3 months with the Duke 250 - honest review

17 views3 replies6 Jul

Three months and about 2,800 km into owning the Duke 250 and I still grin every time I twist the throttle. Coming from a 150cc commuter, the jump in power is obvious, the 250cc engine pulls with real urgency and the handling through corners is genuinely one of the best in this segment, city traffic and hill roads both feel effortless on this thing. Mileage has been around 32-33 kmpl for me riding mostly enthusiastically, which tracks with what most other Duke 250 owners seem to be reporting online, so I'm not too worried it's abnormal.

Worth reading through the Duke 250 details on this site if you're cross-shopping against the other 250s, that's exactly what I did before buying. On the downside, this isn't a cheap bike to run, ex-showroom pricing alone puts it well above most 250cc rivals, and I've read there was a recall on the fuel tank cap seal across some KTM models including this one, mine got checked and cleared at the dealer without issue but worth knowing about if you own one. Servicing needs to be kept on schedule religiously, this doesn't feel like a bike you can be lazy about maintaining. My only real gripe day to day is heat coming off the engine in stop and go traffic, gets noticeably warm around the legs in summer. Still, for outright fun per kilometre, I don't think there's much that beats it at this price. Anyone else gotten their fuel cap checked for that recall yet?

3 Replies

manoj_garage

6 Jul

I'll offer a slightly different take, I've had mine for over a year now and 33 kmpl sounds about right for spirited riding, but if you actually ride it sedately in eco-ish fashion you can nurse it closer to 35-36. The heat issue is real but I've mostly stopped noticing it after the first couple of months, guess you get used to it. Maintenance costs are the bigger long term concern for me honestly, parts aren't as cheap as your typical Indian brand bike.

isha_carventures

6 Jul

Thinking of this versus the Apache RTR 160 4V, though I know it's a totally different class and price point. For those who've had the Duke 250 a while, how's the resale value holding up, and does the ownership experience with KTM service centers vary a lot by city? Planning to buy but want to know what I'm getting into beyond just the riding experience.

divya_autolove

6 Jul

Yes got mine checked last month, dealer replaced the seal within twenty minutes, no charge, no questions asked. Completely agree on the heat thing too, riding in city traffic during summer with this engine between your legs is genuinely not fun, but I still wouldn't trade the handling for anything more comfortable. This bike rewards you the moment roads open up a bit, corner after corner, and that's what keeps me coming back to it every single ride.

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