Yes, Nepal which is a Himalayan kingdom residing in the foothills of the snowy Mt.Everest which is also India’s friendly neighboring country will get their first Yamaha scooter; “Ray” next month officially. Nepal, which is already a potential market for Indian two wheelers and cars will witness Yamaha’s first scooter launch on April 7’th of 2013.

Yamaha was very aggressive from day one of the launch of their Ray in India promoting the product in all the ways possible to increase their fair market share in the Indian scooter segment dominated by the Honda’s. Recently Yamaha India also launched the first ever Female Riding Training Program (YFRT) in Chennai enabling the younger women segment to learn and acquire riding skills taught by motorcycle giant Yamaha directly. Yamaha India also introduced a new shade of White/ Black in their Ray for the white obsessed few which earned itself a good place in the market quite well. In midst of all this, although there’s a lot of debate going on about the design part that says it might have been copied from Honda, let’s not get into that for now.

The Compact dimensions of the Ray which was put forth in the market to target petite women which quite frankly worked out here quite well will be carried out in Nepal too. Yamaha claims, the compact dimensions that Ray carries helps women of smaller frame to gain confidence and ride at ease compared to the bigger ones offered by the competitors that are mostly targeted for unisex. With compact dimensions in place, Yamaha Ray is lighter than its competitors TVS, Mahindra & Honda. Yamaha Ray will take on directly what Hero Pleasure, Mahindra Duro & Honda Dio has to offer.

Yamaha Ray is powered by an 113cc air-cooled SOHC engine that churns out 7.1PS at 7500rpm and 8.1Nm of torque at 5000rpm. The Ray features telescopic front fork suspension that ensures rock solid handling and high stability even on rough roads with zero compromise on comfort. Yamaha Ray features a massive 15.5 ltr capacity under seat storage that can accommodate most of the things women carry daily. Braking on the ray is taken care by a good 130mm drum brakes at both front and rear. Other features include; compact leg shield, longer rear fender, stylish tail light, dynamic headlight and the list goes on and on.

The sharp design, agile handling and superior looks have made Yamaha Ray to be one of the best sellers targeted towards women which is expected in Nepal too.

Yamaha also is planning to launch a bigger scooter in the current year with a bigger engine targeted primarily for men along with the Ray.

However, with the advent of low-cost Japanese motorcycles, the scooter market died down very soon with people making a quick shift to 100cc motorcycles. Bajaj Auto thought it was time they made the switch too and thus ended the long standing classic scooter market.

However, Bajaj Auto might be having some revival plans to re-launch its scooter market chapter in India. Let us not forget here that the company already has vast and extensive knowledge of building scooters, after all this company put India on 2 wheels! Bajaj Auto is just looking at the right time and opportunity to take the leap. This was stated by Bajaj Auto CEO and MD, Mr. Rajiv Bajaj. Currently, the R&D officials are burning the midnight oil to build the motorcycle. It is rumored that the bike will be powered by 125-150cc displacement engine with good economy and performance figures. We are expecting a tuned version of the Discover 125ST engine to go underneath this scooter. Other features may include telescopic fork front suspension, an electric start and automatic transmission. The scooter segment is again witnessing a boom in the Indian market and the time is ripe for the company to come out with such a product.

We expect Bajaj to be very competitive with its pricing and the competition is also too tough in this segment with Japanese manufacturers like Honda and Yamaha ruling the roost.

Kawasaki is all set to launch a new motorcycle on September 13 at Times Square, New York.  It is expected that Kawasaki will launch new Ninja variant on this date, however it is not confirmed that which version of Ninja will be launched. It seems that Kawasaki will unveil the 300cc version of Ninja christened as 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 300.

2013 Kawasaki Ninja 300 comes with a 296cc liquid cooled, parallel twin engine which produces maximum power of 39 bhp @ 11,000 rpm and maximum torque of 29 Nm @ 10,000 rpm. The engine is designed to deliver powerful acceleration at higher rpm and torquey performance at low and mid acceleration.  It has got Sleeveless aluminum die-cast cylinder for excellent heat dissipation. It comes with Dual Throttle vales just like the Ninja ZX-10R and ZX-6R for better performance and linear throttle response.

