KTM 250 Duke: Same Price, Other Options

In the market for something priced like the newly launched KTM 250 Duke ABS? We've got your back!

1) Royal Enfield Himalayan

Price - 1.80 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi)

Priced at Rs 1.80 lakh, the RE Himalayan is around Rs 14,000 cheaper than the KTM 250 Duke. While you do miss out on some power and electronic goodies offered on the Duke, what you get is a brawny motorcycle which is as comfortable on the dirt as it is on the road. Not to mention, its relaxed seating position and upright handlebar are boons for riders looking for something for the daily grind. The spartan design may seem intimidating for some but it will grow on you with time. 

Also read - KTM 250 Duke ABS: 5 Things To Know

Let’s be clear: The Himalayan and the 250 Duke couldn’t be anymore different. For example, instead of USD forks, the Himalayan offers long-travel telescopic suspension up front. Which brings us to our next point: the KTM 250 Duke is focused solely towards road-oriented activities, while the Himalayan is mostly meant for highways and the occasional trails.

2) Bajaj Dominar 400

Price - 1.63 lakh (ex-showroom)

The Bajaj Dominar 400 makes a great case for itself for being a worthy alternative to the KTM 250 Duke. In a nutshell, it packs a bigger engine, produces more power and costs almost Rs 30,000 less. In addition to this, the Dominar 400 also gets LED headlamps and a more modern instrument cluster than the 250 Duke. 

So where do things go wrong for the Dominar? While the Dominar 400’s engine is based on the KTM 390 Duke, engineers at Bajaj have tuned it to extract more efficiency and to make it more rider-friendly. This means you lose out on that raw aggression which one associates with KTM engines. Which could be a no-no for performance-focused buyers out there. However, Bajaj is supposed to launch a more powerful, feature-rich and premium Dominar 400 soon, which will be more in line with the 250 Duke’s pricing. Will it be able to attract potential KTM buyers? We’ll keep our eye out for that. 

3) Honda CBR 250R

Price - Rs 1.94 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi)

Just look at the spec sheet and you’ll notice a lot of similarities between the Honda CBR 250R and the KTM 250 Duke. Both pack single-cylinder, liquid-cooled mills of almost similar capacity. Both are meant to be the more relaxed offerings of their families. Heck, both are even priced closer to each other. It’s really when you look them side-by-side that you notice the difference. While one carries an aggressive naked streetfighter design, the other gets a full fairing and a more conventional look. 

Swing a leg over and you’ll really notice the difference. While the Duke has a more aggressive seating position, the CBR in comparison feels more comfortable. There is also a big difference in the way both deliver power. While being the one of the mellowest members of the Duke family, the 250 Duke still has that raw punch one associates with KTM. The CBR 250R, on the other hand, carries top-notch level refinement and an easygoing nature, almost similar to that of a tourer. Plus, the baby Ceeber is one of the best tourers in the country.

4) Royal Enfield Classic 500 ABS

Price - Rs 2.01 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi)

It’s almost unfair to compare the 250 Duke and the Classic 500 on the basis of numbers. Yes, the KTM beats the Royal Enfield offering in almost every department - be it power, features and even pricing. So where does the Classic 500 shine? If we were just to look at the practical benefits, the Classic has more low-end torque, which comes in handy in slow-moving traffic. The seating position is also quite comfortable, with negligible rider fatigue. 

Then there is the sentiment part, where the Royal Enfield really shines. It sports a vintage old-school design, which continues to be the draw for most buyers. In addition to this, Royal Enfield’s community experience is leaps and bounds ahead of any single motorcycle manufacturer in the country.