Re: Duke 200/390

Naked one or faired one?

Re: Duke 200/390

ofc naked. I dont like faired bikes for City usage simple because they are not designed for City usage. Same reason why you would wanna go for a Duke instead of RC for city usage/commuting

Re: Duke 200/390

I'm going to take over this thread as I am in the same boat right now - 200 vs. 390 ABS.

I've had an R15 for almost 3 years now. I love the bike when I'm riding solo, but the moment someone hops on the back, it's a nightmare. My arms writhe in agony and every brake feels like I'm going to break my wrists. I haven't done any touring for years now. Previously, I had an FZ and a Pulsar 220, which were great for, well, everything.

After looking around a lot (yes, I even considered the Suzuki Gixxer SF - such a good price!), I have narrowed it down to the Duke Jr. and Sr.

Power wise, I don't really feel the need for too much. I'd happily have picked up a Duke 125 if they sold it here.

The 200 is good enough for me, but ABS is a really attractive feature, especially at this price of the 390. If I'm going to ride mostly in the city with occasional touring up to 1000km, is ABS something I will be able to justifiably derive benefit from or will it just be a luxury I can live without? Is the safety offered by ABS comparable to that offered by seat belts in a car, in terms of whether one needs it or not? I wouldn't buy a car without airbags today, so should I extend the same courtesy to ABS?

That was the main question. The second question is: what other bikes could I consider?

And, finally, the third question is: If it isn't even 390cc, why didn't they just call it the Duke 400? Or stick to actuals and call it the Duke 370?

Re: Duke 200/390

ABS is definitely a good feature, but you can do without it if you are a good rider.

200 is designed strictly for city usage so it will meet your demands perfectly. And as you will be doing 'occasional' touring, 200 will suffice.

The thing about the 390 from what I have read is that, its power kicks in, in higher RPM range, so technically its not good for city usage, especially in bumper to bumper traffic, but some people use it anyway. The 390 however will prove an excellent tourer however do keep in mind there is no windshield so you are gonna take all the Wind blast.

Upgrading from a 150 to 200 may not bring that much of an excitement so the D390 would be something to consider about. Do take testrides for both the bikes and see how you feel about the Power delivery.

As for any other bike, the most popular all rounder Honda CBR 250R if you can afford the premium for it. This bike with the ABS costs almost the same as D390. Once again, test ride it and see how you feel.

What I have in mind right now is you might wanna wait for announcements regarding the Pulsar CS400, a bike that has been in my attention for a very long time, yet no news from them. But we can all still hope.

As for why its Duke 390, 690, 990, 1290? Thats their Style xD You gota stand apart in the market somehow right?

Re: Duke 200/390

The amount of people who are waiting for CS400 are too high

Re: Duke 200/390

We are already in the 4th quarter of this year. If its destined to launch this year then we can expect an announcement either in beginning of November or Ending of December.

But yes, that bike is like a Seriously Matured version of Duke 390. The bike clearly shows attitude. If I do get that bike in my hands, first things I am gonna do is replace the exhaust, remove the rear fender and install Integrated tail lights. No questions asked.