It has got slipper clutch for better handling and smooth clutch operation. (click here for working of slipper clutch). It comes with radiator fan cover for better air direction. The new 2-1 exhaust with short style silencer looks cool.  The new diamond frame is more rigid and offers excellent stability. It comes with world’s smallest ABS unit. The front comes with 37 mm telescopic fork while the rear comes with Bottom-link Uni-trak with gas charged shock. It also features aggressive styling, modern instrument panel, aluminum foot pegs, wider rear tyre and petal disk.

It seems like 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 300 is going to give tough fight in 250cc and above super sport motorcycle segment.

2013 Kawasaki Ninja 300 Official Intro Video:

Ninja 300 Action video

2013 Ninja 300 Technical Specifications

Engine : 296 cc

• Fuel system Fuel injection: ø32 mm x 2
• (Keihin), with dual throttle valves
• Ignition Digital
• Starting Electric
• Lubrication Forced lubrication, wet sump
• Engine type Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke Parallel
• Twin
• Displacement 296 cm3
• Bore x stroke 62.0 x 49.0 mm
• Compression ratio 10.6:1
• Valve/Induction system DOHC, 8 valves

 Transmission

• Clutch Wet multi-disc, manual
• Primary reduction ratio 3.087 (71/23)
• Gear ratios: 1st 2.714 (38/14)
• Gear ratios: 2nd 1.789 (34/19)
• Gear ratios: 3rd 1.409 (31/22)
• Gear ratios: 4th 1.160 (29/25)
• Gear ratios: 5th 1.000 (27/27)
• Gear ratios: 6th 0.857 (24/28)
• Final reduction ratio 3.000 (42/14)
• Transmission 6-speed, return
• Final Drive Sealed chain

 Frame

• Frame type Tube diamond, steel
• Rake/Trail 27° / 93 mm
• Wheel travel, front 120 mm
• Wheel travel, rear 132 mm
• Tyre, front 110/70-17 M/C 54S
• Tyre, rear 140/70-17 M/C 66S
• Steering angle, left / right 35° / 35°

Suspension

• Suspension, front 37 mm telescopic fork
• Suspension, rear Bottom-Link Uni-Trak with gas-charged shock and 5-way adjustable preload

Brakes

• Brakes, front Single 290 mm petal disc, Single balanced actuation dual-piston
• Brakes, rear Single 220 mm petal disc Caliper: Dual-piston

Dimensions

• Dimensions (L x W x H) 2,015 mm x 715 mm x 1,110 mm
• Ground Clearance 140 mm
• Wheelbase 1,405 mm
• Seat height 785 mm
• Fuel capacity 17 litres
• Curb Mass 172 kg / 174 kg (ABS)

Ninja 300 Performance : power and torque

• Maximum power 29.0 kW {39 PS} / 11,000 rpm
• Maximum torque 27.0 N.m {2.8 kgf.m} / 10,000 rpm

Do you like this upcoming 2013 Ninja 300? Let us know your views in the comment section below.

As team Bikesshowroom.com was trying hard to get the all new Bajaj Pulsar 200NS for a test ride, we were very glad to find Mr. Akshay from Bangalore who was very happy to share across his ownership experience with the Bajaj Pulsar 200NS to us. So here is the detailed P200NS ownership interview we had with him.

Sharat:- Tell us something about yourself, your previous bikes and the biking passion you posses.

Akshay:- My biking history started humbly with my mum’s Kinetic Honda ZX, a bike that was almost as old as me. Learnt riding on that bike, and have so many memories of good times, crashes, falls and the rest! Once I completed my education I needed a bike for work commute and my parents agreed to buy me a bike on the condition that I pay them back on a monthly basis. I agreed, and that’s how I ended up buying a yellow Honda CBF Stunner 125. This is the bike that got me bitten by the biking bug. It all started with rides to the nearby Nandi Hills and went on to riding 100km to the Cauvery River. I suddenly found the Stunner to be more of a commuter than a highway cruiser, and wanted to get something better. 6 months of ownership and 17,000km on odo later, and after much research, I settled on the R15. I got 45k for the Stunner, which was the exact down payment for the R15. Exchanged the Stunner and proudly brought the Yamaha home, much to the surprise and amazement of my parents. The next 2 years were the hardest for me financially as I was paying my parents for the Stunner as well as paying an EMI for the R15. What a brilliant bike! It was everything I wanted and I ended up modding it with Race Concepts parts that made a brilliant bike even better!
ThisYammy really spoilt me with Pulsar 220 beating power and a fuel efficiency of between 40 – 52kmpl depending on riding conditions. After numerous 600km+ rides to Hyderabad, Gokarna, etc. I realized that the R15 was a bit too taxing on the body due to its stiff suspension and committed riding position. This is when the urge to change to a more comfortable bike took over. 2 years of paying EMI’s had left me without any savings and I unfortunately had to sell my beloved R15 after 2 years and 40,000km of ownership.

