250cc motorcycles, in the Indian context, are for those who have a liking for powerful motorcycles, but for whatever reasons, often have to settle for less. This is a tricky segment as the bikes here can be powerful but at the same time not as powerful as you would want them to be. But its a good plane for amateurs to learn the nuances of motorcycle riding. This is again another segment which is popular amongst the youth. So we decided to list down the top 250cc bikes you can buy in India.
Yamaha FZ 25
The fan favourite motorcycle on this list, it has a butter smooth engine which is also very rev happy. The bike looks pleasing to the eye, and it can easily cruise all day long at triple digit speeds. It misses out on ABS as of now, Yamaha is holding their cards for now and may be planning to add ABS to this motorcycle as and when the rule comes in. The Yamaha FZ 25 is powered by a 249cc, single-cylinder air-cooled engine that makes 20 bhp and 20 Nm of torque, it comes mated to a 5-speed gearbox. The bike loses out to its competitors if you consider outright performance.
- Yamaha FZ 25 price: Rs. 1.2 lakh
- Pros: Relaxed riding posture, smooth engine
- Cons: Lack of sixth gear, underpowered
KTM 250 Duke
Placed right in between the tried-and-tested 200 Duke and the gorgeous new 390 Duke, the 250 Duke gives you the best of both worlds in a more peaceful manner. The engine is refined and rev-happy but the power delivery doesn’t threaten to throw you off like its older sibling. Again this bike misses out on ABS. The KTM 250 Duke comes with a 248.7cc, single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine that makes 30 bhp and 24 Nm of torque, paired to a 6-speed gearbox. The bike weighs just 161 kilos making it one of the lightest in the segment.
- KTM 250 Duke price: Rs. 1.8 lakh
- Pros: Powerful engine, Superb ergonomics
- Cons: Lack of ABS
Also Read: 2017 KTM Duke 250 First Ride Review and Performance Test
Kawasaki Z 250
The baby Z as they call this motorcycle from the Kawasaki stable is the only parallel twin-cylinder motorcycle currently on sale in this segment. The levels of refinement that come with this package cannot be compared with single-cylinder engines. It is agile, nimble and offers good handling. The aggressive styling clearly echoes its connection to the Z family. The Kawasaki Z250 is powered by a 249cc, liquid-cooled, inline twin-cylinder engine that makes 31.5 bhp and 21 Nm of torque, paired to a 6-speed gearbox. Kawasaki claims a mileage figure of 28km/l and the Z250 weighs 168kg.
- Kawasaki Z 250 price: Rs. 3.1 lakh
- Pros: Parallel twin motor
- Cons: High pricing
Honda CBR 250R
Probably the oldest bike in this segment. This bike has been on sale in India since 2011, it still is built on the same platform as it was back in 2011. The bike recently received some minor updates but no substantial changes were made to it. The reason behind this is the Honda over here has a peach of a motor which is the most rev-happy engine in this category. The riding ergonomics of the bike are pretty well balanced too and can easily be the mile muncher people are looking for. Honda CBR250R features a 249.6cc liquid-cooled 4-stroke DOHC 4-valve SI engine with fuel injection. The engine pushes maximum power of 26.5 bhp at 8500 rpm and peak torque of 22.9 Nm at 7000 rpm through a 6-speed manual transmission.
- Honda CBR 250R price: Rs. 1.8-2.2 lakh
- Pros: Refined motor, riding position
- Cons: Outdated design