[Malliketh]

I was out in the market looking for a bike with similar expectations of a do-it-all bike.

KTM 390 Adventure is a one hoot of a bike (speaking from 6 months / 7,000km ownership experience). It does the following very well

1. City ride - its my daily to office (17km one-way) in grueling Mumbai traffic with no heating felt on legs whatsoever. Also returns ~25kmpl which helps. Its light weight (176kg IIRC) to keep it manageable in the city.

2. Highway rides - you would not feel a lack of power when over-taking / riding with higher displacement bikes. You always have power on tap. The engine is refined with no vibration when cruising at 120kmph either.

3. It's an adventure tourer - so takes on good roads / bad roads - all the same. While the bike is slightly on the stiffer end compared to slightly more plushy suspensions, you get great high-speed stability and there are suspension upgrades available (from the likes of Zedling) if you really can't stand it.

4. Features - the bike is adequately packed with features to make your riding experience great - quick shifter works as advertised (very smooth upshifting and downshifting) allowing you to quickly reach triple digits where road and traffic permits, traction control is helpful providing that extra bit of safety with the revvy nature of this bike, ability to control your intercom with handle bar buttons (allowing you to never look away from the street).

5. There are accessories galore to get the bike in a state that best serves your purpose - saddle stays, top boxes, tank bags, taller windscreens, etc. I have a top box on full time which carries my office bags, groceries, helmet and gloves when parked, etc. Also it doesn't hurt that most of these are very economically cost especially compared to accessory prices for bigger bikes. Same comment for service costs.

Would highly recommend you get a good test ride to see if you get the same feel. Also, this is still an uncommon bike on road with a decent road presence - you would keep getting head turns on the street (which is not a need but never hurt anyone). At the same time, you would not feel scared to park this bike at random streets / overnight stays with a fear of attracting unwanted attention.

All of this makes this bike a do-it-all and fulfills the purpose I had (same as yours).

Lastly, while I note your budget is much higher (this bike should cost you around 4 lakhs on-road), given you're coming back to biking after a long I am assuming you would need to purchase riding gears for yourself and your pillion. Money would be well spent on great quality of gears (shoes, jacket, pants, helmet, gloves).

Happy to answer any questions you may have on the bike.

[IshaanIan]

I think you need to ask yourself do you need an adventure or will a naked do. An adventure bike might theoretically be the do-it-all machine but at the expense of added weight and unenthusiastic on-road dynamics. Test ride the KTM390 before discounting it as the engine may not be as powerful as bigger bikes but the power-to-weight ratio is satisfactory and the chassis is simply sublime it manages to remain flick-able and light on its feet while maintaining stability and inspiring dollops of confidence whatever the maneuver might be so even if you don't buy one, you must test-ride it if only for the experience.

I think another question you need to ask yourself is if you're okay with the heat that a bigger more powerful bike will produce. At the end of the day these bikes are simply tested to run on our fuel and that's about it. It is hotter and dustier in India than most other parts of the world and the average speeds are much lower as well so big engines struggle to breathe in our country (Kawi parallel twins do decently in this regard). You absolutely have to test-ride everything extensively before deciding that's for sure.

[DieselAnna]

Adding my few cents from my personal experience.

I was in a similar boat 6 months ago. I had no riding experience before this. My humble Activa used to be my short ride buddy and I was a complete car guy. Completely surprised myself and others when I decided to put my money on a used medium capacity bike (I consider >800cc as big capacity). New bike was completely out of question as I didn't have any experience in riding a bike albeit few short runs in friend's bike.

I did not test ride any other bike but put a word amongst my Biker friends. A Versys 650 came up out of nowhere. I decided to give it a look. When I first sat on the bike, I felt it won't be possible for me because of its sheer size and top heavy nature. Remember I am a noob rider and bike owner too. And immediately as I got a move on, I felt how easy it is to ride this bike. The balance is perfect for city riding. The adjustable suspension is built for longer rides and bad city roads. No off-roading capabilities and it doesn't need to have it. The riding triangle is perfect to keep you comfortable on long hauls.

