Honda CBR250R vs KTM Duke 250: Which Of These is Worth Buying?

We compare the latest 250cc bikes – Honda CBR250R and the KTM Duke 250.

Honda CBR250R (left) or the KTM Duke 250 (right). Which one would you pick? 

(Photo: The Quint)

Honda is back in India with its popular CBR 250R, and we’re glad that the bike has come so early in the year. The CBR250R was part of Honda’s line-up at the 2018 Auto Expo recently and we were informed about its impending launch.

With prices supposedly starting from Rs 1.63 lakh (ex-showroom), competition is quite aggressive in the 250cc segment with brands like KTM and Yamaha also in the mix. Here’s our detailed specs-to-feature comparison between the new CBR250R from Honda and the Duke 250 from KTM.

How both these 250cc bikes compare feature-wise. (Photo: The Quint/Rahul Gupta)

Design

With respect to the looks of the Honda CBR250R, most of the upgrade is limited to its design and addition of LED headlamps. The pronounced full-fairing design was loved by one and all, but was discontinued to comply with BS IV standards in the country.

The bike has been updated with jazzy fluorescent graphics, flatter rider seating and more accessible grab rail for the pillion rider. The headlamp has a tall and wider profile now, and with an LED bulb in tow, road visibility should be easy to achieve.

The KTM Duke 250 is a reliable powerhouse bike, with its naked-bike approach catering to speedsters. The trellis-like frame adds the imposing touch that epitomises all KTM Duke bikes selling in the country. It has a black and orange dual-shaded finishing (with 250 written in big letters).

The shorter swing-arm on the Duke 250 and the longer headlamp adds a different dimension to this naked sport bike. Having said that, pillion riders will have a tough time holding fort with the small-sized grab rail.

All in all, both the looks have their own set of fans, and it depends on whether you like the simplicity of the CBR250R or the muscular strong looks of the Duke 250.

Power

As highlighted by Honda, the CBR250R packs a 249-cc liquid-cooled, fuel-injected engine.

This unit offers 26.5PS of power and 22.9NM of torque which is considerably less than what the Duke 250’s 248-cc engine offers. KTM bikes are generally known for their performance-centric approach, and it seems Honda has chosen to be practical for the CBR250R.

Both these 250cc bikes’ engines are mated to 6-speed gearboxes. 

However, while the Honda CBR250R is said to hit 135 km/hr, the Duke 250 touches 131 km/hr only. On paper, the Honda seems to have the upper hand.

KTM promises 41 km/ltr mileage for the Duke 250, while we still don’t know how the Honda CBR250R fares in comparison.

Honda offers a CB250R variant with dual-channel ABS for Rs 1.93 lakh (ex-showroom). The KTM Duke 250 on the other hand doesn’t feature ABS in any variant, which is quite strange for what it costs.

You do get 17-inch tubeless radials on both these sporty two-wheelers, and the CBR250R packs 296mm disc brake on the front and 220mm on the rear. The Duke 250 gets a marginally bigger 300mm front disc and 230mm rear disc.

Honda sports a 13-litre fuel tank on the CBR250R, while Duke 250 gets a 13.4-litre tank. Performance-wise, we’re pretty sure that the Duke 250 will cause more heating issues than the CBR250R, but only a drag race can truly certify which one of these two is faster.

Take Your Pick

It’s hard to pick a winner, especially when they cater to different riding styles. If you’re in the market for a full-fairing bike with budget of up to 2 lakh, then the CBR250R is an easy pick. You get a reliable two-wheeler that’s got the latest in safety standards, and caters to your dual lifestyle, shifting between work and leisure.

The Duke 250 is not a bad alternative to have in your shopping list. The 250cc naked bike variant gives you the true-blue KTM kicks with that extra power and torque. But does that translate into a everyday workhorse for all conditions in a country like ours? I am not so sure about that. Add to that, for over Rs 1.9 lakh you still have to live by without ABS.

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