With an ex-showroom price of INR 1.72 lakh*, the BS6 Duke 200 is a bit expensive compared to its rivals.
So, does the premium price justify the product?
It does!
The reasons are mentioned in the sections below –
Overall Design And Features Available
The Duke 200 was launched back in 2012. Since then, the bike has not been given any major cosmetic or electromechanical updates by the Austrian OEM.
The latest update for the bike came in the year 2020. Designers at KTM went back to their design studio and started working on the bike’s design from the ground up.
The result was inevitable – a marvellous looking motorcycle with sharp lines and a menacing road presence.
The 200 Duke, similar to other KTM bikes in India, has a similar design language to the 250 Duke. Hence, it is natural for the 200 Duke to look similar to the Duke 250. Similarities can be found in terms of its front facia, fuel tank design and seat layout. It is not a point to complain about as the results are quite appealing, to be honest!
The bike is offered with a whole new range of colour schemes as well. KTM offers the 200 Duke with an orange-black paint scheme. It would have been awesome if the Trellis frame was finished in matte grey instead of black. But it is what it is!
Overall Engine Performance
When the BS6 norms were implemented, KTM enthusiasts in India were quite concerned. The reason was simple – KTM bikes were known for their hooligan-like engines. KTM enthusiasts in India thought that the engine of their beloved KTM bikes would lose that edginess. Well, that thankfully did not happen.
The Duke 200 still carries the same 200 CC, now BS6-compliant, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected motor. The engineers at KTM were able to retain the hooligan-like character of the engine. The peak power output of the engine remains at 25PS. The peak torque output of the motor remains at 19.3 Nm. One can still enjoy the raw nature of the motor as soon as the RPM surpasses the 6000 rpm mark!
Check – Latest KTM Bikes Price List
Overall braking performance and handling experience
The bike offers similar handling to its BS4-iteration. The motorcycle is equipped with the same WP Apex suspension setup. The front unit is a 43 mm inverted fork suspension. The rear unit is a monoshock. However, the preload-adjustable feature has been phased out from the monoshock. The reason is the additional dry weight of the bike. The overall ride quality of the bike is a bit harsh, to be honest. The reason is that this is a sports street bike. Hence, a soft suspension would hamper high-speed performance. However, the overall ride quality of the bike improves when one is carrying a pillion rider.
The subframe of the bike has been re-engineered as well. But that doesn’t negatively affect the overall handling of the bike. The bike is pretty nimble when the rider enters a corner at speed.
In this context, one should refrain from speeding over potholes or speed breakers. The reason is that the ground clearance of the bike has been dropped to 155 mm from 175 mm. The reason for the drop in ground clearance is that the exhaust now goes from beneath the bike. Previously, it was mounted on the side of the motorcycle. The bike now comes with dual-channel ABS.
The braking performance is adequate but the bite should have been more, especially in the front disc brake.
Overall Onboard Features
The bike comes with a digital console. The unit is the same one that one can find in the Duke 125 as well as the Duke 250. The headlamp on the bike comes with a fresh design as well as new LED DRLs. The overall performance of the bike’s headlamp at night is similar to the Duke 250.
Verdict
The bike is a bit pricey but buyers will surely enjoy riding the motorcycle. It is ideal for riding to work or a faraway destination. It is comparatively cheap to maintain and own. Hence, considering all the upsides, buying this motorcycle is a winning move!
