Booked my Duke last Monday @KTM Vijayawada will be getting the babe next week.

That is quick delivery.

Hey guys...

I have finally got some riding gears for my duke ;-)...

I guess my option would be highly economic, affordable and of course with decent quality...

I have bought a Vega - Motocross helmet (Plain black) - Price 1750 (After discount 1250)

Stickering (Custom - 8 stickers) - ~Rs.200

Alpinestar Gloves - Any Wther wear (Black - with knuckle guard) - Rs.700

Fast Track Riding Shades - Rs.900

(Total - Rs. 3050 )

I have even considered a few jackets from Alpine star, Cramster which is around 5-6k ... with good quality quards and any weather wear... Would buy them if needed later on ;-) And also the rim stickering and shocks stickering I would do from the shop in "pudupet, chennai"... The rim stickering on both wheels both sides would cost me around just 100 - 150 bucks :P :P :P ... I can even get it designed as i need ... Cool ;-)

I guess this would be helpful for those in chennai who look for a good set of gears that would serve its purpose for "in city" riding ...

Helmet/ Gloves - from Rainbow lining and industries (Opposite to thousand lights mosque) - ph: 28290499; - They also have LS2, AGV, KBC, etc... And btw LS2 crown is available for 2.7K which looks good for KTM if you want a real branded one without customization... If you wanto customize, then go for a vega , black plain and do the stickering ...

Stickering - a lot of good shops are there in Pudupet, Chennai - I bought from this particular "SKM Sticker shop", expert - vicky, does the job with precision... just loved the stickering and his collection of images he had in his corel draw library... contact A.Ramar - 9444144772 - My stickers are actually available now in his system, those who want can go and take them

Hope this helps ;-) ;-) ;-) ...

A few snaps:



































Hope this helps

Hey i've the same Goggles

@rajswaroop.
awesome purchase for Rs. 3K.
Superb sticker job. After stickers, the helmet looks way more expensive.

Gloves look really impressive to me.Few more shots in light will be appreciated.

Gloves look really impressive to me.Few more shots in light will be appreciated.

Stop Spams.

Hello Everyone,

This is my first Post in Xbhp, but i have read each and every post about Duke in this forum as well as another popular one. I have read the complete Ownsership thread till page 95 in the XBHP !

The reasons for so much reading is -

(i) I always research, analyze a product, let it be a bike or electronics a lot before taking a plunge, specially when i am buying a Product in India. ( I am an Indian, a patriot but unfortunately i have found generally products made here to be of worse quality, even Bikes/ electronics being sold here by MNC's known for strict quality control are third grade compared to other developed Markets read Toyota, Honda, Morphy Richards etc).

(ii) Duke got me super exited, The bike as well everything around it.
I being a Mechanical engineer, having worked in Arai and Toyota was thrilled with Superb power to weight ratio, Liberal use of Exotic Materials ( IN indian perspective) like Aluminium, Molybdenum, Magnesium, Higher Grade Plastics, Excellent BHP to CC ratio , radical Looks

Little Bit of History

I started my search for Bike soon after Shifting back to India read May 2011.

Soon I got engaged and the search hit a bottom as soon as i divulged my plan of buying a bike to my parents.
Started search by looking and reading a lot about Ninja 650r, then got even more exited about Monster 795.
had to drop plans about either of them due to their cost more then a decent mid size saloon, there weight and upkeep in Lucknow, no availability of dealership etc etc.

Shifted focus to 250cc sub 2 L bracket. Somehow shelling the monies for ninja 250r did not make much sense to me, ican answer why it did not make sense to me if someone asks me, not now as its not relevent to the topic in hand.

Had only one bike in this range in oct 2011 - CBR 250r

I looked at pics and it did not appeal me as much. Having seen and ' felt ' Big Bro VFR i was not so gungho about the looks . I anyday preferred Ninja.
then heard reports of soft exhaust Note, and simply got uninterested as a good exhaust note is must, read deep powerful.

Got To know aboout KTm rumours, naked monster style bikes with low and mid range punch and good flickability has always appealed me so has same kind of power delivery in fully faired bikes .

After spending countless hours reading blogs, rumour mills, Technical breakdowns, then ownership issues and solutions. I went to have a look...............


THe First Eye contact-
Went with parents, wife and sister as my sis and my wife both have had been genuine interest in biking & adventure and pillion review is imp for me. Parents for obvious reason

Probiking- Duke looked aggresibve as i thought, bigger then as i thought, built quality simply international as i did not expect.
I was over the moon . Couple that with Superb VFM i was dying to go for test ride unfortunately it was not possible being first Sunday after Holi most of staff was on leave.

