I am planning to buy a motorcycle under Rs. 3 lakh. I am 5'10" tall and want a bike with an upright riding posture. My usage will mostly include highway rides and hilly terrain, along with a little bit of city riding. I am looking for a motorcycle with a smooth and refined engine that handles well. I currently have three options in mind: the Honda CB350RS, Honda NX200, and Triumph Scrambler 400 X. Which of these would suit my needs the best? Also, if you think there are better alternatives, please let me know.

Autocar India

•1d

Since your usage is mostly going to be inside the city, we'd advise choosing between the Honda CB350RS and 350cc Triumph Speed 400. Both bikes have smooth, torque-focused engines, light clutch action, manageable seat heights and good weight management, which should make them easy to use in the city. Out on the highway, both feel quite unstressed as long as you keep the speeds between 100-110kph at the most in top gear. The Speed 400 will feel more sprightly than the CB350RS owing to its higher output and lower weight but the Honda's engine has a little more character than the Triumph's.The Royal Enfield Goan Classic 350 is a gorgeous and eye-catching bobber but comfort and highway capabilities aren't exactly its strong suits. If you do want an option from the 350cc Royal Enfield lineup, we'd recommend taking a look at the Bullet / Classic because these bikes are excellent at city duties and if you don't mind carrying a sedate pace on the highway, they'll do the job just fine. These options are very different from one another, so we'd advise you to take proper test rides of each to see which one suits you best before you pull the trigger on your next purchase.

Autocar India

•1d

Since you travel long distances every day, comfort should be near the top of your wishlist and under Rs 4 lakh, the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 is the king of comfort. With your purchase, you can also bundle in the cross-spoke rims (priced at Rs 16,000, which is quite fair for what you're getting), which will give you the peace of mind of running tubeless tyres as well. The Himalayan's only major drawback is its large size and heavy weight, which can get bothersome for shorter riders.If you're looking for something more manageable, then bikes like the TVS Apache RTX 300 and 350cc KTM 390 Adventure are good options to consider. Both are comfortable, have gutsy performance and should return decent fuel economy too, while being easier to manage due to their low kerb weights. If you don't resonate with an adventure bike, then the 350cc Triumph Scrambler 400 models offer a good compromise with the plush suspension comfort you need, with more appealing style and less bulky bodywork.In case you decide you don't want to be at the upper limit of your budget, then neo-retro roadsters like the Harley-Davidson X440 T, 350cc Triumph Speed 400 / Speed T4 and Honda CB350 models are worth considering. These bikes have great comfort levels and will also return better fuel economy. Considering the very different nature of these bikes, take a test ride of all to be sure which one would be the right fit for you.

Autocar India

•2d

Since you will spend an overarching amount of time inside the city, your best bet would be to look at either the Honda CB350 models and the Royal Enfield Classic / Bullet/ Hunter 350. These are relaxed, comfortable and proven machines which will be great for patchy city roads and out on the highway - as long as you're keeping the speeds under the three-digit threshold - they will be unstressed.If you want a bit more performance without sacrificing comfort the Triumph Speed 400, Tracker 400 and Scrambler 400 models are what you should look at. With their recently downsized - 350cc, liquid-cooled engines, they offer significantly more performance and are lighter than the Honda and RE models listed above which should mean a more energetic demeanor out on open roads. Take a test ride of these machines to see which one you gel with the best before you make a decision.