Hi Autocar, I’m based in Delhi and looking for a daily-commuter bike that can also handle occasional long trips to places like Manali or Leh. My maximum budget is ₹2.3 lakh. I’m 6′1″, so seat height is not a problem. I’m not interested in the Classic 350.

Autocar India

•2d

Look at bikes like the TVS Apache RTR 160 4V, Bajaj Pulsar N160, Honda Unicorn or Honda SP160 for your usage. They are reliable, comfortable, fuel efficient and low maintenance machines that should fit well within your budget. If you want a more premium product, then options like the TVS Ronin and RE Hunter 350 are to be considered. And if you're open to considering a dual purpose bike, the Hero Xpulse 210 is a fantastic option for commuting with its peppy engine, long travel suspension and flat, comfortable seat. First, decide what sort of bike would fit your usage best, take exhaustive test rides of each and then make your decision.

Autocar India

•5d

A cruiser will be more manageable for your shorter stature but a roadster (like the RE Hunter 350 and Triumph Speed 400) will be a more capable and comfortable bike. Aside from the RE Meteor 350, there's really no mainstream small capacity cruiser worth considering under Rs 3 lakh. If you want to switch to a roadster, we'd recommend the TVS Ronin because that bike has a low seat height and is still comfortable with its neutral ergonomics and light kerb weight. The 350cc Triumph Speed 400 will be the quickest and most dynamically capable of all three machines listed above. The RE Hunter 350 is a very good all-rounder as long as you have no sporting intentions. A test ride will help you decide whether you're ready to make the switch from a cruiser to a more conventional machine or not.

Autocar India

•5d

If your main goal with your machine is to strike poses and look cool on the extremely short spins you make on the weekend, then the Jawa 42 Bobber is a good fit. However, the bike is not practical, it's build quality is still far from the segment benchmark and Classic Legends (parent company of Yezdi, Jawa and BSA) still has a long way to go when it comes to customer satisfaction in terms of service. Considering your short stature, we'd recommend bikes like the RE Hunter 350 and TVS Ronin, which will still give you that Neo retro aesthetic but will not stop short of being good, all-round capable machines at the expense of just looking good. If you decide you want to keep it simple and practical, without spending a lot of cash, a 125cc/160cc bike from brands like TVS, Bajaj, Hero and Honda will be a good choice. This would in fact be our default recommendation considering this is your first bike and you'll need to develop basic motorcycle specific skills like clutch control, smooth gearshifts and throttle control. Evaluate your priorities, take multiple test rides and then make your decision. Also look into each bike's reviews and ownership forums to see which is the most hassle free to live with on a day to day basis. All this will help you make a more informed decision.