KTM RC200 Vs Pulsar RS200- Shootout

• May 8, 2015
• |   Comments

KTM RC200 was enjoying the 200cc market of fully faired motorcycle for quite sometime but Bajaj decided to give it competition in the form of Newly launched RS200. We have seen a battle before between KTM Duke 200 and Pulsar 200NS in which KTM offered features which 200NS lacked like fuel injection, a bit of more power and torque, upside down front suspension etc. but in the same time 200NS was bang for your buck machine but this time the competition between RC200 and RS200 is fierce and neck to neck. So which machine is better for you RC200 or RS200? Here is a quick comparison between Race Competition and Race Sport.

First let us tell you about KTM RC200, KTM launched Duke 200 and enjoyed its success but KTM didn't have a faired machine for track and fairing lovers, so they came up with RC200 which was perfect for track and has a tweaked engine of duke 200. KTM RC200 has a 199.5cc engine which churns out 25.65 bhp @10000 rpm and torque of 19 nm @8000 rpm, the engine is a single cylinder unit with four valves, liquid cooled and mated to a six-speed manual transmission.

The motorcycle has got lower set clip on type handlebars, twin projector headlamps, underbelly exhaust, aerodynamic sitting posture and design, led indicators which adds to its uniqueness, Digital console which is same as Duke 200, upside-down front forks and the bike is 12 Kgs heavier than it's naked sibling. The pillion seat is a bit high which looks sporty but at the same time may cause problem to pillion rider. Bajaj has launched their first fully faired motorcycle, which took two and half years to build the product but the result which came out was fruitful, Pulsar RS200 has the same engine which we have seen on 200NS but this time it has got fuel injection for better power and fuel economy. The 199.5cc engine with single cylinder, triple spark, 4-valve, liquid cooled engine produces 24.5 bhp @9750 rpm and torque of 18.6 nm @8000 rpm which is almost 1 bhp and 0.4 nm lesser than RC200.

The bike has got twin projector headlamps which looks attractive, the tail light is a topic of controversy, the digital console is directly carried from 200NS, it has got LED indicators which we have seen on KTM bikes available in India, the bike is a bit heavier at around 165 Kgs than the RC200 but RS200 offers something which even RC200 fails to give as an option and that is single channel ABS offered on RS200 with a price difference of almost 12k over the standard model.

Design- Both the bikes has got killer looks and can attract a lot of attention on road but in our opinion it's RC200 which has an edge over RS200 but that doesn't mean RS200 looks dull, the curves and design of RS200 are done in such a way that one just can't take his eyeballs off the mean machine. In simple, if you want a practical design for Indian roads it's RS200 but if you want a design which is focused for track purposes RC200 is the way to go. The rear of RC200 is also set high as compared to RS200.

Performance- Both are almost neck to neck in terms of performance but as stated above RC200 has almost 1 bhp and 0.4nm more than RS200. The KTM RC200 has a better initial acceleration than RS200 but RS200 has better top end than RC200. According to KTM, RC200 can reach up to a speed of 138 kmph but RS200 on the other hand can reach up to 141 kmph as claimed by Bajaj but some motorcycle specialists have claimed to go beyond that speed on Bajaj's chakan test track. If performance is the main criteria and you want a bike which is a perfect track tool KTM RC200 is an awesome bike and if you are a commuter and want a perfect sports machine for touring, commuting and sometimes using it on track, Pulsar RS200 is an overall package. Unique Features-

KTM RC200
* Upside down forks
* Underbelly exhaust
* More initial pickup than RS200
* Higher power to weight ratio
* The seat is designed in such a way that it looks like the bike has a cowl in rear.

Pulsar RS200
* Single channel ABS as an option
* Higher top speed than RC200
* Value for money
* Throaty exhaust Things We Didn't Like-


KTM RC200
* The riding posture is very aggressive
* Priced higher than RS200 still lacks ABS
* The fuel tank capacity is less

Pulsar RS200
* Dual channel ABS could have been offered
* 165 Kgs is too much for 200cc sports bike
* Design is a bit overdone
* We can't switch off ABS Conclusion-

Both the bikes have twin projector headlamps, full fairing and are powered by 200cc mill with fuel injection, liquid cooled, 4-valve producing almost equal amount of power and torque. Even though RC200 is priced higher, Pulsar RS200 has ABS which RC200 lacks. If you want a committed machine for track and riding in city sometimes buy KTM RC200 but if you want a machine which is good at track, city, touring without getting tired, thanks to high set handlebars which looks bad but are comfortable to be with, go and buy Pulsar RS200. Rest all depends upon your personal preference and opinions.

Price-
By: Shafqat