I have more than a fair idea of price
but its more fun here

@splus, you can refer @kochumvk's post above where we both agree that it helps cut down on the number of cheapskates and morons who buy the bike. It was not a question of "Money vs Responsibility" but rather, keeping a significant number of illiterate morons out of the equation. Hope we both stand clarified now

And yes, not to forget - whatever price it gets launched for, it will definitely find takers, just for the displacement and power output figures.

^Yes plus much appretiated and expected social liability and commitment from ktm and bajaj to add 'responsible' and 'experienced' riders into their premium customer sheet, you could expect 2.5 lac +

You forgot Metzeler Tyres -> +15k (From the discussion earlier in the thread)

So does this make it 175k (Satyenology price) + 15k (ABS) + 15k (Stickier tyres) = 205k ??

a valid assumption by satyen on pg. 37 of the same thread :

Why is FI expensive?
Wouldnt it be cheaper if the world has to enforce FI as a mandate?
Wouldnt it mean economies of scale if both the 200NS and Duke200 sport similar FI tech?
Wouldnt it mean economies of scale if both the 200NS and Duke200 sport similar suspension and braking setups?
Then again Duke isnt really 2020 tech, its considered as a cheap VFM KTM built according to the EU standard. A cheaper Brembo, A cheaper WP, A cheaper this and a cheaper that.
And mind you, Cheap isnt really "Bad"

The Pulsar is cheaper than the Cheap Duke. It is an exciting proposition with similar performance, delivered in a much cheaper price tag than the cheap duke. Does it make bad? I dont think so, it makes it incredibly good. Does it make it comparable with the Hondas and the Kawasaki build qualities? Not yet. But that could change.

Coming back to the Duke 390. 2.5Lakhs? Seriously? Prince I would hunt you down and shoot you between your eyes for suggesting that.
Dear Bajaj,
The Duke has NOTHING more than the Duke 200. The way I see its pricing is this
1. New Stickers +15Rs
2. New Block Set + 5000Rs
3. New Suspension + 8000Rs
4. Old Block set - 3500Rs
5. Old Suspension - 6000Rs

Net change 3500Rs.
Add 200% Profit to it and price the Duke 390 for 151000+ 10500Rs
= 161500Rs ONLY!


Gee anything more than 1.75 and BAL has lost the plot! I would be surprised to see the CB250 in India when Duke 390 goes competitive!

ADD ABS -- around 15 k more

You're generalizing now, and I completely agree with your generalization.

But you know that my words were in response to the money-responsibility connection and especially, the statement that 2.5 lakhs is a good price for Duke 390, and should be taken in context.
I think, WHEN taken into account price of Duke 200 in India and similarity between 200 and 390, this statement of "good price" doesn't stand.
So there's a valid point...

If we didn't have Duke 200's current price I'd be the first to say 2.5 lakhs is a good price for Duke 390.

And yes, peace always.

@kochumvk - Appreciate your points. But it's not the price that keeps people away from middlweight & liter-class bikes - it's the infrastructure (or rather the lack of it) that puts many people off. We don't have proper roads to ride them, we don't have proper ASCs to service them and we don't have proper dealers to find spares. And of course, there are people who buy a performance bike outright with their own/parents cash - but feel the fuel consumption too much of a pinch on their pockets. (I can personally refer one such person who is selling off a CBR600RR dirt-cheap just because he can't afford the FE and the maintenance - and there is yet another, who has blown his R6 ECU and hasn't been able to source a replacement).

Yes, staged DLs are definitely a very right step - but looking at our legal framework, such a system may be decades away. And yes, that's exactly what I meant to say - it can keep a bunch of illiterate, idiotic people away from bigger bikes.

@splus: Please put forth some valid point, your statement makes no sense at all.

I beg your pardon, if somebody has to STRUGGLE to buy a premium bike, why does he need to buy a premuim bike at all? He can be better off with a 200 or a NS or whatever suits his budget - or he can wait till he can afford his dream. This applies not only to the Duke or the Ninja but to any premium segment offering - and I am sure I, you, and the remaining 99% of us must have done the same in our lives, haven't we all? If we can't afford it, we'd either choose a different option or wait till we can save up sufficient cash to fulfil our dreams. If i can't afford a Hayabusa or a Harley, it's my mistake if I want to buy one with my current funds. If person had to struggle his life out to buy a bike he wanted then there wouldn't be thousands of threads on forums worldwide asking "my budget is xxx, what are my options?"

The Duke has been brought to India as a premium offering - so let it be. Whether an individual can afford it or not - that's an individual buyer's personal headache - you and I needn't be bothered. But there is a certain amount of filtering happening, which is good in itself.

Peace.

As other posts above say - there's absolutely no logic in claim that higher price will keep it away from irresponsible people.

Come on, look at today's society, it's actually almost opposite - there's many irresponsible people with plenty of money to spend. When I had R15 5 years ago every now and then I'd see in Yamaha service center crashed R1s, which belonged to rich daddies' boys. That's 12 lakhs we're talking about. And that's 5 years ago.

And I'm sure there's MANY responsible riders who would have to struggle to buy 2.5 lakhs bike, or simply can't afford it at all.

"Making it inaccessible to a lot of people" means exactly what it says.
I don't know why you make the connection between responsibility and having plenty of money when that's plain not the case in today's society.

PS. I'm sure there's at least as many responsible "slum-dwellers" as irresponsible cash loaded villa dwellers.

