KTM 250 Adventure: Pros, Cons, Should You Buy One?

The 250 Adventure may be a better toy than the 390 Adventure on rough roads, but is it really worth the price?

KTM’s Adventure touring portfolio got a lot more accessible thanks to the 250 ADV. It’s friendly like the 250 Duke and has some decent kit for tackling slow, tricky terrains. But does it really warrant your money?

The Pros

Light To Steer Through Traffic

The lighter front-end and its naked-esque riding posture help you flick the bike without much effort while zipping through traffic.

Smooth And Refined

The 250 Adventure can sit at 100-110kmph out on the highway all day long, with just a light buzz emanating through the pegs. The engine feels refined and stress-free at these speeds. What is a bit of an issue is the lack of drive below 6,000rpm.

Lack Of Electronics Doesn’t Hamper Off-roading

The 250 Adventure is basically a simplified 390. You don't get a fancy LED headlight here, no colour TFT screen, no Bluetooth connectivity nor electronic rider aids like traction control and quickshifter. But the lack of features doesn't rob the bike of its off-road capabilities. In fact, the friendly power delivery of the motor makes it easier to tackle slow, technical terrain. The 250, in fact, is a better toy than the 390 to tackle rough roads.

The Cons

Suspension Lacks Plushness Off-road

The 250 gets the same stiff suspension setup as the 390 Adventure which isn’t exactly meant for off-road. What you need in this scenario is a suspension that’s tuned to be softer to smoothen out bumps and imperfections without the ride ever feeling jarring.

Highway Overtaking Requires You To Downshift

As mentioned earlier, the 250's engine feels quite happy sitting between 100 and 110kmph. But the lack of drive below 6,000rpm will force you to shift down and work the gearbox in an attempt to get past highway traffic.

Wind Deflection Could Have Been Better

The natural riding posture on the 250 Adventure gives you a feeling of sitting on the bike rather than in the saddle. This streetfighter-type riding stance isn't all that comfortable out on the highway as you're more exposed to elements. Even wind deflection isn’t that great. 

No LED Headlight

No, the 250 Adventure doesn’t get the fancy headlight seen on the 390 ADV. Instead, it comes with the same halogen unit from the 250 Duke that is now also found on the 200 Duke and 125 Duke. While this is a bit of a bummer, it will be a lot easier on the pocket in case of any damage.

Should You Buy One?

It's quite difficult to justify buying the 250 Adventure considering its price tag, especially when you have bikes such as the Royal Enfield Himalayan, the BMW G 310 GS, and even the KTM 250 Duke in the same vicinity. Moreover, the 250 Adventure doesn’t offer that much more over the Himalayan or the baby GS in terms of ability. Even if you plan on sticking primarily to tarmac, we'd suggest going for the 250 Duke which is Rs 50,000 cheaper, has a better suspension setup, an LED headlight, and more accessible ergonomics.