Thanks a lot for the scary inputs . But on a serious note, highly appreciated.

Shubz, any chance of bringing this to the notice of Venkat? I can click high res pics over the weekend, if required.

Service stations here keep insisting that it is normal due to heat.

Shubz , i got it rectified from the service center.

The chain setting was the problem of vibration.now its no more, but still feel the chain guzzing little bit.

Rear disc - The service engineer had removed the pad and brushed it with sand paper and installed it, after that ther was no noise.

But wen i parked it in the office basement little bit sound was heard.I think you are right , since its new the new friction between the disc must be giving the noise little bit.REStT all is good .

Will be checking the conditions after every 1000 km and will be updating

Sriram, Personally i have also not gone upto 7500rpm, infact it is hard for me to go beyond 5000 rpm also. You can go upto 7500 rpm, not necessary but do it gradually if u have to.

Also keep varying your rpm in each gear.

Hi Duke owners,

This is my first post in xbhp and inevitably it's a query. I have waited for long barren years to get a chance to own and ride a bike.The chance has come. But it has brought a lot of confusion along with it. I am seriously considering the duke,long with the CBR 250R and to some extent the 150R too. I am sold on the looks of this beauty. I'd like you guys to shed some light on the following points uif you can,

1. How is the riding stance(upright,as it is) over long stretches?I mean say 100-200 + Kms. I have been told and have read that a slighly forward inclined position would be better suited for long distances.Please donot factor wind blast in while answering this.

2. How bad is the windblast after 80kmph. Manageable? off putting? proper riding gear would lessen it? how bad is it when compared with the CBR? am sure many owners must have ridden a CBR.

3. Does the engine feel unrefined/strained/gruff after 100-110kmph?

4. Are there considerable vibrations at those speeds? I know it's a single but I want to make sure thee vibrations are not annoying at higher speeds.

5.Can the bike do 120 all day witout a hiccup or the engine feels too hot/strained/unrefined at those speed for long stretches? This is a different point than the 3rd.

6. Is the pillion seat so small that everytime the rider grabs the front brake, the pillion helmet smashes into the rider helmet? I don't want that happening too often in our chaotic city traffic.

7. What mods/ideas have you come up with to take the duke for tours? Is there any chance that this could be used for a tour wit6h apillion and a luggage(I think I already know the answer)?


ride offerred by the Vashi KTM is ridiculously short. You barely get the feel of the bike.It's over in a jiffy. I asked If I could take the bike to the Palm Beach road.They said no. I asked if I could have my GF ride pillion.No again. In contrast Pratik Honda let me drive with her pillion and on the palm beach road(after all the brickbats that the members of this forum throw at Honda dealers )

Rpm not constant at idle:?

My bike is one dAy old and idle rpm is not constant.it is varying continously to the tune of 200-300 rpm.is it ok?

Upgrading from a heavier Unicorn I also felt this bike though only 125 kgs or so heavier than the Unicorn. I guess the reason being that everything is in the center of the bike with nothing on the rear.... I think this gives the bike better stability ...

EDIT: Have emailed the Bajaj Customer Care along with the Pictures of the Exhaust discoloration. Photos on the below link, I am not sure how to add attachments here, the link to photo is not working.

aww man... when this duke 200 coming in indonesia....

Spotting doesn't seem like normal transition. What is happening here! First I thought it could be the brackish weather/water. Even in Bangalore very few areas have normal water (aka sweet water) most places are with hard water. Even then, I guess the service stations use water from a borewell that is not soft.

Nikhil - Venkat has seen examples of this. We were told it is due to excessive heating/cooling cycle. But I personally believe there is more to this. I will meet up with him on this soon.

Another question is - Is EVERYBODY facing this? Answer is NO - Cos I am "yet" to face this. Hope I don't have to!

I don't know mate... they told me the delivery of the bike may take up to 15days, but they might deliver it sooner too...

thats scary!!.. How can they just claim that its normal..:/ . . Anyways..@Sivigshankar: im curious to know if water might have been in contact when the exhaust was hot(water wash when the exhaust was still hot..etc)

I have water washed it twice at the ASC. I don't think the engine was that hot, it would have been a bit warm but definitely not piping hot for it to react to water. By the way will water have such an impact on a chrome plated exhaust ?

Hey bro.. just asking.. but did you have or ever had any coolant leak problem?

I think it's more of a Coolant 'Overflow' than coolant leak, there's a spill only when the bike jumps over a speed breaker or under offroading conditions that too when the coolant level is near Max.
Correct me if I'm wrong.

Nope ... never had any coolant leak / spill issues from the day I got it.. Right now facing Oil from the Chain spraying on to the Side Stand / Rear Alloys and Swing arms.

Wow, that must be some generous spraying! Are you sure it is "Oil"?