KTM has done it again, by the beard of a dead stoner’s mother they have. They unveiled the KTM RC 390 and RC 200 at a rather bland ceremony today at incredible prices! How do they keep doing that? I have no clue. And why haven’t other manufacturers started doing it? I still have no clue. In any case, KTM has once again taken the Indian 2 wheeler market by the balls, and their grip is getting tighter by the minute. Let’s take a look at some of the features of these bikes, all of which were already revealed before the launch. Oh, and to differentiate between the RC sisters, all you have is the all black scheme of RC 200, and little-bit-of-white scheme of RC 390. Good decision? You tell me.
KTM RC 390 launch: 2.05 lacs (ex-showroom Delhi) price
So as expected, the RC 390 has been launched at a premium of 25,000 over the Duke. The difference is a little less than what most people expected, but I’m sure no one is complaining! The RC is not different from the Duke as far as performance goes, but styling changes make it look like a complete different animal. Here are some features of the RC 390:
- Beautiful dual projector (55/65W) headlights with Daytime Running Lights (which cops will not like)
- Mirror mounted turn indicators are sexy as Sunny Leone running on a treadmill wearing a bikini
- Sporty riding position with clip-on handlebars
- Fully faired look will appeal to the real Indian deep inside every Indian
- Fuel capacity is further reduced to 10 liters, which sucks giant amounts of ass
- The bike weights 8kgs more than the Duke, and is still pretty light at 147kgs
- Front suspension travel has been reduced by 25mm to 125mm, not good news for those front rims
- Steering angle reduced to 65 degrees from 66.5 degrees on the Duke, better flickability
- Wheelbase reduced by 27mm, so better dynamics on corners
- Seat height increased to 820mm, making life for short guys even harder
- Ground clearance increased by 8.5mm to 178.5, to lean even more in those corners
All in all, a fantastic track tool has just been delivered to our doorstep at an incredible price! The KTM RC 390 may not be a good touring bike, and people confused between the RC and the Duke may take a look at this article, where I have clearly pointed out the pros and cons for each machine, and what will suit your riding style the best!
KTM RC 200 launch: 1.60 lacs (ex-showroom Delhi) price
The first thing that you should not is how well the KTM RC 200 has been priced, just 20,000 more than the Duke 200, but more importantly, ~25,000 less than the Duke 390. This will ensure a unique place for this unique machine, and help solve the confusion that many many people will have while making this decision. Here are some features of the RC 200, most of which are identical to the Duke, as expected:
- Weights 137.5kgs against the 125kgs of Duke 200
- Front suspension travel reduced by 25mm, as with RC 390
- Steering angle reduced to 65 degrees
- Wheelbase reduced by 27mm
- Seat height increased by 10mm to 820mm
- Increased ground clearance at 178.5mm
- Fuel tank capacity reduced by 1 liter
- Dual projector headlights with DRLs and mirror mounted indicators
- Clip-on handlebars
So it’s the same story as the RC 390, the RC 200 is mostly a sporty and track focused version of the Duke, which I am sure many people would appreciate. The RC 200 could become an excellent track bike for beginners, who can then move on to the 390 for better speed. Hopefully, someone will take advantage of these bikes and start some racing events in India! That would be pretty awesome now, wouldn’t it?
Must be drooling ?
Not much actually Swadhin 🙂 Lot of other things to drool about!