[ebonho]

Originally Posted by VijayAnand1

which is a good thing.

Cheers!
VJ

Depending on who you speak to, no it's not.

Just as a lark, I went through the Send folder of my email from those days, years ago. Pasting the email here, with names removed ....

Dear - insert Bajaj Tech Honcho -,

As discussed, the clamor about the remap done on our bikes (during the "Service Camp") - especially targeting the early lot bikes, is growing.

As a loyal customer, regular tester and well-wisher, and friend, I see the tone changing.

What started off as a suspicion, is gathering steam, and words like "cheating" and "misleading" are being used. Which is never a nice thing.

As mentioned, this started on our thread on Team BHP.

Also another raging discussion (not as civilized) on another forum.

Please follow the discussion here:

http://www.xbhp.com/talkies/motorcyc...-duke-529.html

Anyways, to make your work easier, I have pasted the important posts into a Word file for you and your team to review.

I have attached the Word document to this email.

Honestly if you ask me, and allow me the option, I would ANY DAY prefer to go back to the old CRAZY ACCELERATION character of the bike rather than this new neutered/civilized map, which seems to have killed the bike on TWO counts:

1) There is a LAG in the early gear acceleration, before the bike picks up. The old manic acceleration and easy instant build up of revs directly linked to throttle - trigger response - is GONE!!!!!!!!!!! :(

THIS WAS THE DUKE'S USP!!!!!!!

2) The TOP SPEED has been reported to have come down to around 132 or thereabouts. Anyways most of us were waiting for a workaround to push the top speed up to a respectable CBR-territory 145+ , but now you have instead reduced it to the level of other lesser bikes at just a shade over 132 !!!!!!!!! :(

People are now saying that you are paying for a KTM DUKE but are being given an NS 200 (no offense, but if any KTM owner wanted to buy an NS 200, he would have)!

I am cc'ing this email to Dr. (Aussie biker buddy and multiple superbike and Adventure bike rider) too, who will be back with us for another adventure within a couple of months!

Cheers, Doc

It's therefore surprising to find the current generation "liking" what's being done to Austrian thoroughbreds to cater to our Indian "refinement" fetish.

There is a reason the old 390s are still the most sought after in certain elite riding circles.

Bajaj (like RE before them, using the same template) grew on the backs and riding skills of those rider circles.

And then moved on to the aspirational mass market.

Giving it what it could handle. But with the image of something totally different.

[VijayAnand1]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Just as a lark, I went through the Send folder of my email from those days, years ago. Pasting the email here, with names removed ....

It's therefore surprising to find the current generation "liking" what's being done to Austrian thoroughbreds to cater to our Indian "refinement" fetish.

There is a reason the old 390s are still the most sought after in certain elite riding circles.

Bajaj (like RE before them, using the same template) grew on the backs and riding skills of those rider circles.

And then moved on to the aspirational mass market.

Giving it what it could handle. But with the image of something totally different.

Doc, I feel and hear you totally. That's the reason it's still a garage queen, and will be for as long as I can hold her. Secondly, the good ol' times are gone. You have too much electronic infusion, and the so called, refinement, smootheness, comfort have all taken precedence over macho, "in your face" engines and vehicles. If there is, it's probably stratospherically expensive for a Mango man like me.

Life's taught us one thing, enjoy and cherish a present decade, and what it has to offer. Nothing is permanent. Thanks to tree huggers, lo and behold, ICE will be gone and all will be "silent" DCs purring around.

Should be fun

Cheers!
VJ

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by VijayAnand1

Doc, I feel and hear you totally. That's the reason it's still a garage queen, and will be for as long as I can hold her. Secondly, the good ol' times are gone. You have too much electronic infusion, and the so called, refinement, smootheness, comfort have all taken precedence over macho, "in your face" engines and vehicles. If there is, it's probably stratospherically expensive for a Mango man like me.

Life's taught us one thing, enjoy and cherish a present decade, and what it has to offer. Nothing is permanent. Thanks to tree huggers, lo and behold, ICE will be gone and all will be "silent" DCs purring around.

Should be fun

Cheers!
VJ

Your last line is what I too have made peace with.

When I see my kids getting passionate about a F1 race and calling Hamilton a dinosaur of a bygone era, I realise that the real good times, much much older, are now only footnotes in history.

Imagine hoarding bags of spares and British go fast big GBP parts for your thumprer to be used in the future, and you now realise the future has no petrol.

Na rahegi baans, na bajegi baansuri!

Cheers, Doc

[shyamg28]

Does anyone have inside scoop on when the 2022 models will be made available in India? And price bump if any?

[VijayAnand1]

Originally Posted by shyamg28

Does anyone have inside scoop on when the 2022 models will be made available in India? And price bump if any?

I can comment on the latter, as there is already a hike across the board.

Cheers!
VJ

[thevwguy]

Bringing an old topic back. Anyone out there who has tried the pre-muffler (or resonator? IDK) delete? Looking for some info around it. I see a lot of pricey pipes that delete the pre-muff or delete the catcon and pre-muff. But none local yet. This has been around for a while on the RCs and Dukes but mostly BS4 bikes.

