Navigation has been one of the major challenges for every aspiring motorcyclist. Unfortunately, major smartphone OS manufacturers don’t deem us profitable enough to solve it for us; but, our OEMs might have a smarter solution for that, by way of Google Maps mirroring. Today, you can buy a motorcycle for as low as Rs 1.04 lakh and still be able to navigate your way through your city, or wherever your heart takes you. Speaking of, let’s start with that very motorcycle.
All prices mentioned are ex-showroom, Delhi for the specific variant with Google Maps mirroring feature.
Bajaj Pulsar 125
Rs 1.04 lakh
Bajaj had comprehensively upgraded the classic Pulsar 125 with many changes and a whole slew of features, including Google Maps mirroring on the top-most Split Seat variant. Besides that, you get a 124.58cc engine with 12.1hp and 11.4Nm, a front disc brake, and three ride modes. A decent choice if you mostly commute in the city, but if you find yourself on the open roads on every chance you get, look at the bigger brother.
Bajaj Pulsar 150
Rs 1.29 lakh
Admittedly, Rs 25,000 isn’t a small step-up in this price range. However, besides retaining the same feature-set and silhouette, on the Pulsar 150 you get a larger 149.5cc engine with 14.1hp and 14.1Nm, which should make highway stints seem less stressful on you and the motorcycle; and saying that you have the Pulsar 150 has a better ring to it, but that’s a subjective opinion. If Bajaj isn’t your brand of choice, though, we have another Indian manufacturer known for pushing the envelope on features.
TVS Apache RTR 160 4V
Rs 1.41 lakh
TVS has made the Apache series synonymous with features over the past few years, so of course it responded to Bajaj upgrading the classic Pulsars. Its best-selling Apache RTR 160 4V now also has a TFT display that supports Google Maps mirroring. TVS, in its usual fashion, turns things up a notch by offering even more power from its 159.7cc engine (17.55hp and 14.73Nm) and a whole lot more features like dual-channel ABS, traction control, a slipper clutch, more premium design, etc., That’s quite a bit more for Rs 12,000 over the Pulsar 150 but if you wonder whether Bajaj has a similar offering, fret not.
Bajaj Pulsar N160 SS
Rs 1.43 lakh
This is the first motorcycle on which Bajaj debuted the new 5-inch TFT screen with Google Maps mirroring. It's since been extended to other Pulsars. Over the Pulsar 150, the N160 SS offers a bigger 164.9cc engine with 18.5hp and 14.4Nm (directly sparring with the RTR 160 4V), ride-by-wire, traction control, one extra ride mode, a slipper clutch, and a more modern design that may suit your preferences better. The N160 SS also offers dual-channel ABS as standard. If you feel like you’re done with the 150-160cc class, the next upgrade is closer than you think.
TVS Apache RTR 200 4V
Rs 1.50 lakh
The Apache RTR 200 4V has now been relegated to getting the “et al” treatment from TVS so now it is almost too close to the RTR 160, one might say. However, it retains the bigger 197.75cc engine with close to 21hp and 17.25Nm. The only other feature that still remains exclusive to the 200 is the preload-adjustable USD fork that TVS brought back, with the recent update. Worth paying Rs 7,000 extra? You decide, but if you are somehow not satisfied with the value on offer, the next motorcycle wears value-for-money as a badge of honour on its sleeve.
Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z
Rs 1.90 lakh
Bajaj’s downsized 349cc Pulsar NS400Z has gone down in price again, and the company gave it the same TFT unit as on the other Pulsars just two days ago; and we might see it in even more of their motorcycles soon. Anyway, the NS400Z gives you a steep jump in power with 40.6hp and 33Nm. It retains the feature-set from the N160 SS as-is with power and torque as its biggest differentiation from almost every other motorcycle on this list. If you’re in a phase of your life where you’re on long rides more often than commutes, you might prefer the next motorcycle more.
TVS Apache RTX 300
Rs 2.19 lakh
TVS’s first adventure tourer popularised the feature in question a year ago, offering it on the top and BTO variants. Compared to the NS400Z, you get a smaller 299.1cc engine with 36hp and 28.5Nm. However, the Apache RTX 300 is no slouch in features in any other way, matching the NS400Z on every feature on offer. If you’re an experienced motorcyclist who’d like to tune your ride more minutely, stepping up to the BTO variant at Rs 2.39 lakh might be worth it, considering it gives your adjustable suspension on both ends. If none of these sound exciting enough for you, maybe see if the last one does the trick.
Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450
Rs 2.51 lakh
Royal Enfield introduced a new 4-inch TFT display with the Himalayan 450 that could project Google Maps powered navigation onto it, making the Chennai-UK based manufacturer technically the first to have figured this solution out. If you didn’t know this already, pressing and holding the M button on your Guerrilla 450 (and the Himalayan and Bear 650) will change the dials to the ‘digital’ look. After that, connecting your smartphone to the Royal Enfield app and starting navigation will make the whole map show on your display.
Getting back to the Guerrilla 450 itself, it’s Royal Enfield’s take on a sport-naked. Similar to most motorcycles on this list, its primary purpose isn’t touring, but when has that ever stopped the determined? The Guerrilla also has a 450cc engine that doles out 40.02hp and 40Nm, making it the most powerful motorcycle on this list. It goes toe-to-toe with the other motorcycles in terms of the features on offer, although most of the additional price is for its extra power (and the 40 percent GST of course).
That concludes the list of motorcycles under Rs 3 lakh with Google Maps mirroring, for now. We expect Bajaj to extend the same TFT display to even more of their portfolio in the near future. TVS might respond to that in their own, unique way so this list is all but guaranteed to grow even more in the near future. It’s one more significant hurdle removed for a motorcyclist, and every meaningful step counts.
Vishal Venugopal
Ved Janve
