Swing a leg over the new 200 Duke and a sense of compactness comes over. You sit slightly more bent forward, in true streetfighter fashion and the new fuel tank encompasses the inner thighs much more than the previous tank design which left the knees feeling rather lonely. The seat is also much more comfortable and the 5mm increase in seat height further amplifies the aggressive riding posture.
Now, the revised riding position along with the new chassis has made the 200 Duke nimbler and more precise than before. The motorcycle feels light and switched sides on the chicanes effortlessly. It would surely be a hoot filtering through traffic as well.
Underneath the new split-trellis frame, the 200 Duke uses the same 199cc, single-cylinder engine that has been tweaked to make it friendlier with the environment. While most manufacturers had to dial down the power output due to BS6 compliance, KTM managed to retain the same figures- 24.7bhp and 19.3Nm. Now, while the power figures are the same, the motor feels dialed-down; almost robbed of the hooligan rush it once offered.
On the bright side, the 200 Duke continues to hit a top speed of 137kmph and offers a more precise gearbox. And with way lesser vibrations emanating from the BS6 motor, the new 200 Duke feels smoother as well. Also, the dual-channel ABS sourced from Bosch works wonders in bringing the Duke to a halt without any drama and is the least intrusive system out there.