[derek]

Shakeel of the AEW fame in Pune makes a full cat delete from header to the exhaust. Get in touch with him.

If you are only looking for a mid pipe delete of the black box, if you have a good mechanic, he along with a good welder can get the job done. Best bet is Shakeel though.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by derek

Shakeel of the AEW fame in Pune makes a full cat delete from header to the exhaust. Get in touch with him.

If you are only looking for a mid pipe delete of the black box, if you have a good mechanic, he along with a good welder can get the job done. Best bet is Shakeel though.

Shakeel's finish is top class.

Cheers, Doc

[rakesh_r]

Originally Posted by thevwguy

Bringing an old topic back. Anyone out there who has tried the pre-muffler (or resonator? IDK) delete? Looking for some info around it. I see a lot of pricey pipes that delete the pre-muff or delete the catcon and pre-muff. But none local yet. This has been around for a while on the RCs and Dukes but mostly BS4 bikes.

Originally Posted by derek

Shakeel of the AEW fame in Pune makes a full cat delete from header to the exhaust. Get in touch with him.

If you are only looking for a mid pipe delete of the black box, if you have a good mechanic, he along with a good welder can get the job done. Best bet is Shakeel though.

Originally Posted by ebonho

Shakeel's finish is top class.

Cheers, Doc

I see lot of people going in for a full system exhaust (very interested in the SS-Motocorp 2 into 1 exhaust for the RE Twins). How are the emission readings taken care off? Since PUC is online, if the vehicle fails emission test, there is no way to get a PUC certificate.

[shyamg28]

Originally Posted by shyamg28

Does anyone have inside scoop on when the 2022 models will be made available in India? And price bump if any?

Just putting this out there -
Spoke to sales at KTM Whitefield.
Apparently due to unavailability of certain spare parts, they aren't able to launch the 2022 model just yet. I don't understand how that can be given these are made in India.

2020/21 model no longer available for sale as well. At least at the Whitefield showroom.

He seems confident launch will happen by end of the month, with minimal price bump. So basically, all tentative right now, the way I see it

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by rakesh_r

I see lot of people going in for a full system exhaust (very interested in the SS-Motocorp 2 into 1 exhaust for the RE Twins).

I can understand Duke or RC riders looking for exhaust mods, even though 99.999% riders will never get remotely close to exploring the full potential of this race ready machine.

Bone stock.

But an aftermarket exhaust for the Adventure?

Cheers, Doc

[GutsyGibbon]

Originally Posted by shyamg28

Apparently due to unavailability of certain spare parts, they aren't able to launch the 2022 model just yet. I don't understand how that can be given these are made in India.

They are probably talking about electronics/chips/semiconductors needed for the console and ECU. And these come from the fabs in China/Taiwan. They are not making any low end chips, all the capacity is taken away by high end data center, high end GPU/CPU chips for computing and such with fat profits for everyone involved. The bookings for these chips have been done all the way into 2024. Something has to give. Either the demand for high end computing needs to vanish/cancel, or the cost of low end chips need to match high end chips, so that the fabs will unblock the automotive industry supply chain.
I looked at a local Jaguar dealer, last weekend. They usually have hundreds of new cars on their lot, now they had one new car at a ridiculous price. 4 year wait for a Toyota Land Cruiser, and such. The situation seems really bad.

[CarManMotorcycl]

Originally Posted by rakesh_r

I see lot of people going in for a full system exhaust (very interested in the SS-Motocorp 2 into 1 exhaust for the RE Twins). How are the emission readings taken care off? Since PUC is online, if the vehicle fails emission test, there is no way to get a PUC certificate.

Hi mate, I have a full system exhaust on my GT. The headers are custom made and the end cans are from AEW, I can assure you there will be no problem with the emissions test.

[derek]

Originally Posted by ebonho

I can understand Duke or RC riders looking for exhaust mods, even though 99.999% riders will never get remotely close to exploring the full potential of this race ready machine.

Bone stock.

But an aftermarket exhaust for the Adventure?

Cheers, Doc

Care to explain a little more? Also not everyone who owns a ktm wants to go signal to signal racing or racing on a track. Most of us own the bike for a variety of reasons. Just because a bike says “ready to race” when you turn on the ignition, it’s no sign to literally go race.

And why not an aftermarket exhaust for the adv? Won’t it complement a full exhaust system?

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by derek

Care to explain a little more? Also not everyone who owns a ktm wants to go signal to signal racing or racing on a track. Most of us own the bike for a variety of reasons. Just because a bike says “ready to race” when you turn on the ignition, it’s no sign to literally go race.

And why not an aftermarket exhaust for the adv? Won’t it complement a full exhaust system?

Because it's too loud. And anyone who tours, and not just uses an adventure as a weekend 40 km curated trail hopper will tell you that when you tour you don't want a loud pipe. Forget all the other hassles of tuning, engine life, etc.

It's got nothing to do with KTM or any other brand, but the general usage of the sort of bike the adventure is, versus tge Duke ir the RC.

I have a plethora of tuned pipes for my Bullets. But when I tour, the long soft 7 baffle bazooka goes back on them.

Cheers, Doc