Spec Comparison: KTM 250 Duke v Bajaj Dominar 250

Let’s compare the specifications of the Bajaj Dominar 250 and the KTM 250 Duke in their BS6 avatar.

The 250-cc segment in India is growing rapidly. Until now, Bajaj were one of the only manufacturers that did not have an offering in this segment. Rumours long ago stated that a 250-cc model from Bajaj was in the works and would be a Pulsar model. Now, we have the new 250-cc model but takes its styling and design from their most powerful offering – Dominar 400. KTM have been offering the 250 Duke for a while now and the latest BS6 model is priced at Rs 2 lakh (ex-showroom), Rs 40,000 more than the Dominar 250, which is priced at Rs 1.60 lakh (ex-showroom). Here is a list that will help you make your mind up when deciding whether the Dominar is the right amount of bang for the buck, or if the 250 Duke is worth paying the extra sum for.

Engine

Both units are single-cylinder engines which are liquid-cooled and fuel-injected. The only difference is that the engine in the Dominar uses twin spark-plugs while the KTM gets a single spark-plug. The KTMs are known for their raw power delivery and as we can see KTM 250 Duke makes 30 hp and revs up to 9,000 rpm . That’s three horses more than the Bajaj Dominar 250 which has 27 hp and revs up to 8,500 rpm. On the other hand, the peak torque of the KTM is 24 Nm at 7,500 rpm, which is 0.5 Nm up and is arrived at 1,000 rpm after that of the Dominar’s, which is 23.5 Nm at 6,500 rpm.

Suspension

Brakes

When it comes to suspension and braking, both bikes are almost similar. The only difference is the size of the front forks, where the KTM gets a 43-mm fork, while the Dominar gets a narrower 37-mm front fork. Both bikes also get dual-channel ABS with a 300-mm disc brake in front and a 230-mm disc brake at the rear. As a bonus on the KTM, there is an option of using the Supermoto ABS mode which disengages the action on the rear brake, allowing the rear wheel to be locked under braking. That allows for some fun slides.

Wheels and Tyre Size

Both bikes use 17-inch alloy rims at the front and the rear. The difference is the tyre size which is wider on the KTM:110/70 at the front and a 150/60 at the rear compared to the 100/80 front and 130/70 rear on the Dominar.

Dimensions

The KTM 250 Duke has a sharp, edgy design, whereas the Dominar 250 shares its styling with the larger-engine Dominar which has a beefy and chunky design. The Dominar 250 is slightly larger than the 250 Duke in terms of length, width and height, and also gets more ground clearance. The advantage that all KTMs have always had is the lightweight factor. The 250 Duke weighs almost 11 kg less than the Dominar 250. The new KTM 250 Duke also gets a larger fuel tank of 13.4 litres compared to the 13-litre fuel tank on the Dominar 250.

In conclusion, the KTM 250 Duke is a more sporty and performance-oriented machine compared to the Bajaj Dominar 250, which should offer more everyday practicality. The other bikes rivalling the 250 Duke and the Dominar 250 are the Suzuki Gixxer 250 (Rs 1.59 lakh ex-showroom), Yamaha FZ25 (Rs 1.35 lakh ex-showroom) and the Benelli Leoncino 250 (Rs 2.5 lakh ex-showroom). We await riding the new 250-cc motorcycles in their BS6 variants to tell you exactly how they fare in a detailed road-test.