
The KTM Duke range has always been a hacksaw in a world of kitchen knives. The 200 Duke and the 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.
The 250 Duke was initially conceived for select south-east Asian markets to take advantage of their tax regulations - sort of like the sub-four metre rule for cars in India. Now with the new 390 Duke stepping into a higher price bracket, the 250 Duke has been introduced here to fill the void between the flagship bike and the 200 Duke.
The 250 Duke gets KTM’s new-age styling with an edgy headlamp and LED DRLs, a more powerful engine and friendlier ergonomics compared to the 200 Duke. On the other hand, it saves costs by carrying over the cycle parts, instrument cluster and a few other bits. On paper, KTM has managed to attain the perfect middle ground - the 250 Duke is more powerful and fancier than the 200 Duke, but not enough to confuse the prospective 390 Duke buyers. But how does that translate in the real world?
