KTM 200 Duke: First Ride

Blatantly endorsing the fun side of motorcycling and giving street-riding a whole new meaning, the KTM 200 Duke is everything it promised and more. Our very first ride on this Indo-Austrian bloke proudly flashing its orange livery

The guitar-shaped test-track at Bajaj Auto’s Chakan facility offers some interesting tight corners as well as a high-speed bowl and then a long straight which leads into the final sweeping left-hander. I have about half a day long date with a motorcycle that all bikers in the country have been eagerly waiting for – the KTM 200 Duke. Envy? Be my guest. It is a machine that is nothing like what we have ever seen on our Indian roads. The orange veil of Austrian charm has been covering my vision ever since I attended a special feedback event for KTM motorcycles organised by Bajaj Auto about four years ago in Pune where the company unveiled some of the KTM superbikes to get reactions from bikers in the country. Obviously then the excitement has been very difficult to contain all this while.

But the wait has certainly been worth it and more. I say this after having spent considerable amount of time with the KTM 200 Duke for most part of the day wringing its throttle on the Bajaj test-track showing no mercy. Just a glance at the orange machine gleaming in the afternoon sun would compel even the most blasé observer to not only sit up and take notice but would force him to jump on the saddle of the KTM 200 Duke without hesitation. The radical and absolutely in your face bearing of the 200 Duke is so neatly executed by its makers, that despite looking like its come from another planet, it has a very welcoming and inviting poise that just cannot go unattended. This is the best-looking motorcycle that the Indian market has ever witnessed till date and there are no two ways about it.

As minutes passed drooling over this gorgeous motorcycle, soon it was time to get onto the saddle and ride. Without wasting a minute more I hopped onto the bike allotted to us but even before I could thumb the starter, one thing instantly evident was the bike’s road-friendly ergonomics, true to its street-fighter genes. No unnecessary tries at making it best of all worlds with tourer-friendly laid-back yet sporty two-piece clip-ons or a feeble effort like some of its rivals to club racing ergonomics with comfort in one package. This is an out and out naked hooligan for the street who is utterly shameless about its arrogant character and one who does not feel intimidated nor threatened by anything the rider has to throw at it. Within the early few laps itself the KTM Ready to Race genes came to the fore in a, if I may call it, brutal manner throwing non-stop bursts of power and torque no matter what gear and speed I was in.