[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Desmosedici

Budget is a factor hence a No to the Metz. I had suggested the Metz but a single tyre costs 8k upwards i guess. If he opts for Pirelli i think a single tyre would cost around 4k.

These are the Sport Demons you're talking about? Please let me know too where you are getting them and for how much. I need a change pretty soon too.

The side wall height if you want the same, has to be the 130/70. But that will not fit the Duke's rim safely.

I actually doubt the 140 section one will as well. Contact patch is a secondary issue. If anything, there is more than enough contact patch on Duke tyres.

[Desmosedici]

Originally Posted by ebonho

These are the Sport Demons you're talking about? Please let me know too where you are getting them and for how much. I need a change pretty soon too.

The side wall height if you want the same, has to be the 130/70. But that will not fit the Duke's rim safely.

I actually doubt the 140 section one will as well. Contact patch is a secondary issue. If anything, there is more than enough contact patch on Duke tyres.

Doc,

The 4k prices are rough estimated prices from the Internet for the PSD. Retail should be lower i guess. I'll ask my colleague to check and let you know.

So are you saying that 150/70 should be an ok size. Wont the increase in sidewall touch anything, especially the hugger (15mm increase).

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Desmosedici

Doc,

The 4k prices are rough estimated prices from the Internet for the PSD. Retail should be lower i guess. I'll ask my colleague to check and let you know.

So are you saying that 150/70 should be an ok size. Wont the increase in sidewall touch anything, especially the hugger (15mm increase).

The 150/70 will be 1.5 cm taller - so a total of 3 cm increase in the height of the rear. You could go for a 140/70 (thats the only size with the new Michelins - did you think of those?) and there the height increases by only 0.8 cm - or 1.6 cm total. I don't think the 1 cm less contact patch would really matter much. More important is how the tyre sits on the stock rim. If the 150/60 was slightly balooning sideways, the 140/70 would sit fine. But the stock 150/60 does not baloon laterally out of the rim edges so I have a concern if the bead rim of the 140/70 tyre will get good purchase to lock against the rim edge or you will run the risk of the edge popping out under certain conditions. Difficult to know until you actually see and try on the spot.

[Desmosedici]

Originally Posted by ebonho

The 150/70 will be 1.5 cm taller - so a total of 3 cm increase in the height of the rear. You could go for a 140/70 (thats the only size with the new Michelins - did you think of those?) and there the height increases by only 0.8 cm - or 1.6 cm total. I don't think the 1 cm less contact patch would really matter much. More important is how the tyre sits on the stock rim. If the 150/60 was slightly balooning sideways, the 140/70 would sit fine. But the stock 150/60 does not baloon laterally out of the rim edges so I have a concern if the bead rim of the 140/70 tyre will get good purchase to lock against the rim edge or you will run the risk of the edge popping out under certain conditions. Difficult to know until you actually see and try on the spot.

My colleague rides solo so overall increase of height in the rear is not an issue. Only issue is the tyre fitting and will it rub anywhere.

i get your point on the 140/70, makes me think as well.

Checked the Michelins as well but they are costlier than the PSDs i think.

I will try to see if we get anymore leads on this. He has decided on the change to PSD, only when is the question. Mostly in a month or so when the bonus is announced . Till that time i will ask him to check out the retail prices and the buyback offered on the MRFs which have hardly run around 1600kms.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Desmosedici

My colleague rides solo so overall increase of height in the rear is not an issue. Only issue is the tyre fitting and will it rub anywhere.

i get your point on the 140/70, makes me think as well.

Checked the Michelins as well but they are costlier than the PSDs i think.

The tyres (except for the 130/70) will definitely rub with the hugger. That will need to go. Good riddance anyways .....

If possible, please post photos of the stock MRF Revz compared front on (for width/contact patch/cirature) and side on (for overall height/tyre wall width) with the 150/70 and the 140/70 PSDs. Should clear a lot of issues. And compare prices too ..... would be a great reasonably priced alternative (if available).

[Desmosedici]

Originally Posted by ebonho

The tyres (except for the 130/70) will definitely rub with the hugger. That will need to go. Good riddance anyways .....

If possible, please post photos of the stock MRF Revz compared front on (for width/contact patch/cirature) and side on (for overall height/tyre wall width) with the 150/70 and the 140/70 PSDs. Should clear a lot of issues. And compare prices too ..... would be a great reasonably priced alternative (if available).

130/70 wont fit snug IMO as it might be quite smaller on the rims. Agree on the hugger but my colleague wants to retain it.

I said you cant have the cake and eat it so decide. Its either a 150/70 PSD without hugger or just stop thinking of a tyre change.

God knows why these kids like the hugger so much.

[Achekay]

Hi Doc,
I bought a 200 Duke on 31st march and I am having it seviced in a few days. I need to know if the Motul 10w40 oil is better than Motul 20w50 or the other way round ?
Regards,
Hrushikesh

[abhinav.s]

Originally Posted by Achekay

Hi Doc,
I bought a 200 Duke on 31st march and I am having it seviced in a few days. I need to know if the Motul 10w40 oil is better than Motul 20w50 or the other way round ?

