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

•5m

In theory, with enough determination and some out-of-the-box thinking, you could take any two-wheeler on a long-distance tour. The Yamaha R15 is a sorted, proven supersport but as a tourer, it will leave you wanting in more than one area. On the other hand, the Hero Xtreme 250R packs in lovely handling with comfy ergos and absorptive suspension which will certainly help you cover longer distances in greater comfort. The Xtreme's larger engine is also punchier and will be less stressed at highway speeds than the R15's. However, as you pointed out, the Hero's reliability has been rather patchy and it seems to be a sporadic issue depending on the unit. If you can go to your nearest Hero dealer and get some assurances about the reliability of the Xtreme as well as a good roadside assistance package then perhaps you should consider it. However, if you aren't convinced look for similar options from KTM 200 Duke or 250 Duke or even the Yamaha MT-15 and XSR155 which will all be sporty, yet comfortable machines that are reliable and can be taken touring without a second thought.

autocar.india

•1h

In our experience, all of the bikes you have shortlisted (aside from the Meteor to some extent) have proven to be adept at shielding the rider from road imperfections. Since you have mentioned that the Classic isn't doing the trick for you, perhaps it could mean that for your physique a bike with a different riding position may be the solution. Take a test ride of the Hunter 350, which now has very absorptive suspension and a similar feel from the engine. You should also consider the Harley-Davidson X440 (splurge for the nicer looking T if you can) as that bike also has a comfortable suspension setup and seating posture.

autocar.india

•3h

The Royal Enfield Himalayan 440 is one of the most approachable ADVs on the market and once you get accustomed to its size and weight, you should be able to comfortably manage it. Its only at slower speeds in the city when you're navigating through traffic when the weight and size will be a problem but otherwise on the highway at constant speeds on a long tour, you'll hardly feel the weight. If you want something similar but with an even friendlier seat height, the Scram 440 is another good option and its top variant is the one to go for as it comes with alloy wheels and tubeless tyres. The Guerrilla 450 is another option from the RE stable that you should consider. It brings properly energetic performance and sporty handling to the table as well as a fancier colour TFT display, making it a step up in almost all ways to the relatively more spartan 440s. Its super friendly 780mm seat height is lower than both of the aforementioned bikes. Take a test ride of all three, see which one you gel with most and then make your decision. Do bear in mind that all three will be above Rs 2.50 lakh (on-road), so you will have to extend your budget.