Like Duke 200, but how is it's build quality?

[tomk]

Hello fellow members,

I am owning a TVS Flame I know hardly anybody seen with that bike but there you go!

I am now planning on upgrading my bike as it has almost given up. Looking up the latest bikes my research has led me to these 4 bikes:

1) Duke 200 - superb reviews from all owners. Only downside is plasticky parts which I am not sure how long would it last.

2) Bajaj Avenger Street 220 - looks great and much cheaper with looks copied from Harley Street 750.

3) Honda CBR 150R - (hardly seen on streets nobody purchases it so not quiet sure plus the showrooms here don't offer test ride for this bike plus this bike is expensive if we add another 15k we can buy Duke 200 which is a proven bike)

4) RE Thunderbird 350 - Great bike considering looks but people keep complaining about sudden breakdown and rusting of parts plus high maintenance cost.

The above are my 4 picks but I am leaning more towards the 1st 2 options due to the downside mentioned in #3 and #4. Budget is not an issue for me I can spend up to 1.6 lacs easily but obviously needs to compare the price/benefit ratio

Does Duke 200 last for years with these plasticky fibre parts? Also, the showroom guy said I just need to service the bike every 7000 kms and that's the only maintenance that is required. 7000 kms is a lot of kms really. But I have ready the maintenance cost of the bike is generally very high.

Another issue is the roads here are very troublesome. Very often we have broken roads with ups and downs. Can this bike handle this type of road?

Avenger is a good bike with low maintenance. Does the bike work well in troublesome roads?

I don't have a fascination for cruiser / sports bike. Obviously I would wish to have both but just one for now I just need a good bike with good pickup and ability of handle bad roads plus reasonable maintenance cost. So guys which one should I be picking up? Any suggestions?

Thanks so much!

[Divya Sharan]

re: Like Duke 200, but how is it's build quality?

What bike query approved!

[s1d]

Re: Like Duke 200, but how is it's build quality?

1) Duke 200 - superb reviews from all owners. Only downside is plasticky parts which I am not sure how long would it last.

Does Duke 200 last for years with these plasticky fibre parts? Also, the showroom guy said I just need to service the bike every 7000 kms and that's the only maintenance that is required. 7000 kms is a lot of kms really. But I have ready the maintenance cost of the bike is generally very high.

As an owner of a D200 for the past two years (will be two years tomorrow) here is my opinion:
The plastic parts are good quality. The panel gaps, fit and finish is good too. even in cases of minor falls they don't break off easily. And to top it off, the parts are not very expensive, you could replace all the plastic body panels for less than 5k.
The cost of most spares is also economical, a regular service will cost you:
1. Periodic maintenance kit Rs.470 (consists of air, oil and fuel filter)
2. Engine oil 1.5L , approx Rs.1200 (will be cheaper if you get the same oil outside for lesser price than mrp)
3. Labor charge + miscellaneous: Rs. 800. (No labor for the first 3 free services)
The bike is covered under warranty for the first two years/30000km whichever early.
And the service interval is 7500km, which is ok since you always use the motul 7100 fully synthetic oil. But remember its 7500km or 120days whichever earlier and not many people do 7500km in 120days all the time, so most of the cases the service happens around 4000~5500 km.
Approx Cost of some of the other spares:
Brake pads: 200
Levers and foot rests: 150-350rs (in case you crash or put the bike down)
Tires: MRF: 2700rs front and 3700rs rear.
Clutch plates: Rs.900

The most expensive parts (some which end up in replacement mostly in case of crashes)
Front forks: Rs.23000
Frame/Chassis: Rs.10000
Alloy wheels: 4500
Digital console: Rs.6000
Exhaust: Rs.10000

Coming to the bike lasting for years.. The frame and plastic parts will definitely hold up. The engine should be ok for around 70k km with regular maintenance and periodic part replacement as needed. As long as you don't abuse and neglect maintenance, a simple engine rebuild when necessary should get it back on the road.
Unfortunately a lot of ktm owners are.. well.. 'kids' who buy it for fun factor and bang for the buck, but neglect maintenance and thrash the bike around, which is why you don't see many high mileage ktm's around.

[tomk]

Re: Like Duke 200, but how is it's build quality?