Sharat:-  Out of so many bikes in the Indian market, what motivated you to choose BAJAJ Pulsar 200NS? What other bikes did you consider buying?

Akshay:-  My eyes were on the CBR250R, with the bike being touted as a Sports-Tourer. A test-ride confirmed that it would be the perfect bike for me! Started calculating finance requirements and such, but lots of last minute issues ensured that the 250R would remain just a dream at 1,70,000 rupees! I then started thinking of the KTM Duke 200 as it seemed to be the best value-for-money proposition, and I’ve always wanted to own a naked after owning the fully-faired R15. This was again not to be as my finance scheme got rejected at the last minute.. This is when the 200NS finally launched in Bangalore and I got to see the bike in the flesh. Now, let me tell you that although I learnt riding on my cousin’s Pulsar 150 Classic way back in 2001, I wasn’t much of a Pulsar fan and actually hated the bikes for their crappy quality and myriad issues. I’d been following stories of the 200NS with grudging respect for all the good things I’d been hearing about the bike. Seeing the bike in the flesh and taking a test-ride completely convinced me that this was a great product and would suit my requirements perfectly! Paid the entire amount instantly and took delivery of my Emerald Blue Pulsar 200 NS – my Night Fury! The NS is continually amazing me with it’s handling, poise, raw power and sheer toughness.. This is THE value-for-money motorcycle for the biking enthusiast, and there’s no two ways about it.

Sharat:-  How has been your ownership experience so far? I am sure you would be the center of attraction out there on the roads.

Akshay:-  I’m still on the honeymoon phase of owning and riding a new bike, and the bike hasn’t disappointed at all! 10 days of ownership and close to 2000km on odo says it all. Surprisingly, not too many people on the road noticed the bike. I got the most number of eyeballs at traffic signals where people would be glancing around and would do a double-take on noticing the tall, beefy and good looking bike. Answered millions of questions on the price, mileage, issues, etc. The NS is so good that I’m not missing my R15 one bit! This is one bike I will NEVER sell, that’s how much it has impressed me. My next bike will be something big and I’ve started saving up already.

Sharat:-  How much did the bike cost in total and what was your waiting period experience?

Akshay:-  The bike cost me IRs. 1,00,481/- (Price In India) on-road, Bangalore. I had to wait for almost 20 days to get the bike. The waiting period was really hard as I’d sold the R15 and kept dreaming about riding away into the distance on the new steed. Passed time by reading review after review on the net.

Sharat:-   The old pulsars were not that great handlers, so this time is it a same story, or were you blown away with its new engineering?

Akshay:-  Like I said earlier, I wasn’t a big fan of the Pulsar’s and always considered them to be clumsy handling, un-refined, un-reliable machines. This model is a quantum leap for Bajaj and the engineering finesse really shows. I found the bike more poised and much more stable than the R15 around corners, and that really is saying something! The bike is almost vibe-free and most people will never believe that they’re riding a Bajaj product! Awesome motorcycle, definitely must ride to experience Indian engineering at it’s best.

P200NS Top Speed

Sharat:-   How does the bike perform in city conditions and highways?

Akshay:-  Although the bike sports a short-stroke engine design, there is surprisingly adequate torque at low and mid-range rpms! Where the R15 struggled in the city, the NS pulled away effortlessly, even with a pillion. The power delivery is VERY linear, with the power delivery progressively getting stronger with the build-up of revs. 7,000rpm onwards you start feeling a strong surge which gets truly manic from 8,000rpm all the way to the 11,000rpm redline! By mounting a Go-Pro camera on tank and taking speedo readout as the reference, the NS leapt from 0-100kmph in 9.6 seconds and went on to record a mighty 151kmph top speed!! On the speedo, the bike gets to 100kmph in the first 10 seconds, 140kmph in the next 10 and 150kmph in another 10 seconds. 0-top speed in 30 seconds now that’s fantastic performance!
The bike can putter around calmly in the city at 4,000rpm in the 6th gear. Highway cruising is best at 60-70kmpl with the bike being completely sound and vibe-free at those speeds, feeling more like a Honda Unicorn. Highest cruising speed without making the engine feel stressed is 100-110kmph. The wind-blast can really be felt on this bike post 100kmph though, but that maybe because I’m used to the awesome aerodynamics of the R15 at high speeds.

