TVS bikes in India (21)

Autocar India

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For your particular use case, the Hero Splendor XTEC 2.0 would perhaps be the most fuss-free and easy to own machine. Considering the rigors of your profession, you need something that's hardy, frugal and easy to fix when things go sideways - attributes that define the Splendor to the T. At the same time, its hard to ignore the practicality of the TVS Jupiter 110, especially the 33 litre boot, which can accommodate a lot. However, comfort and fuel economy will not be as high as the Splendor. And since fuel economy is an important consideration for you, we'd recommend you also consider the Bajaj Freedom CNG motorcycle. Sure, it has its quirks, but if you want low running costs, then the Freedom is hard to top. In the EV segment, you will get options that can give you 80-90km real world range at real world speeds (read: above 50kph) on a single charge like the TVS iQube 3.1, Bajaj Chetak 3001 and Ather Rizta S 2.9. In their eco modes, you may be able to cross 100km, but your maximum speed will be capped at 35-40kph and it won't be feasible for the time-sensitive nature of your job.Pick between these options depending on what strong points matter the most to you.

Autocar India

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A cruiser will be more manageable for your shorter stature but a roadster (like the RE Hunter 350 and Triumph Speed 400) will be a more capable and comfortable bike. Aside from the RE Meteor 350, there's really no mainstream small capacity cruiser worth considering under Rs 3 lakh. If you want to switch to a roadster, we'd recommend the TVS Ronin because that bike has a low seat height and is still comfortable with its neutral ergonomics and light kerb weight. The 350cc Triumph Speed 400 will be the quickest and most dynamically capable of all three machines listed above. The RE Hunter 350 is a very good all-rounder as long as you have no sporting intentions. A test ride will help you decide whether you're ready to make the switch from a cruiser to a more conventional machine or not.

Autocar India

•6d

Currently, the electric bike market in India has very limited options under the Rs. 2 lakh mark and even among those, none of them have proven to be compelling alternatives to ICE motorcycles. We'd strongly recommend you consider an electric scooter instead because it will give you the benefits of an EV like low running costs and the comfort of home charging while bringing in practical features like a large underseat storage area. Specifically, options like the TVS iQube, Ather Rizta, Bajaj Chetak and Vida VX2 should be at the top of your shopping list. Take test rides of each and pick a variant with the battery capacity which suits your daily use case and also covers unexpected occurrences.

Autocar India

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If your main goal with your machine is to strike poses and look cool on the extremely short spins you make on the weekend, then the Jawa 42 Bobber is a good fit. However, the bike is not practical, it's build quality is still far from the segment benchmark and Classic Legends (parent company of Yezdi, Jawa and BSA) still has a long way to go when it comes to customer satisfaction in terms of service. Considering your short stature, we'd recommend bikes like the RE Hunter 350 and TVS Ronin, which will still give you that Neo retro aesthetic but will not stop short of being good, all-round capable machines at the expense of just looking good. If you decide you want to keep it simple and practical, without spending a lot of cash, a 125cc/160cc bike from brands like TVS, Bajaj, Hero and Honda will be a good choice. This would in fact be our default recommendation considering this is your first bike and you'll need to develop basic motorcycle specific skills like clutch control, smooth gearshifts and throttle control. Evaluate your priorities, take multiple test rides and then make your decision. Also look into each bike's reviews and ownership forums to see which is the most hassle free to live with on a day to day basis. All this will help you make a more informed decision.

Autocar India

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The Honda Shine 125 is one of those bikes you simply can’t go wrong with, especially if you value reliability and fuel economy above everything else. The Shine has built a strong reputation over many years in the market, and if you want a simple, no-nonsense commuting partner, it is likely to suit you well.However, if you want something flashier, more feature-rich, and sportier-looking, we’d advise you to consider the TVS Raider. It is a 125cc commuter that is also fun to ride, and if that sounds appealing, the Raider is worth a look. The top variants also come with the added safety of single-channel ABS, which we would strongly recommend stretching for, especially on unpredictable roads.Make a list of what you want from your next purchase and choose accordingly. A test ride of both bikes should help you make a clearer decision.