As an owner of a D200 for the past two years (will be two years tomorrow) here is my opinion:
The plastic parts are good quality. The panel gaps, fit and finish is good too. even in cases of minor falls they don't break off easily. And to top it off, the parts are not very expensive, you could replace all the plastic body panels for less than 5k.
The cost of most spares is also economical, a regular service will cost you:
1. Periodic maintenance kit Rs.470 (consists of air, oil and fuel filter)
2. Engine oil 1.5L , approx Rs.1200 (will be cheaper if you get the same oil outside for lesser price than mrp)
3. Labor charge + miscellaneous: Rs. 800. (No labor for the first 3 free services)
The bike is covered under warranty for the first two years/30000km whichever early.
And the service interval is 7500km, which is ok since you always use the motul 7100 fully synthetic oil. But remember its 7500km or 120days whichever earlier and not many people do 7500km in 120days all the time, so most of the cases the service happens around 4000~5500 km.
Approx Cost of some of the other spares:
Brake pads: 200
Levers and foot rests: 150-350rs (in case you crash or put the bike down)
Tires: MRF: 2700rs front and 3700rs rear.
Clutch plates: Rs.900

The most expensive parts (some which end up in replacement mostly in case of crashes)
Front forks: Rs.23000
Frame/Chassis: Rs.10000
Alloy wheels: 4500
Digital console: Rs.6000
Exhaust: Rs.10000

Coming to the bike lasting for years.. The frame and plastic parts will definitely hold up. The engine should be ok for around 70k km with regular maintenance and periodic part replacement as needed. As long as you don't abuse and neglect maintenance, a simple engine rebuild when necessary should get it back on the road.
Unfortunately a lot of ktm owners are.. well.. 'kids' who buy it for fun factor and bang for the buck, but neglect maintenance and thrash the bike around, which is why you don't see many high mileage ktm's around.

Thanks so much sir! Is the bike suspension okay with bad roads? Recently the road quality in my city has gone down too much in few areas. Would it be fine on such a road? Also the showroom guy quoted me along with insurance. Is the insurance compulsory for this bike. Does it come in handy in case of accident? Did you have insurance while buying and do you renew it every year now?

Thank you.

[krishan.adhikari]

Re: Like Duke 200, but how is it's build quality?

I have a d390 and you can feel every bump in the road. On the positive side the cornering is great
Insurance is compulsory for every bike
Insurance comes handy in case of accidents. It needs to be renewed every year
two wheeler insurance claim is painful compared to four wheeler insurance claim

[Divya Sharan]

Re: Like Duke 200, but how is it's build quality?

Thanks so much sir! Is the bike suspension okay with bad roads? Recently the road quality in my city has gone down too much in few areas. Would it be fine on such a road? Also the showroom guy quoted me along with insurance. Is the insurance compulsory for this bike. Does it come in handy in case of accident? Did you have insurance while buying and do you renew it every year now?

Thank you.

Insurance is mandatory with any vehicular purchase. It must be renewed every year too.
In fact, I'd advice you to spend a couple of 1000s extra and opt for zero depreciation (bumper to bumper) insurance.

It would save you a lot of heart-burn in case you crash.
Regarding bad roads, ride over them slowly and in a sane manner and you won't face any issues.

[tomk]

Re: Like Duke 200, but how is it's build quality?

Insurance is mandatory with any vehicular purchase. It must be renewed every year too.
In fact, I'd advice you to spend a couple of 1000s extra and opt for zero depreciation (bumper to bumper) insurance.

It would save you a lot of heart-burn in case you crash.
Regarding bad roads, ride over them slowly and in a sane manner and you won't face any issues.

Thank you Divya!

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

I have a d390 and you can feel every bump in the road. On the positive side the cornering is great
Insurance is compulsory for every bike
Insurance comes handy in case of accidents. It needs to be renewed every year
two wheeler insurance claim is painful compared to four wheeler insurance claim

Thank you Krishnan. Duke 390 is the same as Duke 200. I will have to consider your views and compare it with Avenger for city travelling.

[s1d]

Re: Like Duke 200, but how is it's build quality?

Thanks so much sir! Is the bike suspension okay with bad roads? Recently the road quality in my city has gone down too much in few areas. Would it be fine on such a road?

the suspension is just fine, you can adjust the rear suspension preload over a wide range. Combined with the ride position, it is not an issue riding over potholes. When it comes to potholes and very bad roads, I don't think the duke is disadvantaged at all.
And yes, insurance is compulsory for every motor vehicle. Riding without an insurance is an offense and a financial risk too. Insurance (comprehensive) not only covers your loss (bike theft, bike damages) but also damage you cause to a third party (i.e. if you are at fault in an accident)

[tomk]

Re: Like Duke 200, but how is it's build quality?

the suspension is just fine, you can adjust the rear suspension preload over a wide range. Combined with the ride position, it is not an issue riding over potholes. When it comes to potholes and very bad roads, I don't think the duke is disadvantaged at all.
And yes, insurance is compulsory for every motor vehicle. Riding without an insurance is an offense and a financial risk too. Insurance (comprehensive) not only covers your loss (bike theft, bike damages) but also damage you cause to a third party (i.e. if you are at fault in an accident)

Thanks so much. I get the point now. Spending extra 2k is worth. I think I will choose Duke 200 now.

