KTM 200 Duke [2021]

1. Buying experience: the buying experience was upto the mark as the showroom staff assisted us in everything while we were in process of choosing the most appropriate motorcycle from the ktm and in exchange for already having bajaj pulsar 150 which was resold in good resale value. Other motorcycles like husqvarna vitpilen 250, ktm 390 adventure, and ktm duke 125 were also standing there. My father said i can go 390 Adventures as he never objected to my choice whatever I want to choose but I also take care of his pockets as it cost ₹3,64,000 on road at that time which was huge for single cylinder motor so I skipped that option for now. Another motorcycle we looked for was vitpilen 250 which was costing ₹2,20,000 on road which was just ₹10,000 more than the duke 200 bs6 and we found it values for money for a 250 cc motor but what made us skip even that option was committed sitting position, shorter piece seat and just 9 litres of the fuel tank which would've made us go for refueling more frequently. Then, lastly, we looked at the duke 200 bs6 model which was found to be ticking almost all our needs or purposes i.E., performance, occasional long tours, at least decent fuel economy, better fit and finish, etc, while going for a new machine. There were two colour options viz., electronic orange and ceramic white and we opted for electronic orange as it's a signature color tone of the whole ktm brand and bought it by paying full amount of ₹2,10,000 in cash (₹1,50,000 actually paid and ₹60,000 of our resold motorcycle being subtracted from the total amount) on 21st June, 2020. But, one thing was missing i.E., on-the-spot availability of test ride vehicle and we got to ride the motorcycle only after finalizing it (of course, because we've had already opted for it).
2. Riding experience: the riding experience cannot be easily expressed by me in words because being a ktm it won't disappoint you if you're searching for raw performance from any motorcycle. It promptly pulls you away with it in no time if you're extracting it upto full revv range and it delivers its maximum power at 10,000 rpm and it's locked at 10,500 rpm so you have to pull it without any compromise and it'll bring a smile on your face. If one is going for duke 200 being his/her first motorcycle then, first of all, he/she has to be well-versed with it as it may not be beginner-friendly for everyone. It's an excellent city commuter as it maneuvers perfectly even in heavier traffic and nimble easily no matter how much dense the traffic is and gives full confidence if you know how to handle it and one doesn't need to be hard core professional or expert for the same. Even cornering can be easily done as it provides complete grip while riding on top-notch roads even at higher speeds with bit hard cushioned split seats and usd front forks.
3. Details about looks, performance etc: along with raw performance, ktms have always been popular for their unique and eye-catching looks with complete sporty visual appeal with good fit and finish. Until now also, people aren't failed to look upon it and have some conversation with me and put forward to me every type of query and praise with respect to this machine. Talking about performance, it's an acceleration king of its segment and does 0-100 within 10 seconds depending upon the revv matching and the rider's weight. I've achieved 140 kmph of top speed and can go upto 142 kmph and ktms have the least speedo error as compared to other brands and can give an almost accurate idea of its actual cruising speed.
4. Servicing and maintenance: the service cost of ktm duke 200 bs6 is not too much as its first free service costed me ₹1,187 with no add ons and around ₹1,400 on further two consecutive free services which included air filter change (second free service). Its first paid service (fourth service) costed me around ₹2,200 with ₹250 of air filter which means around ₹2,000 of paid service with no add ons. Service staffs are always helpful to me in everything and helped me to decide whether to go for additional changes. Till date, i haven't faced any problem except when there was a fork oil leakage from right side of front suspension which was due to the riding upon the number of huge potholes which is obvious as it's not made for riding upon rough patches as its suspensions are made for tracks and straight highway cruising. Front suspension oil top up and fork seal costed me ₹930 and it's common in ktms but service staff tightly sealed it so that it won't occur again further and one only need to ride it carefully, especially when there are lot of rough patches and it might serve you flawlessly when you understand its purpose deeply. Lastly, i've opted for 2 years of extended warranty which expanded its warranty period from 2 years and 30,000 kilometres to 4 years and 60,000 kilometres respectively.
5. Pros and cons: i. Pros:
(i). Looks
(ii). Good fit and finish
(iii). Performance-packed motor
(iv). Comfortable sitting position
(v). Provides full confidence while cornering with complete road grip due to the wp front usd forks and monoshock with stiffer split seat
(vi). Presence of service network at almost every corner of india
(vii). Decent maintenance cost
(viii). Braking (dual channel abs)
(ix). Smooth gear shifting
(x). Excellent city commuter
(xi). Flawless customer satisfaction
(xii). Decent fuel economy.
Ii. Cons:
(i). Suspensions are on the stiffer side
(ii). Low ground clearance
(iii). Average throw of halogen headlight which doesn't help much in night rides
(iv). No slipper clutch at this price range
(v). Heating problem faced especially during traffic in summers.
Final verdict: this 199.5 cc liquid-cooled motor can go countless in a long run with no compromise in performance in this price range and segment but with some restrictions as this motorcycle is not completely made for indian conditions and should used accordingly which will help you to conquer every corner of this country and the rest of the world. Last but not the least, timely and proper care and maintenance should be given priority in order to experience spotless ownership experience. Till now, it clocked 14,400 kilometres and passed its 2 years without any major issue.
Ride safe and ride happy! :) ;)

About the Reviewer

The buying experience is very good
I think the seat comfortable a little bit less comfortable
The look is no doubt mind-blasting
Maintenance is not too costly but there is a disadvantage in servicing and service centers are not available in my city at least.
Overall we talk of it as a nice body but have to improve the seat quality...

About the Reviewer

I have a great buying exeperience in ktm
Bike is really great ride
Pick up of bike is unmatchable
Looks are killing it
I suggest if you are rider and want good ride quality with looks and performance you can go with duke 200 anytime
And if you want more sporty look then you can go for rc 200 but i recommend for duke200 for better seating comfort long rides makes comfortable

About the Reviewer