It is an easier and simpler bike. Not very difficult to maintain. There are many fellow experienced owners who will help you out. I am learning too from them and take their help when needed.

There are few good used examples on olx in your budget. All of them have all required accessories (you haven't budgeted the accessories and riding gear, which will be a noticeable sum).
Hope this helps and you find your ride!

[Biker Ram]

Originally Posted by MandarMax

I am in the market for a 600 - 800 cc bike. ...
Thanks in advance.

You may consider adding CB500x and KTM Adv 390 to your list. Not listing the Interceptor because it looses out on bad roads and it's not made for trails anyway. Otherwise the KTM and Royal Enfield would be the easy to own and easy to service bikes. Triumphs and Ducatis would be the opposite.

And if comfortable cruising at 110-120kmph is a requirement I'd not look at Meteor, CB350 and the like. It's not what top speed a bike can achieve but how comfortably and with how much juice left.

As for the used bikes, my opinion is that you need to be either an expert to evaluate the bike thoroughly or it has to be from someone you personally know and trust.

[MandarMax]

Originally Posted by TorqueMonster

You would enjoy a bike that you like much more thoroughly, and from what you have written, it does seem like you liked the Tiger 600 and you should go ahead with that itself.

Thank you. Yes, Tiger 660 is still on top of my list. If after test riding I don't like any other bike then I will probably take the plunge.

Originally Posted by Vatsa

2.BMW GS 310

Checked out the BMW 310 GS in person. The bike looks well-built, and the colours are nice. Going by the looks alone, it is a very likeable bike, however, they didn't have one available for a test ride which was disappointing. I am also afraid that it might turn out to be a sheep in wolf's clothing due to that "small-ish" engine.

Originally Posted by iamahunter

In your situation, I would suggest the [b]Honda CB500X as a first option.
..
Honestly, if you want a Triumph increase you budget and get a Tiger 850.
..
Brought the versys 650. Its been 10 months and 9k kms with the versys, I am super happy with the bike!
..

• CB500X is definitely on the radar and will check it out as soon as test ride is possible.
• Tiger 850 - Too pricey and a bit big for me.
• Versys 650 - I have read your review and ownership experience and it is definitely useful and that's why haven't completely ruled it out yet.

Originally Posted by shyamg28

Next would be the KTM Adv 390. Another bike that offers tremendous capabilities. Spec sheets can be best left in a dustbin.
..
End of the day, my only suggestion is, test ride them all. Your experiences might surprise you

Originally Posted by Malliketh

KTM 390 Adventure is a one hoot of a bike (speaking from 6 months / 7,000km ownership experience). It does the following very well

Lastly, while I note your budget is much higher (this bike should cost you around 4 lakhs on-road), given you're coming back to biking after a long I am assuming you would need to purchase riding gears for yourself and your pillion. Money would be well spent on great quality of gears (shoes, jacket, pants, helmet, gloves).

Happy to answer any questions you may have on the bike.

Thanks. Yes, definitely planning to check out the KTM 390 Adventure. The reviews are impressive. Also, you are right about the riding gear - I need to buy everything right from a good quality helmet, jacket, gloves etc. How much should I budget for a good-quality set?

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

I think another question you need to ask yourself is if you're okay with the heat that a bigger more powerful bike will produce.

Engine heat is indeed a problem that I am not sure whether I will be ok with. Do heat-resistant pants help?

Originally Posted by DieselAnna

[i]
There are few good used examples on olx in your budget. All of them have all required accessories (you haven't budgeted the accessories and riding gear, which will be a noticeable sum).
Hope this helps and you find your ride!

Originally Posted by Biker Ram

As for the used bikes, my opinion is that you need to be either an expert to evaluate the bike thoroughly or it has to be from someone you personally know and trust.

As a newbie, I will probably consider used bikes only if it is from a trustworthy source.

