Autocar India
•39w

I am 5'5" tall, slim built, and weigh around 60 kg. My inseam length is about 32 inches. I have been riding a TVS Ntorq 125 scooter for the past seven years and have never ridden a bike before. Please suggest a suitable first bike for city riding, preferably above 125cc but below 350cc. I tried the Hunter 350 but found it heavy, and I had to stretch my arms and lean forward to feel confident, so I dropped the idea. Please help. Thanks.

Verified
•38w

Given that you want something manageable and this will be your first bike, here are a few options we recommend.

The Honda CB300F and CB300R are both lightweight, well-built, and have low seat heights. You could also check out the KTM 250 Duke or the Husqvarna Vitpilen 250. Both are mechanically identical, but they differ in styling and riding posture, the Vitpilen has a slightly taller seat than the Duke.

All these are fun and entertaining first bike with a reasonable performance ceiling to keep you interested for a long time.

Honda CB300F

Honda CB300F

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Husqvarna Vitpilen 250

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More questions on similar bikes

•1w

I am confused about whether to purchase the Suzuki V-Strom SX 250 in 2026. My primary requirements are long-distance touring, low running costs, reliability, and good rider and pillion comfort. Kindly suggest whether this is the right choice or if there are any better alternatives I should consider.

Verified
•21h

The Suzuki V-Strom SX is a severely underrated machine, and we at Autocar are quite fond of it. It would actually serve your needs well, but we'd recommend you don't buy the V-Strom right now because Suzuki is understood to be working on an all-new Gixxer 150/250 lineup, which will likely debut towards the end of this year or perhaps at the start of 2027. These same updates are then likely to trickle over to the V-Strom in due course. Instead, for now we'd recommend looking at the TVS Apache RTX 300 and Hero Xpulse 210.

Suzuki V-Strom SX
TVS Apache RTX
Hero MotoCorp Xpulse 210
•1w

Hi Autocar India Team, I would like to hear your suggestions for a new bike. I currently ride a 2012 Hero Splendor Plus, but it no longer suits my requirements. I ride about 100 km per day, of which 80 km is on the highway and the remaining 20 km is within the city. I am looking for a bike that offers a good balance of power and fuel efficiency, as it will be my daily commuter. It should also have a comfortable suspension so that I don't feel tired at the end of the day. I am 182 cm tall and well-built. Which bike would you recommend?

Verified
•19h

Since you have a long daily run, predominantly on the highway, we'd recommend you step up to something more powerful. Specifically, the Hero Xpulse 210 will be a good fit for your needs. It has great suspension, which will isolate you from the worst of our road imperfections; good performance on the highway and when ridden sensibly, it will also give you decent fuel economy. If you want to stick with a street-biased commuter, look at the Honda Unicorn and Bajaj Pulsar N160. These will feel more natural for you to ride and will return good fuel economy, although highway performance will be weaker than the Xpulse. The Pulsar N250 is also a good machine which would make sense for your use case.Take test rides of these bikes before you make your decision.

Hero MotoCorp Xpulse 210
Honda Bikes Unicorn
Bajaj Pulsar N160
Bajaj Pulsar N250
•6d

I have been using the Hero Passion Pro for the last 12 years, and I now think it is time to upgrade. My budget is up to Rs. 2.5 lakh. I live in Pune, and around 80% of my usage is city riding, with a 250 km long ride every alternate weekend. I hope you can suggest a good option.

Verified
•23h

Since you predominantly use your bike inside Pune city, choosing a machine with good comfort would be wise. Neo-retro machines like the Honda CB350 trio, Royal Enfield Hunter / Classic / Bullet 350 and TVS Ronin would fit the bill well and offer you a great step up from your Passion Pro too. If instead you want something off-road oriented, then the Hero Xpulse 210 and TVS Apache RTX 300 will make sense. Take a test ride of these very different bikes before you make your decision.

Royal Enfield Classic 350
Royal Enfield Hunter 350
Royal Enfield Bullet 350
TVS Ronin
Hero MotoCorp Xpulse 210
TVS Apache RTX

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Popular discussions right now

•1w

I would like to know if it is normal for a fully charged, unused Ather 450 X to lose 1-3 km of indicated range without being ridden.

Verified
•1d

Do not worry, it is completely normal to see a 1-3 km drop in the displayed range on your Ather 450 X after a full charge, even if the scooter has not been ridden. This is not a sign of battery degradation or a fault. What you are seeing is a combination of two things: battery self-discharge and the way the range estimator works. All lithium-ion batteries lose a tiny amount of charge when parked overnight or for a few days, even when the scooter has not been in use. More importantly, the range estimate is not a fixed number - it is a calculation based on the current state of charge and your recent riding patterns. Even a small change in battery percentage can cause the displayed range to drop by a few kilometres.

Ather 450X
•1w

I want to buy the Honda Unicorn, as I travel 70 km daily. Earlier, I used an Activa, but it caused back pain. Can you guide me whether I should go for Honda Unicorn or something else?

Verified
•1d

The Honda Unicorn will make for a good upgrade over your Activa, given your daily 70km stint. Commuter motorcycles are some of the most comfortable and fuss-free machines you can buy today, especially so in the case of the Unicorn. If you want alternatives to the proven Honda, look at the Bajaj Pulsar N160 and TVS Apache RTR 160 4V for a sportier, more feature-rich experience without sacrificing comfort and usability. A test ride of all three will help determine which is the right one for you.

Honda Bikes Unicorn
Bajaj Pulsar N160
TVS Apache RTR 160 4V
•2d

I'm planning to buy a two-wheeler for my father, preferably a scooter. My budget is around Rs. 80,000 to Rs. 1 lakh. It will be used mainly for city commuting, with a maximum daily running of 20-25 km. Should I go for an ICE scooter or an EV? Also, which model would you recommend?

Verified
•2d

Within your budget, there are only two EVs from reputed brands available, like the Vida (Hero) VX2 Go 2.2 and TVS Orbiter V2 (3.1kWh battery). These have enough range for a 25km daily loop and will surely help reduce your running costs to a great extent. If you have a secure charging location, then opting for an EV definitely makes sense. They have gentle but surefooted performance, and to decide between these two, take a test ride before you make your decision.If, however, you are not keen on making the switch to an EV, then sticking with proven options like Honda Activa 110, TVS Jupiter 110 and Suzuki Access 125 makes sense. The Activa and Jupiter are slightly more frugal than the Access, which consequently has zippier performance. All three are proven products, and you should go for the one you gel with the most on your test ride.

Vida VX2
TVS Orbiter
Honda Bikes Activa 110
TVS Jupiter
Suzuki Access

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Posted on: 31 Oct 2025