KTM 200 Duke

Too much trouble with bike for too long – If you write to ktm they will do their best not to help . They finally offered $200 ktm product compensation for not being able to use bike for 6 months , no thanks would've like some $ back not your product . No reply of course Show details

Broke down before I even picked it up! – I decided to replace my trusty Honda CB125E with a new KTM Duke 200. The onroad price of $3995 was appealing as it has a fairly good specification at that price. I sold my Honda but got a call from the dealer 30mins before I was meant to pick up the new KTM. It had a problem with the injector but it was ok as it would be fixed under warranty!… Read more

This is the first time in 44 years of riding that a bike has broken down before I have even picked it up. Not a good start.

Little snake with venom – Please note: you can still buy this model - check KTM dealers. And no I don't get paid by KTM. After 12000 km on an ‘as new’ 2013 KTM Duke 200 I have lots of praise and very little criticism. 1. This bike shouts good design from every angle. It is a handsome creation but it also functions outstandingly well in almost every respect. 2.… Read more

Mechanically it feels like it comes from a fresh perspective: a high-compression, over-square, liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine in an exceptionally light weight package hence excellent power-to-weight ratio. But the rider has to learn to twist the throttle significantly to extract the performance and really work the slick little gearbox. 3. Suspension has a lot of travel 150mm fore and aft but is pretty firm even where I have it set at 3-out-of-10 on the rear. It’s not a bike for a heavy rider (I’m only 65 kg) but for me surface variations are clearly felt on poor roads. It’s fine on good surfaces though. 4. Brakes are excellent. My bike has ABS, and though I’ve never had it cut in it’s a great comfort to know it’s there on an inexpensive motorcycle. On a winding road the engine braking going into corners is quite strong, and using the gears you hardly touch the brakes. 5. Stability is outstanding, and for such a light bike to be OK in crosswinds, superb in cornering, unwavering on the highway all very praiseworthy. I hit a railway crossing at full tilt in a sharp bend (the old Dorrigo rail line) and the bike bucked and the handlebars twitched pretty severely but the bike settled in a millisecond and held its line. Impressive. 6. KTM offer a more comfortable seat for a little over $200 but the standard one is good for more than two hours in the saddle. Firm but pain-free. 7. Starting up the KTM it sounds like a postie bike and the exhaust note is never going to get exciting. But at 8000 rpm it is exuding a bit of character, and in gears 3-4-5 on a twisty road it sounds quite purposeful, both in acceleration and on the over-run coming into a bend. 8. Riding position is upright with moderately wide bars and a good sense of control. The ‘windsock effect’ at 110 and above actually isn't too bad at all. Wouldn’t recommend the bike for a tall rider (I’m 178 cm and it’s fine for me) as the seat might be too short and the wind a bit strong! 9. Indian-made MRF tyres are durable I'll get 15000 kms on the rear but have a poor reputation in the wet. I’ve not had problems, but my replacement tyres will be good-in-the-wet Pirelli Sport Demons. 10. Fuel consumption runs either side of 3.0 litres per 100 km gentle riding as low as 2.8. That's the best of any bike, I think, that is capable of freeway riding. Tank range is 300 km to 350 km. 11. Instrumentation is state-of-the-art digital and needs a short course to fathom all the settings. Speedo reading is very clear. Gear indicator is useful. Tacho is a linear graph, hard to read the numbers but you change gears by sound and feel anyway. Distance to fuel empty is a valuable read-out so you get the most out of a tiny tank. 12. Grumbles? Surely a designer can do better than a 10.5 litre tank and still have a beautiful motorcycle? (But this is a much bigger problem on the early and thirsty 390 models - same bike, bigger engine). And the grab handles for the pillion (don’t carry a pillion!) taper to the rear so when you tie a bag on the back the tie-downs slip backwards. All it needs is a couple of little knobs so everything stays in place. With the standard 14/42 sprockets the gearing is a bit too low (it’s actually quite OK to set off in second gear with just a little clutch-slip). A change to 15/42 (or 14/38) makes excellent sense for out-of-town riding, and gives improved fuel consumption. All ‘round this is a low-capacity machine that can move pretty smartly given a lightweight rider, frequent and timely gear changes, and an active right wrist. It is agile, it is frugal and it looks gorgeous. It is a masterpiece of modernity with the most minimal eco-footprint for urban or highway transportation. It might not be designed for an interstate freeway, but with higher gearing will sit on 110-115 for hours and even hold that speed up hills (amazingly). It’s a hoot on the back roads and will have you grinning through the twisties. Spares aren’t expensive. Servicing is simple. On my bike nowhere is it displayed that the bike is only 200cc should you be shy about such a revelation. Parked or ridden this is a bike you can be proud of. Will that little piston last 50,000 kms? Well I'm up to 24,000 problem-free, and with oil changes every 4000 kms it should do 50K and more - and it can’t cost a fortune for a rebuild anyway. I have a 650cc bike as well and it rarely gets ridden, I have such fun on this KTM 200.

