Accessibility is a key element when stepping up to a larger capacity motorcycle and it's not just pricing we’re talking about. Being able to plant both feet or even one foot securely on the ground is a factor that gives people peace of mind when we’re talking about bikes with powerful engines displacing over 1000cc.
Do bear in mind that we have only included models priced between Rs 10 lakh - Rs 20 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) from reputed and established brands with a fairly decent reach across the country.
Honda CB1000 Hornet SP (Rs 13.29 lakh)
809mm
Honda’s CB1000 Hornet SP packs in a Fireblade-sourced 1000cc, four-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine making 157hp and 107Nm of torque, bringing serious performance to the table. It is also festooned with top-drawer equipment from Brembo and Ohlins, but despite that, its price tag is quite a lot more digestible than its more sophisticated European peers. Another way it is quite rider-friendly is that it has a pretty accessible 809mm perch, making this Japanese supernaked easy to manage for shorter folks.
Triumph Speed Twin 1200 (Rs 13.84 lakh - Rs 16.78 lakh)
805mm
The best way to describe Triumph’s Speed Twin 1200 is that it is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It may have suave and a neo-retro design, but its punchy 1,200cc, liquid-cooled, twin-cylinder engine makes 105hp and 112Nm of torque, giving it seriously quick performance. It even comes in an up-spec RS variant with blingy paint and up-spec Brembo brakes and Marzocchi suspension. With a rather approachable 805mm perch, it is also a welcoming machine for shorter riders.
Suzuki Hayabusa (Rs 18.06 lakh)
800mm
Easily the fastest machine on this list, the venerable Suzuki Hayabusa might have a frightfully powerful engine, but it also has an accessible 800mm perch. Not only is it quite easy to plant your feet down on the ground, its peak output of 190hp and 150Nm of torque makes it even easier to cover ground at a seriously quick pace.
Honda CB750 Hornet (Rs 10.49 lakh) / Ducati Scrambler (Rs 10.87 lakh - Rs 13.74 lakh)
795mm
The CB750 Hornet and Scrambler are the entry point into the big bike range from Honda and Ducati, respectively. The Scrambler is powered by an air/oil-cooled, 803cc V-twin motor making 73hp and 65.2Nm of torque and is the friendliest Ducati someone can buy. Not only are its output figures approachable, but its 795mm perch (shared across its multiple variants) also helps that cause.
Meanwhile, the Hornet is powered by a liquid-cooled, 755cc twin-cylinder motor making 92hp and 67Nm of torque and it also comes with Honda’s E-Clutch technology, which eliminates the need for the rider to physically use the clutch lever when shifting gears and coming to a stop. This, along with its low seat height, make the middleweight Hornet more welcoming for a larger audience.
Triumph Scrambler 900 (Rs 10.25 lakh) / Bonneville T100 (Rs 10.85 lakh) / Bonneville T120 (Rs 12.17 lakh)
790mm
Triumph’s entire neo-retro Bonneville lineup is featured on this list, and of that, the Scrambler 900, T100 and T120 ‘Bonnies’ all have a very approachable 790mm perch.
The Scrambler and T100 are both powered by Triumph’s 900cc twin-cyl, liquid-cooled motor making 64hp and 80Nm of torque, albeit the engine is in a different state of tune on each bike. This engine is mated to a 5-speed gearbox, which is quite unusual in this day and age. One thing to bear in mind on the Scrambler is that while it does have a friendly seat height, its side-mounted exhaust pipes will get very hot in Indian weather conditions.
Meanwhile, the T120 is powered by the larger 1200cc twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine making 80hp and 105Nm of torque. While the T120 weighs a substantial 233kg, its low 790mm seat height should inspire confidence when muscling it around the parking lot and while wading through slow-moving traffic.
Harley-Davidson Sportster S (Rs 18.05 lakh)
765mm
Because of their low-slung form factor, cruisers are inherently the type of motorcycle with the lowest seat height, making them the de facto choice for those who want as low a seat as possible. Harley’s Sportster S bears the hallowed name, and also has a friendly seat, but thanks to its 1,252cc liquid-cooled V-Twin pushing out 121hp and 125Nm of torque, it's not a lumbering and slow archetypical cruiser.
Harley-Davidson Nightster Special (Rs 15.38 lakh)
715mm
Another model from Harley-Davidson’s sporty cruiser range that’s on this list is the Nightster Special. It is powered by a 975cc liquid-cooled V-twin motor making 89hp and 95Nm of torque and has more conventional cruiser styling. Another factor working in its favour is its super-low 715mm seat height, which will ensure that most riders will be able to put at least one foot flat on the ground.
Triumph Bonneville Speedmaster (Rs 13.52 lakh) / Harley-Davidson Nightster (Rs 14.54 lakh)
705mm
Both the Bonneville Speedmaster and Harley-Davidson Nightster have identical 705mm seat heights, which is a very low number by any stretch of the imagination.
While both are cruisers, the Speedmaster has bright pastel colours and is draped in chrome, whereas the Nightster is a blacked-out, stripped-back machine which doesn’t even have pillion accommodations as standard. Powering the Speedmaster is Triumph’s tried-and-true 1,200cc parallel-twin, whereas the Nightster is propelled by Harley’s ‘small’ 975cc Revolution Max motor.
Triumph Bonneville Bobber (Rs 13.52 lakh)
690mm
If you want the lowest perch on a bike under the Rs 20 lakh mark in India, the Bonneville Bobber should be on your radar. Bear in mind that the Bobber doesn’t come with passenger accommodations, nor can you fit any to it – this is a strictly solo ride. Its fundamentals are similar to those of the Speedmaster, which means you get fat balloon tyres on 16-inch rims and Triumph’s torquey and smooth 1,200cc liquid-cooled engine making 78hp and 106Nm of torque.
Autocar India News Desk
Azaman Chothia
Anshuman Singh
Rishaad Mody
Vishal Venugopal
