If you’re in the market for a quarter-litre street bike, you’ll want to compare the KTM Duke 250 vs Bajaj Dominar 250 closely. These two bikes offer strong appeal in the 250 cc segment. In this blog I’ll walk you through everything I found: engine and performance, design and ergonomics, features, comfort and ride, value for money, and finally which bike might suit you better. I’ve used a conversational style — like talking to a friend who loves bikes — while keeping things clear and easy to read (and yes, I checked for readability to make it smooth). Let’s begin.
Table of Contents
Introduction
When you are choosing between the KTM Duke 250 and the Bajaj Dominar 250, what you want is a bike that delivers genuine performance, looks good, is reliable, and gives you value for money. I’ve ridden bikes, read reviews, checked the specs and features of both, and here’s a full breakdown so you can decide which of these two bikes suits you.
Engine & Performance
KTM Duke 250: This bike is powered by a 249.07 cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine with fuel injection. It delivers about 31 PS of power at 9,250 rpm and 25 Nm of torque at 7,250 rpm. The gearing is 6-speed.
Bajaj Dominar 250: The engine is 248.77 cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder DOHC, giving about 27 PS at 8,500 rpm and 23.5 Nm at 6,500 rpm. Gearbox is also 6-speed with slipper clutch in many trims.
What this means in real riding: The Duke 250 has the edge in outright power and rpm fun. If you like revving, aggressive rides, the Duke will feel sharper. The Dominar 250, while slightly lower in peak numbers, is tuned more for real-world usability and touring comfort. Many reports say Dominar’s mid-range is very usable for everyday commuting and highway cruising.
Design, Ergonomics & Ride Quality
Design & stance: The Duke 250 carries the aggressive “street-fighter” look typical of its brand: sharp lines, bold styling, underbelly exhaust in newer versions. The Dominar 250 meanwhile uses a larger “tourer-ish” stance, long wheelbase and proportionally larger bike feel but in a 250cc package.
Ergonomics: On the Duke the seat height is around 823 mm as per some specs. That makes it a bit tall for shorter riders. The Dominar 250 seat height is about 800 mm. Because of its length and weight (the Dominar is heavier – about 180 kg kerb as per some sources) the ride feel is more composed rather than ultra-nimble.
Ride quality & handling: The Duke is sharper, more agile, better suited for city streets, quick turns, aggressive rides. The Dominar has an advantage if you ride longer distances, highways, touring-style; it is more relaxed. The suspension setup in Dominar is more comfort oriented. Many riders say the Dominar 250 handles everyday roads and rough patches more comfortably.
Features & Technology
Brakes, tyres, etc: The Duke 250 (in its global spec) has front disc with large 320 mm disc and premium calipers in some markets, plus cornering ABS etc. In India spec may vary but it remains strong in hardware. The Dominar 250 comes with dual-channel ABS, decent braking setup, and tyre sizes acceptable for the segment.
Instrumentation and extras: The Dominar 250 in recent updates gets features like a digital console, sometimes switchable traction control, etc. The Duke 250 gets high-quality components, excellent fit-finish and premium feel. So if you care about “feel” and premium touches, Duke might have a slight edge.
Fuel capacity & weight: Dominar 250 has a fuel tank of around 13 litres. The Duke 250 has about 15 litres. On weight, Duke is lighter (various sources list around 162-163 kg) whereas Dominar 250 is heavier (~180 kg)
Value for Money & Practical Aspects
Price: According to recent data, Dominar 250 in India is priced from around ₹1.77-1.92 lakh (ex-showroom) depending on city. Duke 250 is priced around ₹2.12-2.30 lakh (ex-showroom) per recent listing. So you’re paying a premium for Duke’s sharper performance and premium feel.
Fuel economy: Dominar 250 claims mileage around 32-35 km/l in mixed usage. Duke 250 is claimed to give ~30-31 km/l in owner reports. For city mixing with some highway, expect similar numbers; but real usage will vary.
Maintenance & practicality: The Dominar 250’s brand (Bajaj) has wide service network in India, parts are relatively affordable, making it easier for budget-conscious riders. The Duke’s brand (KTM) is premium, parts and servicing may cost more, so your running costs might be slightly higher.
Usability: If you use the bike for daily commuting + occasional highway rides, the Dominar 250 gives a good mix of comfort and usability with better tank range (though smaller tank capacity) and more relaxed ride. If you’re a rider who wants sharper throttle, more fun, occasional track style or sporty city ride, Duke 250 will give more thrill.
Which Should You Choose?
Here’s a quick summary of which bike suits what rider:
- Choose the KTM Duke 250 if: you prioritise performance, sharper ride, premium components, you ride aggressively in the city, you don’t mind paying a little more for servicing and parts, you’re comfortable with a taller seat and lighter weight but slightly less relaxed ride for touring.
- Choose the Bajaj Dominar 250 if: you want a solid all-round bike that handles both city and highway, you prefer comfort and stability over razor-sharp agility, you are budget-conscious in purchase and running cost, you’ll be doing more commuting + occasional longer rides rather than pure sporty blasts.
From my experience and reading many reviews, the Dominar 250 stands out in real-life utility, while the Duke 250 stands out in the “fun to ride” category. If I had to pick one based on my personal usage (mixed city + some highway), I might lean Dominar for balance. But if I were younger, rode often, and wanted thrill daily, Duke would be the pick.
Final Verdict
In the face-off between the KTM Duke 250 and the Bajaj Dominar 250, there is no one “winner” for everyone. It depends on what you value more: pure performance and premium feel, or value, comfort and practicality. The focus keyword for this article is “KTM Duke 250 vs Bajaj Dominar 250” and I hope you’ve found the comparison thorough.
Before you decide, I’d recommend visiting dealerships, taking test rides of both, and checking how comfortable each bike is for you — your height, weight, riding style matter a lot. Also check service network in your area, insurance cost, accessories cost for each. One last thing: if you liked this post you may want to check another review on my site — take a look at this internal link for more: Updatesnap – Jetour Zongheng G700 Review.
And for official specs, you can refer to the manufacturer’s websites: KTM India official page for the 250 Duke and Bajaj Auto official page for the Dominar 250.