Would you like a review? And here he is! Let's try to scatter everything that has accumulated into its place.
Purchase (impressions)
The prepayment was 100%, which gave a discount of 6,300 rubles. It’s a small thing, but it’s nice, but unfortunately this is practically the only pleasant impression about BC. We came to Mozhaika to pick him up, they showed us everything, told us everything and formalized everything, everything went smoothly. Then they loaded it into a Hyundai Porter, there weren’t enough stretch marks, they had to buy more, but no problem. We arrived slowly but smoothly, and I kept trying to get into the back, I was really worried about its safety. We arrived and unloaded. Then the first problem with the reputation of BL appeared, since the buzzer did not work, but I’m not an idiot, I looked down, it turned out that they did not put contacts on the buzzer (they call it pre-sale preparation, the freaks are just an atata). Day one ended with riding around the parking lot and getting used to the new motorcycle. Happiness has so far absorbed all the disadvantages and adversities.
New Duke and snow leopards bored in the corner (but I don’t forget my TyTyRchik either, I owe him everything)
We continue to operate...
My friendship with Duke has lasted a week so far, with mutual respect. He hasn’t given me any problems yet. The only thing I have noticed so far is that a few drops of antifreeze (which, by the way, looks like Predator blood) were squeezing out at the junction of the tank with the radiator, but these are minor things.
Today at the BC on Voykovskaya I met santori with his 125 Duke and talked. Then I stand on the street, I look, and he has a lot of antifreeze inside his plow, I think I need to say, otherwise you never know. It turned out that it was all BL. He put it in the garage after buying it and all the antifreeze leaked out overnight, they didn’t fix something there, now in my eyes they are even more ugly, still just bad people. All the bolts are tightened well, no complaints, everything looks nice and nice. Everywhere I noticed small pieces of paper with the inscription ok or just inscriptions in marker (you can see it in the photo below). A few photos:
And my first disappointment was that I managed to catch a piece of electrode somewhere in the rear balloon. Such sadness. But I was very lucky that I accidentally noticed this and there is a tire service nearby. I had to go and patch it up. It cost 300 rubles. There’s also a car wash there, I wash there on the Irbis often, they already know me there, they congratulated me on my Duke, well done.
A little about the features of structure and operation
Before each trip, I check the tire pressure (2 bars in each is normal), the amount of oil (in the window below), antifreeze (the side of the tank on the left side) and brake fluid in two circuits. Everything else will be told to us by our device or even the on-board computer, I would say. But more on that a little later. The gas drive here is not on the handle, but directly next to the engine. The gas cap has 3 mounting screws and 4 dummy screws for appearance's sake, so don't be alarmed if you try to tighten them and they come loose. And I put the number the way I wanted... mmm. It’s cool when the number has 3 holes, the bike has 4, but the adapter for the number doesn’t fit either one hole or the other. I had to drill.
Instruments and controls. And also what the seated area hides from us
Tidy
- this is something, it will show you everything, except perhaps the weather forecast and traffic jams.
The device is controlled from just two buttons: Mode and Set, which are easy to press even with gloves.
List of what it can show:
- Tachometer
- Speedometer
- Odometer
- Two daily mileage counters, trip duration (reset to zero after 60 minutes of parking without moving)
- Fuel quantity
- Coolant temperature
- Time
- Included gear
- Average speed
- Average fuel consumption
- Instant fuel consumption
- Fuel consumption per 1 km.
- Remaining kilometers until the next service
- Indicates engine overheating
- Indicates when there is a lack of oil
- It will report a voltage drop on board. networks
- Notifies you when the footrest is extended
- Reports a lack of fuel and goes into reserve
There is also a Blinker (gear shift assistant), the neutral signal is on, the turn signals are flashing, the high beam signal is on, if there is a problem in the injection system, the red signal at the top will light up. Oh, yes, there is a light sensor, therefore the tidy itself begins to illuminate with a pleasant orange light.
Controls
presented in sufficient quantities, nothing superfluous, everything is convenient. The coolest thing is that all the buttons are illuminated, a small thing, but nice.
Seat area
hides from us a set of tools, a piece of battery, fuses and everything... yes, unfortunately nothing will fit there. Well, the maximum you can put in there is something no larger in size than a brake disc lock.
Everything that glows
glows very brightly and beautifully. The headlight shines very well even at low beam, the front marker is also visible quite well. All other lights are LEDs. The turn signals, tail light, brake light and license plate lights are visible well and clearly even on a bright day and from a great distance.
Mastering the city
So far I have only traveled around Khimki, to the BC on Voikovskaya and thanks to Danila (Dan9I) for driving me to the center of Moscow at 4 in the morning))) This is a very useful experience. Unexpectedly, when leaving the parking lot nearby, my headlight illuminated a “blue” license plate, I became wary, and indeed, the cops were standing there, robbing some guy. Poor people, you can’t sleep at this time))) Also, many thanks to Sergei (gritsenich) for pointing out some mistakes and for useful advice. Well, and, of course, for the fact that he comes to me to help.)) Photographed by Danila:
During break-in, do not exceed 7,500 rpm. and at these speeds it reaches 100 km/h. in 6th gear. Braking is also good. But once I almost flew away when the cars slowed down at a traffic light, and I blocked the front wheel and it floated, it’s good that I instinctively let it go and somehow braked 5 cm from the car in front. It passed... thank God.
