I currently use an Activa 125 and travel between Delhi and Gurugram (about 30 km one way). The Delhi-Gurugram highway has heavy evening traffic, and the Activa gives me back pain on the return. I want to purchase a new bike or scooter. I am considering the Hunter or Aerox 155, but am confused between the two. The Hunter’s only disadvantage in traffic is gear shifting, while the Aerox has better suspension. Please suggest if I should consider another scooter with better suspension, or if I should go with the Hunter. I have considered the Ronin, but service centre availability is an issue.

Autocar India

•1d

Since you've mentioned that a lot of your usage is inside the city with only occasional highway work, we'd recommend sticking with the 350cc Triumph Scrambler 400 X. The reason being, Scrambler is a lighter machine with better handling and suspension comfort, which will make it easier to ride on a daily basis inside the city. Then there is also the fact that the Dominar - as objectively sorted a bike as it is - cannot match the kerb appeal of the Scrambler, and the Triumph is sure to be a special machine to walk toward in the morning. In case you want to move away from a single-cylinder machine, the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 remains a tried and tested option, and will be lovely on the highway. Do bear in mind that while it can surely wade through the drudgery of city traffic, it will be the machine that demands more effort from the rider to do so. After GST 2.0, the Interceptor has also become a fair deal pricier, so it might not fit in your budget. A test ride of both, as well as determining your budget, should be your next move.

Autocar India

•6d

Both the machines you've shortlisted are great ones for commuting within Mumbai but have different characters. The Royal Enfield Classic 350's smooth thumper is known for its low-end torque and encourages you to ride in a relaxed fashion. Its seating posture and suspension comfort both are excellent at keeping the rider shielded from road imperfections and should be good enough for you. We'd also recommend you take a look at the Honda CB350 models if you want a similiar riding experience with a little less weight and clutch effort. If instead, you want a quicker and more modern-feeling machine, then the TVS Apache RTX 300 is a great option to consider. The RTX has a tractable engine but its smaller motor cannot be lugged around in higher gears like the Classic's engine can. However, the Apache has a much higher performance ceiling and a lot of electronic features (including a bidirectional quickshifter, from the Top variant onwards) if that sounds appealing to you.You should also consider the Hero Xpulse 210 because this bike has lovely suspension and upright, commanding ergonomics - both great attributes to tackle Mumbai's largely subpar roads. The Xpulse will be slower than the RTX but quicker than the air-cooled 350s and you can expect it to be the most fuel efficient of the lot, when ridden sensibly. A test ride of these bikes should help you decide which is the best fit for you.

Autocar India

•6d

Purely from a price and fuel economy standpoint, its the 350cc Triumph Speed 400 that has the advantage over the other 400-odd cc machines you've shortlisted but there's more to choosing between bikes than just these two factors. The Harley-Davidson X440T is one of very few long-stroke, air-cooled, large-capacity engines available today and it is a genuinely likable machine to ride. It may not be as quick in outright terms as the Guerrilla and Speed but even so, it makes for a lovely city bike owing to its characterful engine paired with plush suspension and neutral ergonomics. If you want maximum thrills and don't mind lower fuel economy, the Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 is the one to go for. Its punchy engine and sporty chassis work wonderfully well together, although of the three it is the least comfortable machine. This is not to say the Guerrilla is an uncomfortable bike, its a taut and sporty machine and you should be prepared for that going into your purchase.The 350cc Triumph Speed 400 is a bike that's in between the two, amalgamating a quick engine and good handling, although its neither as characterful as the Harley bike nor as fun as the Royal Enfield bike. Service cost should largely be on par for all three and we'd advise you to speak to your nearest authorised dealer for each as well as take a test ride of all three so that you make an informed decision.

Autocar India

•1d

Since your priority is road riding and you like to cover more than 1,000 km in a day on your travels, we'd recommend you look at machines like the Honda NX500 and Kawasaki Versys 650. Both offer very good seating comfort, wind protection and smooth twin-cylinder engines that can comfortably sustain triple-digit cruising speeds without intrusive vibrations. While they may look like adventure bikes, both are much more road-focused in the way they ride and behave. They can handle bad roads if needed, but they are not hardcore off-road machines.If you want something that's a little more road-focused and sporty, then the Kawasaki Ninja 650 is also a good option. It has a smooth engine and is very capable at highway cruising speeds, though it will not be as comfortable over very long distances as the NX500 or Versys 650. You will also need to be mindful of the low ground clearance and the expensive alloy wheels over bad roads.Depending on the sort of bike you prefer, make your decision, and before doing so, take a test ride of all three to figure out which one is right for you.

Autocar India

•4d

Bajaj has no intentions of selling the single-cylinder Triumph bikes with 398cc engines in India, and all of the six models come with downsized 349cc motors. However, in two of them (Tracker and Thruxton), the engine makes more peak output, and if you want the maximum performance from an affordable Bajaj-made Triumph. So, we'd recommend choosing between these two. Since you've mentioned you like the Scrambler 400 XC, the Tracker will be a similar machine in terms of ergonomics and comfort. Although, you will lose some off-road capability as a trade-off for better street manners. Your only option if you want to buy a 398cc Triumph Scrambler 400 XC today is to ask your nearby dealers if they have some leftover stock or scour the used market for one.

Autocar India

•6d

Between 160 and 200 Duke models, we'd steer you toward the 200 Duke because it seems like you're looking for a fun machine and since you already have a bigger machine at home, the 160 could feel a little bland as time wears on. The 200 Duke has a rev-happy nature like the 160 Duke and with its added firepower, it makes for a good second machine, especially considering that the price difference between the two isn't all that large. If we're being honest, you should actually also take a look at the 250 Duke because it is a genuine step up over the 200 and if you're going to keep the bike for a while, go the whole hog and get something that will keep you entertained for a longer period. In our experience, we've found the latest-gen 250 Duke to be a sweet middle child of sorts in the KTM lineup, which offers everyday versatility with engaging performance when you want it. Over the 200 Duke, the 250 also doesn't cost a lot more and we'd recommend you stretch your budget if you can and get the quarter-litre Duke if you can.Take a test ride of the 250 Duke to see if you resonate with this KTM bike and then make your decision.