2020 Husqvarna Svartpilen/Vitpilen 250 vs KTM Duke 250 BS6: Which One To Buy and Why?

The quarter-litre motorcycle segment in India has been growing expeditiously in recent times. Flashback to a few years ago, the 250cc bike segment was mostly dominated by the Japanese manufacturers like Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha. But, now we have a lot of other bike manufacturers too and all of them have excellent products that compete with their rivals. Recently, Bajaj Auto made its debut in this segment with the Dominar 250. And, we have an Austrian and a Swedish two-wheeler manufacturer too. Yes, we are talking about the KTM and the Husqvarna Motorcycles. And, in this article, we will be doing a detailed spec-comparison of the 2020 Husqvarna Svartpilen/Vitpilen 250 vs KTM Duke 250 BS6 to know which motorcycle should you buy and why!

2020 Husqvarna Svartpilen/Vitpilen 250 vs KTM Duke 250 BS6: Looks and Colour Options

Husqvarna Motorcycles made its Indian debut in the year 2020 with its two motorcycles: Svartpilen 250 and Vitpilen 250. The Husqvarna Svartpilen 250 is a street scrambler while the Vitpilen 250 is a modern-day cafe-racer. The new Svartpilen 250 and Vitpilen 250 get a funky round LED headlamp with round LED DRLs and a quirky rear-end with a LED taillamp. They also get all-LED indicators. The Svartpilen 250 sports a rugged design with a tall-raised handlebar that gives it an upright stance while its sibling the Vitpilen 250 gets clip-on handlebars and boasts of sportiness with a front lean riding position. The Husky Twins are available in only one colour option which is Grey and they do look pretty good.

Talking about Duke 250, it is a very attractive and striking motorcycle. KTM India has recently updated its entire portfolio to comply with the new Bharat Stage VI emission norms. For 2020, along with the BS6 update, KTM has also refurbished this motorcycle with a couple of cosmetic upgrades. The KTM Duke 250 has always been a handsome motorcycle and now the streetfighter looks even more astounding. It gets a very sharp aggressive design with dual-tone colour shades and big sticker-jobs which further enhance its appeal. Upfront, it gets hexagonal headlamp with LED DRLs and the rear also sports a sharp LED taillamp. The new KTM Duke 250 BS6 is available in two colour shades. These are Silver Metallic and Dark Galvano.

2020 Husqvarna Svartpilen/Vitpilen 250 vs KTM Duke 250 BS6: Engine and Transmission

Specification	Svartpilen/Vitpilen 250	Duke 250
Engine	248.8cc, single-cylinder, fuel-injected	248.8cc, single-cylinder, fuel-injected
Maximum Power	29.6 PS at 9000 RPM	30 PS at 9000 RPM
Maximum Torque	24 Nm at 7250 RPM	24 Nm at 7250 RPM
Cooling System	liquid-cooled	liquid-cooled
Transmission	6-speed	6-speed
Emission Norm	BS6	BS6
Mileage	30-35 kmpl (real-world)	30-35 kmpl (real-world)

The KTM Duke 250 and Husqvarna Svartpilen 250 / Vitpilen 250 get the same powerplant, however, there are some minute differences. The Husqvarna Twins get a 248.76cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected engine. This motor churns out 29.6 PS of power at 9000 RPM and 24 Nm of torque at 7250 RPM. KTM Duke 250, on the other hand, produces slightly more power. The Duke 250 gets a 248.8cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected engine. This motor churns out 30 PS of power (+0.4 PS than the Huskies) at 9000 RPM and 24 Nm of torque at 7250 RPM. The KTM as well as the Husky Twins, both come mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox and the engine is BS6-compliant.

2020 Husqvarna Svartpilen/Vitpilen 250 vs KTM Duke 250: Chassis and Suspension

Specification	Svartpilen/Vitpilen 250	Duke 250
Chassis	Steel Trellis Frame	Steel Trellis Frame
Front Suspension	43 mm WP Upside down front forks	43 mm WP Upside down front forks
Rear Suspension	WP Mono-shock absorber	WP Mono-shock absorber

So, as we mentioned before, the Husqvarna 250s and the KTM Duke 250 share every bit. Both the motorcycle is based on the same platform. They sit on a Steel Trellis Frame and the suspension duties are handled by a 43 mm upside-down (USD) front forks sourced from WP and a WP mono-shock absorber at the rear.

