KTM Duke 200 2020 Review - Prices, Specs, Variants, Features and Mileage
The 200cc bike market in India was nothing like it was eight years ago compared to what it is today. Hence, when 200 Duke was launched eight years ago it did not have much competition. But now the new players seem to have changed the game quite a bit even for KTM. The 200 Duke is an entry-level model for KTM which has been updated in 2017. The new bike continues with the old design but gets some new graphics and paintwork. KTM gave the 200 Duke a BS-IV engine in 2017 and now the 200 Duke is ready to receive a BS-VI compliant engine in 2020. We cannot confirm the date but the bike has been spotted testing in many places and it will be launched before 1st April 2020 as per the sources.
The 200 Duke is manufactured at Bajaj Auto's Chakan Plant in India and it goes up against rivals such as the Bajaj Pulsar NS200, Yamaha FZ 25 and Hero Xtreme 200R. When compared to its rivals the KTM is certainly not the most affordable bike here but it promises to provide much more. It churns out the most amount of power in this comparison with its single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine. KTM has also Introduced a slipper clutch with its BS-IV engine which will continue with its BS-VI engine as well.
Pros
Punchy engine on offer
Comes with great looks
Come with best handling dynamics
Overall build quality better than its rivals
Cons
Most expensive in its segment
Pillion comfort isn’t the best for its category
What’s New
New graphics for a revamped look
What’s at the heart of 2020 KTM 200 Duke?
What is the power source of All-new KTM 200 Duke?
KTM 200 Duke is powered by a single-cylinder, liquid-cooled 4 stroke engine. It churns out 25 Bhp of power and 19.2 Nm of torque. It is quite a rev-happy engine but not an engine you would particularly like revving. It is due to the fact that the exhaust note is no music to the ears and the engine gets quite vocal at high revs. Once you get on the move, the clutch is on the lighter side and the bike starts off the line smoothly. Changing gears is confidence-inspiring as the gearbox ratios are well sorted. Within the city, the light clutch with ample torque under tap makes sure that you can zip in and out of traffic easily.
The engine enjoys being pulled strong and hard. Hence, pushing the KTM 200 into fast corners is made even more delightful by the push-it-hard nature of the bike. This engine can pull in every gear you slot it in which makes the highway overtakes a breeze. The engine could have done with more torque for sure but an average customer would not be asking for more. Overall, the engine performs admirably and the BS-VI engine is expected to dish out the same power and torque figures.
Motorcycle | KTM 200 Duke | Bajaj Pulsar NS200 | Yamaha FZ 25 | Hero Xtreme 200R |
Ex-Showroom Price (Delhi) | Rs. 1,51,757 | Rs. 1,14,355 | Rs. 1,36,680 | Rs. 91,900 |
Engine | 199.5 cc Oil Cooled Single Cylinder O3C Engine(BS6) | 199.5 cc Liquid Cooled Triple Spark Single Cylinder Engine | 249 cc Air-cooled SOHC engine | 199.6 cc air-cooled single-cylinder OHC engine |
Power | 25.00 bhp @ 10000 rpm | 23.17 bhp @ 9500 RPM | 20.61 bhp @ 8000 RPM | 18.14 bhp @ 8000 RPM |
Torque | 19.2 Nm @ 8000 RPM | 18.3 Nm @ 8000 RPM | 20.0 Nm @ 6000 RPM | 17.1 Nm @ 6500 RPM |
KTM’s 200 Duke s the most powerful bike in this comparison here. But the peak power is achieved at a relatively high RPM. In comparison, the Yamaha FZ 25 puts out the peak power at a 6000 RPM and provides more torque than the KTM which helps in stop and go traffic.
How quick is the KTM 200 Duke from 0-60kmph?
Once you acquire the seat of the KTM 200 Duke, you would certainly want to go fast. The KTM not only provides a sporty seating position but also feels sporty once you rev it hard. The 200 Duke is the fastest bike in this comparison and completes its 0-60 kmph sprint in 3.02 seconds. The Duke can seriously make some bikes eat some dust if engaged in a stop-light race.
Motorcycle | KTM 200 Duke | Bajaj Pulsar NS200 | Yamaha FZ 25 | Hero Xtreme 200R |
Engine | 197.75 cc Single Cylinder 4 Stroke Engine | 199.5 cc Liquid Cooled Triple Spark Single Cylinder Engine | 249 cc Air-cooled SOHC engine | 199.6 cc air-cooled single-cylinder OHC engine |
Transmission | 6-Speed | 6-Speed | 5-Speed | 5-Speed |
0-60 kmph | 3.02 s | 3.61 s | 3.37 s | 4.6 s |
Top Speed(kmph) | 135 | 136 | 134 | 114 |
The Duke can clock a top speed of 135 kmph which is 1 kmph lesser than what the Pulsar 200 NS can do. The slowest bike in this comparison is the Hero Extreme which is also the cheapest bike here.
