Autocar India
•45w

I love bikes and currently ride a 2019 FZ-25 in good condition with 26,000 km on the odometer. I want a more comfortable bike for highway touring with a reliable engine and better headlight visibility at night. Please suggest suitable options.

Verified
•39w

Since you haven't specified your budget, we'll give you some options from both the same segment as well as one above. 

In a similar displacement and performance range as the FZ25, the Bajaj Pulsar N250 and TVS Apache RTR 200 4V are good options, and the Pulsar in particular has a great headlight spread. You should also look at the KTM 250 Adventure because it has more performance than your FZ, good highway manners and a bright headlight too. 

If you are open to stepping up to a 300cc machine, the TVS Apache RTX 300 will be a great option. It has even more performance than the aforementioned KTM. Moreover, its Top and BTO variants come with a very bright LED headlight that also has good spread and throw.

We recommend exhaustive test rides and seeing the headlight performance of each of the bikes you shortlist for yourself before going ahead with the purchase. 

Bajaj Pulsar N250

Bajaj Pulsar N250

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Popular discussions right now

•4d

Hi, I am 35 years old. I have a sitting job in IT. Could you please suggest most comfortable bike in suspension considering I suffer from back and neck pain at work that increases while riding in city as well as my height (169 cm) and weight (68 kg) on city roads in India. Please consider city potholes. I will have to travel 20km daily in weekdays till Friday and on weekends, it will be 200 km. Earlier, I had Yamaha FZ S FI but I no longer own it. Now I own my father's Hero Super Splendor XTEC only. I was checking out Royal Enfield Classic 350, Meteor 350, Honda CB350 H'ness, Triumph Speed 400, etc. I had taken the test drive of Royal Enfield Classic 350 BS6 (2024 Model), but for my weight, during road bumping, it directly transfers shock and and vibration to my back. Please suggest your valuable feedback.

Verified
•2d

In our experience, all of the bikes you have shortlisted (aside from the Meteor to some extent) have proven to be adept at shielding the rider from road imperfections. Since you have mentioned that the Classic isn't doing the trick for you, perhaps it could mean that for your physique a bike with a different riding position may be the solution. Take a test ride of the Hunter 350, which now has very absorptive suspension and a similar feel from the engine. You should also consider the Harley-Davidson X440 (splurge for the nicer looking T if you can) as that bike also has a comfortable suspension setup and seating posture.

Royal Enfield Hunter 350
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•3d

Hi Autocar India, I’m planning to buy my first proper motorcycle and I’d really like your recommendation based on my overall riding style rather than just a comparison between two bikes. I’m based in Hyderabad and my maximum budget is around Rs. 3-3.5 lakh on-road. My regular usage would be around 20-30 km a day in the city for roughly 20 days a month, but I also want to go for regular highway rides and occasional 300-600 km trips. I’m interested in doing longer rides such as Ladakh, although I’m not looking for hardcore off-roading. My priorities are strong acceleration and good pickup and therefore, I don’t want a bike that feels underpowered while overtaking or riding with a pillion/luggage. I want a bike that is comfortable for highway cruising at around 90-120 km/h with good stability and comfort for long-distance. The bike should offer reasonable mileage and manageable running costs. I am looking for bike that can handle both city riding and touring without being too tiring. Reliability and good service support are also important because I plan to keep the bike for several years. I’m okay with a heavier motorcycle if the weight is manageable while moving. I’m open to singles or twins and even 300-600cc if the bike genuinely suits my requirements. Styling is also important to me. I don’t particularly want the most common KTM/Duke-type motorcycle on the road. I like motorcycles with a distinctive, mature or premium character. I’m increasingly interested in cruisers and bobbers as well such as the Honda Rebel 300, Harley-Davidson X440, Dominar 400, etc. but I’m not fixed on a cruiser. I also like bikes such as the V-Strom and sport-tourers, so I’m genuinely open to different categories. I’ve considered bikes such as the Dominar 400, V-Strom 250, Himalayan 450, X440, Apache RR 310, Ninja 300, Rebel 300 and some KTM Adventure models. I’m finding it difficult because every bike has a different compromise. I’d therefore like your honest expert recommendation: if you were choosing one motorcycle for my exact usage, budget, riding style and long-term plans, which bikes would you shortlist and why? Please consider performance, highway cruising, comfort, touring ability, city usability, reliability, mileage, service/ownership costs and whether the bike will still feel satisfying after a few years. Also, if you think I’m approaching the purchase from the wrong category entirely, please tell me that and suggest what type of motorcycle I should actually be looking at. I’m not simply looking for the bike with the biggest engine or the highest specifications but I want the motorcycle that makes the most sense for the way I will actually ride.

Verified
•2d

You seem like someone who is going to use the bike for a variety of purposes, so getting a capable adventure bike like the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 would be our first recommendation. The Himalayan is an effortless machine both on the highway and inside the city, so long as you are cognizant of and comfortable with its size and heft. If you want a similar alternative in the neo-retro world, the Harley-Davidson X440 is a good option to consider. Similarly, it would also be prudent to wait for the imminent arrival of the Honda CB500, as that has the makings of being a do-it-all and capable neo-retro machine. A test ride of these bikes will help you decide which one makes the most sense for you.

Royal Enfield Himalayan
Honda Bikes CB500
Harley Davidson X440

Posted on: 18 Dec 2025