Duke 200 or Royal Enfield?


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Hey guys i'll keep it short & simple

Im 5'8 60kgs , Bodybuilding athlete
I was a bullet Fantatic until i met a real person & not some bullet lover on net
He was my bst frnds elder bro, he's tall & well built, he told me the bull has a lot of attention to be payed, its worth the hassle but sometimes the hassle goes way too much high, especially when you dish out 1.5k on a bike
Dont get me wrong, i have NEVER owned a motorcycle only a chetak Bajaj
Since childhood it was my dream to get a bullet but another Bike cought my eye
The Duke 200, at the price it gives unbelievable power to performance
KTM needs no intro, its the worlds leader in offroading
But thats not what i do , im a VERY light commuter ...10km daily
Hell even my car has ridden ONLY 3k KMS in 3 years, yes im not kidding if anyone wants proof i can post the speedometer pic
I am a very pleasant rider, not intimitated by other riders who try to get aggressive by 'cutting' you & speeding against you
I love riding at constant mediocore speed , enjoying the wind
I do this all on my bst frnds fazer
My choice here are RE 500 Classic or Duke 200
RE has really a lot of maintainence, 4 RE bikes in my apartment are serviced by owners EVERY SUNDAY, its worth the thump & Macho look but still it cuts your pocket...I wud still buy it because ITS AN BULLET
& no other bike could replace that feeling
Duke 200 is a naked street sports, an eyecandy
Mini beast as its called, it has everything power looks etc
The servicing of this bike & spares are *****NG expensive, i have a old friend of mine owning this bike he says "it wont give problems often, but when it does, you better have a loan prepared"
Its an international brand so its understood
Please help me i love the cruising Experience as well as the looks on Duke
I knw its like comparing apples to mango, but help is appreciated !
 
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I would suggest you to go ahead with Enfield Bullet 350 or 500 classic. I am suggesting this as you are not interested in a quarter mile race .The RE bikes are expensive in maintenance comment I didn't understand, as every week it needs maintenance,whats that? You just need to keep the bike covered if not in use .No weekly polish and all is required.You are a light weight guy at 60 Kg and classic 350 will be enough for you as per power is considered. Get a test ride for both and decide.
 
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bullet makes you careful, matured rider as the bike does not support maniac riding, handling at speeds, nor the high speed a to b dash or a quarter mile drag race.

duke does not support comfort, even a small undulation on a highway makes your spine realize the condition of our roads. but in compromise you get a drag racer and super sharp handling, sharp brakes.
 
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Go in for the RE Classic 350 or the RE Thunderbird 350 and do testdrive these two vehicles alone back to back as you are a light person it is not an easy task to handle the 500 cc 's.

And still riding an RE on roads is an eye catcher for people around you. So even though the duke has its own looks and it is certainly an eye catcher but people around you just see the bike and they leave but when you ride an RE on roads they give you more space to ride.

I myself have observed, when i ride my RE on roads in a heavy traffic the people allow me to go first and they follow me behind. ( I am not exaggerating, it really happened )
 
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The option you mentioned relates to a bike enthusiast. If you are looking for long trips then yes both KTM and RE special serves the purpose.

But RE classic is not for highway cruising. As maneuvering this bike is not easy due to its straight seat posture, weight and Springs under the riders seat may not give you a firm grip while riding at high speeds. RE classic is rather built for rough terrain with moderate speed. You cannot call this as off-roader.

RE Thunderbird is great highway cruiser but not build for quicker maneuver. You will have maximum comfort while going for long trips with good speeds. The stability is great due to its heavy steering handle.

RE Continental GT the café racer is the light, fast and most powerful among all RE range. It is basically for those who love to high speed highway cruising.

KTM Duke 200/390 is great on maneuvers and specially built for long highway trips. The light chassis make this bike more versatile in CITY and HIGHWAY overtaking.
KTM DUKE 390 ABS is good option if you have a sufficient budget.


So list down you requirements to fine level and then choose your appropriate ride.

My Choice :
1. KTM DUKE 390 ABS
2. RE Continental GT
 
Thread Starter #6
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bullet makes you careful, matured rider as the bike does not support maniac riding, handling at speeds, nor the high speed a to b dash or a quarter mile drag race.

duke does not support comfort, even a small undulation on a highway makes your spine realize the condition of our roads. but in compromise you get a drag racer and super sharp handling, sharp brakes.
Brother i am not talking about the KTM RC version, the RC version has aggressive seating & gives spine ache ! :)

The option you mentioned relates to a bike enthusiast. If you are looking for long trips then yes both KTM and RE special serves the purpose.

But RE classic is not for highway cruising. As maneuvering this bike is not easy due to its straight seat posture, weight and Springs under the riders seat may not give you a firm grip while riding at high speeds. RE classic is rather built for rough terrain with moderate speed. You cannot call this as off-roader.

RE Thunderbird is great highway cruiser but not build for quicker maneuver. You will have maximum comfort while going for long trips with good speeds. The stability is great due to its heavy steering handle.

RE Continental GT the café racer is the light, fast and most powerful among all RE range. It is basically for those who love to high speed highway cruising.

KTM Duke 200/390 is great on maneuvers and specially built for long highway trips. The light chassis make this bike more versatile in CITY and HIGHWAY overtaking.
KTM DUKE 390 ABS is good option if you have a sufficient budget.


So list down you requirements to fine level and then choose your appropriate ride.

My Choice :
1. KTM DUKE 390 ABS
2. RE Continental GT
Thanx for the input sir !
Your choices are unforutnately out of my budget :P

I am a light traveller, speeding like maniac is not my priority & i dont even like it
Looks like RE is out of contest now !
 
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Thanx for the input sir !
Your choices are unforutnately out of my budget :P

I am a light traveller, speeding like maniac is not my priority & i dont even like it
Looks like RE is out of contest now !
Why RE is out of the contest ?

Is it because of Budget ?
Is it because of Mileage?
Is it because of safety?
Is it because of Riding position?
Is it because of maintenance?

Have you taken a test ride yet?
 
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Since RE and KTM are out of our budget, I would suggest to have a test drive on Yamaha FZ16, FZ16 v2.0 and Suzuki Gixxer, may be these bike will suit your budget and your ride style.

I am a FZ16 owner, the rider & pillion comfort, safety and power all comes at one place. Regarding Gixxer you will have to little compromise on pillion comfort.
 

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