The Royal Enfield Himalayan was launched when the Triumph Tiger and BMW GS Series were ruling the adventure tourer segment in the country. In no time, the sales graph of the Himalayan grew like the Himalayas. Following in its footsteps, the BMW GS 310 arrived and then the KTM Adventure 390 too.
However, the hero in the entry level remained the Xpulse. The 250 Adventure is a gift to those who wanted an adventure tourer that is a little more powerful than the Xpulse with better quality but at an affordable price tag. On a 250 Adventure, you can zip through the highway or tackle the hills with ease. We spent a day with the newcomer in the KTM Adventure series; here are the details.
The difference
It is easy to mistake the 250 Adventure for a 390 Adventure. The styling of these two KTM Adventure bikes is quite similar. There are no changes to the chassis, suspension, wheel, and body panel. However, look closer and you can spot some changes. While the 390 has full-LED headlamp, the 290 comes with conventional halogen headlight. However, the headlamp design remains unchanged. But the headlight comes with LED DRL. The aluminium handlebar of the 390 gives way to steel in the 250. The 250 shares the knuckle guard and windshield with the 390. The 250 gets a digital LCD instrument panel as against the 390's TFT colour display but the screen is sharp and visible in most conditions. Settings can be changed using the switch on the left side of the meter. However, both motorcycles feature different body graphics and colours.
Engine
The 250 Adventure shares its engine with KTM Duke 250 and Husqvarna 250. The 248.8 cc single-cylinder engine produces 29.5 bhp of peak power and 24 Nm of peak torque at 7500 rpm.
Ride
Despite the smaller displacement engine, the 250 Adventure weighs the same as its beefier sibling at 177 kg (the Enfield Himalayan weighs 182 kg). But the extra weight is not felt and the bike is easily manageable on most terrains, including off-road tracks. The seat height is 855 mm and could pose some problems to those on the shorter side. But the seat height helps in providing excellent road view. The 200 mm ground clearance comes in handy especially during offroading. The suspension system comprises WP Apex forks with 170 mm of travel at the front and WP Apex mono-shock suspension system with 177 mm travel in the rear. The 250 Adventure is a capable offroader, offering good performance on various terrains. MRF's dual purpose tyres offer good grip. The 390 Adventure uses Metzeler tyres.
The taut trellis frame and suspension help provide good straightline stability and cornering capability. It easily climbs to three-digit speeds. There is enough low-end grunt that comes in handy during offroading. The 250 Adventure comes with a dual-channel ABS that can be switched off to the rear wheel in off-road mode.
The 250 Adventure misses out on the 390's cornering ABS and traction control. The engine is paired to a six-speed transmission with a quick shifter. It offers a smooth and jerk-free clutch-less downshifting. Gear changes are precise. The light clutch is a boon during city rides. The BYBRE brakes of Brembo provide good feedback.
Final lap
In KTM 250 Adventure, you get the looks of the 390 Adventure, good offroading capability and handling at an affordable price tag of Rs 2.56 lakh. And that is the highlight of the 250 Adventure.
