The prices, properly
KTM 250 Duke — from RM22,500. Worth flagging: that figure is quoted on-the-road by the dealer listing we checked, and KTM Malaysia's own site doesn't publish a price at all — confirm the ex-showroom figure with an authorised dealer before you compare it against anything.
Honda CBR250RR — RM27,999 ex-showroom, before road tax and registration.
On paper that's a RM5,500 gap. But because one of those numbers already includes on-road costs and the other doesn't, the real gap once both are legally on the road in Johor is smaller than RM5,500 — get both dealers to quote you on the same basis before you decide on price alone.
How they differ where it counts
Engine. The Duke runs a 249cc single making 31 PS and 25 Nm. The CBR250RR runs a 249.7cc parallel-twin making around 42 hp and the same 25 Nm. Same torque figure, very different character — the Duke's single will feel punchier low down the way thumpers do, while the CBR's twin revs out higher and smoother, and simply makes more peak power.
Weight. Closer than you'd think: 165 kg fully fuelled for the Duke against 169 kg wet for the CBR250RR. The riding position is the real difference, not the scale — upright naked streetfighter stance on the Duke, forward-leaning clip-on crouch on the CBR250RR.
Brakes and suspension. The Duke gets a 43mm WP APEX fork with cornering ABS and supermoto ABS — genuinely track-oriented electronics. The CBR250RR gets Showa SFF-BP forks, an adjustable rear shock, and a quickshifter — track-oriented on the drivetrain side instead. Different flavours of sporty, not one being simply better equipped.
Running costs
The Duke's single-cylinder layout is the simpler engine to service; the CBR250RR's twin and quickshifter mean more to check at each interval. Both sit well above a 155cc commuter for insurance, and as with every bike we write about, your actual premium depends on your age, your NCD and where you keep it overnight.
So which one
Buy the Duke if you want the lighter-feeling naked bike, cornering ABS, and the lower sticker price.
Buy the CBR250RR if you want full fairing, the most peak power in the class, and a quickshifter — and you're comparing on the ex-showroom figure, not the on-the-road one.
One more option worth a look
If what you actually want is comfort and easy commuting rather than a 250cc performance machine, an automatic scooter in similar money is worth ten minutes of your time — a Honda ADV160 or NSS250 does the JB commute with less drama than either of these. See what we have in stock and come sit on a few.
Read our full Honda CBR250RR review for more on that side of this comparison, or talk to us about servicing either engine.
Prices and specifications from KTM Malaysia's official site, Zigwheels' Malaysia price listing, and Boon Siew Honda's official product page, current as of August 2026. Confirm current pricing and stock before purchase.
