TURN IT UP
Ooh, the curves! Isn’t that what looking cool in college was all about anyway? Well, at least if you belonged to the less fair of the sexes. Out here, aggression is pointless if the rest of the motorcycle isn’t up for ridiculously quick changes in direction and, to be fair, it’s a really tough fight between the two. While the Duke, with its tiny frame, is effortless in a sense, you do have to be wise in adapting to its ways. Its lack of girth and tendency to fall into corners is almost unnerving and truth be told, it’s one of those motorcycles which is best ridden without hanging off too much. Look where you want to go and the Duke will take you there, quicker than you’d have imagined it. If God has been generous while endowing your proportions, you
will find the Duke a bit cramped, however.
The TNT 25 is more old school in this aspect. Big, roomy and very predictable most of the time, the TNT is fun to ride really recklessly thanks to the one virtue common to every single Benelli — its cycle parts. The chassis, tyres, suspension and brakes will just never let you down, provided you get the hang of it quickly enough. Where the TNT suffers is in its basic handling setup, which is biased towards touring rather than all-out streetfighting and this shows in the way it responds to very aggressive inputs. The suspension is a bit too soft to make full use of the chassis’ potential and its kerb weight plays a major role in adding a sense of sluggishness to its dynamics. For the benefit of perspective, think of the Duke as Rossi’s M1 — light, nimble and effortless — and the TNT 25 as the Desmosedici — quite a workout, but rewarding in the hands of a really good rider. Guess who’ll want to go fishing sooner, though.
KNOCKOUT PUNCH
In the big bad game of motorcycling adolescence, being good enough is unacceptable. It takes a special quality to be remembered as the baddest lad of your time and while the distinction isn’t split wide open in this case, it’s still easy to tell. The KTM 200 Duke is a motorcycle that’s not entirely perfect, but its imperfections are just as addictive as its all-round performance that is hard to beat. The TNT 25 is a seriously good effort and a very likeable motorcycle, but the extra dough you have to shell out for it isn’t fully justified. In other words, both are fun, but the Duke is much more so. You’ll put yourself closer to the edge astride the Duke and probably take a tumble or two in the process.
But a decade later, it’s
a regret you’d be
happier recollecting.
MOTODATA
KTM 200 Duke
POWERTRAIN
Displacement: 199.5cc, single-cylinder
Max power: 24.6 bhp@10,000 rpm
Max torque: 1.9 kgm@8000 rpm
Transmission: 6-speed
CHASSIS
Type: Steel trellis
SUSPENSION
(F/R): Inverted fork /monoshock
BRAKES
(F/R): 300 mm disc/230 mm disc
TYRES
(F/R): 110/70 R17 / 150/60 R17
DIMENSIONS
L/W/H (mm): NA
Wheelbase: 1367 mm
Kerb weight: 136 kg
Fuel tank: 11 litres
PRICE: Rs 1.36 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai)
MOTODATA
DSK Benelli TNT 25
POWERTRAIN
Displacement: 249cc, single-cylinder
Max power: 28.1 bhp@9800 rpm
Max torque: 2.2 kgm@8000 rpm
Transmission: 6-speed
CHASSIS
Type: Steel trellis
SUSPENSION
(F/R): Inverted fork /monoshock
BRAKES
(F/R): 280 mm petal disc/240 mm
petal disc
TYRES
(F/R): 110/70 R17 / 150/60 R17
DIMENSIONS
L/W/H (mm): 2080/810/1125
Wheelbase: 1400mm
Kerb weight: 159 kg
Fuel tank: 17 litres
PRICE: Rs 1.72 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai)
