Hi Autocar team, I am 33 years old and planning to buy a bike. I own a 1996 Hero Honda CD100 Deluxe and currently use a 2023 Honda Activa 125 for city commuting. I want to buy a bike with good highway performance, excellent pillion comfort, and a great suspension setup. My usage includes 400 km each way on highways (800 km total) along with occasional city riding. Reliability is my top priority. My shortlisted options are the RE Classic 350, RE Bullet 350, and RE Himalayan 450. I’m open to other options as well. Please suggest a suitable bike.

autocar.india

•6d

Since most of the riding will be in the city with occasional weekend trips, you are already leaning towards the adventure-touring segment; the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 is one of the best all-rounders in this price range, if you can manage its size and weight.The KTM 390 Adventure range is quick, engaging to ride and packed with useful features such as cruise control, cornering ABS, traction control and a quickshifter. It also handles exceptionally well on highways and twisty roads. That said, the engine is not as refined as some rivals, and the large windscreen can make slow-moving city traffic feel warmer.If off-road capability is not a priority, the Triumph Scrambler 400 models deserve serious consideration. It combines the commanding riding position of an ADV with the styling of a scrambler. The engine is refined, the handling is neutral and predictable and comfort over bad roads is good too.Among these, the Triumph Bike is the most affordable, while the KTM 390 Adventure S is the most expensive. The Himalayan 450 falls comfortably in between. One advantage of the Royal Enfield bikes is the strong riding community and touring culture that comes with the brand, which may appeal if you enjoy long-distance travel and group rides.Take a test ride and see which one suits you best before making your decision.

autocar.india

•12h

A word of caution first: none of the bikes you have shortlisted will fit within your budget; you will have to extend it significantly to accommodate them. Also, for your needs, the Hero Xpulse 210 seems the better fit overall. It can easily tackle broken roads and off-road conditions while maintaining good composure when riding on tarmac. Yes, this Hero Motocorp bike will have a taller pillion seat, but with a bit of practice and after a brief acclimatization period, it should likely be a non-issue for your pillion. Take a test ride of the Xpulse and then go ahead with your purchase.

autocar.india

•13h

In the petrol scooter space, the frontrunners are Honda Activa 110/125, TVS Jupiter 110/125 and Suzuki Access 125. All three are proven, comfortable, fuel-efficient and very practical, so whichever one you choose, you can't realistically go wrong. In the Electric scooter space, our top recommendations are TVS iQube, Bajaj Chetak, Vida VX2 and Ather Rizta models. Again, these are proven and reliable machines from top-tier brands with good service reach across India, so pick the variant that suits your needs best. It would be prudent to wait a couple of months for the upcoming EL platform-based family electric scooter, which will give you the slick experience Ather scooters are known for but at a more digestible price. If you have secure charging at home, then an EV will help you save on your running costs greatly compared to an ICE scooter. Depending on your preference of powertrain, we'd recommend a test ride of the options recommended before you go ahead with your purchase to see which one suits your needs best.