2024 KTM 250 Duke Not Too Comfy For Tall Riders

In the last decade or so, the quarter-liter segment of motorcycles seems to have vanished. The entry-level segment has embraced 300-400cc motorcycles with open arms and KTM’s been at the forefront of this shift, thanks to the 390 Duke. But for 2024, Team Orange’s naked range has undergone a slight shuffle. Going back to the basics, the Austrian bike maker has launched the new 250 Duke in North America - the smallest orange streetfighter in the US. However, with barely 150cc between the 250 and the 390, it’d be fair if you thought 'What’s the point of this?, ‘Who is this Duke for?’, and most importantly, ‘Does it make sense?’.
To help you answer all these, TopSpeed did what it does best. We hit up KTM, and got our hands on the all-new 250 Duke for an America-exclusive first-ride review. Post a good near-100-mile run and a week of hooliganism, here’s everything we liked and disliked about the motorcycle. And wait till the end for a quick comparison of the baby Duke with its arch-rivals - the Honda CB300R and the BMW G 310 R.
For 2024, KTM has introduced the 250 Duke in America. It becomes the smallest naked in Team Orange's portfolio, sitting under the 390 Duke. Though not sold in America earlier, the new 250 has undergone a massive update from last year. It borrows nearly all the upgrades you'd find on the updated 390 Duke, be it the new chassis, switchgear, suspension, or underpinnings. As you'd expect, these make the 250 a solid prospect in the sub-300cc segment.
The 250 Duke’s Bluetooth system is very user-friendly and I was able to hook up my phone within a minute and receive call alerts as well as control my music playback seamlessly. KTM’s app will also bring turn-by-turn navigation to the dash itself, although that is still a little time away, we’ve been told.
Speaking of the dash, it's an LCD unit that packs in everything you want and need, although it doesn’t fall naturally into a taller rider's field of view. The new switchgear looks and feels like it's off a much more expensive bike which is a really nice touch (see what I did there?). Like all new KTM designs, I’ve found myself coming around to it once some time has passed. A few differences to the 390 include shorter tank extensions and the plastic ‘eyebrows’ surrounding the LED headlight instead of the DRLs from the 390.