Upgrading from an Activa to a Meteor 350 as a first-time gear rider (5'6" height). Am I making the right choice? Hey everyone, I’ve been riding a Honda Activa for the past seven years and drive a car daily, so I have good road sense and balance. However, I’ve never ridden a motorcycle with a clutch before. I’m 5'6" and considering upgrading to the Royal Enfield Meteor 350. The low seat height feels perfect for flat-footing, but the 191 kg weight is a little intimidating, especially coming from a 100 kg scooter. For those who’ve made a similar jump or are around my height, how difficult was the learning curve when it came to using the clutch and managing the weight in traffic? Any tips for making the transition easier?

autocar.india

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Since you want comfort as a top priority in your next purchase, the two bikes that will deliver that much better than the others in your shortlist are the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 and the 350cc Triumph Scrambler 400 X. The Himalayan is more adept on the highway front, but the Scrambler is the better city bike, so depending on where you spend more time, pick between these two. The TVS Apache RTX 300 is a phenomenally capable bike (especially for the price), but its engine feels a little dull once you spend some time with it. If you are okay with that, then as an overall package, the TVS is quite hard to fault. If you decide you want something more road-biased, then the 350cc Triumph Speed 400 and Honda CB350RS are good options to consider. We'd skip the RE Meteor models because the Super Meteor has stiff rear suspension, and instead of the Meteor, look at the Classic / Bullet if you want more comfort with an old-school relaxed retro vibe. These are all very different machines within a broad price range, so depending on the segment you are looking at specifically, we'd advise you to take test rides of the options above and then make your decision.

autocar.india

•1d

The options you have shortlisted in the EV space are a great place to start, and if you want a simple, no-nonsense EV, the TVS iQube is one of our top picks in the class. Depending on your daily use case, choose a variant with sufficient battery capacity, keeping some margin for spontaneity and emergencies. If you are still unsure about moving to an electric two-wheeler, in the ICE scooter space, options like the Honda Activa 110 / 125, TVS Jupiter 110 / 125 and Suzuki Access 125 are our top recommendations. These are easy to get on with, lightweight and frugal machines which are practical and reliable to own as well.

autocar.india

•1h

Given the budget, usage and long-term ownership focus, we would recommend the Renault Kiger CVT over the Hyundai Venue or Kia Sonet DCT. A daily 15 km office commute with frequent bumper-to-bumper traffic, along with occasional highway trips, is better suited to a CVT than a DCT. CVTs are smoother at low speeds and work well in stop-start traffic. They can also be less demanding in such conditions over the long term.DCTs can be reliable when maintained properly, but they are not the ideal choice for regular stop-start traffic. Repeated low-speed crawling can generate heat and accelerate clutch-pack wear, potentially leading to expensive repairs over time.The Kiger also offers a modern design, a spacious cabin and a good feature set for its price. Renault's after-sales service has improved in recent years, while the Kiger offers strong value for money in this segment. The budget also stretches further with the Kiger CVT, allowing a higher-spec variant with some money left over. In comparison, the Sonet and Venue are positioned slightly higher, so the same budget would typically mean settling for a mid-spec variant.

Renault Kiger

Hyundai Venue

Kia Sonet