I have lower back pain and currently ride a Bullet 350 ES with gas-filled rear suspension and a well-padded touring seat. It is comfortable on long rides, but fuel efficiency with E20 fuel is a major issue. I also have to use additives or fill premium petrol; otherwise, power delivery becomes jerky. Putting XP100 improves efficiency substantially, but the price difference is significant, and availability is limited. I want to buy an additional scooter or a 100-150cc motorcycle that is very kind on my back. I recently read about the Destini 110 having superb plush suspension. What else would you suggest within a budget of under Rs. 1 lakh for around 150km of daily riding? The bike must have excellent suspension and ride quality.

autocar.india

•15h

Since you already have a relaxed bike in the garage with your X440, we'd recommend you look at something sporty - specifically, the KTM 390 Duke R and Aprilia Tuono 457. The 390 Duke R is a proven product, and if you want a thrilling machine with good cycle parts, it doesn't get much better than the 390 at this price point. Of course, you'll have to deal with some amount of vibrations and the fact that the Duke is quite a cramped machine for taller riders. The Tuono 457 offers a more polished riding experience thanks to its twin-cylinder engine, which is one of the biggest reasons to buy one. It is smooth at almost any rpms, makes a great sound and has plenty of punch almost everywhere. Its handling is also sublime, but it does come at the cost of a stiff ride over broken roads. There's also the fact that the Aprilia 457cc engine doesn't have a stellar reputation for reliability, and the company's sales and service network is quite small. Aprilia's service is also expensive and not always friction-free. The Duke is definitely the safer buy of the two, although if your nearest Aprilia dealer can give you some reassurances on the ownership front, the Tuono 457 is a machine that will keep you happy for a long time to come.

autocar.india

•6d

Since you have had a long and drama-free stint with your Shine, the logical next step to make would be the Honda Unicorn. For your use case, which is mostly inside the city with short weekend leisure rides, the Unicorn makes for a good fit. It will offer a noticeable step up in performance and comfort compared to the Shine with only a small drop-off in fuel economy. The Royal Enfield Bullet 350 is lovely if you want a relaxed bike with new-age reliability and old-school feel, but since you have mentioned you are on the slimmer side of the spectrum, its weight could be a problem at slower speeds and its fuel economy will also be noticeably lower.If your landlord and the building you reside in, don't have a problem with you installing a charging solution at home, you can consider electric scooters like TVS iQube, Bajaj Chetak, Ather Rizta and Vida VX2. If not, stick with a petrol-powered bike for now.To decide between the Unicorn and Bullet, we'd recommend a test ride of both since they are very different machines.

autocar.india

•6d

For the short to mid-term, E20 will be the current baseline blend of petrol available on a nationwide scale. Speaking strictly about material compatibility, E20 machines should be able to handle higher blends with the fuel tank, rubber seals, gaskets and hoses all ready to support the higher blend. What will need recalibration is the ECU to handle the higher ethanol content in the fuel, which is something that will have to come from the manufacturer. Be prepared for a drop in fuel economy because ethanol's energy density is much lower than petrol, although ECU recalibration will mitigate this to some extent.