Though question is directed at Doc, putting in my 2$. KTM recommended or rather as per the manual Bajaj recommended oil is 20W50. Here in Bangalore, by default in the first service they use Motul 7100 20W50 Fully Synthetic oil, unless you ask for Bajaj DTSI10000 oil. 20W50 is the correct grade and better to stick with it.

[theexperthand]

Doc (and other fellow 200 guys), how does the bike fare on off the road conditions?

I am thinking of retiring my Unicorn and Duke 200 is the top pick as the replacement as of now, but I want a bike which handles better than Unicorn, can stick to curves and can feel home at trails and will be happy to do occasional boulder climbing and table top jumps - based on your experience, do you think KTM is the right choice?

--Anoop

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Achekay

Hi Doc,
I bought a 200 Duke on 31st march and I am having it seviced in a few days. I need to know if the Motul 10w40 oil is better than Motul 20w50 or the other way round ?
Regards,
Hrushikesh

Sorry Hrushikesh I missed your query earlier. Please stick to what the company recommends. I never play around and experiment with oil.

Originally Posted by theexperthand

Doc (and other fellow 200 guys), how does the bike fare on off the road conditions?

Very well, even with stock tyres.

Except in very slippery soft slush (red mud clay variety) where traction is very tough. But then short of knobbies, most other road tyres as well do not fare much better. Some with buttons do so marginally.

Another exception is coming down a very steep gradient where even the engine braking in 1st proves inadequate to control the descnt. And then with the rear brake, you start sliding and find it really challenging to control the rate (and direction!) of descent. Buttons fare much better here.

I am thinking of retiring my Unicorn and Duke 200 is the top pick as the replacement as of now

I don'd see a better upgrade from the current lot frankly.

but I want a bike which handles better than Unicorn, can stick to curves and can feel home at trails

Easily. And mch better than the Unicorn.

and will be happy to do occasional boulder climbing and table top jumps - based on your experience, do you think KTM is the right choice?

For this no. No big boulders (the belly pan limits the approach clearance). Definitely control the jumps. The 200s seem to have less alloy failures than the 390, but an alloy is not a spoked wheel. If you want to do jumps, get spoked wheels.

[theexperthand]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Very well, even with stock tyres.

Thank you Doc!

Except in very slippery soft slush (red mud clay variety) where traction is very tough. But then short of knobbies, most other road tyres as well do not fare much better. Some with buttons do so marginally.

Another exception is coming down a very steep gradient where even the engine braking in 1st proves inadequate to control the descnt. And then with the rear brake, you start sliding and find it really challenging to control the rate (and direction!) of descent. Buttons fare much better here.

Perfectly agree. For those kind of scenarios, I have to look for a button tyre (though something like M45 would have been a good compromise - they did much better than the zappers )

I don'd see a better upgrade from the current lot frankly.

Yes, unless I get a Hero Impulse with a bigger engine. Sigh!

Easily. And mch better than the Unicorn.

That is good to hear

For this no. No big boulders (the belly pan limits the approach clearance). Definitely control the jumps. The 200s seem to have less alloy failures than the 390, but an alloy is not a spoked wheel. If you want to do jumps, get spoked wheels.

Seems like this is a trade off I have to make if I want to go for an upgrade.

I have heard that Duke can be started even if the bike gets switched off when silencer is immersed in water - is there any truth in this, or is it a myth? water fording - I hope the silencer will not create issue as long as I keep the bike revving.

Thanks again for the inputs, doc.

--Anoop

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by theexperthand

I have heard that Duke can be started even if the bike gets switched off when silencer is immersed in water - is there any truth in this, or is it a myth? water fording - I hope the silencer will not create issue as long as I keep the bike revving.

Frankly I've never had the guts to try it on my own bike, though I've seen the same video everyone probably has.

If someone gives me a test bike though, I don't mind testing this and reporting back to you.

[theexperthand]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Frankly I've never had the guts to try it on my own bike, though I've seen the same video everyone probably has.

If someone gives me a test bike though, I don't mind testing this and reporting back to you.

Hope I may not have to find it out the wrong way.

OT: Once the monsoon starts, may of the streets will turn into small streams so I cannot avoid going through water and many times my Unicorn have waded through almost knee deep water while commuting and during off road rides.

--Anoop

[Joxster]

Originally Posted by theexperthand

I have heard that Duke can be started even if the bike gets switched off when silencer is immersed in water - is there any truth in this, or is it a myth? water fording - I hope the silencer will not create issue as long as I keep the bike revving.

Thanks again for the inputs, doc.

--Anoop

Originally Posted by ebonho

Frankly I've never had the guts to try it on my own bike, though I've seen the same video everyone probably has.

If someone gives me a test bike though, I don't mind testing this and reporting back to you.

Being an owner of a Duke 200, and having tested this, I can tell you that it has absolutely no issues being submerged in water. It can indeed idle in water without revving, and you can even switch it off and start it again after sometime while the silencer is submerged

Here's a video to show you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqMc1q_dEGc

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Joxster

It can indeed idle in water without revving, and you can even switch it off and start it again after sometime while the silencer is submerged

Thanks Joxter. Idling is one thing. But have you actually shut down and restarted the bike yourself while it was submerged in water? That would be great to know. Am sure that is a major consideration for those looking to replace the OE system with an aftermarket "performance" exhaust and still wanting this unique submersibility.