TVS Ntorq 150

Since you've said that your commute has bad roads, replacing your Jawa 42 with a scooter wouldn't be our recommendation. While they are innately more practical than motorcycles, scooters have their smaller wheels and shorter, thinner suspension units. It won't really enhance your comfort, at least not to a great extent. 

Instead, we would advise you to get a practical 160cc commuter like the Honda Unicorn / SP160, TVS Apache RTR 160 4V or Bajaj Pulsar N160. These are comfortable, fuel-efficient and peppy machines perfectly suited to city use. To make an informed decision before you go ahead with your purchase, ensure to take a test ride of all three to see which one you gel with the best.

If, however, you want to go with a scooter as your next purchase, consider the following options. In the family scooter space, the TVS Jupiter 110 / 125 and Suzuki Access would be our top picks. If you want something sportier feeling and looking yet comfortable enough for daily usage, then the TVS Ntorq 125 & 150 are what you should be looking at. 

Again, a test ride of all of these is imperative before you make your decision. Make sure you intentionally go over bad patches of road and make tight, lock-to-lock U-turns to see if the handlebars foul with your knees, since you are a taller rider.

In our experience, neither the Yamaha Aerox 155 nor the Hero Xoom 160 have proven to be comfortable, especially over broken roads. Instead of these two, we'd recommend you give a long, hard look at the TVS Ntorq 150. On paper, it might seem like a step down compared to the Yamaha and Hero with its 12-inch wheels and air-cooled engine, but in reality, it is the better product. 

With plush suspension, a spacious underseat storage and peppy performance, the bigger Ntorq makes for a compelling sporty scooter that doesn't sacrifice practicality. In our routine tests, we also found that - when ridden gently - it can be surprisingly fuel efficient. 

Do take a test ride of the Ntorq 150 to see if it resonates with you. 

Last year, there was a proposal to make ABS mandatory on all two-wheelers, not just those above 125cc. But so far, nothing has been confirmed by the authorities on whether it is actually going to be put into practice. Therefore, we'd recommend going ahead with your purchase of the TVS Ntorq 150 if ABS on your scooter is a must-have feature. 

That being said, the Suzuki Access is the more practical, spacious, comfortable and fuel-efficient scooter with adequate braking power and will be the better option for daily commuting. 

Since you have had such a good experience with TVS, you could stay within the company's fold and step up to something like an Ntorq 125 / 150. The Ntorq models pack in more performance - especially the 150. But it doesn't come at the expense of comfort or practicality, and they can easily be used on a day-to-day basis. 

However, if you want to stick to a family scooter, then you should look at options like the TVS Jupiter 125, Suzuki Access and the Honda Activa 125. Of the three, the Jupiter is the only one with the huge 33-litre underseat storage area - an unmatched USP - as well as 12-inch wheels at both ends, which will give you a more stable ride over rough roads. 

A test ride should help you decide which scooter is best for you. 

In the ICE scooter space, among the practical, family-centric offerings, consider the TVS Jupiter 110/125 and the Suzuki Access. Both have some of the best ride qualities on an Indian scooter and are quite fuel-efficient, spacious, and practical. If you want something quicker, then the TVS Ntorq 125 / 150 models are worth taking a look at because they blend peppy performance and everyday usability quite well. 

Since you have a pretty long commute, in the EV space, you should look at options like the Ather Rizta 3.7, Bajaj Chetak 35 models and TVS iQube 3.5 variants so you have enough range to tackle other things outside of your daily run. These EVs will be quite a bit more expensive to buy than the petrol-powered scooters listed above, but you will recoup the additional money with the low running costs. 

We'd recommend a test ride of these machines over all sorts of roads so you can decide for yourself which is the best option for you. 

The Harley-Davidson X440 will be a good starting point for a novice rider, although you will take some time to get used to its weight. Since you are shopping in this class of bike, other options to consider are Royal Enfield Hunter 350, Honda CB350 trio and the TVS Ronin. Of these, the Ronin will be the lightest and one of the most affordable options while still delivering comparable performance to the 350s. 

The Yamaha Aerox 155 is a good scooter in many ways, but its stiff rear suspension and cramped ergonomics for taller riders are two big reasons we would steer you away from it. If you do want a large-capacity scooter, then the TVS Ntorq 150 is our current pick because it has engaging performance but doesn't sacrifice comfort or practicality. 

Take a test ride of everything you consider, which will help you decide if you're ready to get into bikes or should stick with a scooter. 

Both the Yamaha Aerox 155 and Hero Xoom 160 are rather uncomfortable scooters owing to their stiff rear suspension and, in the case of the Aerox, a thin seat and cramped ergonomics for taller riders. 

Since your monthly usage isn't all that high, you could use these scooters and live with them, especially if the roads in your city are, by and large, well-made. It won't be a very pleasant experience if you don't have smooth roads. 

Plus, venturing out on longer trips with these will be even more tiresome as road conditions on Indian highways keep fluctuating. And neither is great at pillion comfort either. 

We recommend you instead take a look at the TVS Ntorq 150. It promises similar performance, with far more comfort, while coming in at a lower price point.