[man_of_steel]

Originally Posted by Live To Jive

Actually if the 390 was replaced by a 500 it would be a perfect line up. 125-250-500.

Personal opinion: It would be a very bad move! The 390 is still intended to be a fun beginners bike in many international markets with licence restrictions.

Coming to our domestic market, for our road conditions and climate, the 390 exists in the very limit of everyday practicality or may be over the line. A bigger engine with more heat would render it impractical for day to day use. Not to mention the cost.

[hillram]

Originally Posted by john doe

Or is Bybre as a brand available in other countries too?

Bybre stands for "By Brembo". These brakes are made for bikes upto 600cc especially for BRIC Countries.

[nitro.1000bhp]

May be they want to position the KTMs above the pulsars. I suspect they'd quietly drop the 200s from the KTM range.

[unk9ja]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Under powered? Since when did 25 hp and 125 kgs sound under powered in the Indian market - for that kind of money. It is true that the bike is very rev-friendly and hits the limiter, but I have read most people mention that as a positive rather than a negative, specially with the closer stacked gear ratios of the 200.

Today's market is getting matured faster by the day. Quoting my friend who got his D200 a couple of years ago found it underpowered (putting in his own words) when I got my D390 and he rode it. He graduated to D390, but the never ending thirst of upgrading has led to Z1000 today. May be tomorrow, he yearns for more when he gets enough of this. This is how the earlier bike becomes underpowered.

I did not mean the bike was underpowered in any way, but the way it is perceived by the rider when he gets the next oppurtunity on a higher volume bike. It is still a hoot to drive around in town anyday. My apologies if I have hurt some sentiments here.

[Surya-TJet]

This looks good. Personally, I really wouldn't be surprised if KTM launches Duke 250 / RC 250 in India with these changes and make them a "premium" segment compared to Pulsar RS200 and upcoming RS400 / CS400. I'm certain of this stratergy, cause Bajaj owns a majority stake in KTM, so they would not want their products cannibalizing each other.

From the International markets perspective, all EU countries have a rule where the 1st year of motorcycle license restricts the rider to 125cc / 15bhp cap. The second year is 250cc / 33 bhp. Only from the third year, the rider can ride in the unrestricted class. That is quite a huge market segment for KTM and so they maybe planning to launch the 250 for those markets (with the new slipper clutch and abs combination, also more punchy to take it the Honda CBR 250 in EU).

Just my two cents on the possibilities for this product classification.

Ride Safe - Cheers..!!

[Car_Freak_911]

Just noticed that KTM has removed the Duke 200 from their India Website. Could this be the indication that the 200 will be replaced with 250?

[Ren8]

Originally Posted by Car_Freak_911

Just noticed that KTM has removed the Duke 200 from their India Website. Could this be the indication that the 200 will be replaced with 250?
Attachment 1357319

No, that was just a technical glitch. KTM doesn't seem to have any plans to launch the 250 in India at present. Link
http://www.indiancarsbikes.in/motorc...launch-117472/

[blue_pulsar]

Folks, any update on this? Is the 250 Duke launch pretty close?

[petrolhead_neel]

Originally Posted by blue_pulsar

Folks, any update on this? Is the 250 Duke launch pretty close?

This Sunday, we went to a very famed KTM dealership. Test rode the Duke 200. Enquired the SA about the launch of the 250 Duke and RC, only to find that there are no plans of launching them any soon. So, sorry to say, no news at the moment. Folks who are thinking of buying the 200, change your decision, spend a few more bucks and go for the 390. Not that the 200 is underpowered, but if the 250 is launched, you will feel an urge to upgrade. In this case, the 390 is quite future proof.

Cheers,
petrolhead_neel

[rki2007]

I feel this is a strategic move by Bajaj. The 48% stake in KTM is sufficient to influence.

I presume that Bajaj will withdraw Duke 200 and introduce the 250CC variant. In parallel have the NS 200, AS 200 and the RS 200. So this makes Bajaj to conquer the market share in 200CC and 250CC also. This is important to them because currently if a biker has to choose a 200 CC bike, it is none other than the Duke 200 and that is why the NS 200 did not sell well. If this continues, then the AS200 and RS200 will also be left in dark!!. That is why I feel this 250CC avatar is evolving.

Who knows in future Bajaj may introduce Duke 690 or higher variant by withdrawing Duke 390 and further bring in RS 400 and AS 400 along side.

[barcalad]

It appears that Bajaj-KTM have exported several Duke 125s, Duke 250s and RC250s to Germany, Japan and Hong Kong.

1. The Duke 250 was declared at a value of Rs. 1.48 lakh apiece and the RC250 at Rs. 1.62 lakhs.



2. The Duke 125 was declared at a value of Rs. 1.31 lakh apiece.



Worth noting here that both the D125 as well as the D250 were ABS models. A very interesting development, this.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by barcalad

It appears that Bajaj-KTM have exported several Duke 125s, Duke 250s and RC250s to Germany, Japan and Hong Kong.

1. The Duke 250 was declared at a value of Rs. 1.48 lakh apiece and the RC250 at Rs. 1.62 lakhs.

The declared value of the RC 250 is actually showing as 1.70 lac per piece.

While the Duke 390 and 250 are at 1.55 and 1.48 lacs per piece, respectively.

It means that Bajaj has a significantly bigger margin on the 390 (over half a lac) than on the 200 (approx. 20K only).

Don't understand why the 250 is so much more expensive than the 200 though (just 7K less than the 390). Has to be something more than just the ABS and the bumped up capacity .....

[barcalad]

Originally Posted by ebonho

The declared value of the RC 250 is actually showing as 1.70 lac per piece.

While the Duke 390 and 250 are at 1.55 and 1.48 lacs per piece, respectively.

It means that Bajaj has a significantly bigger margin on the 390 (over half a lac) than on the 200 (approx. 20K only).

Don't understand why the 250 is so much more expensive than the 200 though (just 7K less than the 390). Has to be something more than just the ABS and the bumped up capacity .....

My bad. It's 1.70 lac, indeed.

I too feel the same. The presence of ABS is the primary factor here. With the 200cc segment hotting up of late, I feel that the D250 launch might be imminent to put Bajaj-KTM the segment leaders again.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by barcalad

My bad. It's 1.70 lac, indeed.

I too feel the same. The presence of ABS is the primary factor here. With the 200cc segment hotting up of late, I feel that the D250 launch might be imminent to put Bajaj-KTM the segment leaders again.

Or could it be something to do with bringing it line homologation-wise with the standard 250 cc class for multiple motorsports categories?

I know they already have a 250 cc GP machine. Just thinking rallying, etc. .... maybe for privateers more than factory teams.

[barcalad]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Or could it be something to do with bringing it line homologation-wise with the standard 250 cc class for multiple motorsports categories?

I know they already have a 250 cc GP machine. Just thinking rallying, etc. .... maybe for privateers more than factory teams.

Perhaps. That sounds feasible.

IMO, the launch of an Adventure (any capacity) is something that's needed in India. Enthusiasts demand it. Bikers deserve it. I have observed that of late the amount of Adventure/Tourer motorcycles has gradually increased, be it a Tiger, 600GT or the German.

With all these launches by various brands, be it any capacity, don't you think we've had enough nakeds of late?