Sharat:-   There is been talks that its the same KTM 200 engine with few tweaks, What do you think about it? And how different is it with the KTM mill?

Akshay:-  The bike does share a few KTM parts, but the engineering is completely different. Yes – the bore, the exhaust, the stance all looks similar, but the bike has a completely different character altogether! The NS is much more relaxed, both in acceleration, highway cruising and seating posture. The gears are longer, the bike is much more silent and gives better fuel efficiency than the Duke. This coupled with the larger 12 liter tank, proper sized pillion seat and much more user-friendly engine makes the 200NS a slightly better option than the completely maniac and aggressive Duke. I guess both bikes appeal to riders of different attitudes. After all, your ride does reflect your riding style and taste to a large extent!

Sharat:-  This is been the first bike to hose a triple spark plug. Is there any difference which you feel while riding, from a traditional single or twin(like the older pulsars)?

Akshay:-  There isn’t any difference in feel, having 3 spark plugs firing away beneath you. The difference may only be technical, helping the NS achieve great throttle response, good fuel economy and controlled emissions. Nothing that you’ll feel while actually riding this monster.

P200NS Mileage

Sharat:-  Coming back to one of India’s main concern- What’s the average?

Akshay:-  The lowest the NS returned was 30kmpl under very hard riding and highest has been 38kmpl with both sedate city cruising along with a few speed bursts thrown in.

Sharat:-  Let us know what attracted you the most after riding about close to 2000kms.

Akshay:-  I think what I like the most about the 200NS is the confidence and assurance you feel when you’re out riding. The bike is so stable, so planted and has enough performance to leave behind almost every vehicle on Indian roads. This is a mature bikers dream – being able to commute sedately, along with the ability to go bonkers on weekends with the exhilarating performance!

Sharat:-  Who should buy this bike and who shouldn’t? Please advice potential buyers.

Akshay:-  Since this bike is such an all-rounder, it would suit everyone from a college-goer, to a commuter and even to a biking enthusiast. The bike looks good, goes great and is easy on the pocket too. The amount of power the bike delivers along with its sheer capability makes you remember the saying “With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility”. This beauty can definitely get you in trouble easily, but with even slightly decent riding skills anyone can feel and ride like a pro! The P200NS is surely a revolution!!

It was really a very detailed explanation about the new Pulsar 200NS and I would like to thank Mr. Akshay for sharing his ownership experience for Bikesshowroom.com readers.

Team Bikesshowroom

1. First of all ensure to remove your side stand before starting the bike.

2. Never ride your bike when you are angry or frustrated.

3. Don’t try to overtake in Corner’s or in sharp bends and before overtaking make sure you overtake from the right side so that the driver can spot you easily.

4. Don’t brake hard or use your disc brake when you ride on the fine layer of sand near the edges of the road. Sand proves to be the worst enemy for bikers and cause most accidents especially in cities.

5. Don’t panic and lock your wheels when you encounter a Speed Bump suddenly instead of concentrating on down shifting pull the clutch and apply your front brake first and gradually your rear brake.

6. Always make sure you use your L/R Indicator while turning this to Left or Right 30 M ahead of your turn this will ensure you are not getting hit by vehicles from behind.

7. Never follow Heavy vehicles or Car’s very closely because when they brake hard you will have less time/No time to react.

8. Ensure to note that with Pillion rider the bike behaves slightly different in accelerating and in braking .So calculate accordingly before you overtake other vehicles.

9. The most important thing you have to do is to believe in you that you can stop your bike at proper time no matter what may come.

10. Ride with proper riding gear especially with helmet (fasten your helmet straps) and ride safely. Remember after all someone is waiting for all of us back home.

