Yamaha Bikes in India (22)

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. 

Within your budget, you have three very different options you can look at - Yamaha XSR155, TVS Apache RTR 200 4V, TVS Ronin and Hero Xpulse 200 4V. The XSR is the least powerful but is also the lightest motorcycle here. It will also feel the sportiest to ride because its engine and underpinnings are derived from the popular Yamaha R15 and MT-15. The downsides of the XSR are that it is a rather petite motorcycle. For someone of large stature such as yourself, this will be a potential challenge, and its rear suspension is quite stiff. It can get uncomfortable over repeated bad patches. 

The Apache RTR 200 4V is another sporty roadster, and with its larger engine than the XSR, it will feel more at home at sustained higher speeds. Its suspension comfort and more spacious seats will also be helpful for your usage. 

The TVS Ronin is a relaxed roadster with its smooth and torquey engine and relaxed and neutral ergonomics. Also, plush suspension setup and relatively larger size - compared to the other two bikes here - the Ronin has the potential to be the most suited to your use case.

Moving on to the Hero Xpulse 200 4V, this is the bike you should buy if you want to venture off-road on your long tours. It will have by far the most plush suspension of all the bikes here, although its on-road handling will leave you wanting once you pick up the pace. 

We'd recommend a test ride of all three before you make a decision. Also, do note that all four bikes are all slightly above Rs 1.50 lakh (your stipulated budget), within that amount, there's no credible option for your requirements. 

The recently updated Royal Enfield Hunter 350 has a super-light clutch action thanks to the slip/assist clutch that RE has equipped it with. Even for a newer rider or a scooterist looking to move to a motorcycle, it shouldn't be that much of an issue in big city traffic. 

However, if you are looking to stick to a scooter, then we'd advise against the Yamaha Aerox 155 because of its stiff rear suspension. We would recommend scooters like the Suzuki Access and TVS Jupiter models instead, for their good ride comfort and spacious, well-padded seats. 

The Honda SP160 is based on the same platform as the popular Unicorn and should have similiar strengths like good comfort, exceptional fuel efficiency, as well as durability and reliability in the long run. 

The TVS Apache RTR 160 4V is one of the best options in the sporty commuter bike segment and will offer you good performance and features without sacrificing comfort and practicality. Do bear in mind that if you are a tall person, then this bike will feel a little cramped, especially with its tight seat-to-footpeg distance.

Coming to the TVS Ronin, this bike will offer you more performance and comfort than the other 150/160cc options you're looking at, but it will return lower fuel economy. And since you're looking at the base variant, you'll only get single-channel ABS like the smaller bikes. 

The Yamaha FZ-X Hybrid will likely be the most fuel-efficient machine of this lot, but it offers lacklustre performance, and its comfort levels aren't that high either.

Our advice would be to take a test ride of everything you shortlist before making a decision. 

Considering your stature, in the Yamaha stable, instead of the MT-15, we'd recommend looking at the new XSR155. While both are mechanically near-identical, the XSR is a more spacious machine than the MT. Since this will be your first bike, the XSR will prove to be the most manageable and approachable. Thanks to its lighter weight and unintimidating power output. 

The Bajaj Pulsar N160 you're considering is a good option, but it will be the slowest of all the bikes you've shortlisted. However, if all you're going to do is potter around town, then getting the Pulsar makes sense as it is the most city-friendly bike here. 

Coming to the two Pulsar NS models, the NS200 will feel quite sporty and engaging while still being friendly enough for city use. However, the bigger NS400Z isn't the most city-friendly machine. Also, it will return lower fuel economy owing to its larger engine. 

The Honda CB350 models are very different to ride, thanks to their neo-retro leanings. It will be the most comfortable and relaxed machine of all the bikes you're considering. Lastly, the TVS Apache RTR 310 is actually quite a capable do-it-all machine, and will give you room to grow as a rider, too. 

Since you are considering multiple bikes with different riding styles and at very different price points, we'd recommend you first decide on your budget.  After that, choose within that range accordingly. Also, take a thorough test ride of everything you shortlist. 

Since you are a beginner rider, getting a bike that is approachable and easy to live with would be our recommendation. Bikes like the Yamaha MT-15 and Honda Hornet 2.0 - both in your shortlist - will offer approachable performance and weight while being quite fuel efficient too. 

The Bajaj Dominar 400 - while a sorted bike in its own right - is a heavy machine, which will get quite tiring to manage at slow speeds for a newer rider. Instead, we'd recommend you take a look at the Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z, which offers more performance and features while being significantly lighter.

In case you decide that the power and relatively low fuel economy of a 400cc bike isn't for you, but you still don't want to go below 200cc and want something sharp-looking, we'd recommend taking a look at the Bajaj Pulsar N250 and Pulsar NS200. The N250 is a refined, smooth all-rounder, while the NS200 is an engaging and sporty machine. 

A test ride should help you make a more informed decision. 

Since you are a taller person, we would recommend you look at the Yamaha XSR155 instead of the MT-15 as the XSR is a more spacious machine which will be useful to you. For a similar price, you will also get larger machines like the Bajaj Pulsar N250, TVS Apache RTR 200 4V and Honda CB300F. It will offer you better performance at the expense of a small hit as far as fuel efficiency is concerned. 

Since you have mentioned that you are considering the Honda CB350 models. Do bear in mind that these are relaxed neo-retro roadsters which will offer you a more laidback riding experience and good comfort levels. Although fuel economy will be quite a bit lower than that of the smaller bikes we have mentioned above. It is also worth taking a look at the Royal Enfield Hunter 350 because it offers a similar experience to the CB350 but at a lower price and has comparable fuel economy and performance, too. 

A test ride of every bike you shortlist will help you make a decision. 

The Hero Xtreme 160R 4V is a sporty commuter which has a feature no other competitor in the segment does - cruise control. It has a reasonably peppy and smooth engine, good suspension and is quite a comfortable machine overall, even for taller people. It will also return good fuel economy, and Hero machines are generally known to be affordable to own and maintain. It is also quite a bit more affordable than the XSR155, so if your budget is tight, then it makes for a good option to consider.

Coming to the Yamaha XSR155, this is a far more modern machine in terms of its engine architecture and its chassis design, using proven fundamentals from the R15 in a neo-retro package. The XSR is sure to be the quicker, better-handling machine while also returning comparable fuel economy to the Xtreme. Yamaha's aren't known to be expensive to live with either, but since the XSR has a more complex powertrain, its running costs could be a little higher than the simpler Hero. 

Both are different machines from distinct segments, so we would urge you to go get a test ride of them so you can make an informed decision.