One could be forgiven for thinking the 2025 KTM 250 Duke was designed as a gateway drug for the next-gen of hooligan riders. KTM’s website shows the 250 Duke doing wheelies, stoppies, and drifting in parking lots. While I’m not going to be doing any of those things, I can say I’ve been having a regular person’s version of that much fun. That means riding the little thumper to work and spinning through urban canyon roads on weekends. We didn’t have a chance to ride the KTM 250 Duke when it debuted last year when it replaced the 200 Duke, so we were excited to check out the 250 as it returns for its sophomore year.
- While the 2025 KTM 250 Duke looks every bit as aggressive as the Duke 390, the 249cc single doesn’t require the managing its bigger brother demands. This is a motorcycle you can ride casually on your commute to work without worrying about keeping a firm rein on the power. In fact, if you want to channel a fraction of the shenanigans seen on KTM’s website, you’ll have to keep the motor revved high, as that’s where it really perks up. Instead, I get to bask in the 250’s rowdy rep by mere resemblance, without actually doing anything too naughty.
- Ergonomically, the 250 Duke skews towards the smaller side. With an accessible 31.5-inch seat height that is narrow at the tank, though comfortably wider in the rear, I am easily flat-footed with my 30.5-inch inseam. Equally important, the 250’s weight feels considerably lighter than its 365-pound curb weight. I was surprised when I saw the figure, as I can easily paddle the bike forward and back at a stop with no effort at all. Although the little Duke may outweigh me three times over, I do not feel physically overpowered.
- The 250 Duke’s compact chassis and nimble handling make it feel like a playbike. The riding position contributes to the frisky feeling, despite having only a slight forward lean and the footpegs in a reasonably sporty position for cornering clearance. It’s a mix I like, as it doesn’t dump weight on the wrists, and sitting more upright on a small bike allows a better view of surrounding conditions. While longer-legged riders may feel cramped on the cozy chassis, if you’re the right size, the 250 Duke feels like an extension of your body, moving as soon as you think about it.
- The KTM 250 Duke arrived with its own engine in 2024. The 250 moves from the 200’s DOHC valvetrain to an SOHC layout while retaining four valves and liquid cooling. The simpler design saves a bit of weight in the engine, and the increased displacement is all found in the longer stroke. The 250 doesn’t feel particularly meaty off the bottom, despite the additional 4.5 ft-lbs of peak torque compared to the 200. This could be due to taller gearing, which prioritizes a freeway-friendly top speed over low-end grunt.
- Although you can lead the charge once the light turns green, you have to work for it. The 250 Duke’s power is not focused on low-rpm power, as one might expect for a motorcycle that newer riders will be drawn to. Instead, you have to rev it to tap the meat of the 250’s torque. If you don’t, you’ll get overrun by lead-footed EV drivers, of which we have plenty in Los Angeles. Still, it doesn’t take long to find the bike’s sweet spot, and one of the 250’s most appealing features is that it’s equally enjoyable whether you’re mingling or leading. Throw in a handlebar width just right for lane filtering and splitting, and you have an outstanding urban motorcycle.
- The 250 Duke gets almost a half-gallon larger fuel tank than the 200, increasing the bike’s range to at least 250 miles. Depending on how you ride, it might be close to 300 miles between fill-ups on the remarkably frugal Duke due to its high-capacity 3.9-gallon tank. I tended to flog the quarter-liter engine on the freeway, yet was constantly surprised to see the 250’s range still greater than expected. I found myself wondering, “Is that gauge and range calculator really working?” Indeed, it was.
- On the leading days when you’re feeling full of beans, the 250 Duke is a willing partner with its now-stock quickshifter. The six-speed transmission shifts smoothly in both directions, allowing you to hustle whether you need to or not, making the little bike that much more fun. The 250’s non-adjustable clutch lever is light enough for manual shifting in slow conditions thanks to the “assist” side of the slip-and-assist clutch.
- The 250’s WP Apex suspension is an upgrade over the Duke 200’s setup. The 250 gets a beefier 43mm open-cartridge big-piston inverted fork and an emulsion shock, signaling the 250 is ready for more aggressive riding. The suspension remains non-adjustable for damping, yet the just-under six inches of travel at both ends capably handles well-worn city streets and suburban boulevards. In local hills and canyons, the well-honed suspension is firm enough for sprinting through curvy roads, braking hard into turns and throttling out. The 250 excels here where speeds aren’t high, even when the fun factor is pinging the rev limiter.
- On faster-paced roads on sweeping turns, hitting an unexpected bump or ripple got my attention, revealing the limits of the 250’s suspension. As a lighter than average weight rider, I’m stuck with compression damping that is a bit too stiff for me, and that’s a bit insecure feeling when not on the top of the tire. I didn’t notice this as much on the freeway, upright over the expansion joints, as the bike doesn’t lose its composure.
- Radial tires from India’s Madras Rubber Factory keep the 250 Duke’s rubber side down. Although not mainstream tires in the United States, the MRF Steel Brace tires are an appropriate choice, balancing sporty performance and budget, for the novice-focused 250. They are grippy enough for confidence when honing skills in the canyons, allowing secure leans and turn-ins. At speed on the freeway, even when changing lanes, there were no issues between the MRF’s tread pattern and the rain grooves.
