The KTM Duke 200 and I

[TSIVipul]

Yes, KTM sure seems to be proactive and they should be.

Even Honda dealership here has a better customer lounge than the Maruti,same way KTM must make them better,at least to pamper their customers.

One can sure pop a wheelie if not careful with the throttle and rpms. Many Dukes seem to be crashing out after immature riders giving it the stick without getting used with the power first. It reminds me of the Suzuki Shaolin around the time it was introduced. A lot of people went into turns on the Shaolin without downshifting in fifth gear as they were only used to 4 speed bikes, only to crash out hard after understeering.

First time I crashed was a Yamaha RD 350 HT,I too did the same mistake.."Squeeze the throttle without knowing the power delivery" and as a result ended up with a misplaced elbow after the bike's front wheel lost grip due to lifting.From that day I have ridden R1,Bandit,Ninja 650 etc,but what made the difference was the respect and a habit of learning the power delivery before squeezing the throttle.
Actually many people does not deserve such power and the result is known to everyone.

There were three bikes at the ASC that had crashed and were in for repairs when I went for service. One guy managed to bend the trellis frame even. Most of the crashes involve young riders with little or no experience in biking. I myself am still to get to grips with the new seating position and power on tap. Time and experience is the key and that I need a whole lot more.

I am not at all surprised by this news,when I bought my 200,many accidental bikes could be found in the A.S.C. and most of them met high speed collisions.Reason,the guys just squeezed the throttle without thinking.
Same is for every powerful bike and car,a lot of them can be seen lying either on roads or A.S.C's,only because the owners were foolish enough not to respect their machines.

 

[singh890]

you should always take your time to get used to a new car or bike that you have bought. All machines are different from one another. So always take your time to understand your machine before you start playing with it.

 

[TSIVipul]

I never give my bike to my friends who drive insensibly for the same reason.For the safety of their,bike can be repaired.
And in 50% of the accidents its the friends who do it for the owner.Why?Because they think that they will never get the bike again,so they try to enjoy it at its best 'performance' and result in disaster.

 

[singh890]

That's true why because this happened with my friend. In 2007 he bought a pulsar 150 and one of our friend asked for a TD and he revved it so hard, that he did wheelie and then banggg into the wall . But he was safe and didn't get hurt badly. And he paid for the damages but again my friend felt so bad for his new bike.

 

[Sam Dinkar]

@jalex: I am late to hail before your Duke but please accept my heartfelt congrats on your purchase. Who better than an experienced racer like you to lay his hands on the throttle of a rowdy madcap bike like the Duke 200.

One of my friends just came back after taking a test ride of the Duke 200 and told me that this is the only Indian bike (heh heh!) he has ever ridden alongwith the RTR that felt like a two stroke! I think that's a fitting tribute to the Duke's performance.

Kindly shed some llights on the following issues:

1. How is the fuel injection setup? Seamless or any glitches/jerks while opening/closing the throttle at various rpms in various gears?

2. What is the service schedule? Does it require synthetic lubes? How much for a paid service (tentative)?

3. How is the grip in the wet?

4. Does the engine get hot in heavy traffic conditions?

5. Is the sitting geometry comfortable for solo long rides? Can this bike be used for touring
? What's the engine rpm at, say 80 kmph in top gear?

6. Any bag hooks?

7. Does the chain require frequent lubrication like the one in the R15?

8. What is the idling rpm? How comfortable are cold starts?

9. Did you check the colour of the spark plug? Hope it is a nice chocolate brown.

10. Any perceptible difference in pick-up with a pillion?

11. Rake and trail figures of the steering setup? From the photographs it seems like a bike with very short rake and trail. I bet the turn-ins are super agile and quick.

12. Did the technicians at Probiking, er, KTM feel knowledgeable about being able to service/repair this bike?

13. Some close up photographs of the swingarm please.

Happy riding in the Kerala monsoons!

 

[TSIVipul]

That's true why because this happened with my friend. In 2007 he bought a pulsar 150 and one of our friend asked for a TD and he revved it so hard, that he did wheelie and then banggg into the wall . But he was safe and didn't get hurt badly. And he paid for the damages but again my friend felt so bad for his new bike.

Power comes with responsibility,more the power your vehicle has,more responsible you need to be while driving it.And many people forget this rule.
BTW I have been telling my father to get me a Yamaha R1 for the same reason..it will make me more 'responsible'..

 

[jalex]

@jalex: I am late to hail before your Duke but please accept my heartfelt congrats on your purchase. Who better than an experienced racer like you to lay his hands on the throttle of a rowdy madcap bike like the Duke 200.

One of my friends just came back after taking a test ride of the Duke 200 and told me that this is the only Indian bike (heh heh!) he has ever ridden alongwith the RTR that felt like a two stroke! I think that's a fitting tribute to the Duke's performance.

