2024 KTM 250 Duke review: Is it the best value-for-money 250 cc motorcycle?

KTM Duke has been a very special motorcycle for the Indian market. It showed us what budget-performance motorcycles are. The 390 Duke was a firecracker while the 200 Duke was meant for people who want that extra performance from their 200 cc motorcycle. In 2017, when KTM updated the 200 Duke and 390 Duke, the brand launched the 250 Duke which came as a surprise. The motorcycle sat right between the 200 and 390 versions of the Duke.

Now, KTM has launched the updated versions of the Duke in the Indian market. This means that the 250 Duke has also been updated. Since the motorcycle was first launched, the 250 Duke has grown a special place in the portfolio of KTM. It is the only Duke that didn't get a price hike when it was updated for 2023. We got to ride the new 2024 Duke for a couple of days and here are our thoughts about it.

2024 KTM 250 Duke: Still a looker

KTM has been very clever with the way that they have incorporated the rear subframe.

The 250 Duke takes design inspiration from the 390 Duke. However, there are a few changes that KTM has made so that the 250 Duke is distinguishable from the 390 Duke. It gets a different headlamp that does not have fang-like LED Daytime Running Lamps. The fuel tank is the same but the tank shrouds are different and so is the colour scheme. The fuel tank size has also gone up from 13.5 litres to 15 litres. The plastic that holds the rear number plate is also slightly different. Overall, anyone will be able to recognise the motorcycle immediately as a Duke. The size of the fuel tank has gone up from 13.5 litres to 15 litres. The wheels are new and are taken from the new RC 390. The motorcycle will be sold in Electronic Orange and Ceramic White.

2024 KTM 250 Duke: Weighs less

KTM has been able to drop the weight of the 250 Duke when compared to its Gen2 model. The kerb weight now stands at 163 kg whereas it used to be 171 kg. The manufacturer achieved this by doing several things. The trellis frame is new and so is the sub-frame which is a die-cast aluminium. The alloy wheels are also lighter and they also help in reducing unsprung weight by 1.2 kg. Apart from this, the new engine is also lighter and the tyre hugger and end can have been removed.

2024 KTM 250 Duke: Ergonomics

The 250 Duke is a naked streetfighter with a slight hint of sportiness to the rider triangle. The seat is quite stiff but few people have reported that you do get used to it after a couple of months. Speaking of seats, KTM managed to drop the seat height from 822 mm to 800 mm which means that most people should be able to flat foot while sitting on the motorcycle. There will be an accessory seat on offer which will increase the seat height to 820 mm. The ground clearance has also gone up from 151 mm to 176 mm, this gives the rider peace of mind that the motorcycle will not scrape on tall motorcycles. KTM achieved this by moving the rear monoshock onto the right side.

2024 KTM 250 Duke: More tech

The instrument cluster has a pretty basic design but it is easy to read even under direct sunlight.

The features on the 250 Duke have seen a bump. It now comes with a new 5-inch LCD instrument cluster that shows vital information such as battery voltage, average fuel efficiency, range, time, coolant temperature, gear position indicator and rear ABS status. Apart from this, there is the usual odometer, speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge and twin trip meters. There is also a Type C charger positioned below the instrument cluster to charge mobile devices. One issue that we faced was with the side stand cut-off switch. The side stand would not be engaged and the motorcycle would still not start. At one point, the engine cut off while riding which could have been a bit dangerous. Having said that, fixing this should not be a big chore.

KTM has now also added a bi-directional quickshifter to the 250 Duke. It works smoothly while shifting up at high rpms. However, it can be a bit choppy at lower rpms and the down-shifts are not very smooth either. There is Bluetooth connectivity on offer as well which can be used to control music and there is navigation as well. We could not get the navigation to work. However, the music controls are very intuitive.

2024 KTM 250 Duke: Engine

The Gen2 250 Duke used a downsized version of the 373 cc engine from the 390 Duke. However, for the Gen3, KTM developed an all-new 249 cc, liquid-cooled engine from the ground up. It comes with an SOHC setup and runs a higher compression ratio. The result is the power output has been increased to 30.57 bhp which is 1 bhp higher and the engine produces a torque output of 25 Nm which is 1 Nm more than before. The airbox on the new 250 Duke is larger than before which has helped in improving the tractability of the engine. It can now pull from as low as 20 kmph in 3rd gear and will pull from 40 kmph in 6th gear. It can cruise at 100 kmph in 6th gear doing around 6,000 rpm with a slight buzz on the handlebar.

The 250 Duke uses an all-new single-cylinder engine that is called LC4C. It puts out 1 bhp and 1 Nm more than the Gen2 250 Duke.

Speaking of buzz, the new engine still has that typical KTM characteristic where it comes alive after 6,000 rpm and the engine note also improves. Keep the revs above 3,000 rpm and you should not face any jittering or struggle from the engine. However, there are still mild vibrations that come and go. KTM has equipped the 250 Duke with ride-by-wire but there are no riding modes on offer. However, the throttle response and the on-off throttle transitions are very smooth. The radiator on the 250 Duke is also new and has 10 per cent more surface area. We did feel a little bit of heat from the engine coming towards the legs but it was bearable.

The 6-speed gearbox on duty is a slick-shifting unit. There are no false neutrals and it shifts up with a positive feel. There is also slip and assist clutch on offer which helps in making clutch action light.

2024 KTM 250 Duke: Ride and handling

The 250 Duke retains the way it goes around the corners. It sticks to the line that the rider chooses and flows through the corners. The 250 Duke does not get adjustable suspension like the 390 Duke does. KTM is using 43 mm up-side down Big Piston forks in the front and a 10-step pre-load adjustable monoshock at the rear. As expected, the suspension setup is slightly on the firmer side but it does not get thrashy when hitting big potholes. It manages to provide good ride quality while also offering the ability to carve corners in a composed fashion. KTM is using MRF tyres for the 250 Duke, while the grip levels are satisfactory, they don't provide much feedback.

The new switchgear feels tactile even if the rider is wearing gloves.

Braking on the motorcycle is done by a 320 mm disc in the front and a 240 mm disc at the rear. KTM is not using sintered brake pads for the 250 Duke. This means that the bite from the front brake is very progressive but I would have liked a stronger initial bite. Then there is the rear brake which does lack the bite. There is dual-channel ABS on offer that is calibrated well and the rider can also turn the ABS off on the rear wheel.

2024 KTM 250 Duke: Verdict

The seat height now stands at 800 mm and there will be an accessory seat on offer which will increase the seat height to 820 mm.

With the performance-to-price ratio that the 250 Duke offers, no wonder it is the most selling 250 cc motorcycle in the Indian market. The Gen3 model is priced at ₹2.39 lakh ex-showroom so the motorcycle has not received a price hike which makes the motorcycle even more value-for-money considering the upgrades. The 250 Duke now sits on an upgraded chassis, comes with a quickshifter and an all-new engine that can cruise on highways and feels comfortable in the city as well. The motorcycle is a great option for someone who is upgrading from a 150 cc segment as the 250 Duke is quite versatile and is a do-it-all motorcycle. It can do daily commutes, can tour and can be used on track as well.