Royal Enfield Himalayan

Autocar India

•1w

The KTM 390 Enduro R is one of the most fun machines you can buy in its category today, but it comes with some compromises. You need to be okay with its tall 890mm seat height, 177kg kerb weight and tubed tyres. Coming to your questions, firstly, the 390 Enduro R is actually quite nice on the road. Day-to-day riding will become quite enjoyable, not to mention rather fast because of its tough, long-travel suspension and commanding ergonomics. You'll only need to be mindful of punctures and the lower tank range. If this is to be your only bike, then the Enduro might not be the most practical or user-friendly option. Taking it off-road might prove to be too much for a beginner, especially so if you find its seat height intimidating. An adventure bike like the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 or KTM 390 Adventure X will undoubtedly be more practical, capable and user-friendly on the road but will feel a little larger off it. Ultimately, it all boils down to two things. First, can you live with the seat height (both on and off the road) and second, are you willing to live with the compromises the Enduro comes with over its Adventure sibling?If the answer to both of those questions is yes, then you should go ahead with your purchase. Only an exhaustive test ride will help you figure out whether the Enduro will be the right fit for you.

Autocar India

•2w

In terms of familiarity, the Harley Davidson X440 will be the logical next step up for you from your Thunderbird 350. With its neutral ergonomics, plush suspension and torquey air/oil-cooled engine, the X440 T will serve your use case well. If you want something with a bit more performance and more commanding ergonomics, then the Triumph Scrambler 400 XC is what you should consider. The Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 will easily be the most comfortable for two-up riding of the bikes you've shortlisted, but its heavy kerb weight could be hard to manage, especially with a pillion onboard in stacatto big-city traffic. We'd recommend you steer clear of the Super Meteor 650 because its laidback riding position and stiff rear shocks will cause you discomfort over bad roads. Take a test ride of the other three with your pillion to see which one you find comfortable before you make your purchase.

Autocar India

•6w

Since you have been hunting for a bike, we'd recommend you scratch that itch sooner rather than later! Based on your checklist, there are two options we'd recommend you take a strong look at - Triumph Scrambler 400 X and Royal Enfield Himalayan 450. Both are tall and large machines which will suit a person of your stature and have decent performance too. Given their long travel suspension setups, you'll also be comfortable when navigating broken roads inside the city. The Triumph is geared a little short, which is great at slower speeds inside the city but on the highway, that means vibrations creep in sooner. The Royal Enfield's 196kg kerb weight might not be something you are willing to put up with daily, especially at city speeds. Take a test ride of these bikes and see for yourself which one offers the experience you are after before making a purchase.

Autocar India

•8w

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.

Autocar India

•10w

Of the four bikes in your shortlist, the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 will offer you the most performance as well as the highest levels of long-distance capability and comfort. However, inside the city, it will feel large and a little top-heavy at crawling speeds, and its fuel economy, too, will be lower than the rest owing to its larger motor. The Himalayan 450 is also quite a bit more expensive than the other bikes you are looking at.The Honda CB350 H'ness and Royal Enfield Hunter 350 are comparable neo-retro roadsters. It will be great inside the city, and as long as you are a sedate rider, it should be reasonably comfortable and capable on the highway too. You will have to take a call based on how much time you're going to spend in the city vs out on the highway, and whether your budget permits you to stretch for the Himalayan. If you're okay with handling a big bike in the city, then the Himalayan 450 does make for a fantastic all-rounder. We'd recommend a test ride of these three, nonetheless, so you can decide which one suits you best.

Autocar India

•10w

Since you have said you've always aspired to own a motorcycle and have a commute that involves some highway sections, looking at a 400cc bike would be recommended. In this class, the Triumph Speed / Scrambler 400 X, Royal Enfield Guerrilla / Himalayan 450 and KTM 390 Duke would be our recommendation.Of these, the Triumph 400s are the most friendly to ride and also make for the best city machines. The RE 450s are a 'jack of all trades' sort of machines, while the KTM 390s are likely to put the biggest smile on your face with their punchy, engaging performance.A test ride of these bikes should help you make an informed decision.

Autocar India

•11w

The two options we would recommend you consider are the KTM 390 Adventure X and the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450. Both have an extensive service network across the country and have aftermarket accessories galore available from both OEM and third-party providers. Plus, with their powerful, liquid-cooled engines, they will deliver more performance than your Honda CB350 H’ness, which will be helpful on your long tours.Do bear in mind that the Himalayan weighs more than the 390 Adventure X, and its size may be a dealbreaker if you are a shorter or less confident rider. We'd urge you to take a test ride of both and see which one fits your needs better.

Autocar India

•12w

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.

Autocar India

•8w

The KTM 390 Adventure X will make for a good upgrade over your current Royal Enfield Scram 411. What you've mentioned about the KTM's electronic niggles can occur. However, these issues are sometimes sporadic and can also boil down to how you clean/maintain your bike. By and large, you should be okay with the KTM in the long run. You should also seriously consider the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 because it has a proven track record, by and large. Also, it has far fewer electronic aids than the KTM, which will also mean fewer things to go wrong. The Kawasaki Versys-X 300 is a stone-simple machine with only dual-channel ABS in the name of electronics, and it will be by far the most reliable machine in the long run. However, this bike thoroughly feels its age when ridden against the competition, and it only comes with wire-spoke wheels and tubed tyres, which will make fixing a puncture quite difficult. The TVS Apache RTX 300 is a phenomenal package, but it is still too new a platform, and you'll have to wait and watch what owners say about its reliability.

Autocar India

•12w

The new Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 is an accomplished touring bike because it has neutral and spacious ergonomics, good luggage-carrying ability, comfortable suspension and a powerful 40hp engine. On the highway, there are only two potential irritants. The first is that, depending on your height and the sort of helmet you wear, there could be some wind buffeting, which will get bothersome over long journeys.The second is that between 5,000-6,000rpm - which in sixth gear translates to roughly 100-120kph - there's some vibration in the handlebars and footpegs. Depending on what speeds you ride at, this may or may not be an issue for you. A long test ride is in order so you can decide whether or not this Royal Enfield bike is right for you.