Jun 2012, the day KTM Duke 200 started its deliveries in Kathmandu. The previous night our co-author and review writer Mr. Naren gave me a call and said, “KTM will be un-veiled tomorrow”. The moment he said that, I was in truck loads of mixed emotions. Was happy that a new kind of biking gene would be starting in Nepal. At the same time, was eager to compare it against my all new Honda CBR250R which had created a huge speculation as its competitor just because KTM could shell out 25bhp of power. So, it was Mr. Amit Nandi, Vice President, Bajaj Auto, who took the honor to do it in Kathmandu. That was the moment Nepali bikers got a new trend setter, the bike which carry an attitude along with the riders.

So, it was all set and I, being the photographer then covered the launch and was all set to burn the KTM’s rubber the next day along with Naren. But, due to unforeseen reasons that was cancelled and Unfortunately that was the last time me and Naren worked together.

Now, let’s roll up even back to know what KTM is.

Well, KTM is an Austrian breed which is named after its founder as usual, Mr. Hans Trunkenpolz (Kraftfahrzeuge Trunkenpolz Mattighofen). KTM is also the second largest player in the Europe only after BMW. And if you have heard about KTM, there is another event which just pops up into anyone’s mind, the Paris – Dakar rally. Which is the ‘THE’ most toughest rally on the Planet Earth covering an off–road hostile terrain of 9000 kms. And KTM bikes have ended up being 1st on the finish line for 11 consecutive years. And in the 2012 rally, 7 out of the top 10 bikes were in KTM bikes. If there could be any example of sheer domination, then this is it.

Though very well known for off-road biking, KTM also have superior bikes like the RC8, adventures’ series and many more. But if there could be one bike ruling the streets, that is the KTM Duke 200. Well, enough of the history, the company and everything, let me jump into what the bike really is and how it performed in our test.

KTM DUKE 200cc Review by BikeAdvice

DUKE 200cc Design

Muscular, elegant, aggressive and yet beautiful is what I would like to describe the Duke 200 as. It comes with a super light Trellis frame and the 200cc engine sitting right inside it. With the straight lined up powerful headlights, very muscular looking tank, the sharp edges, the split seats, the under belly exhaust, a very attractive aluminum swing arm and more, makes the bike look one of the best in the present day market. The build quality is top class and over all it has been superbly designed. Though the looks of the bike is very subjective, I loved the way it looked and I am pretty sure most of you out there carry the same feeling along with me.

BikeAdvice rating- 4.5/5

DUKE 200cc Engine and performance

KTM is well known for its high level of engine refinement and it is very evident in the Duke 200. It comes with an energetic 199cc, 4-valve, single cylinder, liquid-cooled DOHC engine with an accurate fuel injection unit which produces 25bhp of power at 10,000rpm and 19Nm of torque at 8,000rpm. Well, enough of all the numbers, the review here is all about how the bike feels and you can find the numbers in the technical specifications column below.

The engine is very powerful and with that extremely light weight body, it seems to jump like a horse even with a small twist of wrist. It climbs the revs very quickly and needs to be geared up very quickly before the rev limiter cuts off the power supply at 10,500rpm. And trust me, the rev limiter is very sharp. At 10,500rpm the bike is confused if to give full power or no power at all. Though the engine is powerful, there are no vibrations of any kind at any speeds. But then it is more of like a horse, gallops and starts with a high pull and later increases just a little as you can never notice how fast the revs climb up and all you need to do is gear up.

BikeAdvice rating- 4/5

DUKE 200cc Handling and brakes

Handling is one department in which you can never complain anything about the bike. Its low weight makes it extremely flickable and mass centralization with an under belly exhaust and the frame makes it a bliss to corner. The huge 150mm rear tyre offers abundance grip and builds in a confidence to attack corners at high speeds. The all new MRF Revz – c tyres have done wonders. I have never seen a MRF tyre grip so much, in my life. In fact it stuck like a leech on the tarmac, it was very very difficult for me to pull a burnout on the tarmac even when revved up very high.

The high performance WP inverted forks at the front, and the WP monoshock suspension with 10-step adjustable preload at the rear does its job very accurately by absorbing hard bumps or Nepali road’s famous pot holes. But then it is not too soft either, it is a perfect blend, soft enough for daily use on Neplai roads and hard enough to attack any corner with complete aggression. And yeah, to put a smile on your face, the front forks are of those types which are present on the monstrous RC8 and the performer Super Duke 990.

