I have been riding a Bullet 350 for the last 14 years. I recently sold it due to the 15-year rule in Delhi. I am looking to upgrade to an adventure bike with a budget of ₹2.5 lakh. I am 41 years old, 6′1″ tall, and weigh 105 kg. I need a bike with good suspension quality, and my daily riding will be around 20 km within Delhi.

autocar.india

•1d

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

•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

autocar.india

•1d

Since this is your first motorcycle, sticking to a commuter machine will help you ease into the transition of riding a geared bike coming from a CVT scooter. We'd recommend options like the Honda Unicorn / SP160, TVS Apache RTR 160 4V and Bajaj Pulsar N160 to you, which will offer a big step up in comfort and performance from your Access, with little to no trade-off in efficiency. These are all lightweight, simple, easy to get along with sort of bikes and should suit your needs well. Take test rides of all before you make your decision.