Mumbai

•38w

Hello Team AutoCar, love you guys and your content! Coming to my query - I’m looking for a bike that will be used 100% inside Hyderabad city. After a bit of research, I’ve narrowed it down to the 150-160 cc segment. My main concern is suspension, as the city has plenty of potholes and long waiting times in traffic. I’m a 28-year-old male, so boring commuters are ruled out. I’ve shortlisted the Suzuki Gixxer SF 155 and the Pulsar N160 USD. What’s your one pick? Also, should I consider the Xtreme 160? The Duke 160 isn’t my type, and the Apache 160 feels dated.

•38w

Both the options you’ve shortlisted - the Gixxer SF 155 and the Pulsar N160 - have great suspension and will be good for city usage.

Between the two, we’d recommend the Pulsar N160. The Gixxer SF’s riding position is a bit more committed since it’s designed as a sport bike.

The Hero Xtreme 160R offers decent suspension and chassis composure. However, its gearbox isn’t the smoothest, and the engine isn’t the most refined in its class.

Explore bikes mentioned

Suzuki

Gixxer SF

from ₹1.61 Lakh

Bajaj

Pulsar N160

from ₹1.35 Lakh

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Hero Motocorp Xtreme 160r

Hero Motocorp Xtreme 160r

More questions on similar bikes

•6d

Hi, I would like your suggestion on a good bike for my needs. I am 40 years old, 5'9" tall, weigh 115 kg, and have a family. My daily commute is 72 km. The road conditions are around 6 out of 10, considering potholes and speed breakers. Traffic is above average; if I were to rate it on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is the least and 10 is the highest, I would rate it 7. I am open to both ICE and electric bikes. I would also prefer a bike that offers good fuel efficiency.

•8h

Given your long daily run with lots of traffic and bad roads, a simple commuter would be the best fit for your usage. In the 125cc segment, look at options like the TVS Raider, Honda Shine / SP125 and Hero Super Splendor/Xtreme, depending on your design preferences.In the 160cc class, options like Honda Unicorn / SP160, TVS Apache RTR 160 4V and Bajaj Pulsar N160 are our top picks. Depending on your budget and fuel economy requirements, pick between the class of bikes that best suit your needs.

Honda Bikes Shine 125

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•1w

Hi Autocar India Team, I would like to hear your suggestions for a new bike. I currently ride a 2012 Hero Splendor Plus, but it no longer suits my requirements. I ride about 100 km per day, of which 80 km is on the highway and the remaining 20 km is within the city. I am looking for a bike that offers a good balance of power and fuel efficiency, as it will be my daily commuter. It should also have a comfortable suspension so that I don't feel tired at the end of the day. I am 182 cm tall and well-built. Which bike would you recommend?

•1d

Since you have a long daily run, predominantly on the highway, we'd recommend you step up to something more powerful. Specifically, the Hero Xpulse 210 will be a good fit for your needs. It has great suspension, which will isolate you from the worst of our road imperfections; good performance on the highway and when ridden sensibly, it will also give you decent fuel economy. If you want to stick with a street-biased commuter, look at the Honda Unicorn and Bajaj Pulsar N160. These will feel more natural for you to ride and will return good fuel economy, although highway performance will be weaker than the Xpulse. The Pulsar N250 is also a good machine which would make sense for your use case.Take test rides of these bikes before you make your decision.

Hero MotoCorp Xpulse 210

I want to buy the Honda Unicorn, as I travel 70 km daily. Earlier, I used an Activa, but it caused back pain. Can you guide me whether I should go for Honda Unicorn or something else?

•2d

The Honda Unicorn will make for a good upgrade over your Activa, given your daily 70km stint. Commuter motorcycles are some of the most comfortable and fuss-free machines you can buy today, especially so in the case of the Unicorn. If you want alternatives to the proven Honda, look at the Bajaj Pulsar N160 and TVS Apache RTR 160 4V for a sportier, more feature-rich experience without sacrificing comfort and usability. A test ride of all three will help determine which is the right one for you.

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BajajPulsar N160

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Popular discussions right now

•1w

I would like to know if it is normal for a fully charged, unused Ather 450 X to lose 1-3 km of indicated range without being ridden.

•2d

Do not worry, it is completely normal to see a 1-3 km drop in the displayed range on your Ather 450 X after a full charge, even if the scooter has not been ridden. This is not a sign of battery degradation or a fault. What you are seeing is a combination of two things: battery self-discharge and the way the range estimator works. All lithium-ion batteries lose a tiny amount of charge when parked overnight or for a few days, even when the scooter has not been in use. More importantly, the range estimate is not a fixed number - it is a calculation based on the current state of charge and your recent riding patterns. Even a small change in battery percentage can cause the displayed range to drop by a few kilometres.

Ather 450X

•3d

I'm planning to buy a two-wheeler for my father, preferably a scooter. My budget is around Rs. 80,000 to Rs. 1 lakh. It will be used mainly for city commuting, with a maximum daily running of 20-25 km. Should I go for an ICE scooter or an EV? Also, which model would you recommend?

•2d

Within your budget, there are only two EVs from reputed brands available, like the Vida (Hero) VX2 Go 2.2 and TVS Orbiter V2 (3.1kWh battery). These have enough range for a 25km daily loop and will surely help reduce your running costs to a great extent. If you have a secure charging location, then opting for an EV definitely makes sense. They have gentle but surefooted performance, and to decide between these two, take a test ride before you make your decision.If, however, you are not keen on making the switch to an EV, then sticking with proven options like Honda Activa 110, TVS Jupiter 110 and Suzuki Access 125 makes sense. The Activa and Jupiter are slightly more frugal than the Access, which consequently has zippier performance. All three are proven products, and you should go for the one you gel with the most on your test ride.

Vida VX2

TVS Orbiter

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•6d

I have been using the Hero Passion Pro for the last 12 years, and I now think it is time to upgrade. My budget is up to Rs. 2.5 lakh. I live in Pune, and around 80% of my usage is city riding, with a 250 km long ride every alternate weekend. I hope you can suggest a good option.

•1d

Since you predominantly use your bike inside Pune city, choosing a machine with good comfort would be wise. Neo-retro machines like the Honda CB350 trio, Royal Enfield Hunter / Classic / Bullet 350 and TVS Ronin would fit the bill well and offer you a great step up from your Passion Pro too. If instead you want something off-road oriented, then the Hero Xpulse 210 and TVS Apache RTX 300 will make sense. Take a test ride of these very different bikes before you make your decision.

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Posted on: 5 Nov 2025

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