I’m an amateur rider and haven’t ridden bikes much. I learned on a Honda Shine and have done some basic local rides. I’m planning to buy a bike, but I'm confused between models with strong road presence like Royal Enfield or Honda CB/Highness series, and those under 200cc that offer better mileage and are more suitable for city rides. My daily use would be around 50 km within the city. Please suggest a suitable option.

Asked by: Vikram Kudva

If you’re not entirely confident about your riding skills, we wouldn’t recommend heavier bikes like the Royal Enfield 350s or the Honda CB350 models, as they can be difficult to handle for a newcomer.

A good beginner-friendly option would be something in the 150/160cc sporty commuter space, such as the Bajaj Pulsar N160, TVS Apache RTR 160 4V, Honda Unicorn/SP160, or Yamaha FZ models.

These bikes are relatively light, have at least single-channel ABS (some offer dual-channel), and should provide a good safety net while allowing you some leeway to grow into them.

TVS Apache RTR 160 4V

TVS Apache RTR 160 4V

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Autocar India Team

Oct 29, 2025

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