The KTM naked streetfighters have a name which has been attracting a lot of enthusiasts. With the Duke 250 taking over the helms in certain Asian nations due to capacity restrictions, the bike’s 2017 update has been unveiled on KTM’s website.
The absence of the 2017 KTM Duke 250 at EICMA did puzzle us but the Austrian bike maker has updated its website with the new bike. The 2015 edition of the Duke 250 was essentially a resleeved version of the Duke 390. However, 2017 will see the Duke 250 fall slightly behind. Let’s have a look at what’s changed and what has not.
The powertrain remains the same 248.8 cc single cylinder mill with twin overhead camshafts. The output remains the same 31 hp. It gets 38 mm throttle bodies while the new Duke 390 gets 46 mm ones. The bike though gains the new side mounted canister exhaust system. Slipper clutch continues to be present. The Duke 250’s front suspension travel too has been brought down to 142 mm and the ground clearance increased to 185 mm.
However, the bike misses out on split LED headlamps seen in the 2017 Duke 390! Yes, the Duke 250 continues with a halogen headlight. The front disc too is the older 300 mm unit and not the 20 mm bigger one in the 390! ABS, though, thankfully remains as standard. That’s not all, it even misses out on the new TFT display and continues with the old LCD instrumentation.
Read More: KTM Duke 390; 13 Ways in Which the 2017 Edition Differs from 2016
The fuel tank, thanks to the same body as the 390, gets a larger 13.4-litre storage volume. The Duke 250 also misses out on ride by wire. But why is KTM being partial to the Duke 250 if it is their flagship (small) Duke in so many Asian countries?