Visiting BC today
Today, after this post, Nikolay (wmwheel) and I wanted to go to BC, but he couldn’t, things were going on. I went on my own to buy something for Duke + look at motorcycle jeans. And today’s visit completely ruined my attitude towards BL. I asked if they had anything from my long list (bars, sliders, U-Lock, motorbike cover, stickers, hand protection and orange nipple caps. In the end, I didn’t buy anything. And the seller said everything strangely , about the fact that there are no sliders on it (he probably thinks that I’m a noob, but no, in the book of spare parts for the Duke that came with the Duke, there are them) About the fact that the arches do not protect the legs (now I agree, he was a fool me), and also the fact that they haven’t brought any goodies to the Dukes yet. Maybe I don’t understand something, but they’ve been producing Dukes for a long time and they have everything for them. (In Europe they have it, we don’t, now I understand) So this The seller, it seems, didn’t want to sell anything and now I don’t really want to go to him. Only for the first maintenance and for equipment (I liked the equipment department). And then, I’ll keep an eye on them both, just in case. They’re completely blossomed)). You need to go to Krylatskoye, there seems to be a KTM Boutique near the cycling track, where, as they say, there are almost all KTM spare parts and upgrades, and clothes, and accessories. Let's hope.
We continue to be friends with my Duke on the roads of Moscow time. and regions. We hope for the best and wait for the first maintenance. If necessary, I will write a post about it.
A few photos in conclusion:
Good luck to everyone on the roads and have a relaxing work week
. Bye
UPD.
BL showed up here, which was a pleasant surprise. It’s good that they defend the honor of their salon, but I would like them to treat us more friendly;) Thank you, BL! We need to explain more to people so that they don’t make up their own minds and mislead others. Good luck to you!
Test drive KTM200 Duke
The KTM company once again went beyond the ordinary and did everything to break the captivity of the prejudices of its customers. If anyone else thinks that a small capacity bike is not capable of “making your day”, then the KTM Duke 200 will readily prove the opposite!
Last year at the Milan Motor Show I walked around the handsome Duke 125 for a long time and couldn’t believe my eyes. A compact street, made at the highest engineering level, and even with the price of a budget Japanese “250 used” - isn’t this the dream of many motorcyclists? Even then it was clear that the chassis of the motorcycle was designed for a more powerful power unit... And KTM did not take long to beg, presenting a version with a 200 cc engine!
Saturday, a bright sunny morning - one of those that is most pleasant to start with a cup of aromatic coffee. Nothing disturbed the sleepy flow of life on Kontraktova Square until the bass roar of a single-pot Duke 200 engine came from the next street. Even with a stock muffler, this baby sounds very pleasant, and its perky appearance will instantly raise the mood of even the most notorious bore.
Externally, the new Duke is almost the twin brother of its namesake with a 690 cc engine, only smaller. The orange color, bright stickers, and the stylish “plow” in front of the engine suit him extremely well. Look at the embossed tank with pronounced stampings under the knees, the openwork steel frame, the cast swingarm, and the impressive WP fork. The multifunctional instrument panel deserves special mention, which displays not only the usual speedometer and tachometer, but also the total and daily mileage, mileage before maintenance, time and remaining fuel in the tank... How could we have previously imagined an entry-level motorcycle in such a configuration for just € 4200?! This became possible thanks to cooperation with Bajaj, and KTM does not hide its cooperation with the Indian giant. Considering the quality of the Duke 200... What a quality! The love with which the motorcycle was designed is not surprising.
Sitting behind the wheel of the younger "Duke" is surprisingly pleasant. The bike is very compact and the short seat cushion with pronounced lumbar support gives the impression that you are sitting not “on”, but “in” the motorcycle. The wide and high steering wheel creates an upright seating position, but thanks to the high-mounted and rear-set footpegs, there is no smell of “classic” relaxation here. The remote controls on both handles are made of simple plastic, as are the brake and clutch levers - of ordinary metal. Although we remember that this is still an entry-level motorcycle... But all this tinsel fades into the tenth plan as soon as the single-cylinder engine awakens to life!
From a design point of view, this engine is excellent. The basis was the power unit of the 125 cc version with electronic fuel injection and liquid cooling, but its volume was increased by 60%. This change entailed the need to install larger diameter valves (of which there are four), a pair of new camshafts and an enlarged piston. Of course, the intake system has also undergone changes along with the three-component exhaust system, so now the engine produces 26 hp, which is quite enough for a bike weighing 125 kg.
As I already said, it sounds great, and also practically does not vibrate. The first one engages with a satisfying click, and the ease with which the clutch operates is puzzling at first, because the moment the discs close is more like a breeze. The engine spins with obvious pleasure, providing the motorcycle with decent dynamics, and the clearly operating 6-speed gearbox only encourages you to run up and down the gears. The engine is very elastic, and from time to time you simply forget about what gear you are driving in. In this situation, the gear indicator on the dashboard will be an excellent help, which will help you return to reality.