- The 250 is agile and responsive, so it feels like an extension of your body. It moves as soon as you think about it, yet it is not nervous. Cornering is predictable, with plenty of clearance, and the stability on freeways translates to straights in the twisty parts of town.
- The 250 Duke is willing to run with the big boys on the freeway if you are. Yes, it revs high to keep pace with the 75-80+ mph speeds frequently seen on Los Angeles freeways, and I found a top speed of 95 mph in the HOV lane where I run speed tests. You must pay full attention when keeping up in the fast lane as there’s not much in reserve; overtakes are still possible, though they won’t be rapid. Windblast becomes a factor at the higher speeds on the naked Duke, and there’s the expected buzziness from a single cylinder, though nothing I found bothersome on the intra-city runs that the 250 Duke excels on.
- The brakes are appropriately matched for the 250 Duke’s audience. The 250 has a robust 320mm front disc—up 20mm compared to the 200—and it gets a radial-mounted ByBre caliper. That’s unexpected on an inexpensive motorcycle, and the stoppers are nicely tuned with a soft initial bite. This is a good choice by KTM, considering newer riders will make up the bulk of the customers. More aggressive riders will quickly figure out they have to squeeze the lever hard to extract faster deceleration. Similarly, the brake pedal needs serious pressure to deliver more than cursory supplemental braking from the 240mm rear disc, which also gets a ByBre caliper. The Bosch ABS was so transparent I never felt its engagement, try as I might to trigger it. The Supermoto mode disables the rear ABS should you want to try some of the brochure antics.
- Borrowing from the Duke 390, the switchgear is easy to navigate the dash menu with its four-way toggle switch, and backlit so you can see what you’re doing after hours. While the dash has an LCD instead of the 390’s upscale TFT screen, the large rectangular format is modern, roomy, and a welcome improvement from the 200’s small LCD. Though some display fonts are small and narrow, the essential data—speed, gear position, fuel gauge—are readable at a glance, though hobbled when there is significant daylight glare. There is also smartphone connectivity. You’ll need the KTMconnect app to take advantage of turn-by-turn nav, music, and phone calls.
- Our stylish 250 Duke test bike was tricked out with various items from KTM’s PowerParts catalog. Our test bike included a handlebar end mirror set ($190), folding adjustable clutch ($100) and brake ($99) levers in KTM orange, a wheel rim sticker kit ($30), and a $150 carbon fiber flyscreen. While that last item is slick-looking, KTM could probably have made it out of plastic for less than a third of the cost. There are plenty of other goodies in the catalog, from an Akrapovič titanium slip-on muffler (about $700) to aesthetic doo-dads, to protection for bike and rider (frame sliders, hand guards), to comfort (seat), and luggage options to tailor the 250 to your needs. Lighting is LED all around, so no upgrade is needed there.
- Replacing the beginner-friendly 200 Duke with the more capable, novice-friendly 250 Duke was a smart choice. The 2025 KTM 250 Duke will suit a wider range of riders as it has both a casual around-town personality and a willing, spunky side just waiting to be tapped. Looking every bit as smart-alecky as its larger sibling, but with its own engine personality, the 250 Duke is ready to handle commuting duties, around-town riding, and weekend play in the canyons.
Photography by Don Williams
RIDING STYLE
- Helmet: Arai Signet-X Oriental-2
- Jacket: Dainese Rapida
- Back protection: Dainese D1 Wave G.1 Short
- Gloves: Racer Multi-Top Short Lady
- Jeans: Dainese Amelia Slim Lady
- Boots: Dainese Aurora Lady D-WP
2025 KTM 250 Duke Specifications
ENGINE
- Type: Single cylinder
- Displacement: 249cc
- Bore x stroke: 72 x 61mm
- Maximum power: 31 horsepower
- Maximum torque: 18 ft-lbs
- Valvetrain: SOHC; 4 valves
- Fueling: Bosch EFI w/ 38mm throttle body
- Engine management: Bosch EMS
- Lubrication: Wet sump
- Cooling: Liquid
- Transmission: 6-speed (quickshifter optional)
- Clutch: mechanically actuated wet multidisc w/ assist and slipper functions
- Final drive: 520 X-ring chain
CHASSIS
- Frame: Powdercoated steel trellis w/ cast aluminum bolt-on rear subframe
- Handlebar: Tapered aluminum
- Front suspension; travel: Non-adjustable WP Apex 43mm inverted open-cartridge, big-piston fork; 5.9 inches
- Rear suspension; travel: Cantilevered spring-preload adjustable WP Apex Emulsion shock w/ progressive damping; 5.9 inches
- Wheels: Cast aluminum
- Front: 17 x 3.00
- Rear: 17 x 4.00
- Tires: MRF Steel Brace
- Front: 110/70 x 17
- Rear: 150/60 x 17
- Front brake: 320mm disc w/ radially mounted ByBre four-piston caliper
- Rear brake: 240mm disc w/ floating ByBre caliper
- ABS: Bosch ABS w/ Supermoto mode
DIMENSIONS and CAPACITIES
- Wheelbase: 53.4 inches
- Seat height: 31.4 inches
- Fuel capacity: 3.9 gallons
- Curb weight: 364 pounds
- Colors: Orange/black; white/orange
2025 KTM 250 Duke Price: $4599 (as tested: $5169)
