Hi Team, I have been using a Yamaha Saluto 125 cc bike for almost 10 years and now want to upgrade to the 150–200 cc segment with an on-road budget under ₹2 lakh. I am 5′10″ tall and mostly ride within the city. My preference is for comfort, safety, pillion-friendly ergonomics, and good looks. By reading reviews, I have shortlisted bikes like the Bajaj N160, Yamaha XSR155, TVS Apache 160 4V, and Ronin, but I am not sure about their comfort and pillion friendliness. What bikes would you suggest that meet my criteria, whether on my list or not?

Autocar India

•1d

Since you value a lower kerb weight and manageability, between the Kawasaki Ninja 1100SX and Versys 1100, we'd advise you to choose the Ninja. Yes, the Ninja has a slightly more committed riding position than the armchair-like ergonomics of the Versys, but it's a small difference and is unlikely to be the cause of back pain in the long run. Comparing the Ninja 1100SX to the new Z900, the latter has a more canted-forward riding position, which is perhaps the reason you experienced back pain after riding it. Also, bear in mind that if you anchor yourself to the bike using your legs to grip the tank, alleviating the pressure on the handlebars, it can make a world of difference over a longer duration.The Ninja 1100SX is a sweet, capable, comfortable and feature-rich machine which can balance city duties with touring capabilities and seems like it would be a good fit for your needs.

Autocar India

•6d

In the 125cc class, if you're looking for a comfortable bike that has a monoshock for its rear suspension, then look no further than the TVS Raider and Hero Xtreme 125R. Both are popular, proven, fuel efficient and have good ride and seating comfort, making them well-suited to daily use. These bikes should easily be able to return upwards of 50kpl in the real world even if you are a quick rider.Moving to the 150/160cc segment, options like the Honda Unicorn / SP160, Bajaj Pulsar N160 and TVS Apache RTR 160 4V are mainstays of the segment and opting for any of them would make for a safe bet. The Honda models are the more straightforward option while the TVS bikes and Bajaj are the sportier, more feature-rich options. It will be quite tough to see fuel economy of 50kpl and above on these machines unless you are a very gentle rider and expect real-world economy to hover around the 45kpl mark, depending on how you ride. Take a test ride of these machines before you make your decision and before you do, choose which category of bike suits you best and proceed accordingly.

Autocar India

•2d

Sadly, in India, if you're looking for a decently priced sub-500cc, twin-cylinder adventure bike, then you'll have to extend your wait as there's nothing currently or on the horizon either. The BMW F 450 GS is, all things said and done, the somewhat palatable option because the Honda NX500 - as accomplished a bike as it is - simply cannot justify its steep Rs 7.44 lakh ex-showroom asking price, even with its super convenient and non-intrusive E-Clutch technology. We'd advise you to also take a look at the mid-spec Exclusive variant of the 450 GS because that has pretty much every option that you'd need and want ticked without the centrifugal clutch seen on the top Trophy model. Its also a good chunk more affordable to buy. If you're okay with making your peace with the alloy wheels, then you also save the moolah that BMW wants you to shell out for the pretty - but pricey - cross-spoke wheels. Unless you're a hardcore off-road rider, these spoked wheels bring no functional improvement and sticking with the alloys is the sensible bet. You could also purchase them a little later on, if your heart is really set on them. Coming to the Aprilia Tuareg 457, there’s no clear India launch or even global reveal timeline yet.