Its an absolute delight to see a KTM Duke. The attention to detail is massive. Be it the aluminum swing arm, the fat inverted forks, the trellis frame or the under belly exhaust the designers have gone bonkers while designing the bike. The bike looks brawnier in its flesh.
I don’t want to explain the tech specs instead I want to say consequences you experience.
Engine–
It has some characteristics of a two stroke engine. With a power to weight ratio of 184 bhp/ton its true pocket rocket for the urban jungle. The 25bhp is realized with 6 speed short gearing. Gear box is the part which I like the most. Let me tell you how acceleration feels on road.
0-60 comes in 3.6 seconds. You have to shift only one gear to reach to 60( i.e. from 1st to 2nd) . So you have less than 2 seconds time between two gears. That’s how ballistic this bike is. It’s so eager to hit the rev limiter as soon as you pop the clutch. But the gearing has its own negatives too. It’s hard to ride the bike slow. This bike demands to driven hard. And top speed too is limited to 136 kmph which is slightly low.
Handling-
The inverted shocks at the front are reasonably hard( personal opinion) but the results are amazing. At the start getting used to it is a tad difficult. You can literally “feel the road”. Slightest bumps are also felt. Suddenly all roads which you told perfect seem to be imperfect. The rear mono shock is hard even on a softer setting.
Combined with a bench like seat and a hard suspension long journeys can be little painful. What’s distinct with its handling is you feel like surfer on road. People who do lane changes at high speeds on a Duke will really understand what I mean. And last but not the least the mass centralization with the under belly exhaust. This bike will teach any novice rider to scrape the corners. Every corner makes you smile under your helmet. To summarize in a sentence “It’s like having a gymnast to a dance party She’s flexible but you have to make her dance“. This bike really dances to the tunes of the rider.
Brakes-
The brakes are massive speed shredder units. What really plays is engine braking is also too good while decelerating. The tires tend to skid under panic braking. ABS should be offered at least as an option.
Tires-
They are soft compound tires and one of the best MRF’s I have seen. It sticks to the ground like a leech. It inspires confidence whether it’s braking or while cornering. If maintained well the tires can be reliable. The only downside is it’s prone to punctures.
Cockpit-
To define it in a word it’s a “mini computer”. It offers you loads and loads of information all the way from a essential clock to low engine oil. Two features I like the most when the side stand is down the bike does not start in any of the gears. It’s a good safety feature. The other one is the headlight switches off when you press the start switch which helps in battery life.
Comfort and Ergonomics-
I really liked the seating position. You sit straight on the bike which is commuter like and your legs are in an aggressive position because of the rear set foot pegs. It’s half aggressive and half commuter. The seat cushioning is very hard. Sometimes it’s painful even for short distances. One important criteria that I wanted in a bike was a normal handle bar. I personally dont like the split handle bars. Interestingly no bike above 1 lakh has a normal handle bar except the Duke and the Bullet.
Modifications:
Have Changed the stock horn for a more powerful oneHave widened the rear seat for more comfort.
Long Journeys
I have done a couple of long journeys. I have driven 600 kms in a day and the bike felt good all through the journey. One thing I noticed is braking with a pillion inspires more confidence at high speeds. This bike is not exactly a tourer but it manages to cover long distances without any problem. The only problem I faced was the wind blast at high speeds tires a lot.