After owning and loving my Yamaha MT-15 for the past 7 years, I'm finally looking for my next motorcycle, one I'll hopefully keep for the next 10+ years. I've test-ridden the new Duke, Speed 400, and Triumph Tracker 400. Duke: Absolutely loved its chassis, handling, braking, and confidence, but the aggressive styling and character aren't really my taste. Speed 400: Silky smooth, refined, and comfortable, but it didn't excite me enough. Tracker 400: My favourite among the Triumphs. I loved how naturally it leaned with my body and how confidently it absorbed bad roads. I just wished it had a bit more power and an even smoother drivetrain. These rides made me realise I'm looking for an enthusiast motorcycle, not just a comfortable commuter. Budget: Less than Rs 5 lakh (slightly stretchable). Could you please suggest the best bike to upgrade to for me?

autocar.india

•10h

Since your daily run is quite long, the Bajaj Chetak C35 models, higher variants of the TVS iQube, Vida VX2 3.4/4.4, and the top Ather Rizta models will be EVs to consider. Take test rides of these EVs to see which one suits your riding style and then make your decision.

autocar.india

•5d

Since you have said you want to start riding long distances in addition to your daily commutes, buying a machine with good performance for highway rides would be a smart move. Therefore, we'd recommend choosing between the 350cc Triumph Speed 400 and Scrambler 400 X, Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450, TVS Apache RTX 300 and 350cc KTM 390 Adventure. The Guerrilla 450 and Speed 400 will offer you a traditional roadster experience wherein they are easy to manage 'standard' bikes with good performance and comfort to handle your needs. If you plan to do a lot of solo riding, these bikes make good sense. If, instead, you want space for a pillion and luggage, and the ability to simply shrug off bad roads without giving it a second thought, then the RTX and 390 Adventure are the way to go. The KTM will offer more performance and is the machine that has been around much longer but the RTX is the better rounded product of the two. In the city, these ADVs can feel a little big and cumbersome, especially at slower speeds although in time you would get used to it. They also have big windscreens which will block cooling air coming to the rider, another hindrance in our climate. Lastly, the Scrambler 400 X is a jack of all trades sort of machine wherein it is good fun to ride it both in a spirited and laidback fashion, as your mood changes and it will give you a similiar amount of comfort and space to the ADVs but will lack the weather protection. Coming to why your palms were hurting, all of these bikes have very upright riding postures so it's unlikely to have anything to do with the rider's triangle. If you are to grip the handlebar tightly and stay like that for an extended duration, you will experience this. On your next ride, pay special attention to this. Based on your needs, it would be wise to pick between the Scrambler, Speed and Guerrilla, depending on which one fits your budget and personal case the best.

autocar.india

•13h

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.