Re: 2017 Duke 250

Well, It's been a little more than a year of ownership of the 250. Here are some thoughts so far -

Looks - Still a bloody looker.

Ergonomics - Stock seat is surprisingly ok. Was afraid of how hard the seat would be going by the reviews of the earlier dukes.

Engine - Feels lovely at 5K to 7k. Feels unhappy after this band. Is sensitive to fuel. Feels best when ridden with HP's poWer

Refinement - Has definitely gotten better over time.

Brakes - A feature by KTM to keep you attentive at high speeds. Also used to slow the bike down sometimes.

Heating - Have been riding extensively in the city (well, city only) Never seen the high temperature warning only on day one of ownership, the first ride from the showroom. You do feel the heat on the underside of the left thigh when it gets bad though. Not a good feeling. Gotta keep the revs low to delay the engine from heating up excessively.

Handling - Favourite part of the bike. It's telepathic, confidence inspiring. Feels like the puts you on a throne and makes you feel good.

Build quality - The plastic fairings creak upon touch - Same as it was on the first day. Nothing much has changed since then. I have it parked in the sun and the rain all day and basically nothing has gone wrong here. The UV resist paint helps, but is prone to scratches. I do not like the quality of the nuts and bolts used however. The leg guard bolt has escaped twice. The bit where you put the keys also vibrate. needed a small donation from the car mat to fix.

Lighting - I love that spread of the low beam. High beam is nothing to write home about.

Gearbox - Demands you to be at high revs at all times for it to work properly, else there are false neutrals and soggy shifts at times.

Efficiency - I get about 30 to 32. Not too bad for a 250.

Bought this bike primarily for city use and the bike has been good so far. One mod i want to do is to change the sprocket and the chain. Wonder to go for a Bigger rear/ Smaller rear sprocket. I know a smaller sprocket would reduce the strain on the engine at higher revs but would reduce pickup too. Any suggestions? What are the options for the chain?

Re: 2017 Duke 250

It's the other way around.. a smaller front sprocket is similar to a bigger rear sprocket : improves pickup
a bigger front or a smaller rear, 'reduces' strain and pickup and lets you hit speeds at lower rpm's vs stock , and also increase the top speed.
a one tooth change up front is equal to approx 3 tooth change at rear.

Use this website to get an idea on the gearing.
The d250 comes with a 15/46 setup i guess.. and i am not sure what other sprockets are compatible with the d250.
for the d200, the front sprocket of a p220 is a direct fit for stock size i.e. 14t. maybe i should get my hands on a used d250 sprocket and see if it matches the d200, if so would be a good mod to lessen the frantic nature and improve highway cruising.

Re: 2017 Duke 250

Thanks for the website, I'm assuming the sprockets are compatible across the duke range, but the length of the chain will be the issue.

Re: 2017 Duke 250

no they are not, at least not the front among the 200 and 390. the output shaft spline dimension/pattern is different and the 200's sprocket wont go on the 390's or vice versa.
the 250 and 390 maybe the same since both are 15 T, you might want to check and compare before opting for a sprocket swap.

Duke 250 under seat noise

Gentlemen I have a small question. I just brought a new d250 a couple of months back and am experiencing some kind of noise when riding the bike on top a small speed breaker or a pothole. The speed is very slow somewhere around 10 to 15 km/h, 2nd gear. And there goes a very plasticky soft thump from under the tank or seat. The chain is set optimally and all the nuts and bolts even from under the seat are quite secure. Suspension is set to 5 clicks. No tools box under the seat. The sound seems to be coming from under the seat, maybe the tank not sure. The mud guard and tyre hugger are secured nice and tight. Wiring under the rear seat are also secured. On smooth roads not a sound, but as soon as you start hitting undulations and at low speeds you can hear that soft plastic thumping sound as if something is loose. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thx

Re: 2017 Duke 250

check if the battery is fastened down properly. or it might be the chain slapping against the slider, check chain slack and proper alignment at the wheels.

Re: 2017 Duke 250

Yes bro I checked that as well. Everything is in place. I am so intrigued with this issue.

Re: 2017 Duke 250

The for helping out

Re: 2017 Duke 250

Bro I have a small question. I just brought a new d250 a couple of months back and am experiencing some kind of noise when riding the bike on top a small speed breaker or a pothole. The speed is very slow somewhere around 10 to 15 km/h, 2nd gear. And there goes a very plasticky soft thump from under the tank or seat. The chain is set optimally and all the nuts and bolts even from under the seat are quite secure. Suspension is set to 5 clicks. No tools box under the seat. The sound seems to be coming from under the seat, maybe the tank not sure. The mud guard and tyre hugger are secured nice and tight. Wiring under the rear seat are also secured. On smooth roads not a sound, but as soon as you start hitting undulations and at low speeds you can hear that soft plastic thumping sound as if something is loose. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Th

Re: 2017 Duke 250

check if any of the crash guard bolts are broken, otherwise it is mostly the chain. can't comment further without actually riding the bike.
ride another bike or ask someone to ride your bike and check

Re: 2017 Duke 250

Sure bro. Will try that out. Thank a ton.

Re: Duke 250 under seat noise

I hear this too with change in helmets. On a LS2 i hear nothing, but this is hear on an old Vega.

Re: 2017 Duke 250

Any updates on this?

Could someone please share the invite link to the WhatsApp group? Thanks in advance.

Greetings from Argentina, here is my Duke:

Re: 2017 Duke 250

Here's the updated link for the Whastapp group;

Re: 2017 Duke 250

Has anyone got stock exhaust changed to something else on d250? Looking for some better options