How bitey are the brakes on this KTM 200 Duke?
The 200 Duke is not only fast when it comes to outright performance but also when it comes to dropping an anchor. The 200 Duke comes with admirable braking performance. It gets the same-sized brake rotor as most bikes in the segment but the brakes perform better due to the lighter weight of the Duke.
Motorcycle | KTM 200 Duke | Bajaj Pulsar NS200 | Yamaha FZ 25 | Hero Xtreme 200R |
Front / Rear | Disc/Disc | Disc/Disc | Disc/Disc | Disc/Disc |
Front Rotor Size(mm) | 300 | 300(single-channel)/280(dual-channel) | 282 | 276 |
Rear Rotor Size(mm) | 230 | 230 | 220 | 220 |
Kerb Weight(kg.) | 134 | 154(ABS)/152 (Double Disc) | 152 | 149 |
80-0 kmph(m) | 30 | 30.11 | 30.02 | 42.65 |
ABS (Single or Dual Channel) | Dual-Channel | Single-Channel | Dual-Channel | Single-Channel |
The 2017 KTM Duke got the new updated dual-channel ABS which makes the bike even more secure to ride especially in a tricky situation. The ABS works flawlessly and is non-intrusive, it only engages under very hard braking. The lighter weight of the KTM 200 Duke enables it to outperform all its rivals in terms of braking.
Does the 2020 KTM 200 Duke provide an efficient ride?
As you might have already been able to figure out, KTM has tuned the Duke more towards performance than mileage. Hence, it carries the lowest fuel economy figures in this comparison. It returns 5 kmpl lesser mileage than the most fuel-efficient bike in this comparison. KTM could have certainly made this engine more fuel-efficient but it could have blunted the engine’s performance.
Motorcycle | KTM 200 Duke | Bajaj Pulsar NS200 | Yamaha FZ 25 | Hero Xtreme 200R |
City(kmpl) | 32.0 | 32.4 | 40.2 | 38.2 |
Highway(kmpl) | 40.0 | 39.7 | 45.4 | 43.2 |
Overall(kmpl) | 35 | 36.0 | 39.00 | 39.9 |
Fuel Capacity(Litres) | 10.5 | 12 | 14 | 12.5 |
The Yamaha FZ 25 is the best bet when it comes to mileage as it not only provides the best mileage figures in the segment but also comes with the biggest fuel tank. It makes it the most capable bike for undertaking long-distance journeys.
How is the Ride and Handling of the KTM 200 Duke?
What makes a motorcycle fun to ride is not just the engine performance but also the ride and handling package. KTM seems to have given the 200 Duke everything it could to make the rider push it into some fast corners. With the short dimensions and lightweight, the 200 Duke feels eager to take corners and feels nimble sitting on those meaty MRF rubber.
The ride feels well balanced and the bike feels stable even at high speeds. The straight-line stability is good for doing highway speeds for a long period of time. On bad patches of the roads, the 200 Duke would require you to slow down as the suspension is a bit stiffly sprung. The ride improves as you pick up more speed. Hence, undertaking long journeys for the pillion rider will be a bit of a task. Overall, the ride of the 200 Duke is focused on providing better agility than comfort.
Motorcycle | KTM 200 Duke | Bajaj Pulsar NS200 | Yamaha FZ 25 | Hero Xtreme 200R |
Chassis | Steel trellis frame, powder-coated | Perimeter | Diamond | Diamond with engine as stress-member |
Tyre-Wheel Size(Front) | 90/90-17 | 100/80-17 | 100/80-17 | 100/80-17 |
Tyre-Wheel Size(Rear) | 130/70-17 | 130/70-17 | 140/70-17 | 130/70-17 |
Front Suspension | WP upside-down 43 mm | Telescopic with Anti-friction Bush | Telescopic Forks | Telescopic Forks with anti-friction bush |
Rear Suspension | WP monoshock | Nitrox mono-shock absorber with canister | Monoshock | 7-Step adjustable Monoshock |
The most comfortable bike in this comparison is certainly the Hero Extreme 200 R as its suspension is softly sprung in comparison to the others. While that makes it the last bike you should chuck in a corner, on a day to day basis it is the best bike for home and office commutes. The best balance between performance and ride comfort is portrayed by the Bajaj Pulsar 200 Ns.