Originally Posted by Biker Ram

And if comfortable cruising at 110-120kmph is a requirement I'd not look at Meteor, CB350 and the like. It's not what top speed a bike can achieve but how comfortably and with how much juice left.

Completely agree. The bike should feel comfortable at higher speeds without feeling strained. This is why I will most probably not consider anything smaller than the Duke 390 Adv.

[WhiskeyTangoFox]

Originally Posted by MandarMax

Also, you are right about the riding gear - I need to buy everything right from a good quality helmet, jacket, gloves etc. How much should I budget for a good-quality set?

You get really good quality gear from Most Indian Brands like Viaterra, Rynox and Even Royal Enfield For that matter of fact. If you are looking for the best from these brands, then a safe bet would be to set aside approximately Rs 35,000 for a Jacket, Its liners, Riding Pants and Gloves, if you are looking at CE Level 2 Everything. For a Helmet, you get very good helmets from the INR 5000 Rs Range, all the way to well, the sky's the limit.

The following are my recommendations, but please do of course check out the riding gear thread as well to gain a better understanding. I'll link that below too:

Riding Jacket: https://viaterragear.com/shop/appare...riding-jacket/

OR

https://rynoxgears.com/collections/jackets

Riding Pant: https://viaterragear.com/shop/apparel/pants/munro-pant/

Riding Jeans (If you so prefer this): https://store.royalenfield.com/ridin.../riding-denims

Full Gauntlet Gloves (Not Waterproof, Perforated): https://rynoxgears.com/collections/g...32124359770179

OR

https://viaterragear.com/shop/brands...riding-gloves/

Full Gauntlet Glvoes (Waterproof, Winter Ready): https://viaterragear.com/shop/brands...proof-gloves//

If you aren't a fan of Riding Pants and Prefer Knee Guards instead: https://rynoxgears.com/collections/b...ic-knee-guards

Helmets:

Under INR 5000: Axor Street/Apex
Under INR 1000: MT Blade 2 SV/ HJC CS 15
Over INR 10000: I have no idea so do check out the riding gear thread

Riding Gear Thread: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/ride-...ar-thread.html (The Riding Gear thread)

Thread on Helmets: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/ride-...od-helmet.html (Which Helmet? Tips on buying a good helmet)

Hope this helps! Cheers

[m3t4ph0r1c]

Kawasaki Versys 650 seems to be the correct one to pick except for the seat height of 845mm, which may cause issues in tight traffic conditions or even when going offroading where you might need to put your foot down to manoeuvre. This bike is atmost a tourer rather than a do it all, it comes with a ground clearance of 170mm.

You might wanna check out the Triumph Trident 660, I have my eyes set on this motorcycle, for the "do it all" purpose, its a inline 3 cylinder, it can do well in city and highways and it has decent ground clearance of 150mm for mild offroading.

[Ram35]

Hi

As per your introduction. You have not done much motorcycling.

Jumping to larger CC engine is not a joke. I would suggest a simple way to do it.

Rent bikes from 350 CC and do weekend rides of 200 to 300 Kms. Then after few weeks, rent 500 or 650 CC bikes and do some rides. This will give you an idea about the bikes of larger engine displacement.

Then rent the Kwasakis and Harleys and do some rides. Try all type of models, cruisers, sports, adventure, scrambler etc.

After this decide the bike you want and go for it. Buy a Pre-owned, this will give you the experience on riding and maintaining super bikes.

Invest in good safety riding gears once you start riding.

Enjoy the rides



Regards

[Apolo4409]

390 twins:- They are very capable and powerful machines for their class. I would not dismiss them just by their displacement as they put out 40+bhp which is more than sufficient in my opinion for our roads. They are VFM and can be easy to maintain

Interceptor 650:- The cheapest twin cylinder in the market with a decent amount of power. The downside are the seats and footpeg position which you can rectify easily with the left over budget. The bike can be a little heavy.

CB500X:- Having taken this for a test drive, I can say it’s not worth the price tag. Despite it being a Honda and a twin cylinder it was no where near refined even compared to CB350 which is a single cylinder.