A hot surgeon's scalpel for filtering through traffic – To start with, I bought this bike brand new and it is currently running at around 30,000 kms. The bike is well built and light. The controls all have feel great feel and give you confidence to ride. I've got ABS on my bike and back in 2014 apart from a Ninja 300 or a CBR 500RA no one offered ABS but KTM did as standard. It looks like nothing… Read more

out there on the road. Everything from the trellis frame to the swingarms look fantastic. It just looks horn, it is crazy the attention this bike can get on lights for just a 200cc. It has a tactile European feel to it that Jap Bikes lack.

I was just looking for a commuter bike as a beginner rider. I knew from reading around and talking to people that grabbing a fistful of front brake was a standard way for most beginner riders to fall. I didn't want to fall at all. Also, knowing that a lot of these bikes were produced and popular in India, parts wouldn't be an issue as there are millions of them going round out there.

It is not to say that bike was without its issues till 30,000 Kms. To start with, I had a problem with gears not going into neutral and the side stand sensor not working. Both gear selector and side stand sensors were sorted by warranty. I've had my brake and gear selector pedals fall off due to loose nuts from factory (Go figure). I've also had issues with idling and that was solved. All of these issues were below 10,000 kms.

Oil seeping from valve cover is common because service people usually overfill these bikes with oil referring to 390 specs. Having said that, with most of these problems taken care of before warranty by the dealer. It has been trouble free since 10K to upto 29K

Then around 29,000 kms I noticed the speedo wasn't giving a speed readout. I initially thought it was a battery but it turned out to be the stator coil. So if buying used, it will help to check if the bike works and there is no "low battery warning". This is a common fault with dukes 200 and the 390 also.

The icing on this cake is how a Duke 200 is to ride. There is nothing upto 250cc that can touch this bike. It flicks easily from side to side, It makes a Ninja 300 feel sluggish to handle in comparison. It is very narrow. With an underseat exhaust, This bike is superslim to filter. The brakes also have better feel than the spongy feel of a ninja 300. The only thing the Ninja 300 has going for it is power. Nothing else, not even ergonomics. It should be good for riders upto 5'9 toller riders may feel cramped.

There is aggressive engine braking in this bike not so much that you would skid, but enough to control the stop. Probably why brake pads last so long. The standard MRF tyres are hard wearing but not so much on grip. That said I had no problem riding it in the rain. It is a very forgiving bike. It tracks straight without any vibes through handlebars. Although you will feel more vibes in this that compared to a Ninja 300, especially through the pegs.

Back to brakes, with ABS on tap this bike has saved me more times than I could imagine. I have done the rookie slam on a brakes on the Duke 200. In an emergency, ABS cuts in quite late but very effectively and brought me to a complete stop without laying on my side.

This chassis is very stable even at high speeds. Confidence inspiring is what I would call this ride. There is no wobble and no swaying. It is very light and very forgiving. This thing is a rocket upto 60kmph. After 70 you know this is a 200cc motor. But it will reach and do 100kmph comfortably all day long.

The torquey single cylinder loves to run hot. It needs to be warmed up or you won't get gear shifts or can even stall. It does not run as hot as the 390, and does not bring all the 390 problems with it. You do not want to be stuck in stop and go traffic for too long as the threat of overheating does come up. Do not over rev when stopped. Has it overheated yet? No. But I would filter my way out as soon as possible as it is easy to filter in this bike.

The biggest saving will be on fuel. For the performance it delivers, 7.5L should give you about 240-270Kms of riding. Top speed is an indicated 137kmph.

Rcommended accessories would be lever protectors, radiator protector and frame sliders.

4 star rating because it is great to ride but overall quality could be better.

Thank you.

Awesome road bike all round! – I bought this bike with 1000 km on it. I have ridden 3000 km and love it. The single cylinder 200 cc is very fuel efficient (2.5 - 3 litres per 100 km). It sounds great and is very manoeuvrable. It has ABS brakes, which came into use when I had to stop fast (I weigh 85kg) and worked very well (dry road). The instrument panel has heaps of digital… Read more

data. I always ride in daytime, once when I rode at night I found out the headlight's beam is very poor. For a 200 cc bike it has awesome acceleration through the 6 speed gears. If you weigh less than me it will be quicker. It is pretty good at 110 km/h on motorway but starts to stress out higher than this for a rider of my weight. I am 6'2" tall and I would not recommend this bike for someone 6' and above as it feels cramped (legs are really bent at knees and ankles). For short rides it is okay for taller riders. Easy to keep clean being a naked bike. Just wipe it down after every few rides. This bike hasn't missed a beat except for missing gears a couple of times (but that may be me). The design of this bike gets noticed!