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**ynike99** · 09-18-2014, 12:06 PM

Re: KTM RC 200 & RC 390 Launched

Originally posted by Alfa View Post

Guys after reading your opinion plus reviews, i have decided Duke 390 is the one as RC will strain me a lot. But pricing of Duke seem unreasonable in front of RC

RC is definitely a hooker of highest class at this price. On road for Duke 390 is 2.07Lac in Delhi, anyone knows if KTM offering some discount to make Duke deal sweeter

Sit on the bike.its surprisingly more comfortable than say r15v2.

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**hackernewbie** · 09-18-2014, 12:26 PM

Re: KTM RC 200 & RC 390 Launched

Guys, as I asked earlier, any idea about the mileage that can be expected from the RC 200? In the city and on highways?

**ynike99** · 09-18-2014, 12:29 PM

Re: KTM RC 200 & RC 390 Launched

Originally posted by hackernewbie View Post

Guys, as I asked earlier, any idea about the mileage that can be expected from the RC 200? In the city and on highways?

My duke used to give 28-30 in city and 30-40 on highway.expect 1/2kmpl difference for rc.little more for highways.

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**hackernewbie** · 09-18-2014, 12:31 PM

Re: KTM RC 200 & RC 390 Launched

Originally posted by ynike99 View Post

My duke used to give 28-30 in city and 30-40 on highway.expect 1/2kmpl difference for rc.little more for highways.

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Thanks buddy!!
That figure looks good

**riot** · 09-18-2014, 12:42 PM

Re: KTM RC 200 & RC 390 Launched

Had a long session with RC 390 yesterday . Now here are my ride impressions.

Rider size:
I am 5,3 (give or take an inch) weighing in around 60kg.

Ride Report:
First thing you notice is that everything on the bike has better quality compared to Dukes. The switchgear on my duke felt slightly better however other than that everything on the RC was superior.

Dont let the 820mm seat height scare you if you are a short rider. it is only slightly taller than Duke and nowhere feels as bulky as something like a Pulsar NS. This is achieved through that extremely narrow yet comfortable seat. The seat felt better padded than Duke. You can notice in this picture below that even with my ultra short legs and sole-less Puma's I can ride it without any issue at-all.

Once you start it, RC sounds thoatier than Duke. Gear slots in with "Reasuring thud" and you take off. RC will not accelerate like a maniac like Duke 390. Nor it will pop sudden wheelie. The powerband on RC felt more leanier and dragging with Duke proved that Duke accelerates faster upto around 100kmph and after that RC takes over. Higher speeds wont bother you on RC as much as on Duke. You can cruise at 160kmph and you wont even feel the speed. There is not much to write about the power part as you have already experienced everything on the Duke.

Riding Position is spot-on. Not too supersport like maybe an R6 and not comumter supersport like R15. You lean forward and into a real supersport riding position and it feels just right.

Honestly speaking, There is not even a single bike below 6L I have ridden that could handle better than R15 (Please dont compare Ninja 300/250, they dont handle anywhere close to the amazing Deltabox frame) . This was true till yesterday. However, Now RC 390 holds this crown. It blows the handling benchmark set by R15 and its everything I wished R15 successor to be however was let down. Its just too good and needs to be experienced to be believed.

Bajaj and KTM sure have a winner in their hands.

Overall rating
Power - 9.5/10 (Installing powertronic will take it to 10/10)
Handling - 10/10 (Nothing comes close to this VFM supersport)
Looks - 10/10 (Hoards of stares in each traffic light I stopped)

Attached Files

**Alfa** · 09-18-2014, 12:56 PM

Re: KTM RC 200 & RC 390 Launched

Originally posted by hackernewbie View Post

If its only the strain that's going to be the deal-breaker for you, I would say, wait until you test ride it.

Yeah i agree with you. In my previous post too i had asked opinion of other members to help me choose between Duke and RC. I was advised Duke for my requirement as i am 6'1" and buying bike for first time for pure fun part of it, but its true that i have never seen a racetrack and nor am i inclined to see it. Our highways will be my racetrack and i intend to enjoy short burst of acceleration infused adrenaline. And yeah i do intend to take it on short trips[100 - 250km] sometimes. I had test driven Continental GT but found it draining.

