What Bike Query Approved

I own a R15 v2.0 and I have taken test ride of the Duke 200. It is completely different in terms of the sitting position, way it performs, the response to the throttle etc. Both are good in it's own way. I would recommend you to take a quick 5 minutes test ride on both of them. The way I saw it, you cannot like both of them.

I already rode the V2.0 and the way it handles is superb, love the position and overall feel. But the thing is power at initials, but it does go fast when you start talking numbers. Also i doubt its maintenance would be more than KTM. Please correct me on this part since you own one.

With the KTM its crazy and utterly quick and in love with the initial torques, my God that thing is fast. But its too small. You start a bit of cornering you hit the tank you go back the seat ends. Also its maintenance would be bit more than V2.0 which I do not want. Stop and go traffic shouldnt fry my legs or its instant butter chicken when touring.

Freak this is confusing.

Cannot say if the maintenance is more or less than a duke but a typical free servicing in Yamaha will cost you about 800 INR including chain cleaning and lubrication. About frying of legs; with your trousers on, your Butter chicken will remain good. I had read a lot about frying of legs in R15 also but I have never felt anything yet. I do not think it will be extreme in the Duke too. It might get hot enough to rephrase the term as warm and that's more like it.

Thanks Abhishek on that part. Also is it possible for you post a servicing costing details, be it paid or free?? Also chain lubrication and waxing and other added jobs will be done by me, doing it for two bikes so know the correct manner.

Any one with Duke can post the same.

I am sorry, still with free service with extended warranty. Break up is pretty simple,

Engine Oil SS : 470
Oil Filter : 170
Chain Lubrication : 135
Labor : Depends on your service station. At the max I have been charged is 50 INR.

Well, this is a real hard one to crack primarily due to the person involved.
So, you need a highway bike for your daily commute.
Chao, I ll give it a try.
I rarely recommend Duke to people who will most certainly be going out on long tours. Not because it is bad, but because better rounded products are available in a similar price range. But since there is no multi-day touring involved (it is just NH4 and Lavasa/AMBY etc.). Duke should be sufficient and fun.

Your usage is assumed to be 2000km/month.

Considering Battles of Service costs:

#1 Service Interval:
The Service interval for R15 is every 3000km or 70 days.

Service interval for Duke will be 5000 km / 6 months (Not sure but P220 has the same interval)

Result: Duke wins because R15 will need you to spare a day to head to SVC every 1.5 months. Duke will go 2.5 months.

#2 Engine oil and other consumables
To keep calculations simple, we assume you use Motul FS on both.

Motul 300v FS (950/liter) 15w40 on the R15 should last for 6k km(2 services). Spares cost are reasonable but not cheap.

Motul 7100 (700/liter) FS 20w50 on the Duke should last for 5k km (every service). Spares cost closer to P220 than to Ninja. BUT even though it is made in Akurdi, it is inherently European (so cheaper consumables advantage is effectively lost )

Result: Even Stevens

#3 Fuel Economy:
Will be same as your current bike for either, considering the way you ride.

Result: Even Stevens

#4 Safety:
I personally equate safety with the tires and brakes. Even though R15 brakes and tires are adequate for the job, Duke MUST get *some* brownie points for having a 4-pot caliper up front alongwith the phaatt tires. That setup, I feel is capable enough even for twice the power.

Result : Duke wins.

#5 Highway Performance:
Definitley R15 trumps the Duke in this one. Ride fatigue will be lesser on the R15 because 110+ on a Naked and you are pushing the boundaries of comfort.

Result: R15 Wins

#6 "Fast Not Quick":
R15 is the Fast one, Duke is the Quick one.

Result: R15 Wins

#7 Cornering:
Both will be equally adept in the corners. Depends on what you prefer. One will let you carry better corner speed and the other will power you out faster. Lap Timings won't be very different.

Result: Even Stevens

#8 Reliability:
Duke 'Long Term Reliability' is yet to be seen but it is having some trouble with its USD shocks leaking among the initial batches. There was also an engine seizure reported (taken care of under warranty), but as of now, it is just one-off.

R15 has been around since 2008 and has ironed out most of its kinks. I will give this one to...

Result: R15 wins.

#9 Night Riding:
Included because you will go back home from office after dark naa .
55/60w lighting on the Duke (coupled with better brakes)
35/35w lighting on the R15

Result: Duke wins.

#10 Looks:
@Duke owners, I am a big big Duke fan but please don't kill me for this

Result: R15 Wins!

The reason why I didn't add up the points is because not everything above will have equal priority in your books. This one is so close that only you can answer it. (But technically R15 has won as per your criteria by 4:3)

P.S.: I have tried to be as unbiased as possible. Try not to use it as content to start a brand-war.

