KTM DUKE 250 AND 390: BROTHERS-IN-ARMS
DO you remember the KTM Duke 200? A fairly capable commuter with a punchy little engine which inherited a little bit of KTM’s naughty DNA in the mix.
The price was right and it sold fairly well. It’s bigger brother, the 390, always garnered more headlines but now that little Duke will have to submit to another brother Duke, the 250.
Things being what they are in the manufacturing world (both cars and bikes), sharing platforms and powertrains are an inescapable fact. In the case of both the 250 and 390 Dukes, you may be forgiven for mistaking one for the other at first glance. This is because they share a lot in common and it is easier to list the differences rather than the similarities.
First off, the engine is basically the same, but the Duke 390 (actually 373cc) and the 250 (248.8cc) just has a smaller piston. The engine management system on the 390 is more sophisticated and uses a fly-by-wire system while the 250 has a simple cable arrangement. Both are still fuel-injected.
The basic architecture is a liquidcooled DOHC 4 valve single cylinder. The 390 produces 43 bhp @ 9,000 rpm and 36.6 Nm of torque @ 7,000 rpm. The 250 is obviously less powerful with 30 bhp @ 9,000 rpm and 24 Nm @ 7,500 rpm.
The differing engine management system is responsible for the other differences between the two.
The 390 is endowed with a full-colour 5.2-inch TFT display instead of the digital instruments the 250 has. The 390 also has the capability for more features such as KTM’s “My Ride”, a Bluetooth app that connects to the bike and allows you to answer calls and control music from your “phone” (you will need to pay extra for this feature though).
The 390 also has a “Super Moto” mode which switches off anti-skid braking (ABS) on the rear wheel, allowing you to skid the rear into corners. The front wheel ABS still remains active in this mode.
There is an option to switch off both front and rear wheel ABS on the 390 but the 250 has no such option. The 390 has LED headlights up front but both feature daytime running lights.
Obviously, both bikes have differing colour schemes and stickers but the LED headlight is a dead giveaway between the two.
The 390 also comes with spanadjustable brake and clutch levers whereas the 250 makes do with boring old “normal” levers. Both have the useful “lighted” switchgear, a feature that I particularly like. Obviously, the 390 has the four-button cluster on the left switchgear for selecting and choosing various features on the dashboard.
As for the shared items, the steel trellis frames and geometry and the same. While it may look similar to the old Duke 390 but the all-new chassis is 15mm higher and 10mm shorter. The 830mm seat height is part of the package, and coupled with a lower handlebar creates a roomier and more aggressive riding position.
The styling is obviously and unabashedly shared with the SuperDuke R and is no less attractive for it. The front 300mm (250) and 320mm (390) disc brake with a radial-mount ByBre caliper is standard and more than capable, especially since the two-channel Bosch ABS is unobtrusive.
Both bikes share wheels and tyres, a 110/70 and a 150/60 combo in 1- inch sizes front and rear respectively. Unsurprisingly, both bikes weigh the almost the same at 147kg (250) and 149kg (390).
Riding both bikes back to back, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out which bike you’re riding. Both engines are fairly smooth for singles and only start buzzing at high rpms. Nothing too harsh but it is still noticeable.
Both six-speed gearboxes feature slipper clutches and subsequently have no problems on rapid or clumsy downshifts.
Surprisingly, the 250 is more flexible at low speeds despite the lower torque. The 390 demands accurate gear selection and protests if you run it a gear too high.
Of course, it
punches much harder and accelerates much faster than little brother but the sensitivity to gear selection may just be due to a smaller sprocket being fitted.
Top speeds for both bikes are completely different but we won’t divulge that information here, officer.
Both Dukes live and exist for corners and turns. The short wheelbase and wide handlebars allow many liberties to be taken and changing and swapping lines mid-corner is easily done. The only problem is the handlebars are a tad too wide for easy lanesplitting. Otherwise, once committed to a line, the Dukes feel stable and secure and this is also probably due to the next reason.
The WP suspension is excellent. The 43mm forks and WP monoshock are plush and well controlled despite the lack of adjustability. The Dukes have probably the best small bike suspension I have sampled thus far. It soaks up irregularities and potholes with aplomb and never seems wanting.
For your information, I have ridden the Duke 250 up to Khardung La in the Himalayas last May and if it can survive those roads, our roads are easy-peasy.
The Metzeler M5 Interacts fitted to both bikes are hard wearing but offer good traction and feel but a set of the M7 RRs would be more fun, especially on the 390.
The Dukes are built by Bajaj in their Chakan plant in Pune, India. The quality is very good with clean welds and thick paint evident. The panel fit and finish are also excellent and having toured the plant recently, it is evident they take quality very seriously.
The Duke 250 retails for RM21,730 while the Duke 390 is RM28,800, including Goods and Services Tax but without road tax or insurunlimance. Two years ited mileage warranty is standard.
So, are you ready to race?