KTM 390 Adventure Standard

Since you've said that this bike will be used mainly for touring and occasionally in the city, the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 makes more sense over the Triumph Scrambler 400 X. That's because the Scrambler's shorter gearing will result in the engine feeling like its running out of breath past 100kph and also because the Himalayan is a more spacious machine that was purpose-built to cover long distances. 

Royal Enfield's service experience varies from city to city and, in fact, even person to person. So we would advise you to pay a visit to your nearest authorised dealer and service centre to get a clearer picture.

You should also take a look at the KTM 390 Adventure X because it has good road manners and will be the quickest bike of these three. It also comes standard with cruise control, which will be a boon for you on long days in the saddle. 

In fact, if you don't want tall motorcycles, the KTM 390 Duke will make for a good touring partner, and you'll have way more fun on twisty roads, although you will sacrifice some comfort compared to the ADVs.

A test ride should help you make a decision. 

In the price range you're looking at, there are a variety of options in different body styles, so we'll list them out for you. If you want a sporty road bike, then options like the KTM 390 Duke, Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 and Triumph Speed 400 are the way to go. Do bear in mind that the KTM can feel quite cramped for taller riders and, over longer stints in the saddle, this will become even more pronounced. 

If you are leaning toward an adventure bike, you should be looking at the TVS Apache RTX 300, Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 and KTM 390 Adventure models. The RTX will feel the slowest because of its smaller displacement, and it also weighs 180kg. 

Since you have a long commute from time to time and are a taller person, we would recommend you steer clear of sportbikes and cruisers. Also, stick to roadsters or adventure bikes, as they will be more comfortable. 

A test ride of the above mentioned options - and anything else you may shortlist - will help you decide which bike is right for you. 

Since you haven't specified your budget or displacement cap, recommending something accurately won't be possible. So we will give you a bunch of options across different displacement and price brackets. The type of machine that will best meet all your criteria is an adventure bike. At the lower end of the spectrum, you can take a look at the TVS Apache RTX 300, which has all the features you want and then some in its top-spec BTO guise. 

One step above that would be bikes like the KTM 390 Adventure models and the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450, which are excellent all-rounders at pretty decent price points. 

If you can stretch for it - and since this is your final bike purchase, we would strongly recommend you do - the Honda NX500 makes a serious case for itself. With its twin-cylinder engine, it will have the obvious refinement advantage over the other bikes mentioned here. It is also a machine that has cemented its reputation for reliability and low ownership costs over time. Also, it checks the feature and riding experience boxes that you are looking for. 

That being said, it would be advisable to take a test ride of each bike and see which one suits you best before making a decision.  

The latest-gen KTM 390 Adventure is a feature-rich and capable machine in the ADV bike space and makes for a good purchase. KTM India is unaffected by whatever financial troubles its parent company was going through some time ago. Bajaj has already made a significant investment in the Austrian brand to ensure it continues on and gets back to full strength in all regards soon. 

Other options to consider in this class are the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 and the Honda NX500. Do bear in mind that the Honda is significantly more expensive than the two single-cylinder machines mentioned above But also brings twin-cylinder smoothness, Japanese reliability and low running costs to the table. 

A test ride of these three will help you make an informed decision regarding your purchase. 

TVS hasn't disclosed any plans to enter the 400-500cc space anytime soon with an ADV. Although the 585cc Norton Atlas - made entirely in Hosur - will be launching in India this year. 

The KTM 390 Adventure is a thoroughly competent machine, and if you are satisfied with its riding experience, it will make for a good adventure bike in the class. Plus, all Bajaj-made KTM 390s and Triumph 400s will be downsized to 350cc to better comply with the new GST norms, so now is a good time to buy the 390 Adventure while you can still get one. 

Coming to the BMW F 450 GS, it will be considerably more expensive to purchase and maintain than the KTM, owing to its twin-cylinder engine and the Bavarian brand's reputation for rather high ownership costs. We would also urge you to wait until media reviews and customer feedback of the F 450 GS emerge, which will take some time. 

Another option to look at in this class is the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450. Its strong points are its magic-carpet-like ride, punchy performance and a widespread sales & service network. Its heavy kerb weight and oddball styling are some reasons to not get one. 

A test ride of the KTM and the RE will help you make up your mind if you want to buy a bike right away.  

If you want an adventure bike that is E20 compliant, you will need to either purchase a new bike or search the pre-owned market for a lightly used model manufactured within the last 1 or 2 years. 

If you are looking for a new bike, we would recommend paying the high initial purchase price of the twin-cylinder Honda NX500. It is a rather sorted machine in almost every regard and will feel like a nice step up from your single-cylinder KTM. And since you're familiar with the trouble-free Honda big bike ownership experience, the NX500 makes for a logical step up. 

If you decide to go for something a little less pricey, then bikes like the latest KTM 390 Adventure models and the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 are also options worth looking at. 

You also have the option of waiting for the new BMW F 450 GS, although its pricing will be similar to the Honda bike rather than the single-cylinder models mentioned above.

A test ride of everything you shortlist should help you make a decision. 

There's no way to accurately portray how much the maintainance cost of the BMW F 450 GS will be, as it is yet to be launched. However, BMW bikes have a reputation for being a little pricey to live with, even the smaller 310s. You shouldn't expect the F 450 GS to be as easy on the wallet as its peers, like the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450, KTM 390 Adventure models or even the Honda NX500. 

We recommend you wait a while before you buy the F 450 GS so that you can see thorough reviews of the bike. Also, you can speak to actual owners of the machine, and then make an informed decision. 

Since you mentioned you have long commutes, and you want something fairly engaging to ride, we'll recommend a mix of ADVs and comfortable roadsters. The new TVS Apache RTX 300 makes a strong case for itself as a single bike to do everything. It is definitely something that should be near or at the top of your list. 

You can even take a look at the KTM 390 Adventure models and Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 - both are quick, comfortable and have great long-distance capability. 

If you want a more road-biased bike, then options you can look at are the Triumph Speed 400, Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450, TVS Apache RTR 310 and KTM 390 Duke. Depending on the balance between performance and looks you want to strike, they all have something unique to offer. 

Take a proper test ride of all bikes you shortlist before making a decision. 

While the latest KTM 390 Adventure might seem like a hardcore rally machine, it is actually quite a nice highway tourer. It has a punchy engine, comfortable ergonomics and good suspension comfort. Add to that the fact that it now has cruise control, and this has the potential to be a very nice touring bike at this price point. 

Since you are mostly riding on the road, we'd recommend going for the 390 Adventure X with the alloy wheels and 19-inch front wheel, as that will be the more road-friendly machine and also a whole lot more affordable. 

At this price point, even the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 warrants serious consideration. It too has strong performance, great comfort and an even better tank range with its big 17L fuel tank, which will comein handy on long trips. One thing to bear in mind is that the Himalayan is quite a bit heavier than the 390 Adventure, especially when picking it up off the side stand and at slower speeds, when its top-heavy nature comes into play. 

Take a test ride of both to see which is the better fit for you.