Hi, I’m a 37-year-old male, 5'10" tall, and looking for a fun and comfortable bike. I’m confused between the Triumph Speed 400 and Honda CB350RS. Most of my driving will be in the city, with occasional highway rides. Which should I choose?

Autocar India

•1d

For your particular use case, the Hero Splendor XTEC 2.0 would perhaps be the most fuss-free and easy to own machine. Considering the rigors of your profession, you need something that's hardy, frugal and easy to fix when things go sideways - attributes that define the Splendor to the T. At the same time, its hard to ignore the practicality of the TVS Jupiter 110, especially the 33 litre boot, which can accommodate a lot. However, comfort and fuel economy will not be as high as the Splendor. And since fuel economy is an important consideration for you, we'd recommend you also consider the Bajaj Freedom CNG motorcycle. Sure, it has its quirks, but if you want low running costs, then the Freedom is hard to top. In the EV segment, you will get options that can give you 80-90km real world range at real world speeds (read: above 50kph) on a single charge like the TVS iQube 3.1, Bajaj Chetak 3001 and Ather Rizta S 2.9. In their eco modes, you may be able to cross 100km, but your maximum speed will be capped at 35-40kph and it won't be feasible for the time-sensitive nature of your job.Pick between these options depending on what strong points matter the most to you.

Autocar India

•1d

Short answer: not yet. India does not have a trade deal with the EU in force today, so prices of EU‑built bikes like BMW and Ducati stay under the current import taxes.If and when an EU deal gets signed and starts, prices could come down, but it will depend on the fine print. Most trade deals cut taxes slowly over a few years, sometimes only for a limited number of units each year. Bikes shipped fully built from Europe would likely see the smallest and slowest cuts. Bikes that come in as parts and are put together in India usually get bigger benefits, so those could drop more, if included.There are a few more wrinkles. Many big bikes already come from Thailand to use existing duty benefits, so an EU deal may not affect a vast majority of these manufacturer's portfolios. Exchange rates, shipping costs, GST and dealer costs also affect the final price, and brands may not pass the full tax cut on day one.So, expect any drop to be model‑specific and phased, not an overnight big cut.

Autocar India

•2d

Fuel economy isn't set in stone and is a facet of the bike that depends on various factors. How you ride, what condition the bike's mechanicals are in, whether tyre pressure is within the prescribed limits, surrounding weather and traffic, and many more. In our experience, the Triumph Speed T4 has returned better fuel economy than the Speed 400 in pretty much all situations. And we suspect the new 349cc engine is near-certain to be even more fuel efficient than the 399cc version we tested.That being said, the Honda CB350RS is a machine that is one of the most fuel-efficient in its class, and given that its motor makes lower output, it's likely to be more economical than the Speed T4. While fuel economy is undoubtedly an important factor in a vehicle's purchase decision, especially in today's inflationary times. We recommend you take the overall picture of the bike into consideration before finalising your choice.