Swing a leg over the Vitpilen 250 and its tall seat height is the first thing you’ll notice. At 842mm, it is 19mm taller than the KTM 250 Duke so the average-sized Indian will be on their tip-toes. To make it easier to flat-foot the bike, the tank has been made slimmer, but that seems to compromise on knee grip. Furthermore, with its compact dimensions overall, the Vitpilen 250 would also be a tight fit for anyone around and above six feet.
Now, the seat which stretches up to a quarter of the tank has good cushioning and is accommodating enough, even with a pillion. Complementing the seat is the well-sorted suspension setup. This hardware is the same as the Duke’s, but it has been tuned to suit the Vitpilen. While the setup is pliant over minor undulations, the rear, which has 4mm lesser travel than the 250 Duke’s 161mm, tends to kick back on larger bumps.
Being a cafe racer, the Vitpilen comes with clip-ons and an aggressive riding position that takes a while getting used to. However, the daunting bit is the large turning radius which is a snag while parking or making your way through stand still traffic. Don’t get me wrong, the Vitpilen is a nimble bike. It might not be as sharp as an RC but sifting through city traffic is a breeze.
The 249cc, single-cylinder engine housed between the trellis frame with its meaty mid-range and a smooth transmission play a huge part in the effortless experience. The motor comes across as vibey when cranked up but sounds pleasant as revs rise. On the other hand, it features a dumbed-down version of the KTM’s exhaust note which suits the Vitpilen’s character perfectly.
Getting back to the engine, most of its punch is stored around 4000-7000rpm where the bike feels the liveliest. The throttle is smooth and if wringed harder, the motor peaks at 10,000rpm but you’ll have to fight through the extremely hand-numbing vibrations that creep in on the handlebar at 90kmph. These vibes settle down as speeds increase and the Vitpilen 250 feels stable even as it hits the limiter at 138kmph in sixth gear.
Although, better tyres would work wonders as the stock MRF Revz offers inconsistent grip, especially in the wet. Nonetheless, the brakes are confidence-inspiring and offer good feedback, and I quite liked the ABS- it works well and is surprisingly non-intrusive even under hard braking.