Yamaha FZ 25 vs KTM Duke 200 comparison

The Yamaha FZ 25 is a 250 cc motorbike that is meant to take on the 200 cc segment. Now, one of the most popular performances bikes are KTMs and we pin the FZ 25 against the KTM 200 to find out which of the two you should buy. These bikes come into the segment of entry-level performance bikes and therefore are higher than the premium commuters. In this comparison, we see everything right from the specs, to the performance handling and build quality. Find out who comes out on top in this comparison below.

Engine

When you look at the specs it seems as if the Duke KTM 200 already has a big advantage over the FZ 25. Even though the FZ 25 has a bigger 250 cc engine it only manages to produce 20.9 bhp since it is air-cooled, has two valves and is SOHC configured. While the Duke 200 produces 25 bhp from its 200 cc motor as it is liquid-cooled has four valves and is DOHC. This is a major difference and the weight of the bikes is also in favour of the Duke 200 as it has a steel trellis frame which would mean that the Duke 200 will come out on top in a drag race. But the FZ 25 gets slightly more torque of 20 Nm of torque as compared to that of 19 nm of the duke. Also, since the Duke has shorter gear ratios as well which means that you flick through gears easily and you can get to the high speeds fast. But being a 200cc bike the engine will scream in the top end and you will not feel relaxed to cruise on it at a higher speed.

Whereas on the other hand the FZ 25 can maintain slightly lower speeds in a much-relaxed manner.

Also, the throttle dynamic of both the bike is different. Due to the short wheelbase and the larger sprocket, the KTM feels more aggressive. The Yamaha FZ 25 is more mature and commuters. The bike can be really good in the city and get the advantage to the rider when there are daily commutes involved. The Yamaha FZ 25 will even have better fuel efficiency because of its engine layout.

Also read : KTM 200 Duke BS6 vs BS4- Changes explained

Build quality

This is something where Yamaha excels at. The FZ parts feel premium and stay premium. The throttle body is covered in proper insulation and there is a very systematic arrangement for the wires from the levers. The panel gaps are minimal and the attention to detail is good. The Duke 390 is known for engine heating issues and you can feel these on the Duke 200 too. Being a liquid-cooled engine the bike gets some reliability but who likes frying their legs. Also, the parts are shared with the pulsar and the bike which might be a let down for some customers. Lastly, the design of the bike is more mature and the paint scheme on the FZ 25 is more subtle than the flashy orange on the KTM. but this is a matter of personal opinion and we leave that up to you. If you don’t care much for the build quality then you can know more about the Pulsar NS 200.

Features and suspension

The Yamaha FZ 25 gets LED headlights and taillights while the Duke does not. But in terms of suspension, the Duke is superior as it gets upside-down telescopic forks up-front while the FZ 25 gets regular telescopic forks. Both bikes get a mono-shock suspension for the rear. The brakes are also where the Duke 200 comes out on top again as it gets 300mm up front and 230mm discs at the back while the FZ 25 only gets 282 mm discs at the front and 220mm disc at the back.

Pricing

This makes things interesting as the FZ 25 costs Rs 1.19 lakh (ex-showroom) while the Duke costs 1.44 lakh(ex-showroom). When you look at this segment this price difference is huge and therefore for overall value for money when you have to take all the things into consideration, the Yamaha FZ 25 seems to be the better product and the winner of our comparison.

This bike can be the bike for someone who will use it for daily commuter to the office but doesn’t want a lame commuter bike. But if you are a college student and you want something that you can show off to your friend then the Duke is the bike for you. Right now Yamaha has discontinued the bike for BS6 but they have teased the new version of the bike. You can read more about it here.

You can also check out our review on the FZ 25 below: