KTM Duke 200 Ownership Review by Akhil Venugopal

A switch over from 100cc to 200cc was an unexpected change in my bike riding experience. For a biker, the power of his ride means it all. For me, bikes have been a part of my family. Since a very young age, it has been my best companion. For all those who are passionate about bikes may have the same feeling as I do.

Bikes, as far as I consider to be the best part of my life, started to accompany me during my school level education. My father's Bajaj Chetak, the first ride, gave me the pleasure of bike riding. This feeling of a bike ride made me passionate about two wheelers.



My first ride was a Honda Activa 100cc, a 2005 model black gear-less scooter. At first I didn't know the technical specifications, but this ride but gave me all I wanted. The old guy is still resting in my garage with my new power ride, the KTM DUKE 200.

The shift from a gear-less bike to a geared one with exactly double the power was a change over in my biking experience. I've tried almost all sorts of power bikes ranging from 200cc to 600cc. Yet this one is special.



The KTM Duke 200 has been every boy's dream bike since it's launch. I expected the bike to have some changes from its foreign version, but the bike has maintained its style and appealing looks. The design of this bike is a key phenomenon which makes it stand out from its rivals. The KTM Duke 200 is a revolutionary design in the Naked Bike and Street bike category.

At first I was confused in choosing the right bike suiting my needs from among Honda CBR250, Kawasaki Ninja 300 and Bajaj Pulsar 220. After going through expert reviews and specifications, I finally decided to go for the KTM because it had been my dream.

My experience in the KTM Duke 200 is like the perennial waterfalls in evergreen forests - we never know where it starts and where it ends, it just goes on. As I said before the shift in power to a 200cc bike from that of a 100cc was immense. The price of the bike in showroom was about 1.40 lacs, but it cost me over 25k more on its taxes and spares. The 200cc engine delivers a swift shift for the bike. Mileage information from the company says the bike gets over 35kmpl, but as far as my ride is concerned, I get over 37-40 kmpl which is pretty good for a 200cc bike. The initial stages of bike maintenance have been rough. Since it is a power bike, it shifts quickly to gain maximum power and speed. The mileage was an issue then. The company recommended to reduce the pace of gear shifting and minimize the level of speed till its first service. After a trial, a maximum of 40kmpl is the mileage that I get now. The bike is a perfect match for youngsters who loves stunting and speed, yet it is also good for long distance rides. It took me nearly 10 to 11 hours to reach Bangalore from Cochin in my bike within an 80- 100kmph average speed and pit stops in between.

I haven't gone through the overall technical specifications of the bike since the day I got it. All I know is that it has a six-speed transmission and a really powerful engine. I am a happy customer of KTM as I'm offered with much more than what I paid for. The ride is celebrating it's fifth month of excellence now. It offers a thrilling and heart pounding experience to all it's riders. The brotherly version of the 200 Duke, the all new KTM Duke 390, has a much more promising bike riding experience to the riders.

Looking forward for more Orange experience. I love my KTM and I am Ready To Race.