KTM 250 Duke 2020 Review - Prices, Specs, Variants, Features and Mileage

What’s at the heart of this orange monster?

How well does performance and efficiency go along in KTM 250 Duke?

As far as KTMs are concerned, they are fast, loud and aggressive. These are the characteristics that define them. But the 250 Duke takes a different route here. The 250cc mill is a bored version of the 200cc engine and produces close to 30 horses. Performance figures have been retained in the BS6 iteration and the engine remains the same old high revving unit.

Fueling, however, has been tweaked as the 250 Duke doesn't kick you back like the others when you twist the throttle. The low and mid-end is weak and you need to work up the revs, to get it in the zone. The performance bubble is abrupt and only kicks in at the higher revs, which makes it a very fidgety machine. This attitude will not be to everyone's taste.

Talking of explosive nature, this KTM is not so well versed with efficiency. The linear fueling, however, helps to extract a decent overall mileage of 41 kmpl. But that is only when you can hold on to your temptation and ride it linearly! Its sharp looks takes the best of tank volume and has a small 13.4-litre fuel capacity. It doesn’t have the best range in this segment but we aren’t complaining when you have a KTM!

KTM was smart to tune the 250 Duke differently as its competition is subtle. Automakers are aware of the receding mileage figures as they go up the displacement table and thus went with the linear performance map for the quarter mills for India. FZ25 and Gixxer 250 both have similar characteristics but Suzuki has added a bit more of adrenaline to its offering while Yamaha is the calm one of the lot.

How not so KTM-ish is the acceleration; 0-60?

The more linear fueling and tall gears make this Duke the calm one of the Orange army. It has been tuned to be flexible both on the highways and in the city hustle. The bike accelerates linearly and takes its own sweet time to reach 60 kmph in 3.44 seconds, which is not slow at all! The bulk of 250 Duke is another reason for its calm sprint run.

But don’t let the decency fool you, as deep down it is still a KTM and can surprise you now and then. Heavy traffic will not be a botheration for this bike as the bland low and mid-end will help you crawl without any extra modulation of the throttle. 

The 250 Duke makes up for its bland nature with the class-leading top speed figure, despite weighing in at the most. The 6-Speed gearbox is smooth but is tall and does take a few extra moments to shift about, unlike the competition with quick-acting gearboxes.

How bitey are the 250 Duke’s bybre brakes?

Braking duty is taken care of by bybre at both ends. It provides a very strong bite and you will need to modulate the brake pedals carefully, as braking is of the “sudden” type. Progression is nil and it's all in for these bybres.

You needn’t worry even in cases of losing control as the dual-channel ABS unit from Bosch kicks in and takes care of the situation. You don’t get premature actuation and natural braking is retained.

Yamaha FZ25 is the most nimble of the lot and thus comes to a standstill, the quickest. This is also because of its least kerb weight. KTM is not far behind, as the lower centre of gravity helps it minimize the bane of high kerb weight.

How flicker-friendly is handling and how comfortable is the ride?

This is where the 250 Duke shines, like a diamond. KTMs are known for their razor-sharp handling and the 250 Duke is no foreigner. The slightest flick can change directions with ease and this Duke as the others,  love curves more than straights. The handlebar is high and wide which gives the rider a sense of total control and the short wheelbase makes it easy to filter through dense traffic.

Comfort is not this Duke’s forte as the motorcycle is made for adrenaline-pumping runs, rather than cross country trips. But with the proper tweaks, 250 Duke can be a very potent mile muncher due to its linearly tuned engine. Seating is on the stiffer side and so is the suspension setup. You will surely feel the jolts in this one, over the bumps and potholes. The torso is upright and arms relaxed with a slightly relaxed position but the limbs are rear set due to the positioning of footpegs, and so has a rather confusing rider’s triangle.

Seat height is also on the higher end and shorter rides will find it hard to rest their legs. Ample ground clearance helps you stay tension free of our imperfect roads and glide over it with ease. Both the competitors have a much more relaxed riding stance and the suspension setup is soft. The 250 Duke is not exactly for the soft ones!

How sharp does the KTM 250 Duke look?

KTM 250 Duke looks different from the rest of KTM’s line-up. This is because of the 390 Duke like headlight unit but with much less aggression and minus the LED lighting. It changes the whole outlook and we like it. It complements the subtle character of the engine without losing its explosive DNA.

2020 sees the addition of two new paint jobs which are dual-tone and fuses glossy and matte paints and we dig it. It helps refresh the bike and thus give it a youthful feel. The BS6 iteration also gets the earlier absent orange alloy wheels. Other than these, it remains the same sharp 250 Duke as it was, earlier.

Aesthetic Features

• LED DRLs

• Matte paint job

• Exposed frame

• Sharp tank shrouds

• Added foot protection with heel guards

• Engine bash plate

It is not the shortest motorcycle of the lot, but the minimal bodywork streetfighter look gives it a much smaller footprint than it has. It is the lowest one of the lot and therein lies its irony! Yamaha FZ25 is the exact opposite of this Duke. It is a big bike and looks from a segment above. Suzuki follows a similar palette as the Duke but with much less aggression and more maturity.

What are the various safety and class-leading features on the Duke 250?

Safety has been at the forefront of this motorcycle and KTM has bestowed the 250 Duke with a dual-channel ABS unit that takes care of all those slippages while you hoon all over. Slipper clutch is another notable safety addition that helps you stay put and not lose ground even in aggressive cornering.

The most notable feature is the extensively elaborate instrument cluster that shows all of the bells and whistles of the monster and thus helps the rider keep an eye on the vitals. But a change is long overdue for the cluster as it has now started to show its age and is not the most informative in the harshest of sunlight.

The 250 Duke, however, outdated in terms of equipment, is still the most fledged one of this lot as both Suzuki Gixxer 250 and Yamaha FZ25 doesn't do justice for the “quarter-litre” tag. That said, both these bikes get LED lighting all around which the Duke misses out on.

How does the competition stack up against this orange monster?

KTM 250 Duke vs Suzuki Gixxer 250

Suzuki with its Gixxer 250 has a much broader audience base at hand. This is because of its split personality that can be aggressive when needed and relaxed otherwise. It is not the cheapest 250cc around but the sheer driving pleasure makes up for the dearth in performance figures. We vouch for the Jap over our orange monster here for the value for money it has to offer without burning a hole in your wallet.

KTM 250 Duke vs Yamaha FZ25

Yamaha is the one that started the affordable quarter mill revolution in India. It gave us a chance to enjoy that 250cc of a mill between our legs without feeling scared or refuelling ever now and then. FZ25 is the only quarter-litre bike that can be a full-blown cruiser with minimal modifications. Torque is spread throughout the rev band which makes it equally fun on the Yamaha, both in tight traffic and on the open roads. Both these motorcycles are the opposites in terms of power delivery and riding dynamics. So we leave this unto you; if a clean line with a smooth approach is your thing, then Yamaha FZ25 is the one but if you like to be the outlaw, the humblest KTM is the one.