Top 5 modifications for the KTM Duke 200 and 390

The KTM Duke twins have transformed the biking scenario in India in many ways. They offer international styling, dynamics and most importantly, stunning performance, at an unbeatable price. The power packed twins have almost zilch competition in terms of power-to-price ratio. While the Duke 200 is a short geared 25 bhp hooligan, its elder brother, the Duke 390 packs 43 Arabian Stallions in its single cylinder engine.

So you bought one of those Orange ‘Joy’ machines home, but there’s another bloke in your neighborhood who has a similar motorcycle. What do you do then to snatch the alpha male tag away from him? We’ve tried to list a few modifications which will make you the Duke of Powerburgh.

1) Change the Headlights

Apart from the engine, the stickering and the paint scheme, there isn’t much that differentiates the Duke 200 and the 390. We love the old gen headlamps on the Street triple and adding something similar to the Duke will definitely make it look more meaner. Such headlamps are readily available on Ebay and also come with a clamp which should make it an easy fit. However, we aren’t sure about the illumination quality in the dark.

2) Get a Tail-tidy kit

The longish rear fender is good for protection. However, the way it does the dance on the move doesn’t look as stylish as the bike itself. Installing a Tail-tidy kit curtails the length of the bike and manages to make it appear more aggressive.

3) Get a Windshield for the highways

Ever noticed how constant wind-blast on the highways tires you much earlier in the ride than you expected. Although faired motorcycles will always have that advantage over a naked bike on long open stretches of road, one can always add a windshield to cruise at triple digit speeds in comfort. Some have even made a few modifications and fitted the Yamaha Fazer windscreen on the Duke.

4) Exhaust

The underbelly exhaust looks neat and also aids in attacking corners. However, it sounds rather feeble to some. An Akrapovic will definitely make things louder, add some more ‘B’ to the Bhp and will ensure like minded enthusiasts put their thumbs up at a red-light.

5) Remap the ECU or get a piggyback power box

The Duke twins are fast already, but humans have an itch to go faster each passing day. Although you could buy a faster motorcycle altogether, there’s a different charm in making some changes to make your existing machine go faster. You can either directly get the ECU remapped, which alters the way power is delivered, or if you wish so, eliminates or extends the rev limit. It could void your warranty if the blokes at the service center find out that the ECU has been tweaked. Another way to manipulate with the electronics is to add a piggy back power box, which gives you the luxury to plug it off if the need arises and also lets you toggle between modes.

These are changes which don’t require much time and effort and we are sure there are more such ideas people have out there. If you are one of those, do share it with us in the comments section below