I agree. But even if it were their parents who are blowing the cash, a parent would definitely rethink his choice based on the price (if at all he doesn't think from the safety perspective). Atleast 90% families in India do.

And I'll rephrase your last line here:
A person who decides to buy a 400cc performance bike definitely doesn't belong to a financially-challenged background. He is either a working professional or a businessman with a suitable income to fulfil his dreams; or he's a son of a rich dad. In whatever case, if anyone who wants certain bike and can afford it - he will buy it - either through outright cash, or through a bank loan. A slum-dweller won't need a Duke 400 to rip his way through traffic and neither will he dream of one.

So, what do we mean by "making it inaccessible to a lot of people"?

Originally posted by bbsrailfan View Post

In that case, what's the point of a 'premium' bike if every dick, tom and harry can go and buy one? The 44 hp, the ABS, the Metzelers point purely to the premium segment and not a commuter-centric segment. The 390 is not meant to be a Pulsar.

Another point not to be missed - a massively powerful bike like the 390 should be targeted at a responsible audience and not for any 18-year old dickhead who dreams of ripping at 120 through city traffic. A high price will ensure that only experienced and responsible riders buy one.

Cant agree on this.

In 1-2 Year time this sub 400 class will become not so premium thing. the way upwards is big list if somebody wanna go premium (from N650 to Electra glide custom or beyond)
Hiking the price is not the way to safeguard the public from morons, It will keep many enthusiasts away, just like how many can't afford even a middle weight bike.

We need staged DL to ensure safety. Unfortunately our legislators are absolutely unaware of the risk involved in giving a kid a 180HP bike.

Of course a bigger price tag will keep a bunch of posers and morons away.
But since there are many rich morons who can afford even bigger bikes, its not a great idea to hike the price for that purpose.

Wealth should not be the deciding factor, it should be the maturity and responsibility.

All said 2.5 L is excellent price for Duke 390, but I think it will be less than that for the first 4 months at atleast.

Not just 390 but Bajaj clearly said, Pulsar platform will see a 700 cc varient also. I am ready to see them in bulk on roads.For exclusivity I may buy something else.
Pulsar is anyway a deserving brand.

This is as vague as a statement like people calling for a ban for performance bikes(even 150s') 'cos they think they are responsible for all the accidents. How come more money become the criteria for experience and responsibly There are even kids riding on their 18th Birthday gift Hayabusas'. Are they responsible?, many may become later, others may not even get a chance!
People are expecting lesser price 'cos the amount of part sharing done(D125, 200, 390) is some thing not seen in India or evn other grown up markets, and also by comparing the pricing of D200 & 390 in other markets were they are already announced. Not 'cos they're ready to compromise on the quality of components.
If the high price tag demand is for unique poser value, then there are not so cheaply priced bikes like the Fireblades, R1s, Busa's and Beemers. Too expensive and powerful????

Then, all these 2.2, 2.5 lacs are still speculations. no official word as such till now.

I don't agree. 18 year old lunatics don't purchase bikes off their own money anyways. I don't see how a high price ensures anything other than making it unaffordable for a lot of people.

Exactly my thoughts


I hope Bajaj does what's right for the bike and not end up cost cutting at every nook and corner, atleast not with important stuff like tyres. And 2.4-2.5L is reasonable if such is the case. I see a few NS,R-15 owners, these kids you see, ripping through the streets having no concern for other road users. Pricing these kind of mad performance bikes less eventually leads to more dangerous idiots on streets. But yeah, a bad thing for enthusiasts, I agree

In that case, what's the point of a 'premium' bike if every dick, tom and harry can go and buy one? The 44 hp, the ABS, the Metzelers point purely to the premium segment and not a commuter-centric segment. The 390 is not meant to be a Pulsar.

Another point not to be missed - a massively powerful bike like the 390 should be targeted at a responsible audience and not for any 18-year old dickhead who dreams of ripping at 120 through city traffic. A high price will ensure that only experienced and responsible riders buy one.

And I can't understand how one can say that a 2.5 lakhs price is a good price.
Sure, if there's no Duke 200 and its 1.5 lakhs price then you could say that. But if 2.5 lakhs for Duke 390 is a good price then 1.5 lakhs for Duke 200 super mega good price!

Pricing Duke 390 at 2.5 lakhs will definitely put it out of reach of many people. Be it 44 horses or even if it were 64 horses, have ABS or not, Metzlers or MRF - the price will simply be too high for many prospective buyers and KTM won't sell that many units in India.
Actually, it'll only make Duke 200 even better value for money, and push sales of Duke 200 up.
Overseas it'll be a completely opposite story because of very small price difference between 200 and 390.

I think that Pulsar 375 has much more to do with pricing of Duke 390 than prices of any new parts on Duke 390 (which, come on, from manufacturing point of view, isn't much different from Duke 200).

2.5 lakhs for Duke 390 will just make me buy Kiirus or Race Dynamics pimped up ECU for my Duke 200 for 10/15k Rs and enjoy 28 hp instead of stock 25.
It's 16 hp less than 390, little less grippier tires (those MRFs on Duke are quite good btw, I don't know what some here are saying against them!), lack of ABS (which I anyway prefer not to use) with everything else the same as 390.

I'm not saying 390 isn't worth 2.5 lakhs, I'm saying 200 is much better value for money. Which is very obvious if you know that Duke 200 is priced at 3.5 - 3.8 lakhs overseas...