Which 250cc Bike Is The Right One For You: Bajaj Dominar 250, Husqvarna Svartpilen 250, Vitpilen 250 And KTM 250 Duke

Even though they share the same power unit, they serve different requirements. So which one’s the best for you? Let’s find out

[UPDATE: Bajaj Dominar 250 Launched; Rs 30,000 Cheaper Than Bajaj Dominar 400!]

Engine sharing isn’t a new thing for Bajaj and KTM; the two companies already share KTM’s 373cc and 199cc motors already. A third is about to be added to this list - the 248.8cc single-cylinder unit found in the 250 Duke. Bajaj will be employing this motor in the upcoming Dominar 250 while Husqvarna’s 250 twins already come equipped with it. Just how different are these four bikes? And which one is the right fit for you?

The Engine

Powering each one of these bikes is the same 248.8cc single-cylinder motor that was first introduced on the 250 Duke. While it does produce 30PS and 24Nm on the KTM and the Huskies, we expect Bajaj to tune the motor slightly differently to suit the Dominar’s power cruiser character. We do know that the engine on the Dominar 250 will get Bajaj’s patented DTS-i technology (twin spark and not triple like the 400).

Bajaj Dominar 250 - Expected Rs 1.45 lakh

Much like the Dominar 400, the upcoming Dominar 250 is going to be a power cruiser-ish naked which should offer a comfy ride on the highway as well as on your daily commute. Bajaj has made a few compromises with the Dominar 250 as it offers a skinnier rear tyre and a box-section swingarm when compared to the Dominar 400. However, that shouldn’t take away from the whole muscle bike vibe that the latter gives off.

Husqvarna Svartpilen 250 - Rs 1.80 lakh

If you aren’t too interested in clocking miles on the highway but would like to roam about in style, the Husky 250 twins are your choice. Of the two, the Svartpilen 250 is likely to be the better city slicker thanks to its upright ergonomics and wide, single-piece handlebar. It is called an urban scrambler and its specially developed MRF Revz D dual-purpose rubber complies with that claim. But with the same amount of suspension travel as its KTM cousin, we are confident that this bike would be better off sticking to tarmac only.

Husqvarna Vitpilen 250 - Rs 1.80 lakh

If cafe racers are your thing and like zooming around twisty roads on weekends, the Husqvarna Vitpilen 250 should serve you better. It is as stylish as the Svartpilen, perhaps a bit more uber-cool than the urban scrambler. However, it forces you into a committed riding posture, with its low-slung clip-on bars and rear-set footrests. 

KTM 250 Duke - Rs 2.0 lakh

It was surprising to know that the Husqvarna motorcycles were priced lower than their KTM counterpart, especially considering that they were supposed to be the more premium alternative. However, that isn’t the case. KTM has given the 250 Duke a larger front disc (320mm now compared to the earlier 300mm unit) and Supermoto mode (killing ABS intervention on the rear wheel) with the BS6 transition. The racy DNA remains intact with the 250 Duke, as it now looks more delectable with the new grey and black colours.