SECOND OPINION
Joshua Varghese
Bajaj Dominar 250: The Dominar is second only to the Gixxer in terms of touring and is a capable all-rounder. Better levels of refinement would have made it sweeter, though.
Husqvarna Svartpilen 250: The Svartpilen turned the most heads with its unconventional styling. Being quick and nimble add to its appeal but it needs to be more refined for everyday use.
KTM 250 Duke: Surprisingly, the Duke was the least rewarding ride experience for me. It was not as fast as before and not as exciting as the competition. Quite vibey too.
Suzuki Gixxer 250: The Suzuki ticks all the boxes for me. It is fun, peppy, refined, and stunning to look at in this MotoGP livery. Ultimately, it offers the most value as a package.
Yamaha FZS 25: The Yamaha has good levels of refinement and handles well too but the engine lacks grunt to make it a quick motorcycle and the lack of a sixth gear is sorely missed.
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Cherry Roy
Bajaj Dominar 250: The Dominar 250 offers exceptional ride quality and strong braking. The muscular styling of this motorcycle gives it a firm and purposeful stance.
Husqvarna Svartpilen 250: Looks like a motorcycle straight from the future. The Svartpilen feels agile and easy to manoeuvre in traffic, but it could do with a better spread of torque.
KTM 250 Duke: For a rider who prefers easy-going bikes, the 250 Duke feels rather aggressive, right from its throttle response to its sharp dynamics.
Suzuki Gixxer 250: With an optimal mix of all the right elements, the Gixxer 250 tops the table in terms of comfort, rideability, engine performance, and looks.
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Zal Cursetji
Bajaj Dominar 250: The opposite of the Husky and Duke, the Dominar is comfortable and plush. However, in the twisties, the Dominar doesn’t feel as nimble as the others in this shootout.
Husqvarna Svartpilen 250: If fun, style, and uniqueness are what you yearn for, then the Svartpilen it is. Although not advisable for a long journey, it was a hoot in the city and on curvy stretches of tarmac.
KTM 250 Duke: The performance machine of the segment. Very aggressive ergos, sharp, quick, and fun it may be, but a longer ride would not suit the KTM Duke 250 at all.
Suzuki Gixxer 250: The best all-rounder in the segment is the Gixxer. A balance of great handling, a super engine, and comfortable ergos for the long trip, yet sporty enough to enthral in the twisties.
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Azaman Chothia
Bajaj Dominar 250: The Dominar 250 is the most comfortable streetfighter among this lot and makes for a purposeful tourer. It is also the heaviest of them all, which makes it less nimble than the rest.
Husqvarna Svartpilen 250: The Svartpilen stands apart from the pack with its futuristic design and styling elements. Its combination of the engine, suspension set-up, and brakes makes it ideal for the daily city commute.
KTM 250 Duke: The 250 Duke is a fun motorcycle to ride, sporting a sharp and aggressive design language with ergonomics that make it the nimblest handler in this lot. In terms of power, the bike did feel slightly suffocated as compared to the BS4 model.
Suzuki Gixxer 250: The Suzuki Gixxer 250 offers a perfect blend of speed, safety, and practicality. This engine, in my opinion, is a significant all-rounder and makes this bike the best bet for a rider looking for a fun motorcycle in the twisties that also promises everyday usability.
Yamaha FZS 25: The Yamaha FZS25 is the oldest 250-cc machine among this lot and the only one with a five-speed gearbox. Because of this, it cannot keep up with the rest in terms of performance, but still packs a very refined engine and is a motorcycle that handles very well.
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