But somehow after sitting on RC, Duke looks even paler [just my personal opinion].But Duke also comes out much comfortable in comparison.

But KTM has to understand that after launching they have to give some discount on Duke or RC will eventually eat up Duke

**hackernewbie** · 09-18-2014, 01:05 PM

Re: KTM RC 200 & RC 390 Launched

Originally posted by riot View Post

Had a long session with RC 390 yesterday . Now here are my ride impressions.
...

Fantastic!
How long did you get to ride it?
How much of it was on open stretched and how much in the traffic?
Is it tiring in the traffic?
How bad or good are the ORVMs, both in open stretches & on empty streets?

I am almost of the same height about yours so your answers will be more accurate me!

Originally posted by Alfa View Post

...
But somehow after sitting on RC, Duke looks even paler [just my personal opinion].But Duke also comes out much comfortable in comparison.

But KTM has to understand that after launching they have to give some discount on Duke or RC will eventually eat up Duke

That is not happening because, Duke & the RC are two different bikes. Plus, they are already very mouthwateringly priced.

**eliksir** · 09-18-2014, 03:38 PM

Re: KTM RC 200 & RC 390 Launched

[MENTION=15063]riot[/MENTION], do you think the RC390 can be used as an everyday bike ?

**riot** · 09-18-2014, 03:47 PM

Re: KTM RC 200 & RC 390 Launched

Originally posted by hackernewbie View Post

Fantastic!
How long did you get to ride it?
How much of it was on open stretched and how much in the traffic?
Is it tiring in the traffic?
How bad or good are the ORVMs, both in open stretches & on empty streets?

I am almost of the same height about yours so your answers will be more accurate me!

That is not happening because, Duke & the RC are two different bikes. Plus, they are already very mouthwateringly priced.

Here are the Answers:

How long did you get to ride it?
Almost 2 hours.

How much of it was on open stretched and how much in the traffic?
70% in traffic and remaining on open roads. The reason I rode it more in traffic is because that is where 90% of RCs will be used and mine too (if I get one) and I wanted to see how it fares against Duke there.

Is it tiring in the traffic?
Yes, its more tiring than Duke. However, its nowhere as tiring as say something like Hyosung. It cuts through traffic like butter and all thanks to its feather light weight, you can throw it around without thinking twice. Honestly, for a pure super sport bike, its quite comfortable. In my 2 hour ride didnt feel tired at-all (Not as much as I do on Hyosungs).

How bad or good are the ORVMs, both in open stretches & on empty streets?
They were great and way better than the one's you find on duke. At my height, they give me a full high definition view of the eyes staring at RC's butt.

Originally posted by eliksir View Post

@riot, do you think the RC390 can be used as an everyday bike ?

Definitely! It cuts through traffic like butter, seat is soft and there is enough power to overtake anything on road.

**hackernewbie** · 09-18-2014, 04:11 PM

Re: KTM RC 200 & RC 390 Launched

Originally posted by riot View Post

Here are the Answers:

How long did you get to ride it?
Almost 2 hours.

How much of it was on open stretched and how much in the traffic?
70% in traffic and remaining on open roads. The reason I rode it more in traffic is because that is where 90% of RCs will be used and mine too (if I get one) and I wanted to see how it fares against Duke there.

Is it tiring in the traffic?
Yes, its more tiring than Duke. However, its nowhere as tiring as say something like Hyosung. It cuts through traffic like butter and all thanks to its feather light weight, you can throw it around without thinking twice. Honestly, for a pure super sport bike, its quite comfortable. In my 2 hour ride didnt feel tired at-all.

How bad or good are the ORVMs, both in open stretches & on empty streets?
They were great and way better than the one's you find on duke. At my height, they give me a full high definition view of the eyes staring at RC's butt.

Definitely! It cuts through traffic like butter, seat is soft and there is enough power to overtake anything on road.

This is bloody brilliant!
Thanks for your detailed response!!

Are the ORVMs not adjustable as I read somewhere?
As in, you see the traffic behind you only when you are in leaning position.
Also read, all you can see in them is your own arms. That seems to the case with tall guys I guess!

OT: How did you manage to get it for 2 long hours ??

----consecutive posts auto-merged-----
[MENTION=15063]riot[/MENTION] I see you have modified your response and that pushes me to ask you, as someone who has never been on a Hyosung.

