I am 35 years old, a swimmer with an athletic build, 6 feet tall, and weigh 70 kg. I live in Ahmedabad, a city with poor road conditions, heavy traffic, and unpredictable road behavior. Hard braking and quick manoeuvring are often necessary due to potholes, slippery roads, and sudden pedestrian or vehicle movements. I tried the Pulsar NS125, but with a heavy pillion rider (90 kg+), I found it difficult to manoeuvre in tight traffic. The bike felt heavy, braking was harder to manage, and I experienced back pain after riding with a heavy pillion. Under the same conditions, I do not face any back pain when riding the Honda Twister with a similar pillion. Please suggest a new or used bike within a budget of ₹1.8 lakh that is suitable for city use, has a sporty look, offers comfortable seating, and is easy to manoeuvre without causing back pain, even with a pillion rider. Should I wait for the Kawasaki Ninja 125 launch? I am also considering a used Kawasaki Ninja 300 for the next two years—will it be comfortable for city riding, and will its seating position help avoid back pain while handling traffic with a heavy pillion rider?

Autocar India

•18h

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.

Autocar India

•5d

Within your budget, you have three very different options you can look at - Yamaha XSR155, TVS Apache RTR 200 4V, TVS Ronin and Hero Xpulse 200 4V. The XSR is the least powerful but is also the lightest motorcycle here. It will also feel the sportiest to ride because its engine and underpinnings are derived from the popular Yamaha R15 and MT-15. The downsides of the XSR are that it is a rather petite motorcycle. For someone of large stature such as yourself, this will be a potential challenge, and its rear suspension is quite stiff. It can get uncomfortable over repeated bad patches. The Apache RTR 200 4V is another sporty roadster, and with its larger engine than the XSR, it will feel more at home at sustained higher speeds. Its suspension comfort and more spacious seats will also be helpful for your usage. The TVS Ronin is a relaxed roadster with its smooth and torquey engine and relaxed and neutral ergonomics. Also, plush suspension setup and relatively larger size - compared to the other two bikes here - the Ronin has the potential to be the most suited to your use case.Moving on to the Hero Xpulse 200 4V, this is the bike you should buy if you want to venture off-road on your long tours. It will have by far the most plush suspension of all the bikes here, although its on-road handling will leave you wanting once you pick up the pace. We'd recommend a test ride of all three before you make a decision. Also, do note that all four bikes are all slightly above Rs 1.50 lakh (your stipulated budget), within that amount, there's no credible option for your requirements.

Autocar India

•3d

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.