Husqvarna Svartpilen 250 vs KTM 250 Duke BS6: Which One To Buy?

The Svartpilen 250 manages to substantially undercut the 250 Duke’s pricing. Is it the better buy then?

The Husqvarna Svartpilen 250 and Vitpilen 250 have been launched. Both cost substantially less than their equivalent cousin, the 250 Duke BS6. That’s interesting as initially Husquvarna was expected to be launched as a premium alternative to the KTM brand, not undercut it. So should you put your money down for the 250 Duke BS6 or go for something different like the Svartpilen 250? We help you decide. Let’s start with the design first.

Also read: Husqvarna Svartpilen 250: 5 Important Points

Design and features:

The change in colours and livery gives the 250 Duke BS6 a more premium look. The paint scheme makes the bike look visually larger in comparison and should work well for a matured audience. The Svartpilen 250 is a compact motorcycle and looks purposeful with its minimalistic single-piece bodywork and chunky tyres. While the 250 Duke BS6 feels understated, the Svartpilen 250 looks outrageous. In terms of features, the 250 Duke BS6 gets a halogen headlamp and the Svartpilen 250 gets an LED headlamp. Both motorcycles get an LED tail lamp, LED turn indicators, and digital instrument console. 

Motor:

Both motorcycles get the same BS6-compliant 248.8cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder motor that delivers 30PS and 24Nm of torque. However, given that the 250 Duke BS6 weighs 4kg less than the Svartpilen 250’s 154kg dry weight, we expect the Duke to be quicker. Both get a six-speed gearbox. 

Underpinnings:

The 250 Duke BS6 and Svartpilen 250 share the same trellis frame, ByBre brakes, WP upside-down forks, and WP monoshock. However, the 250 Duke BS6 offers 5mm more suspension travel at the back. It even has a larger 13.4-litre fuel tank compared to 9.5 litres on the Svartpilen 250. Interestingly the Svartpilen 250’s 835mm seat height is 5mm taller than the KTM’s. Also, given the Svartpilen 250’s compact dimension and tiny seat, you and your pillion rider would be more comfortable on the 250 Duke BS6. While the KTM gets road-biased MRF Revz C1 radials, the Husqvarna comes shod with dual-purpose MRF Revz D tyres.

Pricing:

The Husqvarna Svartpilen 250 comes at an introductory price of Rs 1.8 lakh. That’s Rs 20,000 less than the KTM 250 Duke BS6’s pricing of Rs 2 lakh (both, ex-showroom, Delhi). For Rs 20,000 less you get similar performance and high-spec underpinnings as the 250 Duke BS6. However, the lack of space on the Husqvarna might be a bother. Then again, the prime focus of both motorcycles is not practicality. If you spend more time riding on the road, the KTM 250 Duke BS6 should keep you happy with its sharp reflexes and dynamic handling. The Husqvarna Svartpilen 250 should offer similar levels of fun on tarmac, but would be a hoot to ride off it.