Can you please throw some light about what you meant when you said?

"...Not as much as I do on Hyosungs..."

**riot** · 09-18-2014, 04:37 PM

Re: KTM RC 200 & RC 390 Launched

Originally posted by hackernewbie View Post

This is bloody brilliant!
Thanks for your detailed response!!

Are the ORVMs not adjustable as I read somewhere?
As in, you see the traffic behind you only when you are in leaning position.
Also read, all you can see in them is your own arms. That seems to the case with tall guys I guess!

OT: How did you manage to get it for 2 long hours ??

----consecutive posts auto-merged-----
@riot I see you have modified your response and that pushes me to ask you, as someone who has never been on a Hyosung.

Can you please throw some light about what you meant when you said?

"...Not as much as I do on Hyosungs..."

The pleasure is all mine buddy.

I didnt try to adjust RVMs as they were quite well set already. So no idea if they can be adjusted. However, at my height they showed me everything in background quite well nomatter I crouch down or stay up.

Hyosungs are the only other affordable bikes that give you a pure supersport riding position. So this was the reason I compared RC with Hyosungs. When someone of my size rides a Hyosung, they feel quite tired. The reason is weight of of GT650R and 250R, you are leaned in too far ahead, turning radius is huge and when you are tip-toeing in traffic all this makes u feel tired. You do get used to it with time. However, you will think twice before taking it out in morning 9AM traffic.
Whereas, KTM's narrow seat and light-weight nature makes it much easier to live with. You can throw it around in traffic with full confidence. Overall, RC is quite comfortable and you can go for it with your eyes closed. And when I say comfortable I mean as comfortable as a supersport can get. Remember, a sportbike is all about getting used to. Once you get used to them, you can use them for long rides too.

I had to get on my knees, plead and ask for couple of friends to help me out and I got the ride. Anything is fare in love, war and KTM

.
Bajaj guys are one of the best to deal with and this is the reason all bikes I currently own are Bajaj. Unlike some other manufacturers who wont even give test ride of a 250cc commuter saying its "Premium" and "too fast to handle".

**hackernewbie** · 09-18-2014, 04:43 PM

Re: KTM RC 200 & RC 390 Launched

Originally posted by riot View Post

The pleasure is all mine buddy.

I didnt try to adjust RVMs as they were quite well set already. So no idea if they can be adjusted. However, at my height they showed me everything in background quite well nomatter I crouch down or stay up.

Hyosungs are the only other affordable bikes that give you a pure supersport riding position. So this was the reason I compared RC with Hyosungs. When someone of my size rides a Hyosung, they feel quite tired. The reason is weight of of GT650R and 250R, you are leaned in too far ahead, turning radius is huge and when you are tip-toeing in traffic all this makes u feel tired. You do get used to it with time. However, you will think twice before taking it out in morning 9AM traffic.
Whereas, KTM's narrow seat and light-weight nature makes it much easier to live with. You can throw it around in traffic with full confidence. Overall, RC is quite comfortable and you can go for it with your eyes closed. And when I say comfortable I mean as comfortable as a supersport can get. Remember, a sportbike is all about getting used to. Once you get used to them, you can use them for long rides too.

I had to get on my knees, plead and ask for couple of friends to help me out and I got the ride. Anything is fare in love, war and KTM

.
Bajaj guys are one of the best to deal with and this is the reason all bikes I currently own are Bajaj. Unlike some other manufacturers who wont even give test ride of a 250cc commuter saying its "Premium" and "too fast to handle".

Fantastic buddy!!
Once again, thanks a ton for understanding the curiosity and replying accordingly.
Looking forward to booking my RC 200 pretty soon

**Sarvajit** · 09-18-2014, 04:47 PM

Re: KTM RC 200 & RC 390 Launched

Nice review!
One question from my side: How about the engine note, heating and refinement as compared to the Duke?

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**Ajay Vishwanath** · 09-18-2014, 05:36 PM

Re: KTM RC 200 &amp;amp; RC 390 Launched

Originally posted by Vysakh.M.S View Post

The main problem i heard abt d200 and d390 is that oil is leaking from front shock... Added weight on rc200 and rc390 will affect more? Or hv they improved anything?

