You won't be able to fit a belt drive to the Duke (or any bike, really), as it would require a new swimgarm spaced to fit the belt "sprockets", as well as probably a new rear wheel. In any case, based on my observations, the stock chain KTM/Bajaj has fitted to this bike is pretty low quality, as it seems to stretch ridiculously easily. I can understand the stock chain wearing out in 5000 miles/8500km, especially since riding conditions here are pretty dirty. You can probably extend the life of the chain by regularly and frequently cleaning and lubing it, but even that can only go so far. A lot of the reasons other bikes here can go so long are 1) much less torque-y engines, 2) enclosed chains, 3) very light throttle hands (most don't ride their non-Duke bikes the way the Duke gets ridden), and 4) being hidden away where the wear is invisible until it practically falls apart (be honest, how many of you who owned bikes with full chain shrouds opened that up every couple of weeks to clean, lube and adjust the chain?). Before you get bent out of shape, buy a good aftermarket chain like one from RK or DID, keep it adjusted, clean, and lubricated and see if you don't get more mileage out of it.


Now, the part that makes me question the situation is that you say the sprockets are worn too, and that you were experiencing vibration. Most of the time, a sprocket set will last for two or maybe 3 chains, depending on what the sprockets are made from. However, if the chain and sprockets aren't cleaned regularly and frequently, which means at least once a week, and more like every other day if it's raining/muddy, then both the chain and sprockets will wear out very prematurely. If the chain isn't cleaned and lubed, especially if it's not a high-quality aftermarket chain, it becomes very easy for one or more links to "freeze", which means one or both of the pivot pins no longer moves, and the link doesn't flex properly. When that happens, every time that frozen link hits one of the sprockets, two things happen. First, you feel the impact, because the distance between the link pins of the two links on either side of the frozen pivot isn't the same as the rest of the chain, so the chain "snaps" down onto the teeth of the sprocket. Second, that snapping action wears out the teeth of the sprocket, since they are constantly having to deal with differences in the distance between chain links.

So, with an open-chain bike like the Duke, keeping the main component of the drivetrain cleaned becomes critical. This goes doubly so when it becomes apparent that the factory fitted a cheap chain to the bike as a cost-cutting measure, as evidenced by the reports of chain stretching/slapping on bikes that are either new or meticulously cared-for.

If it makes you feel any better, the Hayabusa *eats* chains. Unless the owner shells out for a high-end chain/sprocket set, which will probably run around Rs.30,000, he'll be replacing both of them every year. Even a high-end set only lasts a couple of years, even with a light throttle hand (and if you think the temptation to grab a big handful of throttle is hard to resist on the Duke, it's 10x worse for a big bike; and there's a reason the VMAX is shaft-drive). So if nothing else, you're in good company.

Just picked up a new helmet for my Duke (pics attached). It's a Vega Gangster offroad helmet, matt black with orange graphics. Picked it up for daily use. I wanted a well ventilated helmet and these off road helmets seem to do the trick. Quite happy with it, picked it up for approx Rs.2000 from Karol Bagh, Delhi. Yipeee! Will be picking up an LS2 soon too. On the jacket front, still waiting for the New Delhi store to stock up on the DSG jackets. It's been a month, still waiting just because I want to try out the size first. [ATTACH=CONFIG]82608[/ATTACH]

In any case, based on my observations, the stock chain KTM/Bajaj has fitted to this bike is pretty low quality, as it seems to stretch ridiculously easily.

I can understand the stock chain wearing out in 5000 miles/8500km, especially since riding conditions here are pretty dirty.

I feel this has happened either due to lack of proper chain maintenance since the beginning or it is a manufacturing defect. I am sorry but do all Duke chains require replacement within 10k km? (asking you since you are a regular on this thread) because if it is so, then what you say is definitely true.

Based on all the reports of chain slap (enough that KTM redesigned the chain slider), it's pretty obvious that the chain is stretching a lot right at delivery time. It's important to understand that motorcycle chains are not all equal. Even within a particular price band, some chains are more reliable than others. and there can be a significant difference in tensile rating. As I mentioned earlier, the Duke may be marketed here as a "premium bike", but it is still a bottom-end bike intended for beginners in many other markets, and it's really likely KTM just cheaped out on the chain as a cost-saving measure.

