Benelli TNT25 vs KTM Duke 200 – Comparison

KTM had revolution the bike market with the Duke 200, now there seems to be an Italian challenger to this Austrian bike. Benelli TNT25 vs KTM Duke 200 comparison is hot and several of our readers are enquiring about the new Benelli bike. Benelli doesn’t have the reach of the KTM in India and it doesn’t even have the price advantage. But there are somethings that make it more premium. We find out in our comparison.

Benelli TNT25 vs KTM Duke 200 Design

The Benelli TNT25 is an Italian and you cannot mistake that. Its dipped in Italian style completely and looks beautiful, elegant and stylish. The headlamps with bezels on the side, the chiseled mudguard and petal discs look classy. The contoured tank which extends to the stylish seats add a lot of elegance along with sportiness to it. The multispoke black alloy wheels are a good combination of sportiness and elegance. The handle grips have an air of quality and the switch gear also is top class. The instrument cluster is all digital and also has a gear indicator.

The Duke on the other hand has a heavy tone of brashness. The bike is a typical street-fighter and the design makes it feel ready to be racing with your adrenaline pumping at all times. There is some similarity between both bikes from the front. However from the side and rear the Duke is completely different. The tank is short, extending to a sharply tapering narrow seat. The black alloy wheels with a Y-shaped pattern look sporty. The instrument cluster of the Duke also is fully digital with gear indication.

Benelli TNT25 vs KTM Duke 200 Engine and Perfomance

The TNT25 has a 250cc single cylinder, liquid cooled fuel-injected unit that produces 28bhp @ 9800pm and has a torque of 21.6Nm @ 8000rpm. The engine is mated to a six-speed gearbox. This engine is pretty powerful and has a linear acceleration that can hit the 100 kms mark in 8 seconds. The Benelli TNT25 has a deceptive acceleration. You don’t realise the thrust and speed till you notice it on the speedometer.

The Duke has a 200cc, single cylinder, liquid cooled fuel-injected unit that produces 24bhp @10000 rpm and has a torque of 19.2Nm @ 8000rpm. This bike is a bit different here . The acceleration is in your face and u feel the kick right from the word go. Its not that the TNT25 is slower, but just that you feel the punch more in the Duke.

Though the Benelli looks more powerful on paper, it is the KTM that is marginally quicker of the two. This is because the KTM is 31kgs lighter than the Benelli and has a wider power band too.

Also Read: Bajaj CS400 spotted on test

Benelli TNT25 vs KTM Duke 200 Ride and Handling

The Benelli clearly has the better ride amongst the two. It suspension is finely tuned to offer a great ride without losing out on the handling experience. Italians have been masters of suspension tuning, be it four wheelers or two wheelers and thus the TNT25 offers an unparalleled ride quality. Add to the the super comfortable seats, the ride quotient goes up. The seat is comfortable for both rider and pillion. In terms of handling the Benelli is eager to dive into corners and it a pleasure to chuck it around bends, leaning easily. The TNT has a wider handlebar than the Duke. The seating position is very comfortable and you lean forward though its not too much.

In comparison, the Duke 200 has a rather stiff suspension setup, hence the ride is not so pleasurable. The handling though is very confidence inspiring. The Duke handles in a different fashion compared to the Benelli. While the Benelli leans in to corners very easily, one needs to go along in to a bend with the Duke. Both bikes are fun in this department.

The Duke has an upright seating position with footpads set back, while the TNT25 has a more relaxed seating. We found the handlebar of the TNT25 a bit wider than required, also it has a larger turning radius. Neither of the bikes come with ABS and there not much difference in the braking prowess either. Though, we would prefer the Benelli to have some more bite in the rear brake.

Benelli TNT25 vs KTM Duke 200 Price

The Benelli TNT25 is priced at INR 2.05 lakhs (on-road) and the KTM Duke200 costs INR 1.57 lakhs (on-road Pune). There is a difference of around INR 48,000 in the prices of the two and is justified by the additional 50cc offered by Benelli. But the KTMs have broken the price barriers and is one of the major reasons for its success, as the bike is fully manufactured in India. The Benelli on the other hand comes as a CKD, while the KTM is locally built. This gives it an advantage over the Benelli. At the moment, with the Bajaj network, KTM has a much wider reach through showrooms and service centres.

Also Read: Benelli TNT300 Review

Verdict

The Duke had taken the market by storm when launched. It was a powerful, affordable and fun motorcycle which instantly appealed to youngsters. It has been an unchallenged contender in its segment and now TNT25 from Benelli has entered the market. The Benelli is a comfortable, attractive and stylish motorcycle which is pleasurable to ride. On the other hand, the Duke 200 is all about zippy performance and aggression. The Duke 200 has certain advantages over the TNT25 such as its quicker and has a more refined engine. More importantly it is significantly cheaper and a reason why the Duke 200 emerges the winner in this comparison.

Benelli TNT25 vs KTM Duke 200 Comparison Specifications

Benelli TNT25 vs KTM Duke 200 Images