I’m stuck between the CB350RS and Scram 440 and would love to hear from people who have ridden either or both. I’m primarily looking for a daily city bike, with occasional long rides and weekend tours. I commute around 26km every day through peak Bangalore traffic, and the roads aren’t exactly great either, with plenty of potholes, broken stretches and stop-and-go traffic. I had initially shortlisted the CB350RS because I really liked its character, relaxed nature, thump, refinement and mileage. It feels like a bike I’d genuinely enjoy riding every day. However, I felt it was slightly lacking when I needed to make quick overtakes or manoeuvre through gaps in traffic. It isn’t necessarily slow, but it doesn’t feel particularly eager when you need that extra shove. Then I rode the Scram 440, and that’s where the dilemma started. I absolutely loved its character and the way it delivers power. It felt much easier to make quick overtakes and manoeuvre through traffic. The seating position and suspension also felt significantly better suited to Bangalore’s terrible roads. On the other hand, I’m still drawn to the CB350RS because I really like its overall feel and calmer, more relaxed character. So, which one would you pick for this kind of usage? I’d especially appreciate feedback from anyone who has owned or ridden both.

autocar.india

•2d

Answering based on the things you have asked for, in ascending order:1) Depending on your stature, you will have different feelings about the rider's triangle on the RE Hunter 350 and CB350RS2) Both bikes have well-sorted suspension setups, so they will fare quite well. 3) Fuel economy depends on your riding style, prevailing traffic & weather conditions as well as a multitude of other factors, so it's hard to give you an accurate number. That being said, the Honda 350cc engine is known to be quite frugal (even in our experience), in comparison to the RE 350cc motor. 4) Local service is again a very subjective issue, even for people who reside in the same city and go to the same workshop, so we can't accurately comment on that. Historically speaking, both RE & Honda are known to have largely trouble-free service experiences. 5), 6) & 7) Both the Hunter and CB350RS are high-quality, reliable machines, and you will likely not go wrong with either of them, barring any isolated unit-specific issues.

autocar.india

•55m

A first motorcycle purchase is a big milestone in life, and it seems like you're not sure which style of bike to go for, so we'll give you a vast list of options to choose from.Since you said you've always wanted a Harley-Davidson, we'd advise you to try the X440 T out. This is a comfortable, characterful and capable motorcycle, and if you're not interested in outright top speed, it will be a good option. In a similar vein, if you want something in the neo-retro space, the Royal Enfield 350s are a lovely option and hard to ignore.If you want something with a little bit of pep in its step, then the 350cc Triumph 400s like the Speed, Scrambler, Tracker, etc. are really nice bikes (although if you don't have a dealer in your city, it wouldn't be advisable to buy them). The Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 is another really nice bike and packs in serious performance so if you do get it, have your wits about you when you whack open the throttle. The RE Himalayan 450 is a completely different proposition to all of the aforementioned bikes and is a jack-of-all-trades sort of bike. Unless you're really going to venture off-road or do long rides, it may not be the right tool for you - as a first-time buyer. Something lighter, nimbler and more straightforward is a better bet.If you don't want to spend more than Rs 2-2.50 lakh on your first bike, then something simple like a Bajaj Pulsar N250SS, Dominar 400 (350cc), TVS Apache RTR 200 4V and similiar bikes will keep you happy until you're ready to move up too. A test ride will be key to determining, first, what sort of bike you are after and second, whether you want to spend its asking price or not. Happy trails!

autocar.india

•22h

We have a detailed comparison in both written and video formats on our website as well as YT channel, respectively, and would encourage you to go see it for a more detailed explanation of what each bike is better at. The short answer is, the Kawasaki KLX230 is the more focused, purpose-built dualsport with a premium feel to it whereas the Hero Xpulse 210 is a wonderful budget-friendly, Swiss army knife sort of motorcycle. A test ride should also help you decide which one is better suited for your needs.