Hello, I have been riding an Activa for more than six years, and now I want to buy a bike of 350 cc or more. I am 24 years old and know how to ride a bike, but I’m not extremely confident yet. This will be my first bike. I will use it for city rides of 30-40 km, weekend rides exploring roads, and 2-3 highway trips per year. I also really want to travel to places like Himachal and Uttarakhand. I am attracted to the CB350 series, Meteor, and Guerrilla from Royal Enfield, but I’m open to other recommendations. My maximum budget is ₹3.5 lakh on-road.

autocar.india

•1d

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.

autocar.india

•6d

Since you have said you want comfort, we'd recommend you rule out the KTM 390 Duke. The Duke can be usable on a day-to-day basis, but it is a stiffly sprung and sporty machine that's also rather cramped for taller folks and especially coming from the Meteor, could prove too uncomfortable.The Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 is a good choice, which will balance performance and comfort, although there will be a short adjustment period for you before you completely gel with it. We'd recommend going for the Apex variant, which comes with grippier Vredestein rubber that is better than the standard variant's CEAT shoes.The KTM 390 Adventure is a great bike for long-distance travelling, and if that is going to be the main reason behind your purchase, then it makes sense. However, inside the city, it can feel a little too buzzy, and its fuel economy isn't great either. Do bear in mind that KTMs comes with stiff seats and you will either have to adapt to it or get it fixed in the aftermarket.Since you are already considering the 390 Adventure, it would make sense to also look at the Himalayan 450. This is the more rounded of the two machines in our experience, and its ride comfort is unparalleled at this price point. Its size and weight will take some getting used to, but if you are okay with it, then this is a machine definitely worth considering.Take test rides of all before you go ahead with your purchase, so you make an informed decision.

autocar.india

•1d

For the short to mid-term, E20 will be the current baseline blend of petrol available on a nationwide scale. Speaking strictly about material compatibility, E20 machines should be able to handle higher blends with the fuel tank, rubber seals, gaskets and hoses all ready to support the higher blend. What will need recalibration is the ECU to handle the higher ethanol content in the fuel, which is something that will have to come from the manufacturer. Be prepared for a drop in fuel economy because ethanol's energy density is much lower than petrol, although ECU recalibration will mitigate this to some extent.