Yamaha bikes in India (16)

All the options you're looking at are really credible ones, but between them all, the Yamaha XSR155 makes the most sense. Since you have had little experience riding a geared motorcycle, something light, friendly, and easy to manage, like the XSR, is a safe choice.

 And because it shares a lot of its hardware with the proven Yamaha YZF R15 V4 and Yamaha MT-15 V2, it is bound to be reliable like its sportier siblings. 

Since this is your first bike, starting small and approachable would be the smart way to go about it. In that same vein, we would recommend the new Yamaha XSR155 because it is a light, comfortable, fuel-efficient machine that's also reasonably exciting to use. 

If you want a larger machine, then bikes like the Honda CB300F, Bajaj Pulsar N250 and Suzuki Gixxer 250 would be good options. 

Take a test ride of everything you shortlist before you decide. 

The Yamaha XSR155 you have shortlisted will give you everything you want aside from pillion comfort, as its seat isn't very long. This could be a subjective issue based on your size as well as your pillion's, but by and large, its pillion comfort is likely to be average, nothing to write home about.

It will be a similar story with the Bajaj Pulsar N160 too. The TVS Ronin will offer you everything you are looking for, so that is the bike we would steer you toward. If you are open to considering other machines, the Royal Enfield Hunter 350 will be a good option too. 

The lightest petrol-powered scooters in India are the Yamaha Fascino and Yamaha RayZR, both coming in just under the 100-kilo mark. 

Other models you can consider are the TVS Scooty Zest 110 and Honda Dio 110, both of which are just a few kilos heavier than the Yamahas. Don't purely consider the specifications on paper. We would strongly recommend you go to a showroom and at least sit on the scooters to see which one is manageable for your petite physique. 

We have yet to ride the recently-launched Yamaha XSR155, so we can't comment on its ride quality just yet. However, the XSR is effectively a very comprehensively re-skinned MT-15. Our previous experience with the little MT, it had a well-judged suspension setup balancing both comfort and handling. 

We would recommend taking a test ride of the XSR if possible before you go ahead with your purchase. 

From our experience with the practical and comfortable River Indie, it seems likely that the Yamaha EC-06 will carry forward those qualities as well. However, it remains to be seen what Yamaha's sales and service network for its EVs shapes up to be, and that is a crucial factor to consider. 

We would recommend you stick to the proven mainstream players like the Ather Rizta, Bajaj Chetak and TVS iQube if you're looking for an electric scooter right now. 

Since you have had a good experience with a Honda machine, you could stick with the brand and go with the Honda CB300F. The CB300F is light, comfortable, spacious and will return decent fuel economy. If you want to switch brands, the Bajaj Pulsar N250 and the Suzuki Gixxer 250 make for good upgrade options with their smooth engines and comfortable ergonomics. 

If you don't mind staying in the same displacement range while getting a significant performance bump, the KTM 160 Duke and Yamaha MT-15 warrant consideration. With their liquid-cooled engines and light weights, these two will give you the performance step up you want without sacrificing on mileage. 

Of all the options you have shortlisted, we'd recommend choosing between the TVS Ronin, Royal Enfield Hunter and Honda CB350. 

This is because all three are proven products with reliable engines, two-up comfort and decent fuel economy. Coming to the Yamaha XSR155, that bike is a very new launch, although it does come with familiar underpinnings and a trusted Japanese badge on the tank, so we would recommend you take a test ride for yourself before you go ahead with your purchase.