I am 56 years old and planning to buy a cruiser bike for short weekend rides with my wife, covering around 20-25 km per week. Could you please advise which bike would be suitable for me? A friend has suggested the Bajaj Avenger Cruise. Since my usage is very limited, I am also considering whether it would be wiser to buy a used bike instead of a new one.

Autocar India

•6d

Since you've said you prefer cruisers and commute in heavy traffic, of the three bikes you've shortlisted, the Honda CB350 will fit your usage the best. With its low seat, light clutch action and surefooted yet easy handling demeanour, the CB350 makes for a wonderful city companion. Its engine is smooth and torquey, and when ridden sensibly, it returns very impressive fuel economy for a 350cc machine. Plus, seating comfort for both rider and pillion is also quite nice, although if you carry a pillion frequently, it would be prudent to invest in a backrest - it should be a relatively inexpensive option to purchase.The Royal Enfield Goan Classic 350 is a beautiful motorcycle, but to achieve its gorgeous form, there are some functional compromises. It is by no means a horribly uncomfortable machine, but in comparison to its more conventional siblings - Classic and Bullet 350 - it is surely a step down. Pillion accommodations, too, are mediocre at best, and the main draw here is its unique design. The TVS Apache RTX 300 is the odd one out here and will feel very different to the other bikes you've shortlisted. It has a modern, liquid-cooled engine making substantially more peak output and a 6-speed gearbox. Outright comfort will be another strong point on the RTX, and this is likely to be the most comfortable machine of the lot, owing to its form factor. We'd recommend a test ride of all these bikes before you make a decision, and you should also decide what sort of bike you want before you do so.

Autocar India

•6d

The Vespa Officina 8 is a special colourway that is only available at select dealerships and you'll have to get in touch with your nearest Vespa showroom to see if they can procure it. Coming to the Vespa GTS, Piaggio India hasn't indicated that any of the larger GTS Vespa scooters will be coming to India anytime soon. You could reach out to a Motoplex dealership and see if they will import one for you - on rare occasions, a miniscule amount of GTS scooters have been brought here based on customer demand. Do bear in mind that the GTS will cost significantly more than any Vespa bike or Aprilia bike on sale in India and sourcing spares and servicing them will be tougher than usual too.

Autocar India

•6d

The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 currently on sale supports petrol with up to 20 percent ethanol. E20 is the current baseline fuel available across India and while draft notifications proposing petrol with higher ethanol blends have been proposed and certified, this is still quite a ways away from becoming the available petrol blend in the near future. Therefore, you shouldn't worry too much right now and go ahead with your new purchase happily!