Motorcycle | KTM 200 Duke | Bajaj Pulsar NS200 | Yamaha FZ 25 | Hero Xtreme 200R |
Seat height(mm) | 810 | 805 | 795 | 795 |
Ground Clearance (mm) | 170 | 169 | 160 | 165 |
Kerb Weight(Dry)(kg) | 136 | 154(ABS)/152 (Double Disc) | 152 | 149 |
Starting System | Self | Self | Self | Self and Kick |
The KTM 200 Duke comes with the sharpest handling in this comparison. It is easy to nip it through city traffic even with a pillion rider. What also helps the 200 Duke is its lightweight which makes the overall handling feel quite sporty. Over good roads, the 200 Duke is quite fun to ride due to its nimble handling and lightweight chassis. But once on the bad patches of the road you will wish that KTM gave it more weight.
How sharp does the KTM 200 Duke look?
The 200 Duke gets the typical KTM style treatment as it takes design inspiration from other Dukes like the Duke 690. It carries KTM’s signature colours namely, Orange white and black. Its design gives it a lot of road presence and it looks bigger than it actually is due to this clever design. It gets a 10-spoke alloy wheel design to the exposed trellis steel frame and the under-seat exhaust which help it look upmarket.
The quality is top-notch and feels better than most of its rivals. Overall the 200 Duke looks like a Power Ranger wearing an orange-black suit. You can also customise its look with KTM PowerParts, which include tank pads, seat cowl, sticker kit to illumination set, handle guard and alarm system.
Aesthetic Features
Unique LED DRLs
Wide rear tyre
Blacked out engine
Alloy wheels
Underbelly cowl
Semi-cowled tank shrouds
Unique looking and sounding double-barrel exhaust
Split LED headlights
Split seats
Motorcycle | KTM 200 Duke | Bajaj Pulsar NS200 | Yamaha FZ 25 | Hero Xtreme 200R |
Length (mm) | 2002 | 2017 | 2015 | 2062 |
Width (mm) | 873 | 804 | 770 | 778 |
Height(mm) | 1274 | 1075 | 1075 | 1106 |
Wheelbase(mm) | 1367 | 1363 | 1360 | 1337 |
Kerb Weight | 136 | 154(ABS)/152 (Double Disc) | 152 | 149 |
The 200 Duke is the shortest bike in terms of length but its the widest. Hence, these dimensions lend the Duke a beefy appeal. It certainly looks the sharpest of the lot and if you want to get noticed while on the go, then the 200 Duke is the bike for you.
What are the features at your disposal?
The KTM 200 Duke comes with a host of features, for starters, it finally gets a slipper clutch which makes changing gears easy. It is laden with a host of advanced features to make riding easier. It does not get any Bluetooth connected features like in the Hero Extreme but the instrument cluster is still quite loaded.
It shows bare essentials like speedometer, tachometer, odometer to twin trip meters. While other information is shown too on this cluster, including side stand warning, low fuel level, distance to empty, distance to service, digital watch, shift light, average fuel consumption, average speed, engine temperature, etc. The display gets a light sensor and adjusts the brightness according to the environment you're in.
Available Features
Side stand alert
Dual-Channel ABS with Anti-lift off
Crash Alert System
Slipper Clutch
Gear Position Indicator
How does the Competition add up?
KTM 200 Duke vs Yamaha FZ 25
The FZ 25 comes the closest to matching the riding dynamics of the KTM 200 Duke. The Fz 25 is a great bike for going on long tours. Its bigger fuel tank also ensures that your fuel stops are kept to a bare minimum. It also provides more mileage than the 200 Duke making it more economical as well. But the 200 Duke provides a much more involving experience because of its more powerful engine and sporty handling. Hence, if you are looking for a true mean machine, then paying extra for the KTM will be worth it.
KTM 200 Duke vs Hero Xtreme 200R
The hero has entered the 200 cc segment with its all-new Hero Xtreme 200R. It not only gets a potent engine but also provides many technologically advanced features. It comes with the most features and that too at a very attractive price. It also provides the most mileage and comes with great styling too. But the Xtreme 200 R still feels like a point A to point B machine. It lacks the thrill and the excitement that the 200 Duke has on offer. Hence, the Xtreme 200R might provide more features and mileage, it is no match for the 200 Duke in any other department.
Should you buy the KTM 200 Duke?
When the 200 Duke was launched 8 years ago, it was a bike ahead of its time. But now with the other players playing the catch-up game, the Duke seems to be less of a bang for buck package that it was before. Even while being the most expensive offering in this comparison, the 200 Duke is the most sorted bike in the 200cc segment. It not only gets all its basics right, but it also gives you the looks that you expect from a bike that costs more than a lakh. Overall, the 200 Duke is still a strong product and should be your choice if you are looking for the best performing bike in this segment.
