I am planning to buy a commuter bike under ₹1.20 lakh. My priorities are long-term engine reliability and good mileage. I ride only around 20 km daily, so I do not care much about comfort. I have shortlisted a few bikes. Please help me choose the best one among the Honda SP 125, TVS Raider, Honda Shine 125, Hero Glamour XTEC, and Hero Xtreme 125R.

Autocar India

•18h

Since you've said your primary use case is in the city, the 350cc Triumph Speed 400 is the one that will appeal the most to your sensible side. It has a tractable engine, good suspension and seating comfort and will also return decent fuel economy when ridden sensibly. If maximum thrills are what you're after, the 350cc KTM 390 Duke still remains a potent option, although the Duke is a smaller, more cramped and more buzzy machine. If you're willing to live with this, then you'll have an engaging and entertaining machine which also has superb handling and lots of features. Splitting the difference between these two is the 452cc Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450, which is more KTM in terms of its riding character, combining sporty handling and punchy performance. Do bear in mind that its fuel economy is likely to be the lowest of these three. We'd recommend the Apex variant of the Guerrilla for strictly road usage because it comes with grippier Vredestein tyres.

Autocar India

•1h

Bajaj has no intentions of selling the single-cylinder Triumph bikes with 398cc engines in India, and all of the six models come with downsized 349cc motors. However, in two of them (Tracker and Thruxton), the engine makes more peak output, and if you want the maximum performance from an affordable Bajaj-made Triumph. So, we'd recommend choosing between these two. Since you've mentioned you like the Scrambler 400 XC, the Tracker will be a similar machine in terms of ergonomics and comfort. Although, you will lose some off-road capability as a trade-off for better street manners. Your only option if you want to buy a 398cc Triumph Scrambler 400 XC today is to ask your nearby dealers if they have some leftover stock or scour the used market for one.

Autocar India

•17h

The electric bike segment is still very nascent in India, and there are very few options available. Realistically, the only one we would recommend you look at is the Revolt RV400 because it has been around the longest, and Revolt has a sales and service presence in your city. Our professional recommendation would be that you instead opt for an electric scooter because you have a huge variety of choices to choose from, depending on your range, styling, features and other requirements. Options like TVS iQube, Bajaj Chetak, Vida VX2 and Ather Rizta are lovely city runabouts that come with the reliability and peace of mind you'd expect from a big manufacturer while being very practical. And if you want something sportier and snazzier-looking, the Ather 450 models are a tried and tested commodity with loads of tech and spirited performance to boot. Another plus point a scooter will have over a motorcycle is that it has a lower seat height and weighs less, which will make it easier to manage in chaotic Mumbai city traffic. We would recommend that you at least take a test ride of some of the electric scooters mentioned above before you go ahead with your purchase to see whether they suit your use case better.

Autocar India

•3d

In the relaxed neo-retro space, you've already ridden the TVS Ronin and the Honda CB350 H'ness, that are two of the best bikes available in the class. We would also recommend you look at the Royal Enfield Bullet / Classic 350 because these bikes still remain the benchmark in the class, in our opinion. Especially since you've mentioned you're a heavier person and carry a pillion regularly. The Classic and Bullet both have lovely seating comfort, sorted suspension and neutral ergonomics. Pair that to a torque-rich engine and lovely fit and finish and you have a concoction that's hard to top - unless you're looking for more performance, that is. In that case, the 350cc Triumph Speed T4 makes a good case for itself although do bear in mind, it isn't as large a machine as the Honda bike or Royal Enfield 350s and could feel cramped for a larger rider as well as pillion. If you're open to considering ADVs, the Hero Xpulse 210 makes a compelling case for itself and will offer you more comfort and fuel economy than any of the machines listed above. Take a test ride of these bikes and compare them with your notes of previous test rides to see which one you like best before you make a decision.

Autocar India

•3d

The Royal Enfield Guerrilla comes with a 452cc engine, whereas the Triumph Scrambler 400 X now comes with a 349cc engine so its no surprise that the Triumph didn't feel as sprightly in comparison. However, for your usage, should you be willing to sacrifice some pep, the 350cc Scrambler 400 X is actually a great all-rounder. Especially since you're a novice and want to get into off-roading. The Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 is a great bike but we'd advise you to not consider this bike, at least not if you plan to start your off-roading journey with it. At 196kg, the Himalayan is a heavy machine and with its fuel tank full, it also feels rather top heavy, which could get challenging for a beginner to manage at crawling off-road speeds. However, for city commuting and highway journeys, this Royal Enfield bike will be quite nice - its only off-roading where its weight will be a serious deterrent.The 350cc KTM 390 Adventure would be a good middle-ground option between the two aforementioned bikes - in theory, at least. Its lighter than the Himalayan and has more power than the Scrambler. A test ride should shed more light on whether this KTM bike is the one for you. Since you said you're looking to get into off-road riding, we'd be remiss if we didn't recommend the Hero Xpulse 210 to you. Now, the Xpulse is definitely a smaller and slower machine than all the machines listed above but if you genuinely want to hone your craft and get better at off-road riding, there's genuinely no better place to start than here. City commuting is another strength of the Xpulse, although on the highway, its engine feels a little stressed post 100kph. If you don't mind compromising on outright performance on the highway, then the Xpulse will be a good option for you. Some other benefits of choosing the Xpulse would be that it returns excellent fuel economy - much higher than all other options - and it costs much less to buy too.You need to evaluate your priorities and make an informed decision after test riding all three bikes. Best of luck!

Autocar India

•2d

Between 160 and 200 Duke models, we'd steer you toward the 200 Duke because it seems like you're looking for a fun machine and since you already have a bigger machine at home, the 160 could feel a little bland as time wears on. The 200 Duke has a rev-happy nature like the 160 Duke and with its added firepower, it makes for a good second machine, especially considering that the price difference between the two isn't all that large. If we're being honest, you should actually also take a look at the 250 Duke because it is a genuine step up over the 200 and if you're going to keep the bike for a while, go the whole hog and get something that will keep you entertained for a longer period. In our experience, we've found the latest-gen 250 Duke to be a sweet middle child of sorts in the KTM lineup, which offers everyday versatility with engaging performance when you want it. Over the 200 Duke, the 250 also doesn't cost a lot more and we'd recommend you stretch your budget if you can and get the quarter-litre Duke if you can.Take a test ride of the 250 Duke to see if you resonate with this KTM bike and then make your decision.