Thank you Sam. And yes your friend is right, That's exactly what you feel. Its like a two stroke and is pretty aggressive.

Kindly shed some llights on the following issues:

1. How is the fuel injection setup? Seamless or any glitches/jerks while opening/closing the throttle at various rpms in various gears?

No issues whatsoever till date, I've just done some 1200Kms and it might be a little early to say how it will fare in the long run. Some Duke owners are complaining of issues with the fuel pump and motors that wont go beyond 3000Rpm. I doubt its due to bad fuel and the fuel pump going bust.

2. What is the service schedule? Does it require synthetic lubes? How much for a paid service (tentative)?

The First service(Free service) was at 1000Kms. Second one is at 5000Kms(Again free service), Third is at 10,000 (Last free service) and there after its at every 5000Kms(Paid services from there on).

The company recommends Bajaj DTSI 10000 20w50, Believe its semi synthetic or so. Correct me if I'm wrong here. Another thing is that I've always used better quality lubricants with grades that exceed factory recommendations and still follow the same.

The first service cost me Rs.2456/- in all.

Split up:

Motul 300V Factory Line Fully Synthetic 15w50 racing motor oil, 2 litres:

1970/-​

(Rs.985/Litre, sourced from outside the ASC and the bike needs 1.4Litres.
I've kept the remaining 600ml for next service.)

Consumables at the ASC:

186/-​

A wax coating for all the glossy parts on the bike, I didn't need it. But the Works Manager pestered me a lot and I gave in,
Was too tired to argue after riding for 4.5 Hours straight, He even told me its "Tufflon coating. Have also reported about this to KTM

___300/-​

Total:

Rs.2456/-​

3. How is the grip in the wet?

Not good, The tyres are to blame.

4. Does the engine get hot in heavy traffic conditions?

The engine gets hot very quickly. Not much of an issue at speed, But there's an issue when going at snail's pace through rush hour -The radiator fan blows all the hot air onto your legs around the calves. Now that would be a splendid idea if one's riding through Ladakh, But down here in tropical climes, It feels like you are making Shish Kabab out of your legs.

5. Is the sitting geometry comfortable for solo long rides? Can this bike be used for touring
? What's the engine rpm at, say 80 kmph in top gear?

The seat and comfort is not great for long hauls, especially since the bike has a stiff suspension setup along with low profile tyres, 110/70x17 Front and 150/60x17 Rear. And so I wont say that the Duke is a good tourer, Its a street fighter, The rider is perched on it in attack mode and the bike plays its part very well there. At 80Kmph in 6th gear the Rpm is around 6500rpm I believe, I have to take another check on that as the Rpm bar is pretty minuscule and tricky to read.

6. Any bag hooks?

None, Planning to drill holes into the rear pillion foot rest for that.

7. Does the chain require frequent lubrication like the one in the R15?

Yes it does, Lubrication(Spray on type) at every 500Kms and adjusting at every 1000Kms. Its quite a chore cause the bike has no centre stand and I still have to get a paddock stand. The KTM Paddock Stand costs around Rs.8000/-

8. What is the idling rpm? How comfortable are cold starts?

Idling Rpm is around 1350 ~ 1450Rpm

9. Did you check the colour of the spark plug? Hope it is a nice chocolate brown.

Not yet.

10. Any perceptible difference in pick-up with a pillion?

Yes there is. Bike's slower to gain momentum.

11. Rake and trail figures of the steering setup? From the photographs it seems like a bike with very short rake and trail. I bet the turn-ins are super agile and quick.

I dont have the precise rake and trail figures, But the steering head angle is 65 Degrees and it does have a short rake and trail. It turns in quick and is super agile. The trellis frame also compliments matters and I still have some getting used to the sharp handling.

12. Did the technicians at Probiking, er, KTM feel knowledgeable about being able to service/repair this bike?

Well they were trained at Pune for servicing the KTM, But I still need to see how they do things. There wasn't much being done on the bike at first service to judge them and this is the first time that I'm ever visiting a Bajaj ASC.

13. Some close up photographs of the swingarm please.

Will upload them soon.

Happy riding in the Kerala monsoons!

Riding in the monssons is the hardest part in owning a KTM, thanks to the short front and virtually non existent rear mudguards. Wish they made a bigger tyre hugger/splash guard for the rear and had a wee bit longer one upfront. It took me three and a half hours just to wash the bike after coming back home from service.

 

[Sam Dinkar]

Thanks for all the gentlemanly replies. You must have been a true gentleman racer.

One thing though, presuming the Duke has a wet sump setup, is it a wise idea to goo for Motul 300V fully synthetic oil? I just hope the clutch won't slip.

Nice work with the bhp/ton figures. The Duke will smoke them all. I wish the bike remains durable and that the infamous Bajaj service does not let you down.

P.s. : Can't believe you fell for the wax coating ploy. Man, riding the Duke for 4.5 hours must have been really tiring to fall for such a thing

 

[jalex]

Thanks for all the gentlemanly replies. You must have been a true gentleman racer.

