.. This is from my younger brothers bike..but i am sure this will reduce after a run in of about 1000 kms. the bike has a special oil pump for oil circulation, so thats a new and good thing and good for the lubrication of the engine.. the bike also has a nice rigid frame.. but i am sure you must have already figured all this stuff from your rides..

both the R15 and Duke are excellent bikes, and if the engine displacement and power output is not an issue for you, go for the R15, it is also known to be more stable at higher speeds and aggressive sudden braking as compared to the duke. if you want a powerful engine, go for the Duke.. but except from the power mentioned on paper and obviously the difference felt while riding, its not like the R15 has any pickup issues or problems riding at lower rpms.. all these are high revving efficient engines and their optimal powerband is in the higher rpms only.. none of these bikes are going to provide the best low rpm torque.. for that you will have to go for the royal enfields which give out their peak torque at 4000 rpm and HP at 5250 rpm unlike these bikes that give out their best brochure mentioned HP at above 10000 rpm..

PS: if you like 2 stroke engines, buy the Duke. as the Duke has a very short stroke, short and close ratio gearing on top of that, and the engine is quite rev happy, it actually gives a feel as if you are riding a 2 stroke. the thin sound of the engine due to the floor exhausts also contributes to a sound that comes quite close to that of 2 stroke bikes as compared to all the other bikes in the market..
 
chiragsthakur said:
#[member='puneetritehere'] Thanks a lot for a detailed info. But to be honest I am still confused
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75% I will be going for V2 now..
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yeah.. absolutely... the v2 definitely is an excellent bike.. even the 150cc on this bike is much more efficient and has better power output than the traditional 150cc's... i am sure you are gonna absolutely love this bike.. except, for the engine displacement, i will surely go for the v2 myself anyday...
 
[TABLE="class: tborder, width: 100%, align: center"]
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[TD="class: alt1, bgcolor: #EEEEEE"]some nos from the latest issue of overdrive magazine.

lap times from kari motor speed way

CBR 250
Anand - 1.24.00
Shumi - 1.31.10
Abhay - 1.30.00

R15 V2
Anand - 1.28.80
Shumi - 1.33.80
Abhay - 1.35.60

Duke 200
Anand - 1.23.00
Shumi - 1.26.10
Abhay - 1.28.70
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
 
devesh38 Any vibrations felt at higher RPM's?? (From engine and not due to wind blast)

Why dont Bajaj improve their QC department. Such a high end bike (Duke is 1.35L on road) and have heard many users saying that, the fuel tank cannot be completely filled as the petrol leaks, footpeg supporters quality in not great, MRF tires tend to wear out soon, even some have reported they had to change a tire, ECU cuts off petrol supply even at lower speeds (high rpm) & the bike looses power, seats are hard, bike coming straight from factory have loose oil caps etc. I agree that this bike is the best amongst what is available at 1.4L, but if a consumer is paying such a premium why cant Bajaj make sure that he gets everything perfect (one or two minor defects are acceptable).

Even now, I read review about Honda CBR150r on the other forum and they say that the plastics and switches used on 150r are not of good quality, even they have missed out engine kill switch and passby switch. Now for such a price they could have easily implemented those basic things.

I am searching for problems faced by R15 owners too, no major flaws. But would still check other things in details. If any, please let me know.
 
there some vibrations at the footpeg at around 7-8k rpm, but its very minor.

chiragsthakur said:
devesh38 Any vibrations felt at higher RPM's?? (From engine and not due to wind blast)

Why dont Bajaj improve their QC department. Such a high end bike (Duke is 1.35L on road) and have heard many users saying that, the fuel tank cannot be completely filled as the petrol leaks (thats because there is a overflow pipe if u fill the petrol to full and then accelerate/brake hard or go over bumpy road it will leak), footpeg supporters quality in not great, (i didn't come across this issue, it seems all fine) MRF tires tend to wear out soon, even some have reported they had to change a tire, (this i would have to check, but yes they will wear out faster than normal as they are soft compound tyres which offer better road grip) ECU cuts off petrol supply even at lower speeds (high rpm) (its cuts of fuel at low rpm and high gear, one has to learn to keep rpms high)& the bike looses power, seats are hard (yup, i too feel this, but nowadays wearing boxers sort the issue :)), bike coming straight from factory have loose oil caps etc. I agree that this bike is the best amongst what is available at 1.4L, but if a consumer is paying such a premium why cant Bajaj make sure that he gets everything perfect (one or two minor defects are acceptable).

Even now, I read review about Honda CBR150r on the other forum and they say that the plastics and switches used on 150r are not of good quality, even they have missed out engine kill switch and passby switch. Now for such a price they could have easily implemented those basic things.

I am searching for problems faced by R15 owners too, no major flaws. But would still check other things in details. If any, please let me know.
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i think you are over-thinking over this one. No bike is perfect and its the launch only, i am sure bajaj is working on the issues. They will eventually get sorted out. Give the duke some time.

r15 is there in market for quite some time now. If u like r15 just go for it, and don't think of anything else and vice-versa. Both are gr8 bikes. I am again stating that u wont be much wrong in choosing any of these bikes.
 
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