Hi, I am an office goer planning to purchase a new bike in 2026 and want to upgrade from a 125 cc to a 150/160 cc bike. I commute about 60 km daily, with roughly 50% on decent roads and 50% on broken roads. Can you please suggest a bike in the 150/160 cc segment that offers both comfort and good mileage?

autocar.india

•4d

A 160cc commuter like the Bajaj Pulsar N160, Honda Unicorn/SP160 and TVS Apache RTR 160 4V will fit your use case well. These bikes have spacious single-piece seats, a practical grab rail and comfortable suspension, factors which will aid comfort in the long run. These bikes have widespread service reach across the country and are known to be frugal and reliable to live with. Take test rides of these three to see which one fits you and your pillion best before you make your decision.

autocar.india

•4d

The Honda Unicorn and SP160 are platform-engineered siblings with very similar mechanicals, so ride comfort on both should be very similar, if not identical. If you found the Unicorn comfortable, you will find that the SP160 is similarly comfortable and picking between the two will boil down to which bike's look and features you prefer. The Honda SP160 has a rear disc brake, a TFT display and sharper styling, so if you don't want the plain Jane looks of the Unicorn, its sibling makes sense. Honestly, both Honda bikes are no-nonsense and reliable, so whichever one you choose, you're ultimately making a safe decision.

autocar.india

•6d

Between the two Pulsar models you have shortlisted, the N160 would be our pick. Not only does it have the more modern mechanical fundamentals, the better feature-set and will be more fuel efficient, but also it comes in multiple variants, which have a single-piece seat, which should address your concerns about travelling with a pillion. Since you mentioned you like the Honda CB350 but it wasn't fitting in your budget, take a look at the Royal Enfield Hunter 350. The Hunter is much more affordable than the CB350 but will give you similar comfort, performance and form factor. It is also a proven commodity, which means realistically, in the long-term, your ownership should be free of any unwelcome surprises. Take test rides of both the N160 and Hunter, and depending on your budget and preference, make your decision.