I planning to buy my first bike. My requirements are city driving, chill rides on weekends, occasional long rides and engine of 300-400cc . What are the best options available for me?

Autocar India

•1h

The Royal Enfield Scram 440 is a good choice for your usage, although bear in mind that during tight and technical off-road sections, its near-200 kilo kerb weight will need a lot of caution and skill to work around. As a road bike, it is a comfortable, relaxed and fuss-free companion but if you want the latest features and gadgets, this is not the bike for you. The 350cc Triumph Scrambler 400 X is a good allrounder and is actually a rather good handler despite its 19-in front wheel and dual-purpose tyres. Its engine isn't the most characterful though and the tall 835mm saddle may not work for you if you're a shorter person. These are two of the best made-in-India scrambler machines under Rs 3 lakh and depending on the sort of experience you are after, both will work well.

Autocar India

•3d

Look at bikes like the TVS Apache RTR 160 4V, Bajaj Pulsar N160, Honda Unicorn or Honda SP160 for your usage. They are reliable, comfortable, fuel efficient and low maintenance machines that should fit well within your budget. If you want a more premium product, then options like the TVS Ronin and RE Hunter 350 are to be considered. And if you're open to considering a dual purpose bike, the Hero Xpulse 210 is a fantastic option for commuting with its peppy engine, long travel suspension and flat, comfortable seat. First, decide what sort of bike would fit your usage best, take exhaustive test rides of each and then make your decision.

Autocar India

•4d

Currently, the electric bike market in India has very limited options under the Rs. 2 lakh mark and even among those, none of them have proven to be compelling alternatives to ICE motorcycles. We'd strongly recommend you consider an electric scooter instead because it will give you the benefits of an EV like low running costs and the comfort of home charging while bringing in practical features like a large underseat storage area. Specifically, options like the TVS iQube, Ather Rizta, Bajaj Chetak and Vida VX2 should be at the top of your shopping list. Take test rides of each and pick a variant with the battery capacity which suits your daily use case and also covers unexpected occurrences.