The middle child of the KTM line up in India is seemed to be forgotten by the general public. Despite possessing many capabilities and features, it is regularly shunned down for not offering a good value for money. Combine that with the latest craze of classic motorcycles and we have ourselves a bike, lost in the crowd. Still everyone once in a while a group of people will rise up demanding a performance motorcycle on a budget. So you’re one of those people then here are 5 reasons why you should consider buying a Duke 250:1: Trellis Frame-
From Honda Rebel to BMW G310 R, Trellis Frame is in high demand these days. Sure, it’s not a single piece or squeezed together like the perimeter frame but it is light. It is made using alloy tubular bars which are joined together in a triangular form. Not only weight saving but weight distribution too is one of the attributes of this bony boy. The distribution is even throughout the frame but many manufacturers prefer to keep the front end heavy to increase the feedback. On Duke 250, it makes sure that the handling is just as good as the Duke 390.2: Power and Torque-
KTM Duke 250 produces a phenomenal low-end punch which goes all the way up to 4500 RPM. The engine has a lot of power than the Duke 200 and with the added power it can clock a top speed which is north of 140 km/h. The added size also decreases the vibrations and smooths them out throughout the rev range. Despite the added power and torque, the mileage is in the same range as that of Duke 250.3: Duke 390 Inspired Styling-
The Duke 250 has the same design as its big brother the 390. The sharply carved fuel tank and tail light are a definite head turner where ever you may go. The headlights though are not full of LED but a mixture of Halogen with it. The rest of the component including the protruding frame, big tank cowl remains the same. The bike also comes with black gloss painted allow wheels, so if you’re someone like me who is not a fan of orange then you can opt for Duke 250.4: Ride Quality-
The only other 250 cc bike in the naked category is Yamaha FZ 2.0 and it offers a decent ride quality but it’s still not in the league of Duke 250. It offers 43 mm Upside Down (USD) forks at the front and a preload adjustable mono shock at the back, both from WP Suspension. The ride quality is a mix of comfort and sporty, as while cornering the suspension stays in shape all the way down until your footpegs start to scrape. The fat forks are the biggest one in its class and do a fantastic job of absorbing potholes. 5: Everyday usability:
The Trellis Frame does a fantastic job of keeping the weight of the bike in check. Although KTM was not relying on only this step for weight management, as a result, Duke 250 also comes with an Aluminum swing arm. The wheelbase of the bike is 1357 mm which is more than enough for highway stability. Despite being a naked roadster the ground clearance is 185 mm which is even better than many small capacity motorcycles like the Pulsar 160 NS. It is easy to maneuver in traffic due to the straight handlebar which keeps the rider relaxed throughout the ride.
Duke 250 is the best of both worlds, its everything that Duke 200 isn’t and Yamaha FZ 25 could never be. The thing which would work in its favor is a reduction in price because an ex-showroom price of Rs 1.78 lakh is relatively a bit too much.
For everything related to Motorcycles, stay tuned to BikesMedia.
By: Yetnesh Dubey