Sent from my Xperia SP

I'm sure they must have improved.. They improved the Duke over the past two years.. !!

Sent from my One X using Tapatalk

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This is some amazing level of activity in this thread...thanks to @riot who made it like a fish-market due to his review/preview.. and I love that..

Originally posted by Vysakh.M.S View Post

White is good. Black looks meaner.....but they could have added design of the stickers in rc390 on the RC200

True.. But hey what are custom-stickers are there for...!??

Originally posted by hackernewbie View Post

It seems Ajay has said exactly what I feel in my heart, word-by-word! Logically Duke should be the choice BUT, as you guys say.... by heart screams RC RC.

It's always heart vs mind.. Mind is more logical and reasonable.. heart is more about love.. something like japanese vs european bikes.. someone mentioned earlier.. the japs try to extract max out of the available money whereas the europeans go for the experience and pleasure..

For me, I take a duke listening to my head, RC is out & when I see RC, my mind will tell, "you should have listened to your heart and bought that when you had the chance.. now suffer!!"

If I go for RC now, later my mind will say, "Good choice.. you are not left behind in the world.." and if my bike is older and something newer & mouth watering comes up it only says "you love her and that's why you have her.. doesn't matter now.. all that matters is that you are happy.." & I am happy..

Just what happens with me every time I go for logical reasoning. Hence, I stopped going logically and started following my heart at certain points..

Originally posted by cool20bud View Post

Actually, I had been waiting for it from past 1 year.But like every other person I had my share of queries about this bike.

1 YEAR!!!! OMG!!! I waited for a few months and it felt like forever.. you got amazing patience bro!!

Size of the bike was a big concern since I wanted to have a bike that looked bigger in flesh.Another concern was 95RON recommended petrol which you do not find easily in india.

I +1 with the 95 RON. We do get the 91 RON in metros & major cities.. so I guess some of us are covered..

Also adding to the list was broken alloys and shockers oil leaks as seen on Dukes.

Fixed here.. but however, I hate the way Bajaj dodged that question in the launch!!

As opposed to what I wanted,this bike looked smaller compared to my expectations.But still I did not lose interest in it because of it's impeccable styling.

What sealed the deal on this bike for me was the positioning in which rider is seated ,gives no clue to rider about relatively small proportions of RC compared to higher cc bikes.

Rider sits right on the top of it with your body perfectly in sync with bike's design and it feels big.

styling is +1 reason why I went for RC over Duke.. and I love stickering & MOD..

Now on your question about why rc390 and not rc200?

Before booking the bike I was also in a bit of dilemma between these 2 options(more inclined towards 390).

What I did just before booking the bike was ,I test drove duke390. And that was it,how can you ignore that power? You just can't opt for rc200 after riding a 390cc compared to the thrill you will get just for 40k+ OTR.

I loved the white/black/orange colour scheme.Infact I like white color on the bike so much that I painted my fz16 white as seen in the DP

. That being another factor.

Didn't get to test ride the 390, however, I can understand how it feels, but doesn't work for me..

Truthfully,I would have gone for CBR250/HX250R if I was forced to buy sub 250cc bike but not RC200.

Don't have the patience to wait for the HX250R..

I get extra CCs at cheaper price and I expect the bike to reach 150kmph at a bliss when I spend 1.88L OTR ,which surely RC200 would not.
Surely,I won't buy RC200 for it's looks at that premium.

As a comparison with dukes,difference in cost between duke200 and RC200 is about 40k and opposite to that difference between duke390 and rc390 is about 20-25k.
Plus you get Metzeler tyres/ABS,which makes rc390 a sureshot winner against rc200(Plus I disliked all black colour scheme on rc200).

Surely, RC390 will cost more on Servicing and even hurt more with Mileage figures as against rc200.But anyhow I will manage with that power and thrill it will provide.

Originally posted by hackernewbie View Post

Tiring for the rider?
Also, what about the pillion's comfort?

Absolutely!!

I have been to the showroom more than once and tried sitting in the riding posture, seems okay for me as of now. Let's see how the test ride goes. !!

The day I went for booking, I actually found the seat to be hard & not so comfortable.. maybe just getting used to factor.. however, I'll change the foaming to softer seats..