Also Read: 2020 Bajaj Dominar 250 BS6 First Look Review  The Most VFM & Powerful Quarter-litre Bike?

2020 Husqvarna Svartpilen/Vitpilen 250 vs KTM Duke 250 BS6: Tyres and Brakes

Specification	Svartpilen/Vitpilen 250	Duke 250
Tyre Size	Front 110/70-R17 Rear 150/60-R17	Front 110/70-17 Rear 150/60-17
Tyre Type	tubeless	tubeless
Wheel type	alloy	alloy
Front Brake	disc	disc
Rear Brake	disc	disc
Additional safety aid	ABS (dual-channel)	ABS (dual-channel)

The Duke 250 and the Husqvarna Twins get the same sized tyres, however, there is something that gives the Huskies an edge over the KTM. The Husqvarna Svartpilen 250 and the Vitpilen 250 get Radial tubeless tyres while the Duke 250 gets non-radial tyres. The radial tyres offer superior grip and better handling compared to the standard ones. It is also worth mentioning that the Svartpilen 250 gets dual-purpose tyres for both on and off-road duties. For braking duties, both the motorcycles get disc brakes at both the ends. They also get dual-channel ABS from Bosch as an additional safety aid.

2020 Husqvarna Svartpilen/Vitpilen 250 vs KTM Duke 250: Dimensions and Capacity

Specification	Svartpilen/Vitpilen 250	Duke 250
Length	NA	NA
Width	NA	NA
Height	NA	NA
Seat Height	835 mm	830 mm
Wheelbase	NA	1357 mm
Ground Clearance	145 mm	185 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity	9.5 L	13.5 L
Weight	154 kgs	162 kgs

2020 Husqvarna Svartpilen/Vitpilen 250 vs KTM Duke 250 BS6: Features

The Husqvarna Svartpilen 250 and the Vitpilen 250 BS6 get a round all-digital instrument cluster loaded with a ton of information. The KTM Duke 250 also gets an all-digital instrument cluster with loads of information like speedometer, tachometer, gear-position indicator, etc. It also gets an orange backlit which looks very good at night.

2020 Husqvarna Svartpilen/Vitpilen 250 vs KTM Duke 250 BS6: Price, Rivals and Verdict

The Husqvarna Twins were launched in India in February this year at Rs. 1.80 lakhs, Ex-showroom. However, recently they received their first price hike and prices went up by around 4,700 rupees. Now, the 2020 Husqvarna Svartpilen 250 and the Vitpilen 250 BS6 are priced at Rs. 1.85 lakhs, Ex-showroom. The KTM Duke 250 BS6, on the other hand, is priced at Rs. 2.05 lakhs. All prices stick to Ex-showroom Delhi. These motorcycles rival other quarter-litre motorcycles like the Suzuki Gixxer 250, Bajaj Dominar 250 and the upcoming Yamaha FZ 25 BS6.

Finally, coming to our verdict, so if you want an affordable, premium & classy-looking 250cc motorcycle with retro appeal and modern hardware, then you should consider buying the Huskies. Among the Husky Twins, if you want a sporty-appeal then get the Vitpilen 250 and if you want a more comfortable motorcycle that can go a bit off-road too, then you should consider buying the Husqvarna Svartpilen 250. However, if you don't have any budget constraints and want a feature-packed naked streetfighter motorcycle with sharp looks, agile handling and very punchy performance, then close your eyes and get the KTM Duke 250 BS6.

Also Read: 2020 Yamaha FZ 25 BS6 Vs Suzuki Gixxer 250 Vs KTM Duke 250 Vs Bajaj Dominar 250 - The Mega Battle Of BS6 250s!

So, this was a quick spec-comparo of the 2020 Husqvarna Svartpilen/Vitpilen 250 vs KTM Duke 250 BS6. Which among these is your pick? Do share with us in the comments below. You can also join our 91Wheels Automobile Enthusiast group (click via mobile to join) curated exclusively for the fans, enthusiasts and the owners.