Speaking about the brakes, the Bybre disks does its job amazingly in the front, while there is not enough response from the rear, leaving a lock up of the rear wheel or very low stopping power which is disappointing. But then the front brakes are way too powerful and will compensate the rear issues.

BikeAdvice rating – 3.5/5

DUKE 200cc Riding comfort and pillion comfort

I was completely blown away with the weird sitting posture. It is a up-right position while your legs are pushed back making it a new posture, but then it was amazingly comfortable throughout my testing period. The wide handle bars gives you a feeling as good as holding a 25 horse chariot’s REIN.

You can zip through the traffic very easily without taking any toll on your wrist or your back. But then once the speed increases, particularly over 95kmph, it takes some effort to get adjusted to the wind blast and makes you hold the handle quite hard, which would strain the rider.

And the pillion seats are designed as per the bike’s dimensions, only a very slim or zero sized person can fit into it making it extremely uncomfortable for long hours of journey.

BikeAdvice rating – 3.5/5.

The numb that matters – SPEED

The KTM as I said is very powerful and is capable of doing high speeds and its body supports it. But then, the top speed of the bike is restricted to 136kmph in the top gear at 10,500rpm while the rev limiter cuts off the power supply. But the bike definitely is capable of doing more. There are power parts supplied by the KTM itself, which removes the rev limiter at 10,500rpm, but then think again. Rev limiters are used to keep the bike’s engine in good condition for the long term, if so then why remove it? (This is purely my opinion).

Its top speeds in various gears are as follows:

1st gear – 45kmph

2nd gear –59kmph

3rd gear –79kmph

4th gear –98kmph

5th gear –119kmph

6th gear -136kmph

It takes just above 9sec to reach 100 kmph and just less than 4 seconds to reach 60 kmph from stand still, which is astonishing.

BikeAdvice rating – 4/5

DUKE 200cc Electronics and Electricals

Let me start with the console which would steal the show by huge margin comparing to any other Nepali bike in this segment. It showcases information like no other bike available today could even match up in the near future. As soon as turn it on, the KTM  with a pleasing orange back light console shouts, “READY TO RACE” while the engine check is done in the background. And once that is gone, there is a note, side stand down, until you remove it. And then the information like gear indications, speedometer, bar type tachometer, engine temperature and fuel gauge, two trip meters, clock, average speed, riding time in Minutes, Average fuel efficiency in kmpl as well as L/100kms, distance to empty and distance to next service is displayed.

And if you think that is too much, there are still a few more lights to tell stuffs like, Turn signal indicators, Engine diagnosis light, Gear shift lights, Neutral indicator, High beam indicator and General warning light respectively in the order from left to right and then down.(There are still, 2 more light hoses for your own personalization. ) But then though it has a lot of features, it’s not so attractive and not eye catchy at 1st sight.

The headlights are very strong and will never let you down. The indicators are so tiny and go with the bike’s characteristics, but are very powerful that I could see it flashing from about 50mtrs behind in a heavy down pour. The LED tail lights definitely need a mention which not only performs its duty at its best, it also looks great.

BikesShowroom Rating – 4.5/5

DUKE 200cc Mileage/Economy

Again back to Neplai’s favorite question, “Kati Dinchha?”

Well, it gives an average economy of about 32kmpl (Plus or Minus 10KMPL) depending on the riding conditions. When I revved it up very hard its average was about 22Kmpl, whereas cruising in the top gear at 65 – 80 kmph, I got an average economy of about 44kmpl.

Hmm ever thought if your riding style has so much effect on the economy?

Test it out to agree with me. Well, for a 200cc, 25bhp motor, an average of 32kmpl is still a very good economy.

DUKE 200cc Pros and Con

What is so cool about the bike?

• The badge “KTM”
• Highly refined and very smooth engine
• Very sharp Handling
• The beauty of its own which cannot be described in words
• A very low weight of about 125kgs makes it a great handler
• Higher power to weight ratio
• Under belly exhaust not only looks cool, also helps is mass centralization
• Powerful head lights makes riding easy in all conditions
• KTM badge in a lots of places which pampers its owner
• “STUNTING” if there could be any bike which would suit it perfectly, it is the KTM.
• Pricing- As it is manufactured by Bajaj and is not brought as a CBU, costs very less.

