KTM 250 Duke [2021] vs Yamaha FZ25

The KTM Duke range has always been a hacksaw in a world of kitchen knives. The 200 Duke and 390 Duke redefined our perception of performance and lightness. They stood apart from the herd of commuter bikes, and ushered in a new reality for enthusiasts. However, while a hacksaw would get the job done in a jiffy, it also means one would have to put up with its raw character. It has been four years since the 200 Duke came out, and KTM has been busy, in the meantime, trying to add finesse to the hacksaw. And here is the result - the new KTM 250 Duke.

It is the KTM 250 Duke – the new addition to the KTM lineup that sits between the 200 and the 390. It is built like a Duke 390 but gets a smaller motor and fewer things off the equipment list.   

The FZ-S 25 is Yamaha India’s take on the world of entry-level quarter-litre motorcycles. The BS4 variant was known for its no non-sense design and performance approach. These aspects along with good comfort level and decent pricing made it a great choice for buyers who wanted to upgrade from a 150cc motorcycle. But now we are in 2021 and also in the world of BS6, so a few things have been changed on the FZ-S 25 to make it cleaner, more enticing and also more aspirational.

11 months and 7000kms later, it’s time to bid adieu to one of the most favourite long-terms I ever had, the Yamaha FZ 25. The last one year has been great fun with this quarter-litre Yamaha. We did a 3500kms long-distance ride down south, spent a full gruelling day at the track and it was also my preferred companion for every day commute. 

In the last few reports, we talked about the experience in city and in touring with the FZ25. In both conditions, the FZ25 performed well and managed to impress us in a few aspects. We decided to take it to the track to check out its racing pedigree because it’s a Yamaha after all.