Oddly enough, the power unit is just the tip of the iceberg, because the element of this motorcycle is cornering. A rigid steel frame, a 43 mm inverted telescopic fork from WP, an excellent swingarm, which is said to be created using the same technology as a similar unit on the Duke 690 - this whole bouquet, coupled with an extremely compact and nimble chassis (wheelbase - only -1361 mm) makes it possible to get true driving pleasure, be it active drive in traffic or slalom at low speeds.
The motorcycle is very responsive and easily dives into turns, while on the arc it stands with locomotive stubbornness. Perhaps this is the best chassis in the category of budget motorcycles, as they say, “don’t go to grandma’s door”, and besides, it can easily digest a larger engine, for example, the 350, which is now installed on the new enduro - Freeride! I would also like to say thank you to the designers of the suspensions for increasing their travel to 150 mm, thanks to which the passage of rails, different-sized “policemen”, and just driving on paving stones will not create any problems for the pilot.
The braking system also works in unison with the chassis. The main work falls on the front mechanism with a disc with a diameter of 300 mm and a 4-piston caliper. It works excellently, there is enough performance in any conditions, and on well-warmed tires the motorcycle is not averse to lifting its “tail” under heavy braking. The rear also features a 230mm disc with single-piston caliper. It is blocked quite easily, but this moment is perfectly felt.
The KTM Duke 200 met all my expectations, and even exceeded them in some ways. It pleasantly surprises with its characteristics, workmanship and price, but this is nothing compared to the emotions that the Duke gives while driving. And if one of your friends is thinking of joining the two-wheeled fraternity, recommend the Duke 200 to him. It will not only make your mood orange, but will also bring true pleasure from riding a bike equipped to the highest class. And it’s time for Japanese engineers to learn from the Duke example how to make lightweight motorcycles inexpensively and to the highest standard!
Owner's opinion Victoria Bondar
I myself was very surprised when I decided to buy myself a Duke 200. My first bike was a Honda AX-1, which taught me to love enduro riding through fields, rivers, sand and mud. But then I, like many, came to the conclusion that there should be several motorcycles, and Honda remained for off-road rides, and for trips around the city, last year I began to look for something beautiful and not very aggressive. At the same time, my boyfriend bought a KTM 990 SM, on which we traveled all over Ukraine and Moldova. Since then, I fell in love with the color orange and the “Ready to Race” brand philosophy. The choice was only between KTM Street and KTM Enduro. I decided to stop at the first one and buy a new enduro next year. Before I bought it, I hadn’t even sat on it, and I was very worried how we would become friends. But as soon as I sat on it and rode, we became inseparable. This is the perfect bike for a girl - beautiful, lightweight, with all possible sensors and reminders. The main thing is that at a traffic light I can touch the asphalt with my feet! And fuel consumption is also good - 3.7 liters! But I especially liked the full-fledged gasoline sensor, the calculation of time until maintenance, and the backlighting of all buttons in the dark. By the way, the headlight in the evening is just a fairy tale, all the signs and holes are visible! At the same time, despite its small size and only 200 cubes, it turned out to be very playful, which pleasantly surprised me. I just finished running it in and haven’t yet accelerated it properly, but at 100 km/h it doesn’t just go calmly, it almost says to me: “Vika, why is it so slow, let’s go faster!” However, I don’t know how KTM does it, but the bike really communicates with you, and not only do you adapt to it, but it also adapts to you. Also, while I was driving a Honda, they didn’t pay much attention to it, because it was old and not very expressive in appearance, but now I still can’t get used to the fact that people are constantly paying attention to us now. In general, now I understand that any motorcycle can be, but only if it is a KTM.
Text: Denis Los
Photo: Andrey Shlenchak
My rider: KTM Duke 250 review
“Kisa, let me ask you as an artist of an artist... Can you draw?” This year, the family of small single-cylinder Dukes received some serious updates. Having attended the Russian premiere of the family, we have already become acquainted with the Duke 390 and can safely say that the motorcycle is completely new, as are its younger 125 and 200 cc brothers. But where does the 250 fit in this family? Why is it needed and is this device worth considering? Let’s try to figure it out.
Unlike sports equipment, where the Austrians clearly build devices in accordance with the current competition regulations, on asphalt KTM traditionally rocks with cubic capacities: 200, 390, 1050, 1090, 1290... It seems that any coincidence with the real canons of a particular genre is accidental, company with all trying (admittedly, often successfully) to set the vector of development of the entire motorcycle industry, loves unusual solutions. And here you are wearing “two hundred letters.” Neither 290 nor 240 – exactly a “check”!
It’s unusual to see the 250 in the KTM model range, which traditionally stayed away from established classes
Apparently, the time has come to compete with the Asians like the Honda CBR 250, Kawasaki Z250, Yamaha MT-03 and other Suzuki GW250 in their field. It’s logical, because previously it was Japanese brands that became the golden mean between the Duke 200 and Duke 390. Moreover, the 250 has a number of budget solutions, thanks to which the device not only costs less, but also does not stand out too much in the segment. Ideal for Asian markets and certainly not bad for ours.