What is not really cool about it?

• Rear brake is a huge let down
• Horn would suit a moped more than a 200cc beast
• Riding comfort in high speeds is still a question
• Pillion comfort should not be expected
• A very small fuel tank capacity of 10.5ltrs
• Bajaj’s name is visible in a few places like the radiator and the electric start motor, which gives a un-premiumness feeling
• Though very powerful, you don’t get that torque feeling that any petrol head would want.

KTM Duke Nepal Price as on July, 2012

Whenever you park the bike or stop in the signal or a petrol pump, the 2nd question they ask you is, how much the bike cost. Well, it is priced at NRs. 3.5lak (ex-showroom Kathmandu) Feel it’s too high? Think what it would cost if Bajaj was not manufacturing it and if it would come down as a CBU.

DUKE Color

It comes with a single color scheme of Black and orange, which not only is beautiful, is also a head turner for sure.

KTM DUKE 200cc Spares and services

Though Bajaj is hosting up the spares and services of the KTM bikes in Nepal, its standards are very high. Service has been good and the spares have been priced fair enough leaving nothing to complain about the bike.

BikesShowroom Verdict: 4/5

Well here comes the final part of the review. So,  for which kind of rider is this bike more suited?

Well, KTM has placed this bike as a Street fighter. It does that job brilliantly being the best out there in the market for city riding. It is for those who just don’t use the bike for commuting, it’s for those who travel with an attitude, with passion. It is for those who want to zip around fast in the traffic with all those people around humming, “WooooW” and for a short weekend relaxed ride. It is one of those machines which are built to bring a smile on the rider’s face and is really fun to hang out.

Credits

Well, I would like to whole heartedly thank Shreeda Kumar from Bangalore for happily lending his pride possession for BikesShowroom road test and watch it being treated badly by me. Also special thanks to Manish Kumar Choudhary for arranging the bike and helping the review by helping in capturing some beautiful photos while I was riding.

KTM Duke 200cc Technical Specifications

ENGINE

Design            Single-cylinder, 4-stroke, spark-ignition engine, liquid-cooled

Displacement        200 cm³

Bore                72 mm

Stroke            49 mm

Performance        18.4 kW (25 hp)

Torque            19.2 Nm

Starting aid            Electric starter

Transmission        6-speed, claw shifted

Engine lubrication        Forced oil lubrication with 1 rotor pump

Primary gear ratio        22:72

Secondary gear ratio    14:43

Cooling system    Liquid cooling system, continuous circulation of cooling liquid with water pump

Clutch            Clutch in oil bath / mechanically operated

Ignition system    Contactless, controlled, fully electronic ignition system with digital ignition timing adjustment

CHASSIS

Frame            Tubular space frame made from steel tubes, powder-coated

Fork                WP Suspension 4357

Shock absorber        WP Suspension 4618 EM

Suspension travel         Front    150 mm

Suspension travel         Rear    150 mm

Brake system Front    Disc brake with two-pot brake caliper

Brake system Rear    Disc brake with one-pot brake caliper, floating brake discs

Brake discs – diameter front    300 mm

Brake discs – diameter rear    230 mm

Chain                5/8 x 1/4” (520) O‑Ring

Steering head angle        65°

Wheel base            1,361±15 mm

Ground clearance (unloaded)    165 mm

Seat height (unloaded)        810 mm

Total fuel tank capacity approx.    10.5 l

Unleaded premium fuel         (95 RON)

Weight without fuel approx.    125 kg

More KTM Duke Photos from the test ride:

The Indian two–wheeler market is the right proof for Darwin’s theory of ’Survival Of The Fittest’. While every single company is eyeing for the top slot, the slow movers are forced to stay away from this competition as the customers tend to support these top contestants to a very greater extent.

 It is not only the Honda and Bajaj that are giving a tough fight to other manufacturers in this competition. TVS Motors is also creeping in slowly with its set of newly framed strategies. On one side you find the company getting geared up to tie up with the German giant – BMW Motorrad to come up with whole new basket of technologies and advancement. On the other the company is concentrating on more fuel efficient engines predicting the future of these cleaner technologies.

