I have a BS-IV Hero Duet bought in 2017. I was thinking about upgrading to the Hero Xoom 125, which is compatible with E20 petrol. But now I have learnt that the government may roll out higher ethanol blends. What should I do?

autocar.india

•2h

Since your daily run is quite long and you value comfort and fuel efficiency over all else, we'd recommend you stick with a commuter motorcycle. In your budget, if you want a bike that's comfortable over bad roads, then the Bajaj Platina 110 is our recommendation. Its thickly padded seat, pliant suspension and neutral ergonomics will keep you comfortable for longer distances over all sorts of roads. The Platina's one big drawback is that it cannot be had with a disc brake, and its drums provide only adequate performance.In that vein, it would be prudent to look at the TVS Radeon. The Radeon has similar strong suits as the Platina, but it can be had with a front disc brake on its top variant, which is the one we'd recommend for reliable stopping power over a longer duration.Take test rides of both to see which one you resonate with more before you make your decision.

autocar.india

•17h

Since you already have a relaxed bike in the garage with your X440, we'd recommend you look at something sporty - specifically, the KTM 390 Duke R and Aprilia Tuono 457. The 390 Duke R is a proven product, and if you want a thrilling machine with good cycle parts, it doesn't get much better than the 390 at this price point. Of course, you'll have to deal with some amount of vibrations and the fact that the Duke is quite a cramped machine for taller riders. The Tuono 457 offers a more polished riding experience thanks to its twin-cylinder engine, which is one of the biggest reasons to buy one. It is smooth at almost any rpms, makes a great sound and has plenty of punch almost everywhere. Its handling is also sublime, but it does come at the cost of a stiff ride over broken roads. There's also the fact that the Aprilia 457cc engine doesn't have a stellar reputation for reliability, and the company's sales and service network is quite small. Aprilia's service is also expensive and not always friction-free. The Duke is definitely the safer buy of the two, although if your nearest Aprilia dealer can give you some reassurances on the ownership front, the Tuono 457 is a machine that will keep you happy for a long time to come.

autocar.india

•6d

Since you have had a long and drama-free stint with your Shine, the logical next step to make would be the Honda Unicorn. For your use case, which is mostly inside the city with short weekend leisure rides, the Unicorn makes for a good fit. It will offer a noticeable step up in performance and comfort compared to the Shine with only a small drop-off in fuel economy. The Royal Enfield Bullet 350 is lovely if you want a relaxed bike with new-age reliability and old-school feel, but since you have mentioned you are on the slimmer side of the spectrum, its weight could be a problem at slower speeds and its fuel economy will also be noticeably lower.If your landlord and the building you reside in, don't have a problem with you installing a charging solution at home, you can consider electric scooters like TVS iQube, Bajaj Chetak, Ather Rizta and Vida VX2. If not, stick with a petrol-powered bike for now.To decide between the Unicorn and Bullet, we'd recommend a test ride of both since they are very different machines.