I currently own an Aprilia RS 457 and use it for a daily 20 km one-way commute (about half open road and half bumper-to-bumper traffic). The RS 457 is uncomfortable, so I plan to sell it and buy a more city-friendly bike. I want something lightweight with a low seat height (I’m 5'6"), a refined engine, plush suspension, and the ability to cruise comfortably at 100 km/h for occasional short highway runs.

Autocar India

•6d

Since your priority is road riding and you like to cover more than 1,000 km in a day on your travels, we'd recommend you look at machines like the Honda NX500 and Kawasaki Versys 650. Both offer very good seating comfort, wind protection and smooth twin-cylinder engines that can comfortably sustain triple-digit cruising speeds without intrusive vibrations. While they may look like adventure bikes, both are much more road-focused in the way they ride and behave. They can handle bad roads if needed, but they are not hardcore off-road machines.If you want something that's a little more road-focused and sporty, then the Kawasaki Ninja 650 is also a good option. It has a smooth engine and is very capable at highway cruising speeds, though it will not be as comfortable over very long distances as the NX500 or Versys 650. You will also need to be mindful of the low ground clearance and the expensive alloy wheels over bad roads.Depending on the sort of bike you prefer, make your decision, and before doing so, take a test ride of all three to figure out which one is right for you.

Autocar India

•2d

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

•2d

Sadly, the Yamaha R3 has been discontinued in India and the company hasn't confirmed if or when the updated model will be coming to our shores. Therefore, the Royal Enfield 650s are your best bet if you want a twin-cylinder experience. Specifically, the Interceptor is a tried and tested product which should be characterful and reasonably comfortable for road usage. Bear in mind that the Interceptor is a heavy bike with its wide engine splaying the Rider's feet out, so if you're on the shorter side of the spectrum, you might struggle to flat foot it. You could also look at the Aprilia Tuono 457 if you want something sporty but still usable on the road. Aprilia's 457cc engine hasn't had the best reputation for reliability though and we'd recommend you tread lightly and make no modifications inside the warranty period on this bike. A test ride will help you figure out which bike is for you.