As an example, the bike I'm looking at after the Duke is the Hayabusa (which is why I keep mentioning it). I've had to do a lot of research on it because it's so hard on the wearing parts due to its power. The biggest area of wear is the chain. The Hayabusa takes a 530 chain, just like the Ninja 650R. However, the 650R can get away with a chain rated at 9000ft/lb, because it's not all that powerful. Even at that rating, such a chain will last a normal period of time on that bike. However, if that same chain were mounted on the Hayabusa, while it would fit just fine, it would be ruined in short order. The Hayabusa requires a chain rated at greater than 10,500ft/lb just to be safe, and if you want the chain to last you have to get one rated at 11,000ft/lb. The chain I'll get for mine is rated at 11,000ft/lb and is pre-stretched so it won't loosen up during the breakin period. The difference in price between the two 530 chains is huge. You can get a chain for the 650R for around Rs.3000, and it will be fine. The chain I'll be getting for my big bike is Rs.15000, and I'll be lucky if it lasts more than a year.

All KTM (likely) did was to put the equivalent of that cheap chain on their bike.

And, @manas1ayan, bikes tend to get more costly/maintenance-intensive as they get more expensive, not less.

That's good information right there. I too feel they "slacked off" on the Chain for this bike. Someone suggested using the cbr250r chain which us the same spec as the dukes except its branded, its a D.I.D 428 standard chain. Cost is approx Rs.1,119/- ...

Also I'd like to ask you whether changing the chain alone and not the front and rear sprockets would wear the chain faster seeing as how my bikes got only 4500kms on it...any inputs on that Mountain? Coz I've read elsewhere that a single set of sprockets can be used across atleast 3 chain changes.

If You use a new chain on the old sprocket it will reduce the life of the chain. The sprockets and chain have a tendency to wear in an irregular manner, one can find the slackness of the chain to be different at different points and the old sprockets running on the bike are already worn in an irregular manner and a new chain will also get affected by the sprockets. One always needs to change the chain and sprockets as a set, thats the reason the chain and sprockets are sold as a set and not separately.

Source: http://throttlers.net/ride/2012/01/1...in-adjustment/

Too cool, I picked up the same helmet and the Duke DSG jacket too

On the Jacket front I wear "L" sized tracks, but had to pick the "XL" as it was more comfortable with the pads on.

EVERYBODY loves my helmet

That's good information right there. I too feel they "slacked off" on the Chain for this bike. Someone suggested using the cbr250r chain which us the same spec as the dukes except its branded, its a D.I.D 428 standard chain. Cost is approx Rs.1,119/- ...

Also I'd like to ask you whether changing the chain alone and not the front and rear sprockets would wear the chain faster seeing as how my bikes got only 4500kms on it...any inputs on that Mountain? Coz I've read elsewhere that a single set of sprockets can be used across atleast 3 chain changes.

If You use a new chain on the old sprocket it will reduce the life of the chain. The sprockets and chain have a tendency to wear in an irregular manner, one can find the slackness of the chain to be different at different points and the old sprockets running on the bike are already worn in an irregular manner and a new chain will also get affected by the sprockets. One always needs to change the chain and sprockets as a set, thats the reason the chain and sprockets are sold as a set and not separately.

Source: http://throttlers.net/ride/2012/01/1...in-adjustment/

Finally!!! I'm gonna get my under warranty replacement console and radiator fan. Also I hope everyone here realizes that once the warranty is over we're all pretty much screwed coz when these parts start to die down nobody's gonna back you and Bajaj will wash its hands clean off the whole situation unless you pay up that is. Not very confidence inspiring nope...so reach out to your service managers and ask them if there's a solution to this medley of poorly manufactured parts vital ones that too...hopefully Bajaj will pull up its socks. Perhaps another thousand emails singing the same tune will boot them into jumping into their think tanks.