[Venkatesh]

A development mule of the 2021 KTM RC 200 has been spotted testing recently without any camouflage. The bike sports a halogen headlight, an underbelly unit and full digital instrument cluster.







https://www.motorbeam.com/2021-ktm-r...otted-on-test/

[Venkatesh]

Next-gen KTM RC 200 enters production, spied undisguised



Ahead of its expected launch in Jan 2021, the all new KTM RC 200 has now entered production at the company plant in Chakan near Pune.

Source

[Mafia]

Halogen lights?

And the general faring design is a step back in time too. I do hope this not the final product.

[aravind.anand]

Originally Posted by Mafia

Halogen lights?

And the general faring design is a step back in time too. I do hope this not the final product.

Of course this IS the final design - its on the production line, so no more changes in styling from here on.

And the 200cc and 250cc variants have always had halogen bulbs, only the 390cc versions get the LED headlights.

A very polarizing design for sure. Not that the outgoing model was a looker, but at least it looked focused and sporty. The new one just looks confused.

[Mafia]

Originally Posted by aravind.anand

Of course this IS the final design - its on the production line, so no more changes in styling from here on.

And the 200cc and 250cc variants have always had halogen bulbs, only the 390cc versions get the LED headlights.

A very polarizing design for sure. Not that the outgoing model was a looker, but at least it looked focused and sporty. The new one just looks confused.

The duke 250 was updated to LED lights.

It is disappointing that LED headlights won't be standard across all KTM bikes even as 2020 ends.

And to think the existing RC model has projector lamps!

[gururajrv]

KTM seriously needs to hire someone who’s got a good vision in terms of designing their fascia atleast. This looks like a face of a steam locomotive. It doesn’t correspond to the overall sharp design of the bike.

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by Venkatesh

Next-gen KTM RC 200 enters production, spied undisguised...

A little surprised as I was expecting RC 390 to be refreshed first and then the lower variants.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by Mafia

And to think the existing RC model has projector lamps!

+1

Looks like the RC390 design has been compromised to share the headlamp assembly with that of the LED setup of the Duke 390. Which has made it an even bigger compromise for the halogen headlamps of the RC200!

Feels a generation older than the current Duke - as far as design is concerned. Sad.

[aravind.anand]

Originally Posted by gururajrv

KTM seriously needs to hire someone who’s got a good vision in terms of designing their fascia atleast. This looks like a face of a steam locomotive. It doesn’t correspond to the overall sharp design of the bike.

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

+1

Looks like the RC390 design has been compromised to share the headlamp assembly with that of the LED setup of the Duke 390. Which has made it an even bigger compromise for the halogen headlamps of the RC200!

Feels a generation older than the current Duke - as far as design is concerned. Sad.

The guy who designed the that odd and bulbous looking headlight should to be sent to prison

He has successfully ruined a range of bikes, as KTM decided to carryover that mushroom headlamp design to its entire range. Even the recently unveiled 890 ADV carries the exact same headlight from the Duke 390.

I hate two things here -

Firstly - The idea of carrying over the same headlight over a range of motorcycles from 125cc to 890cc !! Kawasaki has also done this with headlamps of Ninja 250 (Indonesia), 400, 650 and ZX-6R being shared.

Secondly - the headlight itself

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by aravind.anand

The guy who designed the that odd and bulbous looking headlight should to be sent to prison

Public flogging comes to mind.

Cheers, Doc

[giri1.8]

Looks like some odd 90's bike from GTA Vice city. KTM's have always been the most sharp looking bike in their respective segments, this takes it two steps back.

[ChrisTJ]

At first glance one might mistake it for the current generation R15, especially the black test mule from the opening post.

Halogen bulb in a conventional reflector is so last decade. Less features for more money is the motto here.

[aravind.anand]

Originally Posted by ChrisTJ

At first glance one might mistake it for the current generation R15, especially the black test mule from the opening post.

Halogen bulb in a conventional reflector is so last decade. Less features for more money is the motto here.

Absolutely not, the R15 V3 is one hot looker, with slim and sharp dual LED units that look fantastic! This bulbous halogen unit is the exact opposit of aggression and sharpness. Heck, even the 2 decade old Karizma's headlamp design was sharper than this RC200's design

If not for the stupid parts sharing idea for keeping costs low, the RC series could have looked sharp and sporty. Maybe something like what I managed to draw in 5 mins below.

Economies of scale is good to save costs, but in such cases it can even kill the product itself. Yamaha burnt it's fingers trying to do Fazer with the FZ 25's LED headlamp unit and killed the Fazer 250 completely!

[ChrisTJ]

Originally Posted by aravind.anand

Absolutely not, the R15 V3 is one hot looker, with slim and sharp dual LED units that look fantastic!

Not from the front, no. Look at the third picture on the opening post.

Btw I have to be honest. When it comes to choosing between led and halogen, I prefer a halogen unit.

Most of the led headlights I've seen are horrible. Example is the led headlights of xpulse, you barely can see the road with that thing. But KTM could've done a better design though.

[invincii]

Originally Posted by Venkatesh

Next-gen KTM RC 200 enters production, spied undisguised

Attachment 2097108

Ahead of its expected launch in Jan 2021, the all new KTM RC 200 has now entered production at the company plant in Chakan near Pune.

Source

This new front design might be tough to digest initially, but improvements like the large visor, bigger fuel tank and revised tail section will outweigh front design elements.

IMHO the split LED headlight design (like Duke 390) might balance the front design better than this type of halogen setup.