[tomk]

Re: Like Duke 200, but how is it's build quality?

the suspension is just fine, you can adjust the rear suspension preload over a wide range. Combined with the ride position, it is not an issue riding over potholes. When it comes to potholes and very bad roads, I don't think the duke is disadvantaged at all.
And yes, insurance is compulsory for every motor vehicle. Riding without an insurance is an offense and a financial risk too. Insurance (comprehensive) not only covers your loss (bike theft, bike damages) but also damage you cause to a third party (i.e. if you are at fault in an accident)

Good morning s1d!

I came up with an query:

Does the underbelly exhaust cause heat like a machine and enter in our pants? As per this guy he says it can lead to infertility: https://www.quora.com/Which-is-bette...00-or-CBR-250R Does it generate that enormous amount of heat that it can lead to infertility in men?

[s1d]

Re: Like Duke 200, but how is it's build quality?

Does the underbelly exhaust cause heat like a machine and enter in our pants? As per this guy he says it can lead to infertility: https://www.quora.com/Which-is-bette...00-or-CBR-250R Does it generate that enormous amount of heat that it can lead to infertility in men?

This must be one of the weirdest question ever asked on this forum!
I haven't got myself tested so I wouldn't be able to give you a scientifically tested and proved answer. Maybe someone who rides a duke and has had (or not had) kids recently should be able to answer your question.
Jokes apart, almost every sport bike(high capacity/compression) produces as much heat that will be felt on your legs/thighs. I've never felt it at my balls though. When you come from riding our regular desi motorcycles, you will definitely feel the heat and think its abnormal/uncomfortable.. but it's not.. and this heat is only felt in stop go traffic.
If you are still worried about the heat, go for the cbr. Produces much less heat(and the fairing helps is reducing the amount of heat you feel) and is a great overall bike too. The second post (mishra is a friend of mine) in your link sums up the comparison correctly.

[tomk]

Re: Like Duke 200, but how is it's build quality?

This must be one of the weirdest question ever asked on this forum!
I haven't got myself tested so I wouldn't be able to give you a scientifically tested and proved answer. Maybe someone who rides a duke and has had (or not had) kids recently should be able to answer your question.
Jokes apart, almost every sport bike(high capacity/compression) produces as much heat that will be felt on your legs/thighs. I've never felt it at my balls though. When you come from riding our regular desi motorcycles, you will definitely feel the heat and think its abnormal/uncomfortable.. but it's not.. and this heat is only felt in stop go traffic.
If you are still worried about the heat, go for the cbr. Produces much less heat(and the fairing helps is reducing the amount of heat you feel) and is a great overall bike too. The second post (mishra is a friend of mine) in your link sums up the comparison correctly.

Thanks sir so much! I agree this might be weird to ask but since most of the riders here are male it should be fine plus if I have to spend 1.65 lacs for this buy I better check all cross cutting concerns as well from all experienced riders here.

Thank so much for your valuable opinion.

[Zerocool1431]

Re: Like Duke 200, but how is it's build quality?

Good morning s1d!

I came up with an query:

Does the underbelly exhaust cause heat like a machine and enter in our pants? As per this guy he says it can lead to infertility: https://www.quora.com/Which-is-bette...00-or-CBR-250R Does it generate that enormous amount of heat that it can lead to infertility in men?

You haven't bought the bike yet and you're worried about getting low sperm count?
Seriously dude, you don't need to worry about such things. Always remember one thing, People are dumb in different ways.
You'll be riding the bike and not just sitting on it all day long in one place and revving it for no reason.
NO Doubt you'll have enough airflow to keep those eggs cool.
Once again Seriously, do not listen to people who come up with such things.
There are thousands of duke riders out there, You think all are getting affected?
Well if they are, our population problem will be indirectly solved.
Thanks to KTM.

[prateek2210]

Re: Like Duke 200, but how is it's build quality?

My question being , you believed it that you wanted to confirm?

[Zerocool1431]

Re: Like Duke 200, but how is it's build quality?

My question being , who gave you the info that it results to infertility???

Here you go. https://www.quora.com/Which-is-bette...00-or-CBR-250R
See the first answer. xD