I’m 5′8″, 35 years old, an IT professional with back pain, and I ride occasionally. Last year, I purchased a Speed 400 after 12 years of riding just an Activa, and I found the Duke too powerful at that time. I ride mostly in the city and take highway trips of 400–800 km once every month or two. I am thinking about buying a new bike because I am not fully satisfied with the Speed 400, especially on the highway. Don’t get me wrong - it’s a great bike - but I want to cruise comfortably at 110–120 km/h. With the Speed 400, I’ve found 90 km/h to be the sweet spot; anything above that becomes irritating. The bike can easily reach 140, but when I let go of the throttle, it feels like the bike brakes itself and only smooths out again near 90 and below. I am not into off-roading, and I am not a serious rider. I am looking for something more powerful than the Speed 400 but not excessively so - something in the range of 50-60 bhp. Budget is not a constraint.

Autocar India

•3d

Pretty much every single 150-160cc commuter comes with at least single-channel ABS, so that won't be a deciding factor for you. Our top picks in this class are the Bajaj Pulsar N160 and TVS Apache RTR 160 4V if you want something sportier and feature-rich. If you want to stick to a simple, no-nonsense machine, then the Honda Unicorn remains a safe bet. If ridden sensibly, you should see in excess of 45kpl for all of these 150cc bikes.In the 125cc class, if having ABS is non-negotiable, then your options are restricted to the TVS Raider and Honda CB125 Hornet. Of these three, the TVS is our top recommendation. The 125s will be quite fuel-efficient, and you'll seldom see a mileage figure below 50kpl, no matter your riding style.You should first decide which segment you want to stick with and then take a test ride of the bikes accordingly before you make a decision.

Autocar India

•3d

The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 has a very manageable 765mm seat height, which should suit your stature. But if you want the lowest 350cc Royal Enfield bike, then it would be the Goan Classic. The Goan has an even lower 750mm perch, which will be even easier to flatfoot.Do bear in mind that the Goan Classic's handlebars are taller than usual, and this is something you should pay attention to on a test ride. We'd advise taking test rides of both the Meteor and Goan and pick whichever one suits you best and the one you prefer the look of more.

Autocar India

•6d

Since your daily running is quite low, you should look at a petrol scooter - preferably brand new, for the peace of mind and the manufacturer's warranty it will come with. We'd recommend looking at the base variants of the Honda Activa 110, Suzuki Acess and TVS Jupiter 110. All scooters will be friendly for a newer rider because of their low kerb weights and approachable seat heights. If, however, your budget doesn't permit you to go for a new scooter, then a pre-owned Activa or Access would be our recommendation. The Activa and Access are some of the most popular scooters available, and finding a good example will be fairly straightforward. Because of their popularity and widespread service network, sourcing replacement parts should also be quite easy.