Dear Autocar, please suggest a bike for daily commuting and occasional touring. My budget is ₹3 lakh. I want a comfortable bike with (1) plusher suspension, (2) comfortable rider and pillion seats, and (3) a smooth engine and gearbox. My touring speed is usually between 80 and 100 kmph. My shortlist includes the Scram 440, TVS RTX 300 and KTM 250 Adventure. Please rate these bikes based on suspension comfort, seat comfort and engine and gearbox smoothness.

Autocar India

•5w

At the sedate speeds you will be riding, all three bikes' engines will be smooth and rather unstressed, so that shouldn't be a factor for you when you decide. Coming to suspension comfort, while all three set a very high baseline, it is the TVS Apache RTX 300 which has the edge in comparison to the KTM 250 Adventure and Royal Enfield Scram 440. Its suspension is plush yet controlled, keeping you comfortable over bad stretches while maintaining its composure on the road. If you opt for the RTX's top BTO variant, you'll even get some adjustability, so that's a clear win for the RTX in the suspension department.

Even in terms of seating comfort, the Apache RTX 300 is the clear winner. The Scram 440's seat is comfortable for the pillion, but the rider's section is too thinly padded and the KTM 250 Adventure's seat is thin, firm and not the most spacious for two-up riding.

However, the RTX is still a very new machine, and we'd strongly advise you to wait for 6 months - 1 year before you buy one, so that if any teething issues crop-up TVS can iron them out.

If you want to buy any of these bikes today, the Royal Enfield Scram 440 will make for the best all-rounder, although it will be the most expensive to buy. If seat comfort is a problem for you, this is an easy and rather inexpensive fix at a trusted local seat shop.

Explore bikes mentioned

TVS

Apache RTX

from ₹2.18 Lakh

KTM

250 Adventure

from ₹2.74 Lakh

Royal Enfield

Scram 440

from ₹2.54 Lakh

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Latest questions people are discussing

Dharmender Kaushik

•1w

I want to buy a 125-150 cc bike. My height is 165 cm. I want it for the daily office commute. I want a bike with low seat height, not too high, with a refined engine, decent mileage of 45+ and with ABS.

Autocar India

•3d

Pretty much every single 150-160cc commuter comes with at least single-channel ABS, so that won't be a deciding factor for you. Our top picks in this class are the Bajaj Pulsar N160 and TVS Apache RTR 160 4V if you want something sportier and feature-rich. If you want to stick to a simple, no-nonsense machine, then the Honda Unicorn remains a safe bet. If ridden sensibly, you should see in excess of 45kpl for all of these 150cc bikes.In the 125cc class, if having ABS is non-negotiable, then your options are restricted to the TVS Raider and Honda CB125 Hornet. Of these three, the TVS is our top recommendation. The 125s will be quite fuel-efficient, and you'll seldom see a mileage figure below 50kpl, no matter your riding style.You should first decide which segment you want to stick with and then take a test ride of the bikes accordingly before you make a decision.

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Rainak Sharma

•5d

I am 5ft 4 inches in height. Which Royal Enfield would be suitable for me so that I don't have to tiptoe? I was thinking Meteor 350.

Autocar India

•4d

The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 has a very manageable 765mm seat height, which should suit your stature. But if you want the lowest 350cc Royal Enfield bike, then it would be the Goan Classic. The Goan has an even lower 750mm perch, which will be even easier to flatfoot.Do bear in mind that the Goan Classic's handlebars are taller than usual, and this is something you should pay attention to on a test ride. We'd advise taking test rides of both the Meteor and Goan and pick whichever one suits you best and the one you prefer the look of more.

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Rajeev Jain

•1w

I am planning to buy a scooter for my daughter for her short daily trips to tuition classes, which would be around 15-20 km per day. My priorities are low seat height, good balance, and a reliable machine. I am considering buying a second-hand scooter like the Suzuki Access 125 or TVS Jupiter for around ₹50,000. Do you think this would be a good decision, or should I instead consider buying an electric scooter, which would cost ₹1 lakh or more? Some friends suggested buying an assembled electric scooter, but I am not comfortable with that option due to concerns about safety and reliability. What would be the best option in my situation?

Autocar India

•6d

Since your daily running is quite low, you should look at a petrol scooter - preferably brand new, for the peace of mind and the manufacturer's warranty it will come with. We'd recommend looking at the base variants of the Honda Activa 110, Suzuki Acess and TVS Jupiter 110. All scooters will be friendly for a newer rider because of their low kerb weights and approachable seat heights. If, however, your budget doesn't permit you to go for a new scooter, then a pre-owned Activa or Access would be our recommendation. The Activa and Access are some of the most popular scooters available, and finding a good example will be fairly straightforward. Because of their popularity and widespread service network, sourcing replacement parts should also be quite easy.

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