Autocar India

•2w

The electric bike segment is still very nascent in India, and there are very few options available. Realistically, the only one we would recommend you look at is the Revolt RV400 because it has been around the longest, and Revolt has a sales and service presence in your city. Our professional recommendation would be that you instead opt for an electric scooter because you have a huge variety of choices to choose from, depending on your range, styling, features and other requirements. Options like TVS iQube, Bajaj Chetak, Vida VX2 and Ather Rizta are lovely city runabouts that come with the reliability and peace of mind you'd expect from a big manufacturer while being very practical. And if you want something sportier and snazzier-looking, the Ather 450 models are a tried and tested commodity with loads of tech and spirited performance to boot. Another plus point a scooter will have over a motorcycle is that it has a lower seat height and weighs less, which will make it easier to manage in chaotic Mumbai city traffic. We would recommend that you at least take a test ride of some of the electric scooters mentioned above before you go ahead with your purchase to see whether they suit your use case better.

Autocar India

•2w

Both the machines you've shortlisted are great ones for commuting within Mumbai but have different characters. The Royal Enfield Classic 350's smooth thumper is known for its low-end torque and encourages you to ride in a relaxed fashion. Its seating posture and suspension comfort both are excellent at keeping the rider shielded from road imperfections and should be good enough for you. We'd also recommend you take a look at the Honda CB350 models if you want a similiar riding experience with a little less weight and clutch effort. If instead, you want a quicker and more modern-feeling machine, then the TVS Apache RTX 300 is a great option to consider. The RTX has a tractable engine but its smaller motor cannot be lugged around in higher gears like the Classic's engine can. However, the Apache has a much higher performance ceiling and a lot of electronic features (including a bidirectional quickshifter, from the Top variant onwards) if that sounds appealing to you.You should also consider the Hero Xpulse 210 because this bike has lovely suspension and upright, commanding ergonomics - both great attributes to tackle Mumbai's largely subpar roads. The Xpulse will be slower than the RTX but quicker than the air-cooled 350s and you can expect it to be the most fuel efficient of the lot, when ridden sensibly. A test ride of these bikes should help you decide which is the best fit for you.

Autocar India

•2w

Considering your long highway travel distances as well as the fact that you travel with a pillion frequently, an adventure bike should be on the top of your shortlist. The Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 is an excellent road touring machine and if you can manage its heft and size at slower speeds, it should be a fine fit for your use case. In case you want something more affordable and fuel efficient, the 350cc KTM 390 Adventure and TVS Apache RTX 300 are good alternatives to consider. The KTM bike has been around long enough that there are unlikely to be huge surprises in your ownership journey but the RTX is still a fairly new machine. A test ride of these three is the first order of business for you and take your preferred travel companion with you to get an accurate idea of pillion comfort as well.

Autocar India

•2w

In the relaxed neo-retro space, you've already ridden the TVS Ronin and the Honda CB350 H'ness, that are two of the best bikes available in the class. We would also recommend you look at the Royal Enfield Bullet / Classic 350 because these bikes still remain the benchmark in the class, in our opinion. Especially since you've mentioned you're a heavier person and carry a pillion regularly. The Classic and Bullet both have lovely seating comfort, sorted suspension and neutral ergonomics. Pair that to a torque-rich engine and lovely fit and finish and you have a concoction that's hard to top - unless you're looking for more performance, that is. In that case, the 350cc Triumph Speed T4 makes a good case for itself although do bear in mind, it isn't as large a machine as the Honda bike or Royal Enfield 350s and could feel cramped for a larger rider as well as pillion. If you're open to considering ADVs, the Hero Xpulse 210 makes a compelling case for itself and will offer you more comfort and fuel economy than any of the machines listed above. Take a test ride of these bikes and compare them with your notes of previous test rides to see which one you like best before you make a decision.

Autocar India

•3w

Since you have a rather long daily commute and don't want to go for a neo-retro machine, an adventure bike makes good sense. Your previously shortlisted - but no longer available - options indicate that you were looking to get something in the 250-300cc space. In that vein, we'd recommend you look at the TVS Apache RTX 300. The RTX is a comfortable, quick and feature-laden machine which will also return decent fuel economy if ridden sensibly. In a similiar vein, you should also look at the KTM 250 Adventure and the base 390 Adventure (350cc) models, depending on your usage and budget. A test ride of these options will help you narrow down which bike is best for you.