KTM Duke 200 VS KTM RC 200: The best entry level “big bikes” for under RM20,000

At RM13,888 and RM15,888, the KTM Duke 200 and the RC 200 are what we call “bang for the buck”

Contrary to popular belief, you no longer have to fork out a fortune to get yourself a proper entry-level high-capacity motorcycle, or to familiarize yourself with sports bikes like we used to a decade ago.

Take these two models for instance – The KTM Duke 200 and the KTM RC 200 here are priced only at an affordable price tag of RM13,888 and RM15,888 respectively.

Despite being offered with a competitive price tag, both these models are in no way inadequate in terms of quality and performance, and here’s why.

KTM Duke 200 – RM13,888

Powered by a 199.5 cc liquid-cooled, single-cylinder Euro-5 compliant DOHC engine that makes 26 hp of power at 10,000 rpm and 19.5 Nm of torque at 8,000 rpm, the Duke 200 also gets a six-speed gearbox and a chain final drive.

Complementing the powertrain is the suspension setup which comprises the ultra-light WP upside-down forks up front, as well as a preload-adjustable monoshock at the rear.

And then we have the 17-inch cast alloy racing wheels which are wrapped in a 110 mm-wide tire in front and a 150 mm rear tire which offers an impressive amount of grip.

Stopping power on the other hand comes courtesy of Brembo’s Bybre braking system which includes a two-piston calliper on the front wheel grabbing a 300 mm disc, and a single-piston calliper and 230 mm diameter disc on the back wheel, with two-channel ABS offered standard.

Design wise, the Duke 200 now comes with an aggressive looking LED lighting which looks similar to the ones on its bigger siblings. While the LED DRLs although the main headlight is still a halogen unit, an LED unit is found at the rear.

The icing on the cake is of course, the “ready-to-race” stance, the sharp lines, as well as the aggressive looking livery design that make the Duke 200 look fast even when its stationary.

Last but not least, the Duke 200 comes with super comfortable seats for the rider and also the pillion, making it ideal even for long distance journeys.

KTM RC 200 – RM15,888

Those who want something sportier and more race-oriented at an affordable price tag should definitely consider the RC 200 here.

Powered by the same 199 cc as the Duke 200, the RC 200 gets a few additional goodies such as a front fairing with an aggressive looking headlight with LED DRLs and foldable side mirrors.

Dubbed as the “everyday racer”, the KTM RC 200 gets not one or two, but numerous premium features like the WP Apex big piston upside-down front forks, radially mounted 4-piston fixed calipers by Bybre brakes, as well as an ultra-lightweight trellis frame which is 1.5 kg lighter than the outgoing model.

Also new are the bionic wheel design which is 1 kg lighter than before, and the 13.7-litre fuel tank inspired by the KTM RC4 race bike.

Rocking a design inspired by the KTM RC16 MotoGP racing bike, the RC 200 here does not only look like a MotoGP bike, but also comes with components that make it handle like one, proving itself as a true blue racer with a practicality of a daily bike.

Speaking of practicality, the RC 200 also comes with a pair of comfortable seats for the rider and the pillion for daily commuting as well as long distance rides.

Also part of the package is the Supermoto ABS which allows the rider to brake hard without having to worry about the bike losing composure.

At the same time, you can take it straight to the race track and push it to the limits, and put the high-revving performance-oriented engine which propels the bike from 0 to 100 km/h in an impressive 9.9 seconds, to the test.

It is also worth mentioning here that both the Duke 200 and the RC 200 come with a new, high quality LCD display that shows all the necessary information to the rider in style.

As long as the list of features are, they are all not only by top brands in the motorcycling scene, but also come with a price tag that is only slightly more than new 150 cc scooters in the market, just to put things into perspective.

So, depending on what your requirements are, you are pretty much covered. If you want a punchy, agile, lightweight naked bike that is perfect for daily commuting and also for occasional rides up Karak and whatnot, you should get your hands on the Duke 200.

If you want something to ride to work on weekdays and the racetrack over the weekend, the more aggressive RC 200 is ideal for you.