CB650R:- Other than the price tag, it is a pretty perfect bike. It has amazing power, really good features, and gorgeous looks. I would highly recommend this bike.

These are my opinions if it helps your decision. If the cost isn’t an issue, then I would definitely pick CB650R without a second thought.

[ajs85]

Originally Posted by MandarMax

My requirements are:

Usage:

• I want to start doing weekend rides 100 - 200 km roundtrip near Pune (once or twice a month)
• Occasional long rides, probably 2-3 times a year (e.g. Konkan, Goa or the Himalayas)
• Occasional city rides- I primarily use my car but I guess once I have a bike I am sure I will be tempted to take it to the office or to shopping given the roads and the traffic conditions in Pune
• Most rides would be solo, with occasional pillion.

My expectations from the bike:

• My primary usage would be on road, but the bike should be able to handle occasional bad roads, detours, and stream crossings such as those on the Manali-Leh highway
• Should be able to cruise comfortably at 100-120 kph speed
• Should be able to attach a bag or panniers
• Should be reliable and usable for a long term (5-10 years)

Budget:

• Comfortable with spending around 5-6 lakhs, but can stretch further by a couple of lakhs if needed

As you are in the market for a bike that's a bit more powerful I would suggest your take the skills from basic to graduate along with the learning curve. Somewhat ADV suits your requirements more and you will surely enjoy them the most. Some suggestions as:
1. Tiger: As You have already tested it and liked it go for it if it suits your budget.
2. KTM Adventure: The perfect bike is powerful enough to cruise at 120. Comes with a quick shifter.

Just keep in mind whatever bike you will select there will be a lot of choices for accessories, riding gear etc. so keep that budget in consideration as well.

Somethings that you will require immediately:
1. Helmet: DOT certified will be highly recommended, AGV, HJC, and Airoh would be something to look for.
2. Riding Jacket: Something with a liner for cold and hot weather (mesh) with min. Level 2 protection, D3O is preferred. You may check RE gear which is decent and value for money. Else, Alpinestars or Dainese etc.
3. If you intend to ride along with groups then a communicator (depending on the group)
4. Gloves
5. Phone mounts, bags etc.
6. Travel bags/panniers when long rides.
7. Basic toolkit, tyre inflator (battery operated etc.) if you intend to make your hands dirty sometimes.
8. Crash guards etc.

Rest welcome to the biking world, my friend, it's as cheap/expensive as owning a Jeep. You are constantly evolving and spending along the journey in the name of personalization and improvement as per your liking.

I say take a bike below your budget and improve/ modify it as per your taste and liking. Hope this helps.

[Sahil00090]

By no means I am trying to discourage you from purchasing that big bike but You've been out of touch from biking and that's why I would suggest to go for a linear power delivery motorcycle and attain that learning curve once again.

Please dont take me wrong but to be fair even Adventure 390 is too much power for someone out of touch of biking.
Riding in India is very different from riding Abroad and I would request you to consider this.

A test ride can't let you alone decide for a big bike (600-800cc) as it's for a short duration and mere Kms, it maybe joyful for short test rides and wouldn't demand any particular skills or experience but may turn out painful for those long rides which you are aiming for. They do demand certain skills and experience while travelling.

As for the bike many people have already given you their suggestions and I believes that's more than enough.

Lastly, for me a 'Do it all' motorcycle is the one which is reliable and doesn't leaves you stranded on the middle of nowhere, for me my Dominar 400 has been doing that pretty well on all terrains. It's not an off-road bike still Saddling on it on the way to Chandartal was a breeze and highways cruising is adequate.

Try to look for a reliable and easy to maintain machine, I don't think Triumph scores very high in that aspect given the limited service network.

Hope this helps, ride safe.