Originally posted by ynike99 View Post

Not to confuse you more, but if you like to be on the boil, 200 will seem unsufficient after some time.the chassis is so capable that 200 will feel underpowered, and you will yearn for a bigger motor sooner or later.just my 2 cents

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'll go directly for the 690 when it launches after about 5-7 years & I'll also be experienced about the racer position and it's all just part of learning..

Originally posted by Alfa View Post

Guys after reading your opinion plus reviews, i have decided Duke 390 is the one as RC will strain me a lot. But pricing of Duke seem unreasonable in front of RC

RC is definitely a hooker of highest class at this price. On road for Duke 390 is 2.07Lac in Delhi, anyone knows if KTM offering some discount to make Duke deal sweeter

Congrats on your bike..

Originally posted by riot View Post

The pleasure is all mine buddy.

I didnt try to adjust RVMs as they were quite well set already. So no idea if they can be adjusted. However, at my height they showed me everything in background quite well nomatter I crouch down or stay up.

The RVMs are not completely adjustable. They can be adjusted by either pushing them towards you or pushing them away from you. i.e. only horizontal movement.. not 360 like in normal bikes and not vertical like the Duke brothers..

TBH, I'm 5'11" & I found that when I'm on top of the tank, I got great view of my back. However, when I'm straight, I don't have 0 visibility.

Hyosungs are the only other affordable bikes that give you a pure supersport riding position. So this was the reason I compared RC with Hyosungs. When someone of my size rides a Hyosung, they feel quite tired. The reason is weight of of GT650R and 250R, you are leaned in too far ahead, turning radius is huge and when you are tip-toeing in traffic all this makes u feel tired. You do get used to it with time. However, you will think twice before taking it out in morning 9AM traffic.
Whereas, KTM's narrow seat and light-weight nature makes it much easier to live with. You can throw it around in traffic with full confidence. Overall, RC is quite comfortable and you can go for it with your eyes closed. And when I say comfortable I mean as comfortable as a supersport can get. Remember, a sportbike is all about getting used to. Once you get used to them, you can use them for long rides too.

Thanks to my height, I wasn't actually tip-toe on the bike, I was comfortable with both my feet on the ground completely.. But the negative is that RVMs offer poor visibility if sitting straight..

I had to get on my knees, plead and ask for couple of friends to help me out and I got the ride. Anything is fare in love, war and KTM

.
Bajaj guys are one of the best to deal with and this is the reason all bikes I currently own are Bajaj. Unlike some other manufacturers who wont even give test ride of a 250cc commuter saying its "Premium" and "too fast to handle".

I say "Everything is fair in Love, War & KTM"

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Originally posted by Sarvajit View Post

Nice review!
One question from my side: How about the engine note, heating and refinement as compared to the Duke?

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo using xBhp Connect mobile app

So far I've heard, the exhaust note is slightly more refined and better..

and thank god!!! They didn't put the scooty horn on the RC!!! Now they are using the standard ones like honda Unicorn & other bikes use.. pretty normal.. but 1000000 times better than a scooty horn!!!

----consecutive posts auto-merged-----

Originally posted by Sarvajit View Post

Nice review!
One question from my side: How about the engine note, heating and refinement as compared to the Duke?

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo using xBhp Connect mobile app

So far I've heard, the exhaust note is slightly more refined and better..

and thank god!!! They didn't put the scooty horn on the RC!!! Now they are using the standard ones like honda Unicorn & other bikes use.. pretty normal.. but 1000000 times better than a scooty horn!!!

**hackernewbie** · 09-18-2014, 05:43 PM

Re: KTM RC 200 &amp;amp; RC 390 Launched

Originally posted by Ajay Vishwanath View Post

I'm sure they must have improved.. They improved the Duke over the past two years.. !!
...

Yes, there has been a lot of activity here. All thanks to the detailed review by [MENTION=15063]riot[/MENTION].

I think there are times when you should listen to your heart rather than mind and for me, this is one of those times.

Booking it next week, Test Ride or no Test Ride!
[MENTION=70615]Ajay Vishwanath[/MENTION] Any word about when is the display RC 200 is coming to your place, if not your vehicle?

2007 - 2010	Kinetic Nova
2010 - 2015	Honda Unicorn
2014 - 2019	KTM RC 200
2017 - Today	KTM Duke 390

Announcement

KTM RC 200 & RC 390 Launched

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