Hi Autocar Team. I’m a 28-year-old man, 5 ft 4 in tall, planning to buy my first motorcycle. I really love the cafe racer body style and want to buy a bike in this segment. My budget is ₹5 lakh, and I will use it for daily city commuting of about 8-10 km and short weekend trips. My focus is on good mileage, comfort, low maintenance costs and a strong, reputable service network. Please suggest a suitable motorcycle.

•37w

Cafe racers are known for many things, but comfort isn't one of them - we must clarify this at the outset before we proceed. Since this is going to be your first motorcycle, we'd recommend getting a roadster or street naked because they will be vastly more comfortable and usable.

As a first bike, there is a litany of good options from Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, KTM, TVS and Royal Enfield. Look for something around the 25-30hp mark ideally.

If you really have your heart set on a cafe racer, the only two options in your budget are the Triumph Thruxton 400 and the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650. Both are quite powerful and won't be ideal beginner machines because of their committed riding positions. The Royal Enfield is also a rather heavy machine, which won't be easy to manage due to your stature.

Explore bikes mentioned

Triumph

Thruxton 400

from ₹3.14 Lakh

Royal Enfield

Continental GT 650

from ₹4.03 Lakh

More posts on similar bikes

•6d

I’m 20 years old and looking to buy my first bike for everyday college use. I’m considering the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 and feel it could be an ideal choice. However, I’ve heard that riding it regularly in the city can cause wrist and back pain. Is the Continental GT 650 suitable for daily city riding, or should I consider another bike?

•2d

The Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 is a cafe racer with low clip-on handlebars and rearset footpegs, placing you in a committed riding position. Therefore, given that you will only go to college on it (likely an intra-city commute), you will be at slower speeds, wading through staccato traffic. This is a situation where you will put more pressure on your wrists, and if the roads in your area aren't smooth, over bumps, you will also feel a jerk go up to your spine. All this to say, no, this Royal Enfield bike is not a comfortable machine, but it does bring a lot of cool factor to the table.If you want a similar riding experience without the discomfort, then the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 should fit the bill because both it and the 'Conti' are identical save for different ergonomics and slightly different fuel tank capacities.

Royal Enfield Continental GT 650

Royal Enfield Interceptor 650

•1h

Switched my daily commute from the car to a scooter six months ago just to beat traffic, and honestly haven't looked back even once during peak hours.

•1w

I am thinking of getting a new bike after using a TVS Sport 100cc for almost 15 years. I have been interested in sports bikes since childhood, and now that I am settled, I am thinking of getting one. Earlier, I was considering the Kawasaki Ninja 300, but its price has recently increased while offering minimal features and high maintenance costs. For some time, I also considered the Ultraviolette F77, but I am still sceptical about its long-term reliability. The Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 has always been on my mind, and I recently visited its showroom. I really like the colours of the SF 150 more than those of the 250, but I also don't want to miss out on the thrill of the 250. I am particularly interested in the SF 250 FFV variant, but it is available in only two colours, neither of which I find very appealing. I really like one of the colours offered on the SF 150, but it isn't available on the 250. I also came across the Suzuki GSX-8R, and it was love at first sight. Now I am wondering if Suzuki could launch a similar bike in the coming months. I am very confused. What should I do?

•1d

The Suzuki Gixxer models (both 150 and 250) are due to get a generation change soon and therefore, buying one of them right now would not be our recommendation. If you want something in a similar displacement and price bracket, then the Bajaj Pulsar N250 would be the closest match.The Hero Xtreme 250R is also a well-priced alternative that rides well and unlocks a whole new spectrum of performance, although Premia dealerships are quite few and far between currently.

Bajaj Pulsar N250

Hero MotoCorp Xtreme 250R

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