Oddball Rodeo

Proof that displacement isn’t always the answer (or is it?)

- Sherman Hale Nazareth

Considering that the general lot of Indian parents aren’t motorcyclists themselves, it’d be irrefutably difficult to justify the numbers these two motorcycles have on paper to them. I assume it’d be a much easier task asking them to find you a wife. Unless they’re already fascinated with motorcycles, have piles of unaccounted money just lying around, or you’ve already gotten yourself a decently paying job, these motorcycles will remain a fevered dream. But let me assure you, the wait will be worth it. If either of these motorcycles have you salivating at the thought of them, you’ve got your bearing right. The 200 Duke and MT 15 aren’t motorcycles you buy out of sensibility. You buy them because your teenage hormones haven’t died down yet. Or maybe they’re just about kicking in.

Now I’ve gotten rather accustomed to riding heavier, more powerful motorcycles over the years. But there’s no denying that if it has two wheels, I will have a great time riding it, irrespective of the brand or the specifications. KTM and Yamaha have primarily been focussed on performance for decades now. But more importantly, the MT 15 and 200 Duke are your introductory tickets into the world of performance motorcycling. You could argue that KTM also has the 125 Duke. And despite its edgy handling, that engine is, well, for lack of a better phrase, quite insipid. You could also argue that the other 200cc motorcycles available here are also decent performers, and so much cheaper, too. Yamaha’s own FZ25 is cheaper than the MT 15 and has a whole 100cc of more displacement.