KTM 250 Duke

Quick Review by Maxabout

The 250cc version of the naked street bike is the mid segment manifestation of the elegant KTM Duke series. Luckily the KTM 250 Duke borrows a lot of the design aesthetics of the 390 Duke. It proudly boasts of a lineage which is clearly coming from the monster 1290 Super Duke R.

The KTM Duke 250 is cheaper than the 390 Duke and about Rs. 29,500 costlier than KTM 200 Duke. It brings some bunch of extra features to the package along with standard cues taken from 200 Duke. The naked street bike is about Rs. 52,000 cheaper than the 390 Duke of which it is heavily inspired. Duke 250 comes at an ex-showroom Delhi price of INR 1,73,000. Duke 250 is KTM's attempt to cover a lucrative 250cc performance segment in the country which has found new entrants from Yamaha (FZ25), Kawasaki (Z250) and Benelli (TNT 25) already.

The bike has an overall length of 2026 mm and it is 836 mm wide. The bike stands with a good frame with a height of 1267 mm. Duke 250 has an increased seat height of 830 mm just like the 390 Duke. The bike has a wheelbase of 1357 mm and has a promising ground clearance of 185 mm. The bike also has a bigger fuel tank thankfully with a 13.5 litres capacity just like it's elder sibling. The bike has a wet weight of 161 kilograms which is slightly on the heavier side in this segment.

The KTM Duke 250 wins all the points when it comes to styling. The 250cc naked street bike has the best design quotient with sharp edges and aesthetic upgrades. KTM retains all the good elements on the 390 Duke into this model. The 250 Duke is a little ahead of 200 Duke when it comes to design and features. It also retains the stylish sharp edge halogen lights with LED daytime running lights. The extended tank shrouds also give the Duke a very promising appeal. This version of Duke is based on lightweight tubular trellis frame. The exposed trellis sub frame on the model is also impressive. KTM successfully gets the best aerodynamic design which is very edgy and appealing.

The 250 Duke features a standard all-digital instrument console also coming with ABS light indicators. The digital console includes a speedometer, tachometer, trip meter, odometer and LED indicators.

The mini beast is powered by a 248.8 cc single cylinder liquid-cooled engine which generates a maximum power of 29.58 bhp @ 9000 rpm and generates a maximum torque of 24 Nm @ 7500 rpm. The engine is mated to a 6 speed manual gearbox.

Also the bike is a pleasant surprise even when it comes to performance where you get a worthy upgrade to the newly launched KTM 200 Duke. Just like the other KTM bikes even this model boosts of an excellent throttle response. The refined engine quality performance is just an icing on the cake. The bike is expected to have a highway mileage of 35 kmpl and a city mileage of 30 kmpl. You can drive the 250 Duke to a range of about 400 to 450 kilometers before you need a fuel refill. The ride quality is very supreme and ensures full satisfaction even at high speeds. As per a performance test done by PowerDrift, Duke 250 takes 3.44 seconds to reach 60 kmph and 8.64 seconds to reach 100 kmph. The top speed of the bike is around 138 kmph.

The KTM 250 Duke comes with 300 mm front disc brake with four pot calliper and 230 mm rear disc brake with one pot calliper. The absence of Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) is also felt on the model which is the only letdown on this variant of Duke. It comes with 43 mm WP suspension and WP mono-shock rear suspension. The bike has a 150 mm front and 150 mm rear wheel travel. The bike makes use of 110/70 ZR17 front tyre and 150-60 ZR17 rear tyre (MRF).

The 250 Duke retains most of the good things from 390 Duke but it lacks an ABS which is a let down for a bike that costs more than Rs. 1.70 lakhs. But the bike does feature new sub frame with black alloy wheels and new slipper clutch. It also comes equipped with side mounted exhaust. The bike offers a high seat height @ 830mm, which could cause a problem for short riders. The extended shroud design ensures knee room for the rider and gives you a very sporty feel. The handle bars also feel upright and sturdy.

The 250 cc KTM Duke naked street bike comes in two very attractive Orange-White and Black-White shades as a standard offering. The bike is available in a single variant with all the standard specifications offered.

The KTM 250 Duke is a premium naked street bike which is meant for people who love race track adrenaline rush. The model is priced at an ex-showroom cost of INR 1,73,000. The bike is in direct competition to premium performers like Kawasaki Z250 and Benelli TNT 25 and the newly in the segment Yamaha FZ25.

Overall, the KTM Duke 250 is a handsome looking beast borrowing its design from 390 Duke which is based on the 1290 Super Duke R. The only reason to go for a 250 Duke is if you want to save some extra bucks of cost which you spend on a Rs 2.25 lakh 390 Duke. Duke 250 is a great option for KTM fans who love Duke street bikes. But the lack of ABS, TFT console and LED headlight is felt on the 250cc version.