Hello everyone:

I got delivery of my duke 200 in April first week and been enjoying the ride till i started to hear a krrrrrrr sound from engine. Following is a quick summary of the events:

Bike usage details:
1) The bike was driven by no one else except me, without a pillon rider.
2) First service done on time, no changes made to the bike. Used company recommended engine oil and coolant. Servicing was done @ Ghatkopar service centre.
3) Took every care possible including not exceeding speed limits as recommended by the company.
4) Daily commute of approximately 60 Kms from Thane to my office in Malad
5) Petrol filled from HPCL petrol pump located on SV road in Malad. Used normal petrol from day one.
6) Except the chain noise, no other issues were noticed in my bike.

Started noticing the krrrrrrrr sound when bike was in motion and not when raced at idle (ODO showed 4100 kms). That made me think there is some issue with the engine and within 5 days of noticing the sound took bike to service centre in Thane.

The guys were helpful and after thorough checking recommended that the piston and block needs to be replaced. Came as a big shock to me and I was being told that engine might have seized if i wouldnt have got bike for check-up on time.

bike is under warranty and hence the replacement was done free of cost. Bike had clocked almost 4300 kms and hence they recommended to change the engine oil along with filter. They also topped up coolant.

Time taken for servicing the bike: One week
Total expense INR 678.
Thane service centre: Initially got on my nerves, but later on handled the issue with good care.


Reasons for damage to piston
Reason for damage to piston are unknown. The service centre guy said that their are probably many reasons why it could have got damaged. One of the reason cited was "if you slow down bike after high speeds, piston might get damaged". but the guy himself countered the argument saying we cant maintain constant speed and the bike is suppose to be driven at varying speeds. Moreover my point was, isinit KTM made to be driven like that?

I fail to understand why piston got damaged so eary and is it something to do with the quality of parts? Answer is open to speculation but the incident has lead to loads of unanswered questions and has also made me rethink about my love for KTM. Was planning to buy KTM 690 whenever it was available in India, but now giving second thoughts.

I got my piston block replaced this weekend. I have posted a detailed write-up which is pending moderators approval. Seems like an isolated incident, but raises serious questions about the quality.

Second, the suspension peeling issue: this seems to be a recent development, but is not unexpected for a coated spring. Technically, yes, it's cosmetic, but KTM should have foreseen this one, and used something more appropriate for the coating on the spring.

Third, all Bajaj is doing is selling the Duke and providing the after-sales service. Any technical faults lie squarely with KTM and their engineers.

that's sad, Can you tell us in brief what happened ?

Just to keep this topic up-to-date, if you're referring to the discoloration on the exhaust header, there's nothing wrong with it; that's the expected behavior of a bare stainless steel exhaust that has been heated.

Second, the suspension peeling issue: this seems to be a recent development, but is not unexpected for a coated spring. Technically, yes, it's cosmetic, but KTM should have foreseen this one, and used something more appropriate for the coating on the spring.

Third, all Bajaj is doing is selling the Duke and providing the after-sales service. Any technical faults lie squarely with KTM and their engineers.

So far, legitimate issues with the bike are as follows (if I recall correctly):

1. Drive chain quickly stretches, and starts slapping on the swingarm, causing noise.
2. Coolant quickly drops below minimum line after delivery from showroom
3. Stumbling and/or stalling off-idle
4. Coating on rear spring wearing through very quickly

Non-issues include:

1. Exhaust header discoloration
2. Sensation of heat in stop-and-go traffic
3. Front brake strong enough to lift the rear wheel/rear wheel skids easily

Yup. This is not an isolated issue. I had noticed it the first time I visited the svc.

I don't think replacing is the solution unless Bajaj has taken note of the issue, which I am highly skeptical of, only after which they can come up with a re-engineered shocker.

I did bring the issue to the notice of the KTM engineer Mr Bhatt(nice jovial fellow this guy) after which he instructed the mech and the service advisor to take pictures of any such instances and mail them to Bajaj.

heard a krrrrrrr sound from engine after riding approximately 4200 kms... went to thane service centre and they told me piston is damaged.

took all care possible including speed limits, timely servicing, used co's recommended engine oil, single petrol station used. but still not sure why the piston got damaged.

Service centre guys told me that they are investigating the probable reasons for the issue.

Did you manage to have a look at the piston and cylinder?

Any photos if available would be great.

Hey @Mountain.. I am totally cool with the discolouration part but that peeling off effect which has all of a sudden appeared after the rains have started is looking bad.

Is it actually peeling, or is it just spotty? Feel the pipe with your hand (when it's cool). If the metal is actually pitting and peeling away, that's one thing, but if it's just spotting but still smooth to the touch, then it's another. My guess is it just looks spotty, as others have reported similar experiences (thinking the exhaust is peeling, or the "coating" has gone bad, only to discover that the exhaust is not coated and isn't actually peeling).

It's important to remember that the exhaust pipe is not a cosmetic piece. It's not supposed to retain that brushed-satin finish you see in the showroom. Over time, the various discolorations are going to blend together, and you won't be able to see the individual spots anymore. However, it's never going to stay shiny and new-looking.

SPOTTY is the exact word you can use for this..

I know that the bike is never going to look showroom clean always. The colour change looks amazing but that spotty look ruins the whole thing.

BTW I went through your "About" page. God, you have some biking experience mate. Phew :O

Was it Mr. Mayank Bhatt by any chance ? If so, i met him during the DIY on 27th at vadodara and asked him about many issues faced by duke onwers. Also asked him about the cause of seizures, the reply to which he avoided smartly. He took pictures of my bike where i have installed mud flap on front fender .

Yesterday when I was cleaning the bike I noticed that the part of the exhaust which near the engine is real slimy to touch. The colour was rust orange. I tried wiping it off using the MF cloth and I could reach the shiny metallic surface beneath. Not really sure if that is rust or some other residue. It was not really all mud surely. Is the pipe supposed to rust? Anyone noticed yet?

@Mountain : What is your take on this? Normal too?