It would be a gross understatement to say that these two have taken India by storm..
and the raging debate to decipher which is more bad ass of the two has been at the root
of most of the drunken brawls in pubs all across India.
So in the matter of public interest we decided to take this issue in our own hands.
These are hands down the best looking naked street fighters available in India right now.
So either way you can't go wrong. The Duke stands out mainly because of its
offbeat supermoto inspired design. It is chiseled, razor sharp and flaming orange. So you won't
just stand out in a crowd, you will be grabbing those eyeballs.
The NS is more understated in comparison but is no less of a looker. I mean, it resembles
a brute with its sculpts, the naked frame and the fat rear tyre. It has been designed
to tell the world that it means business. But as far as attention to detail is concerned,
the Duke is the clear winner here.
The Duke has been built for a purpose and comfort didn't rank very high on that plan. The suspension is a little on the stiffer
side, the pilot seat is hard and the pillion one, almost non-existent.
This is where the NS shines through. The riding position is sporty but not overly aggressive.
The seats are well padded and designed for comfort. the suspension too is a bit on the
softer side. So if comfort is what you are looking for, for your city and long rides,
the NS is definitely the way to go.
Both these bikes share very similar engine
configuration, both are 200cc, both are liquid cooled, make pretty much the same amount of
power and both feature 4 valves. Even though the KTM is fuel injected with
a single spark plug where as the NS is carbureted with three spark plugs for efficient combustion.
But it is the way the power is delivered on these two bikes which really sets them apart.
The Duke accelerates almost like a 2 stroke because of its short gearing and kerb weight
of just 136 kgs. And the double overhead camshafts ensure quick revs with minimum vibrations.
The power delivery on the NS is more linear and its taller gearing means you accelerate
hard but it's not as exaggerated as the Duke. Also the SOHC setup means you can feel the
engine stress more on high rpms as compared to the Duke.
So head-on the Duke does accelerate a shade faster than the NS.
In the braking department the NS features a 280mm front disc and normal brake lines
as compared to the Duke with 300mm front disc and steel braided lines. But it provides just
as good stopping power as the KTM although the feedback on the latter is a bit better.
Both these bikes are neck to neck as far as the handling is concerned.
The upright handlebars on both bikes make it very easy for a rider to tip the bike into
corners and both feel planted all the way through.
Although, it is a little easier for the rider to anchor on the KTM Duke because of the rear
set footpegs and sculpted tank design. On the NS it takes more effort to lock your
knee but once you find the sweet spot on the tank and footpegs, the Pulsar provides a great
body position to attack corners as well. Also the linear power delivery and taller
gearing and on the NS makes it a lot easier for new riders to ride the bike around corners
especially when compared to the spurty power delivery on the Duke which requires much better
throttle control. Experienced riders though will love the Duke for this very reason.
So that brings us to the verdict now.. or does it?
So we obviously cannot have this review without that! I mean stunting is such an important
part of both KTM as well as Bajaj cause that's what made them the brands they are today.
But when we talk about stunting we had to get a professional.
And who better than India's rising stunting star - Hrishikesh Mandke
So after riding these bikes though what was the difference that you found between these two bikes? Is there any difference from a
stunting point of view? Yeah! There is a difference between the forks.
If you see the KTM forks are upside down and NS has stock forks.
So you are basically saying that even though this has better equipment in terms of upside
down forks, they are a little on the heavier side whereas because this has stock forks
they are lighter and easier to pull wheelies. Right.
Ok ok also the handlebars are different. Does that make any difference at all?
Yeah if you use single handlebar, it is very easy to pull wheelies on single handlebar
as compared to a two piece handlebar. So again there the KTM has an advantage because
of its single one piece handlebar. Balance, it was very good on the NS as compared
to the KTM just because of the brakes system. I like the peddle compared to the KTM. If
you see the KTM peddle, it's very short and round. So there are more chances to your leg
getting slipped while doing stunt riding or free styling.
And lastly what do you think of the power delivery.
The KTM is very aggressive as compared to the NS and NS is very smooth as compared to
the KTM. So if you want to do fastest wheelie this is best and if you want to do slow wheelies
and free styling, this bike is best. So, overall, I know you like both the bikes,
but if you had to choose for any stunt show, what would be your first option?
NS! NS it is. Ok thank you so much. It was great having you and seeing you pull off those
awesome wheelies.
Now that we have ridden these bikes extensively, having ridden them back to back to see how they do, what are your impressions?
Choosing between these two street fighters is simply a matter of mind and heart.
Yeah that's definitely a good way of putting it because my heart would definitely go for
the Duke because of its spunky power delivery which makes even normal city commutes seem
like a lip smacking proposal. But if you sit down and listen to your mind,
the NS makes a whole lot of sense. It is comfortable, versatile, its good on looks and is evenly
matched on power. Yeah that's true and another thing is it got
the vote of our professional stunter who said that this one was a better choice because
it was more comfortable making it a lot easier to stunt on. And not to forget it is a good
45 thousand cheaper than the Duke. So I think that's all there is from our side
cause we are done with the testing and we have put the ball in your court now because
it is up to you to decide to go for the heart or to go for your mind.