One thing though, presuming the Duke has a wet sump setup, is it a wise idea to goo for Motul 300V fully synthetic oil? I just hope the clutch won't slip.

Nice work with the bhp/ton figures. The Duke will smoke them all. I wish the bike remains durable and that the infamous Bajaj service does not let you down.

P.s. : Can't believe you fell for the wax coating ploy. Man, riding the Duke for 4.5 hours must have been really tiring to fall for such a thing

I loved answering your queries, Infact that's what I missed out in the review and they were the most important things that I should have mentioned to give out a more clear picture of the bike. And so I should be the one thanking you.

There's no problem in using the Motul 300V in the Duke's motor. Its only better than the factory recommended one and I had also come across somewhere that you can use the Motul 7100 20w50 which is also fully synthetic. No issues with the clutch.

About the wax polish ploy, I was so tired that I would have collapsed sort of then, and so he got me when I was down. Anyway, I've returned the favour by sending a note to KTM India mentioning this and they had contacted me as well.

I'm also uploading some pictures of the bike's swing arm. I also got a T10 20 SMD LED bulb for the park light.

I dropped my camera some days back, seems that the camera's gone bust and so the pictures aren't that good.


KTM Duke 200 with T10 20 SMD Park/City Ride Bulb - YouTube

 

[Sam Dinkar]

Thanks for the effort. That's a pretty cool looking swingarm. Looks like some kind of alloy. I bet it doesn't weigh much.

Pretty dandy placement of the silencer but I wonder what would happen if you try fording the bike through, say a foot deep puddle? I hope no water will get sucked inside and ruin the cylinder. What is the height of the silencer end can from the ground with the bike vertical and you sitting onit?

Is that a WP suspension?

Cool parking lamp. How much did it cost?

How is the performance of the electric starter during cold start? Single crank or two/three attempts?

How much fuel are you required to maintain inside the fuel tank at all times? I guess it would be 2-3 litres to avoid damage to the fuel pump. With an already minuscule fuel tank capacity, this could prove really frustrating.

Happy riding. Court adjourned

 

[jalex]

Thanks for the effort. That's a pretty cool looking swingarm. Looks like some kind of alloy. I bet it doesn't weigh much.

Pretty dandy placement of the silencer but I wonder what would happen if you try fording the bike through, say a foot deep puddle? I hope no water will get sucked inside and ruin the cylinder. What is the height of the silencer end can from the ground with the bike vertical and you sitting onit?

Is that a WP suspension?

Cool parking lamp. How much did it cost?

How is the performance of the electric starter during cold start? Single crank or two/three attempts?

How much fuel are you required to maintain inside the fuel tank at all times? I guess it would be 2-3 litres to avoid damage to the fuel pump. With an already minuscule fuel tank capacity, this could prove really frustrating.

Happy riding. Court adjourned

Yes the swing arm is an alloy and pretty light.

About the exhaust, This video might answer the question:Under belly exhaust for KTM Duke 200 - YouTube

The suspension is from WP in a tie up with Endurance.

I bought the Park bulb online, It came in a pair and cost me Rs.360/- including shipping.

Cold start issues were reported by some owners. I haven't had any issues till date and it cranks fine, One or two cranks is enough.

About fuel, I always maintain atleast three quarters of fuel in the tank and yes you have to maintain atleast some 3 litres to be on the safer side. And frequent visits to the Fuel Station sure is a pain, So I tank up at every fill.

 

[Mahendra]

Congrats for the bike dear.Your bike is looking good.
I too have promised my son a bike,will buy a Mahindra Mojo for him when the bike is launched.

The low silencer is not a problem only the driver must keep the engine running at good accelerator ad avoid it from closing or stopping the engine.

 

[Iron Rock]

you might be interested in this :-

Do you have an orange protective cover for your KTM Duke? | Motoroids

 

[singh890]

you might be interested in this :-

Do you have an orange protective cover for your KTM Duke? | Motoroids

Wow that's wonderful, good step by KTM Duke and the protective cover looks good as well. Doesn't look like a cheap product as well. I hope other manufacturers should also provide the same with their products. Atleast for bikes with 1L price or up.

 

[jalex]

Congrats for the bike dear.Your bike is looking good.
I too have promised my son a bike,will buy a Mahindra Mojo for him when the bike is launched.

The low silencer is not a problem only the driver must keep the engine running at good accelerator ad avoid it from closing or stopping the engine.

Thank You very much.

you might be interested in this :-

Do you have an orange protective cover for your KTM Duke? | Motoroids

That cover looks great and sure is something I'd go for. Its a steal for that price at 720 Rs. as well. Thank you for posting the link. I had not come across this yet, But wonder if the Trivadrum KTM dealer has this in stock. I still haven't got any of the Power Parts I had ordered.