Just a few years ago, if I were to ask anyone down the street what KTM is, the answer would simply be Kathmandu. Back then, probably less than 1% population of Nepal were acquainted with the KTM brand. But today, things are a lot different. When asked about KTM, most of the youths reply, it's my dream. That's how much desirable KTM bikes have become in just a few years time.
In this post, I present you a comprehensive review of the KTM RC 200. Having used the bike for 9 months and 20 days, I have enough information about the RC 200 for you to make your purchase decision. So, let's dive into it.
Introduction
KraftfahrzeugeTrunkenpolzMattighofen (yeap, you guessed it, it's the full form of KTM), an australian company which started producing motorcycles starting 1953 debut it's first motorcycle, the KTM RC 200, in Nepal back in March, 2012.
The Duke 200 was the bike they first launched in Nepal and through this bike, the company wanted to know if Nepalese really were interested in high performance competitively priced machine. And boy were the surprised. In the first year of their launch, they got an overwhelming response from their customers.
Mr. Shekhar Golchha, the executive director of HH Bajaj and the man behind KTM brand in Nepal, soon decided to launch the even more powerful KTM Duke 390. Shortly, the company also bought the KTM RC 200 and the KTM RC 390 in Nepal. Even now, all the bikes in their lineup are doing extremely. The RC
Okay, coming back the KTM RC 200, the bike surprised and excited many! Nepal had seen high performance bikes in the past but never had they seen one priced so competitively. And I was one of those who just couldn't resist purchasing this monster. And there I was, with a bag full of cash, ready to cash-in for my new baby, the KTM RC 200.
I still remember the night I took it home. I just couldn't wait for the sun to rise up so I can ride my baby again. The bike still thrills me and there's very little there is to complain about the bike. But that is not to say that the bike isn't without its flaws. In fact, there are many. And I will be talking about all of those down below. In the end, I will also be telling you the reason on why to buy the bike and also why not to.
Design
The build quality of the KTM RC 200 is solid. The bike looks and feels good and is certainly an attention grabber. The switches are also of good quality and the overall feel of the bike is great. The paint is now UV resistant and so, there is no discoloration in summers even when the temperature is as high as 40 degrees.
If you are a student and go to college on the bike, be assured that all the other students will notice you. The bike looks stylish and very upmarket. The exhaust note is something that not everyone will like, but it sure is different to all the other bikes in the market right now.
The underbelly exhaust makes the design of the bike look clean but it has its flaws. It's really easy to hit the underbelly of the bike. And I have scraped the unique looking silencer of the bike many a times.
Peformance
Handling
Coming to the chassis , it's the trellis frame that is slightly modified from KTM Duke to adequate supersport ergonomics. The handling on the bike is the same as on the MOTOGP bike. The excellent chassis and the powerful engine means that riding pleasure is one of the best you will find in any bike of this segment. It's not only the most powerful bike in the segment but also one of the most agile one.
Fuel Tank Capacity and Mileage
Now coming to mileage, I have mixed opinions on the RC 200. At the beginning of my journey with this bike, the bike returned around 30KMPL but at present the mileage is around 24 -26KMPL. However, if you are riding on the highway, you can achieve 34KMPL given you ride it at a constant speed on 6th gear.The fuel tank capacity of just 9.5L is the smallest I have seen. It would be great if the company increases the tank capacity of the bike in the next iteration.
The Good
The price of the KTM RC 200 has to be one of the best thing about the bike. The price of the RC 200 in Nepal is Rs. 5,42,900 and at this price point, it's really hard to get any other bike that is this fun to ride. The brakes on the bike are also awesome, accompanied by 300mm front disc with 230mm rear disc with steel braded lines. The front forks are by WP and they are upside down, it certainly grabs attention of anyone who knows about them. The headlights are also bright thanks to the use of two projectors on the front. The mean looking DLRs make the bike look more attractive.
The Bad
Both the front and rear discs on the bike may be awesome but the lack of ABS is a bummer. Also, there is a recent issue in all KTM bikes where the Valve clearance makes tick-tick noise. The noise from the valves is not only very annoying but also worrisome. The service centers of Nepal are yet to acknowledge this issue and fix it.
And taking about service centers, there are just a few of them and the service cost of owning a KTM bike is high. Also, the availability of the spares of the bike is limited.
The ride quality is firm and very uncomfortable on broken tarmac thanks to it's WP forks. Also, the pillion seat is just fine for short travel and if you plan on carrying your parents or grandma at the back, look elsewhere. Longer journey with a pillion at the back is not comfortable and nor is it safe with this bike.
The Competition
The KTM RC 200 faces strong competition from the Benelli TNT 300, the KTM Duke 200 and the Bajaj Dominar 400. The Yamaha FZ-25 is another competitor for this bike. There are just a few number of players in this class of bike at this price point. You can find the latest price of KTM bikes in Nepal here .