@antz - Can i report your post to a moderator!!!

Ok, so as far your post is concerned, iam able to adapt couple of things which I was looking for in both of them. Duke still turns out to be small, R15 fits perfect, its like xxl for me.

I wonder how costly spares of duke would be even if am heading the SVC after 5-6 odd months.

I would be putting mineral, no tension change after 2.5kms mark.

Another would be like every month ka expenses regarding the bike should not be present, Everytime I take the Pulsar to Lavasa or any ride something or the other breaks or causes a hole in my pocket. That shouldnt happen.

An R15 Eh, my mind says the same but if the duke is powerful and not that heavy on pocket i wont mind. Looks wise the mini R6 makes me go hard.

@Topic starter

Dude, your exceptions about the bike exactly match with the mine, only difference is your are little tall and heavy then me(you yourself mentioned)
Me too ride on NH4 highways daily and have commute of 60km(90% highways, 10% city) and what I ride today was the bestest option available when I bought it 3 years ago, the YZF R15

If riding position is not much of a issue then there is no other bike like R15 for highway commute. It might be little low on power compare to baby duke but this baby YZF has got enough power under the hood, superb handling and aerodynamic design that would give you hell of the fun on the fast road.
Must consider the fact that highways are windy compare to city roads and u need a bike to counter strike the wind. You can easily put ur head on R15s tank tank and do a speed of above 120 even in the high winds and without wind the rider is king of the road and R15 undoubtedly the queen...

I believe duke would be little behind when it comes to aerodynamics and handling winds but it is a punchy and powerful machine compare to R15 and got great handling too...
If your are gonna ride with pillion then r15 will lag little behind the duke

I personally believe R15 is ideal for the guy like me who is 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 65 kg on the highway
On the maintenance front KTM would definitely be costly and uneasy compare to r15

Both baby YZF and baby Duke are quite a looker, I would go for R15 at any day (Personal opinion coz I like fully faired bikes)


Take a little fast test ride on both these bikes before deciding...

Ktm looks small but what about r15, won't it be small and uncomfy. .

KTM - I had a small ride on it, you feel as if you are cramped up. Had my gear on so there was hardly any place to move around. You go a bit behind you hit the rear seat, come ahead to corner you hit the front handle, no space for movements. Also I experienced the bike to be cramped up. Thats the negative side of KTM atleast for me.

R15 i could move around, talk and even accept the feedback. This is where it scores over the KTM. Grip the tank, the mirrors are far, the handle is aligned perfect, footpegs are behind, you are aggressive, you are leaning and its done... Pillion i understand its too high but atleast its present on a separate base, on the KTM with a small sack the pillion cannot sit ( Tried doing that with just a my safety jacket and not with my usual sack, imagine then).

Looks like you are inclined towards R15, but just want to check different perspectives on forum, If you are on highway most of the time, then R15 should be the one to go for. Duke is powerful enough for short distances on highway, but you can't take wind blast after certain speeds, with R15 you will not have this problem. I think servicing is costly with R15. Sometime ago we had a discussion on this topic, R15 vs CBR150 in CBR150 ownership thread. Looks like R15 paid service is around 2k or 1800 if I remember correctly, which I believe is on costlier side considering you need to go for service once in every two months. If you take extended warranty with R15, then you need to go to only authorized svc till the warranty ends. That might just turn out to be costly on R15!

Hello bro,

A few cents from my side
I feel R15 is a better choice out of the two. I rode the duke recently, and phew! That thing is QUICK!! But I was pretty uncomfortable above 90. The engine seemed to be stressed(it is not, KTMs are noisy) and the lack of windshield is a mess. But nothing to complain. It is a street bike. 2-3mins you'll feel the heat of the engine. Plus the chota fuel tank is another negative for touring. On the other hand the 15 will be better in terms of FE. The only thing is you need to get used to is the crouching position.

You are spot on.. Mr vrugonnab

Mr R15
You have already made up your mind and you are asking unnecessary question.

you took a sports bike(r15) and you are comparing it with a crossover(KTM) and saying all the sporty thing are missing on it.. Some people or all people calling a Crossover as a sports bike will not make it sports bike..

From the time KTM elephant was released. these bikes are called as crossovers.. its a road going dirt bike.

if you really wanted a suggestion then you should have asked CBR150R or R15

CBR150R will score more points in all the point you mentioned including refinement and engine smoothness except for torque but still you cannot blame Honda because the actual bike makes more power and torque than R15, Just for Indian Market they reduced it because they know how Indians think and what will be the first question.

Not everyone is looking for mileage but majority are looking for better mileage.

CBR150 engine is there for a long time and proven to be very repayable.

r15 will only beat CBR when it comes to look. and again "beauty lies in the eye of the beholder"