Second Eye Contact-

I went again day before yesterday to test ride it, first kudos to Pro biking guys in Lucknow to take out the demo bike down the stairs just for my test ride. It took six people to manage it ! The bike looked even better in day light at around 2.10 PM, gleaming, superbly clean, and just 54 km on Odometer

Test Ride

1. As soon as i started the engine and gave a gentle twist to throttle, i did not like the exhaust note, found it stressed and noisy, not that good everything is alright inside kind of mechanical clatter which i love as a mech engineer/ designer but harsh not that uniform clatter.
2. Swinged a leg over and found ride hight bit high for my height but the light weight easily compensated that.
3. 1st gear was finewhile going for second i was unable to find neutral! During the course of some 35 mins with Duke solo, with pillion, then as pillion, neither me or the Probiking Guy was able tofind Neutral!! He finally found it when the bike was at standstill and he standing next to it trying for some 3-4 mins which felt like ages !
4. Gear Shift was also notchy, no where to be called smooth even compared to My Bajaj Pulsar 180 Dts i with all mech Console and all black colour
5. Couple it with fact that at 7500 rpm gear change light got lit constant red , and bike reaches that rpm alarmigly fast hence necessating ultra fast gear shift which is not smooth to perform and the gear and break leavers are smaller then expected ! It was not enjoyable at all
6. engine felt Stressed at anything above decent Rpms may be around 4000, dont know exactly which RPm as even in not so harsh sunlight , Console was not much visible and coupled with fact i was still not comfortable with gear shifting or even finding gear shifter!!
7. Engine note/ exhaust note made me feel that engine will not last long and will certainly heat a lot as its smooth or stress free or even vibe free compared to even my old 180 .!!
8. Handle was tight hence turn ins were not good, i think this is a problem with the particular bike cant comment till i take second test ride.
9. bike was light and pickup was good
10. certainly has fresh look in street ,a big eye magnet
11. loved led blinkers and led tail light
12. breaks have lot of bite in a good way, front itself was able to stop bike from the speed of around 80 in calm controlled way
13. did not use rear much so cant comment
14. did not check trip average so cant comment

Told the handling issue and obviously neutral/ gearing issue to the Probiking manager he promised he will get it corrected by SUnday morning, i.e. tomorrow so i can take it for spin this time for longer duration and in less trafficated environment to be absolutely sure .


In short, i left dissapointed and sad to be more accurate


Honda CBR 250R

1. Decided to have a look at CBR just to be sure . it took me hardly 2 to 3 mins to reach Honda Showroom, read B R Honda and 6 mins more to be astride a red 2011 CBR with C- ABS
2. Bike was in bad shape, unclean, lookes abused, pillion rider confirmed that it has been test driven on an average 5 times a day from many months!
3. Forgot to check how many km,s it had ridden simply was not fancyingthe bike, its dirty condition, obvious poor quality of plastics used, rusted steering bolts, poor bulb powered blinkers , tail light, sari guard were mile below the fit and finish of Ktm DUKe , kudos to Bajaj for that
4. I felt the weight while reversing the bike, honda guy had to help me pull it back as it was in a kind of sunken spot!!
5. when the bike started i was suprised with smooth but still deeper engine note then duke
6. when on the move bike felt surprising light almost as much as duke
7. neutral was extremely easy to find specially so after struggling to find one on duke
8. gear shift were precise, not even needed that fast unlike duke
9. riding posture was more front biased compared to duke, but i like it that way as i feel it gives more control over bike, my personnal opinion

TO BE continued in next post , cbr other TD impressions, my dilemma regarding buyinga bike and help needed from fellow experianced riders

Please read the rest of post below and i will reply to fellow xbhpians comments as well but after this post.

10. Whenever i twisted the throttle i felt the torque, i felt that bike is accelerating faster then duke, while feeling more planted on the road.
To put an example, how a diesel locomotive pulls or better still i can compare it to My Volkswagen Vento TDI while DUke pulled like Hyundai Verna Diesel, still good pickup but flightly, not that sure footed.

11. Speedo in Honda better to read by a wide margin, even digital speedo was more readable.

Now i am in Big Dilemma as i went with a mindset to buy Duke! I hope second test ride changes things for better.

I loved everything in Honda except weight and quality of fit & finish! Also the showroom staff had better mannerism in case of Probiking!

Are there chances of DUke 350 being launched this year or start of the next year?
The duke which i rode had just 54 km on odo so chances of it being thrashed are rare while the CBR was well thrashed and abused by many still smooth and quick.

All the Duke owners and lovers please take notice, i do not mean to offend you or your beloved possession on the contrary i am puzzled and sad after the test ride for obvious reasons. If most of issues which i reported above are related to the bike which i rode then i will be happy and will just go ahead and book Duke

- braking does not inspire confidence

-indicators have so sharp edges and i cut my hand while cleaning so i removed the sharp edges with sandpaper.

- misses a beat while at idle rpm.

-ps. Its best bang for buck bike :d

If you come to conclusion where you can point out So many -ves for dukes, half of them not Valid, You are CBR Guy, Because I start saying something about CBR, people will Kill me and Sell my Duke for Sure


Go Buy A CBR, DUKE isn't Meant for you!