TVS Motors has also decided to come up with more products in the market, besides upgrading its existing portfolio. TVS Motors has allotted a budget o0f close to 400 crores of INR for this cause. This is seriously a mind boggling figure considering the stiff competitio0n it faces from the Japanese giants.

It is also reported that TVS is currently working on two whole new concepts built right from ground zero that would be the trump cards for the company in the coming future. It is expected that these two models (which we’ve no idea as of now whether they are scoots or bikes) will incorporate the latest technology in terms of coming up with a greener and a cleaner environment.

The highlight of this post is the fact that TVS Motors is forecasting around six new launches in the years to come. This will also include bikes in the quarter litre segment which will make use of BMW’s aid in building engines for TVS bikes. While the Quarter litre segment is literally heating up, this year should just be ideal for the company to step in into this segment. However these bikes are only expected to hit the roads by 2014-15.

Commenting on this, Mr. Vinay Harne, President, NPI, TVS Motor Company said, “Currently we produce only up to 180 cc and below; we will be entering the bigger bikes segment. There is a trend of moving towards bigger bikes; while the numbers are small, the growth is quite high.”

Right now the Apache RTR 180 is the highest displacement bike that the company offers for its Indian customers. This was in fact the first Indian bike to come up with ABS (Anti – Lock Braking System) installed.

The Economic Times has reported: While the company is mum on the exact engine configurations, one engine family will be used across the existing product range; and another will go beyond 200 cc and perhaps even beyond 250 cc. When questioned on a specific engine category of 250 cc, Harne said: “Yeah sure that range and then bigger ones.”

The new breed of engines that is in the conceptual stage is expected to be environment friendly by controlling the Green-House emissions by as much as 20 percent. This reduction in emission will also consistently aid in delivering better fuel efficiency to the bike. It is also believed that TVS has worked closely with international players like AVL and Ricardo to develop these new engines.

In the meanwhile, TVS has also been working on Continuous Auto – Transmission that would enable TVS bikes to be ideal for city commutes.  By September of this year, the trial runs for these bikes should begin. Let’s wait to see what this South Indian giant is up to.

Another interesting piece of info that is worth sharing here at this point of time is that TVS is seriously considering the launch of its hybrid scooter – ‘Qube’ that was the show–stopper in Delhi Auto Expo earlier this year. The company is considering all possible measures to get this model production ready. The pricing of this model is expected to be in the band of 55 to 60 thousand rupees. Though it is priced at a premium, it is expected to be a unique player in the market considering its performance. The only issue being that the company should be able to develop a niche market exclusively in the hybrid scooter segment.

Mr. Harne added, “We have done a lot of things to reduce costs- effective material, reduced weight, adopted a low-cost manufacturing process, and the whole controller is locally developed.”

Let’s not get into things that are really far from us. Guess what the plan is for this year. Two whole new bikes and one scoot is what TVS Motors has got for its loyal set of fans. However, we’re not aware of the displacement and the segment that these models would fit into.

In the Financial year of 2012, TVS Motors’ share in the two–wheeler market had seen a major dip with a numerical figure of 14 per cent. But seeing the way TVS Motors is all set to progress in the next couple of years’ time, it is sure that the company will see great heights in terms of sales and performance.

Regards,
Manish Ojha
Team Bikes Showroom

While a lot has been talked about the most awaited performance bike in Nepal – the Bajaj Pulsar 200NS, the bike is about to go to final production. Bajaj has been testing the bike rigorously in and around Pune. Test bikes have been given to many commuters and riders and every feedback is studied in detail. As a result, there would be a few changes incorporated on the final production bike.

• The most prominent one would be the inclusion of a 55watt headlamp in place of a 35watt in the prototype model.
• The second thing we did not like was the presence of EUROGRIP tyres on all the bikes we had seen so far. Bajaj would be considering providing the MRF Zappers also along with Eurogrips.
• Changes to the rear mudguard are also in talks with the matt effect taking place instead of the current glossy finish.

Apart from these there are other minor tweaks which Bajaj would be doing to ensure that Pulsar is taken well by the market. Its price tag of ‘under 1 lakh’ also keeps the value for money preposition. The bike’s launch has been delayed a little possibly to iron out all the issues found during testing. Pulsar 200NS should be making an appearance by next month.
Exact launch date and price have not been made public by Bajaj. We will try to get this info as soon as it out in the market.