I booked a KTM Duke 390 on March 22nd, but it has been over 30 days, and the showroom still hasn't received the bike. They currently have no updates on when new stock will arrive. I’ve checked other showrooms across Mumbai and even in neighbouring states, but the bike is out of stock everywhere. Since the delivery is so uncertain, I am now considering alternatives like the TVS RR 310, KTM Duke 250, or the RE Guerrilla 450. Given my 5'10" height and the fact that I need a bike for daily Mumbai traffic, which of these would be the best recommendation?

Autocar India

•20h

The bikes you are looking at, all fall in very different displacement and price brackets, so making a direct comparison between them will be unfair. The Honda NX200 is a dressed up street bike and with its smaller and simpler 184cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine, it will feel strained on the highway at faster, triple-digit speeds. The CB350RS is a neo-retro motorcycle with a smooth engine and comfortable suspension which will make it a nice companion out on the highway, as long as you don't mind making progress between 80-100kph. Beyond that, speed will rise rather slowly and the engine does feel a little outside its comfort zone. The Triumph Scrambler 400X (with the 350cc engine) could actually prove to be the most capable all-rounder for your use case with its peppy engine and commanding ergonomics. You could even look at the Triumph Speed 400 (now with a 350cc engine) and the Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 as they both have neutral ergonomics and decent highway manners.A test ride will be imperative before you make a decision.

Autocar India

•4d

The 349cc Triumph Tracker 400 is a lighter and less powerful machine, which will make it easier to ride and get on with in daily use. Since you are a college student who will primarily use it in the city, these are factors that will play in the Tracker's favour as will its higher fuel economy owing to its smaller engine. Coming to its tail section, there's not much you can do officially. The Tracker and Thruxton use a simpler, rectangular tail lamp, unlike the other Bajaj-made Triumphs which have a rather neat-looking, flush-fitting and ornately designed tail light. Its unlikely that this unit can be fit onto the Tracker / Thruxton without significant reworking of the bodywork and the electricals. Our advice is that if you want a road-focused 350cc Triumph with a good-looking tail lamp, opt for the Speed 400 instead of the Tracker. The Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 may make the same power but its larger, 452cc engine makes significantly more torque which will translate to a very different riding experience than the Tracker. It also has the more sporty chassis, which should make it fun in the twisties. The Guerrilla's tyres are wider than the Tracker so the Triumph will tip in quicker than the Royal Enfield, but of the two, its the Guerrilla which has the edge in terms of sportiness. To our eyes, the Guerrilla's slick round TFT dash is better-looking and has more features than the simple digi-analogue dash of the 350cc Triumphs. To see which one is the better fit for your use case, we'd advise a thorough test ride of both before you make a decision.

Autocar India

•1d

Since your usage is mostly going to be inside the city, we'd advise choosing between the Honda CB350RS and 350cc Triumph Speed 400. Both bikes have smooth, torque-focused engines, light clutch action, manageable seat heights and good weight management, which should make them easy to use in the city. Out on the highway, both feel quite unstressed as long as you keep the speeds between 100-110kph at the most in top gear. The Speed 400 will feel more sprightly than the CB350RS owing to its higher output and lower weight but the Honda's engine has a little more character than the Triumph's.The Royal Enfield Goan Classic 350 is a gorgeous and eye-catching bobber but comfort and highway capabilities aren't exactly its strong suits. If you do want an option from the 350cc Royal Enfield lineup, we'd recommend taking a look at the Bullet / Classic because these bikes are excellent at city duties and if you don't mind carrying a sedate pace on the highway, they'll do the job just fine. These options are very different from one another, so we'd advise you to take proper test rides of each to see which one suits you best before you pull the trigger on your next purchase.