Autocar India
RG

Ravi Ganesh

•5w

I am a 42-year-old private company employee with a height of 5 ft 11 in and a weight of around 120 kg. I am looking to buy a reliable commuter motorcycle that can also be used occasionally for touring. My budget is around ₹1.5 lakh. Could you suggest a good bike that would suit my build, offer comfort, reliability, decent mileage, and low maintenance?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•4w

Within your budget, you have three very different options you can look at - Yamaha XSR155, TVS Apache RTR 200 4V, TVS Ronin and Hero Xpulse 200 4V. The XSR is the least powerful but is also the lightest motorcycle here. It will also feel the sportiest to ride because its engine and underpinnings are derived from the popular Yamaha R15 and MT-15. The downsides of the XSR are that it is a rather petite motorcycle. For someone of large stature such as yourself, this will be a potential challenge, and its rear suspension is quite stiff. It can get uncomfortable over repeated bad patches. 

The Apache RTR 200 4V is another sporty roadster, and with its larger engine than the XSR, it will feel more at home at sustained higher speeds. Its suspension comfort and more spacious seats will also be helpful for your usage. 

The TVS Ronin is a relaxed roadster with its smooth and torquey engine and relaxed and neutral ergonomics. Also, plush suspension setup and relatively larger size - compared to the other two bikes here - the Ronin has the potential to be the most suited to your use case.

Moving on to the Hero Xpulse 200 4V, this is the bike you should buy if you want to venture off-road on your long tours. It will have by far the most plush suspension of all the bikes here, although its on-road handling will leave you wanting once you pick up the pace. 

We'd recommend a test ride of all three before you make a decision. Also, do note that all four bikes are all slightly above Rs 1.50 lakh (your stipulated budget), within that amount, there's no credible option for your requirements. 

Yamaha XSR155

Yamaha XSR155

Explore bikes mentioned

Yamaha XSR155

Yamaha

XSR155

from ₹1.65 Lakh

TVS Apache RTR 200 4V

TVS

Apache RTR 200 4V

from ₹1.53 Lakh

TVS Ronin

TVS

Ronin

from ₹1.42 Lakh

Hero MotoCorp Xpulse 200 4V

Hero MotoCorp

Xpulse 200 4V

from ₹1.56 Lakh

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More questions on similar bikes

MI

Maulana Imran

•5d

Which is better for daily use: the highness or the Yamaha XSR 155?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•2d

Both the Honda CB350 H'ness and Yamaha XSR155 are great everyday machines, but have different characters. The XSR is light, agile and a lively machine to ride with its R15-derived underpinnings. Its motor also returns excellent fuel economy. However, its stiff suspension setup will get tiring if you encounter bad roads daily. The CB350 H'ness is a relaxed neo-retro roadster which is very easy to ride and prioritises comfort over performance. While the H'ness won't be able to match the XSR for fuel economy, it is a reasonably fuel-efficient machine for its displacement. If you ride often with a pillion, then the more spacious Honda makes a better case for itself.Picking between the two will boil down to personal prefrence so we'd recommend a test ride of both to help you make a decision.

Honda Bikes CB350 H'ness
Yamaha XSR155
RP

Ramesh Parameswaran

•4d

I am confused between the Yamaha MT-15 and the TVS Apache RTR 200 4V. Which one should I choose if I plan to own the bike for around 8 years, considering reliability, ease of ownership, and overall fun to ride?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•2d

Both the Yamaha MT-15 and TVS Apache RTR 200 4V are reliable machines offering you similiar levels of performance around the Rs 1.50 lakh mark. In general, Yamaha's products are easier to live with and service in comparison to TVS' offerings. Although it's not an exact science and sometimes boils down to your particular machine and the service centre you take it to. We'd recommend a test ride of both as well as visits to authorised service centres and showrooms of both bikes, so that you can make an informed decision.

Yamaha MT-15 Ver 2.0
TVS Apache RTR 200 4V
MC

Makrand Chandrakant Nashikkar

•4d

I am 56 years old and planning to buy a cruiser bike for short weekend rides with my wife, covering around 20-25 km per week. Could you please advise which bike would be suitable for me? A friend has suggested the Bajaj Avenger Cruise. Since my usage is very limited, I am also considering whether it would be wiser to buy a used bike instead of a new one.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•3d

The Bajaj Avenger is a tried and tested product, and it still remains a good VFM cruiser in the entry-level class. However, if you are willing to stretch your budget a little more, modern and well-rounded offerings like TVS Ronin and the base Royal Enfield Bullet 350 will become available. These are comfortable and refined machines which will provide a more well-rounded riding experience than the Avenger. Even though your usage is limited, buying a new bike makes sense if you intend to keep it for a longer time because it will come with the peace of mind of the manufacturer's warranty. Take a test ride of these two before you decide.

TVS Ronin
Royal Enfield Bullet 350

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Posted on: 8 Mar 2026