Versus: Honda CBR500R vs KTM Duke 390

Reasons to buy CBR500R

Reasons to buy Duke 200

• At 47bhp, it’s bang on the power limit for A2 licence holders.

• It's a riot. It shares the same small chassis as the Duke 125 but goes like a full-size motorcycle, power-wheelying in first.

• At £5,099 on the road, it’s one of the cheapest middle-weight bikes you can buy.

• It's one of the cheapest bikes over 125cc you can buy, around £400 less than the CBR500R with on-the-road charges.

• Being a Honda, you can hope for a high level of reliability and build-quality.

• It’s light and handles well, begging you to through it around.

• It’s comfortable, with fairing and a fairly upright riding position.

• It's so close to the A2 power-to-weight ratio limit that KTM have had to restrict it by 1.5bhp.

• It’s the official bike of the European Junior Cup championship for 14-to-19-year-olds.

• It cuts through traffic like butter, with a narrow profile and mirrors that stick out no further than the bars.

• It handles well and can be pushed hard, with decent brakes and suspension. ABS is standard.

• It’s fairly fuel efficient, managing 58.9 mpg in Visordown tests.

• It’s very fuel efficient, managing 67.4mpg in Visordown tests, giving a theoretical 232-mile range from the 15.7 litre tank.

• ABS is standard.

• There’s a pleasing, torquey response from the parallel twin engine.

• It's relatively well-equipped, with dash information including journey-time, average speed and fuel-range on reserve.