[Red Liner]

How does the 690 compare to the tiger xrx? Can someone in the know please write out a brief comparo?

[Insearch]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

How does the 690 compare to the tiger xrx? Can someone in the know please write out a brief comparo?

I have owned the Duke 390 and currently own a Tiger XRX.

The tiger has a superb engine. Vibrations come in around 4000RPM+ and disappear around 5000 RPM. For an adventurer tourer it is not a heavy bike and is manageable in town or through intercity traffic. It can cruise at 65-75 in 6th gear quite comfortably and hence gear shifts are not really necessitated too often. The gearbox has been taken from the Daytona and is really smooth. I am 5 ft. 8 inches and with a lowered seat manage to get a grip on the ground with my feet stretched very lightly.
Since there is enough dope on the Duke no need for me to go there.

Now for the comparison:

I miss the Duke!! How often does one try to touch the top speed or go on a 3000 Km trip? (not often) In most other scenarios the Duke is much more fun and keeps you engaged. While the Tiger accelerates fast, I think the Duke would more than keep up. In corners, the Duke rider would chuckle at the focus that the Tiger demands. Don't get me wrong, the Tiger handles corners pretty well, but the Duke scares you every time, that you might touch your knee.

Loved the Duke's breaking coupled with engine breaking. I have overtaken many bigger bikes on the Duke because I could come further into the corner, break late, turn sharper and leave him to listen to a very annoying small generator engine kind of exhaust note . I feel pretty secure with the Tiger's breaking, except that with fast de-acceleration you want to be focused on maintaining the right lean angle, due to the higher centre of gravity. Any shortage of skill and you get thrown over or under, depending upon the mistake in lean angle.

Headlight of the Tiger is just superb and way ahead. similarily the seat is more comfortable as is the protection from wind blast. As the Duke nears it's top speed, one has to lean forward to assist the acceleration and avoid wind blast. Similar speeds on the Tiger are much more comfortable in any which way. But how often, those speeds...?

Bottom line: At 14 lakhs OTR, Hyderabad, I am still scratching my head as to what kind of an idiot sells a Duke to buy a Tiger and pays 12 Lakhs extra?

Seriously, with that gap, every Duke owner just needs to grin as they pass a Tiger owner and the message will be delivered!
Unluckily, some Duke owners look down upon their machine as they did not pay a premium for it. Similarily, I know quite a few people who did not buy the Duke because, "It's not a premium bike". Recently a friend sold his Bonneville and bought a Duke because he needed some liquidity. Over drinks he often confesses that except for the fact that some in the social circle are not happy with his decision to go "Down market", He is happier with the Duke.

I still have hopes of seeing the 690 in India. If KTM does a 390 on the price, we will have so much more fun and masala to talk about that our children, and their children in turn, will beg us to stop laughing.

I know the post is over the top. those who read it: please excuse the tone, I am just a nostalgic Duke owner.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by Insearch

I have owned the Duke 390 and currently own a Tiger XRX.

I know the post is over the top. those who read it: please excuse the tone, I am just a nostalgic Duke owner.

Hat tip cowboy! This more or less settles it.

I have decided to wait for the new generation 500 and 800 twins from KTM India, and for the time being get a 390 (used maybe?) and set it up for touring with bits like bar risers, ergo seats, and a bunch of other farkles. I was looking at the versys too, but that really is a sports tourer. Not a do all bike.

And after reading some of the reviews of the 2016 690...my knees just went weak. Orange all the way.

[wolfy]

Originally Posted by Insearch

I miss the Duke!!

Nailed it Insearch! while the big bikes do bring a different level of "fun", it is no guarantee of all and sundry having fun on big bikes than what they are currently on their Dukes/RCs (200/390), ninja 250/300s, ceebers, R15s, R3 etc etc..

[Added_flavor]

Originally Posted by Insearch

Recently a friend sold his Bonneville and bought a Duke because he needed some liquidity. Over drinks he often confesses that except for the fact that some in the social circle are not happy with his decision to go "Down market", He is happier with the Duke.

Apart from writing a heartfelt comparison of the machines you have owned, your post speaks volumes of the ever growing biking scene in our country.

On one side, there are more and more bikers getting into motorbiking, while on the other, there's a section that thinks owning an expensive motorbike, gear and riding 100 Kms on Sunday morning makes them a biker. They do not respect the skill and passion and often look down upon bikers owning less expensive bikes. And we 'cheap' bike owners traverse the Country and get back to them by branding them as 'CCD bikers'

Anyway, hats off to the candid write-up! May the fraternity have more like you!

[Sojogator]

The comparo there was between the weakness of the Tiger vs the strength of the Duke. What else could we expect, as an outcome, out of it. I am sure a 'skilled' rider would smoke the duke be it corners or straights. But since most of us don't have the necessary skills to do so we end up 'believing' that the smaller one, at next to its limit, is the better one.

My point being, the capacity of the bike and the rider are closer to each other in case of the Duke but much further in case of the Tiger and hence the conclusions drawn.

Does an average rider have the skills to push a 'big' bike to its limit ? Heck ! No.
Does an average rider have the skills to push a 'little' bike to its limit ? Maybe !

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by Sojogator

The comparo there was between the weakness of the Tiger vs the strength of the Duke. What else could we expect, as an outcome, out of it. I am sure a 'skilled' rider would smoke the duke be it corners or straights. But since most of us don't have the necessary skills to do so we end up 'believing' that the smaller one, at next to its limit, is the better one.

My point being, the capacity of the bike and the rider are closer to each other in case of the Duke but much further in case of the Tiger and hence the conclusions drawn.

Does an average rider have the skills to push a 'big' bike to its limit ? Heck ! No.
Does an average rider have the skills to push a 'little' bike to its limit ? Maybe !

I think you have firmly grabbed the wrong end of the stick so to speak.

What Insearch is trying to say is, the KTM 390 at approximately 15% of the cost of the Tiger is equal to or more fun in the real world. Simple really.

Cheers

[Sting]

I think Sojogator has a point. If a RTW traveller doing a cross continent trip were to do a comparison between a Tiger and a Duke(or for that matter Bonneville) in all probability the Tiger would smoke the other 2. I'm not even sure a comparison of the two is justified.

I've loved the Duke myself but it doesn't suit my needs. The best bike in the world is the one that suits my needs, Insearch's needs are suited to the Duke, that's all I'll take away from the report.

For the D390 my opinion is simple - a world class value for money motorcycling experience in India now starts at just over 2 lac! And the Indian enthusiast isn't complaining.

Cheers,
Sting

[barcalad]

Ahem!
I just hope this is what I think of it to be.
Pretty, eh?

[Abhi_Automobile]

You were close! This is the new and upcoming Duke 790 (or whatever it will be called) powered by the yet to be launched parallel twin 800cc motor.

There have been conflicting reports as to whether this will be made in India or not. Initial reports seemed to suggest that it will be..but there has been more confusion since. I've personally found most 'inside stories' to be ill informed and more suitable for gossip journalism.

Lets wait till the EICMA to get some reliable info

[CGB]

She looks pretty beefed up. Front fascia, headlamp cowl, swingarm look alike the ones on 390. Larger fuel tank above 15L can be expected. The rider sits much higher than the 390 with the identical driving position as 390.

Provided if KTM fills her with TC and ride modes, I'll definitely upgrade it from my present 390 . Let's wait for November