[Nilesh5417]

Bikes need to be ridden or else there is no ROI since you rake up.maintenace costs by loads anyways. Trust me when I say this cause my Monster is pristine but don't get enough time to ride it like I should. But then the battery has its life, tyres harden up, filters catch dust etc etc. And all this won't stop just cause you keep it nicely covered and wash it every week. And then you do get maintenance issues to sort when you actually ride, plugs die, chain has a life etc

I agree with what most have said, be sure you want to sink that kind of expense. You can't go do groceries on a 600 to keep it running but you can on a Hunter or GS310 or Adv 390.

And there is no do it all - you buy what suits your primary use case and live with it. I got a street naked and installed a windscreen cause though most rides are 100-200kms only, the wind blast is just tiring.

But if you are sure you want a 600+, you can't go wrong with a Versys or VStrom. Both are simple and reliable machines and I think after a 18+year gap you had, they are more forgiving. The CB500x is bullet proof as well but quite underpowered and you will get bored soon. The Inty is a great bike as well and the sales figures speak for it. The ADV390 is actually what you need but not sure if you want it.

[sdubey23]

Originally Posted by MandarMax

I am in the market for a 600 - 800 cc bike. I am relatively inexperienced when it comes to big bikes, so would appreciate your help.

Other members in the forum have spoken at length about options from various brands, ASS, reliability, maintenance, etc. Each has its pros and cons. So, I won't be getting into that.

Given you are not well-experienced, I suggest you go for a more "forgiving" motorcycle - a bike that is nimble, relatively light, and predictable in nature.

You want more predictable power on the highways so you have the time to get used to the motorcycle and the engine or make small adjustments quickly in case you make any mistakes to avoid untoward incidents on the road.

Similarly, you need an engine that is a less "snappy" to throttle input in off road conditions to avoid skidding and falling till you effectively master throttle-control. And, in the unfortunate event of a fall, it should be easier to pick up the bike and get back on the road.

The bigger, heavier machines will be more difficult to deal with all this as they're too quick on the throttle and lifting a 230+ kg bike in dirt or slush is no joke!

A more "forgiving" bike will help you progress quickly, make learning fun, and do a ton of good to your confidence levels as a rider.

And eventually as you grow out of the smaller bike, you can upgrade to the bigger motorcycle options.

Hope this helps.

Good luck on your hunt!

P.S: Keeping the above points in mind, something like a KTM 390 Adv or the upcoming adventure bikes from RE and Hero make perfect sense

[PetaWatt]

Originally Posted by MandarMax

My requirements are:

Usage:

• I want to start doing weekend rides 100 - 200 km roundtrip near Pune (once or twice a month)
• Occasional long rides, probably 2-3 times a year (e.g. Konkan, Goa or the Himalayas)
• Occasional city rides- I primarily use my car but I guess once I have a bike I am sure I will be tempted to take it to the office or to shopping given the roads and the traffic conditions in Pune
• Most rides would be solo, with occasional pillion.

My expectations from the bike:

• My primary usage would be on road, but the bike should be able to handle occasional bad roads, detours, and stream crossings such as those on the Manali-Leh highway
• Should be able to cruise comfortably at 100-120 kph speed
• Should be able to attach a bag or panniers
• Should be reliable and usable for a long term (5-10 years)

Budget:

• Comfortable with spending around 5-6 lakhs, but can stretch further by a couple of lakhs if needed

Basically, I think I need an all-rounder bike - which can do it all, but I am not sure though if such a bike exists and that's why I need your guidance.

If I understand correctly, you need a motorcycle:

1. With around 30bhp of power (to cruise comfortably at 120kmph, top speed should be at-least 150 kmph)
2. Suspension travel should be at-least 170mm
3. Should weigh around 170 kg
4. Should have good service network
5. Engine heat should not roast your leg in the city traffic

Not including personal preference like, size and look. You can use it later to reject motorcycles from the shortlisted list.

Below is the list (sorted based on above mentioned requirements)

1. Suzuki VStorm 250
2. KTM Adv 250
3. Yezdi Adventure
4. BMW G310 GS
5. Benelli TRK251

[Turbosailor]

Originally Posted by MandarMax

I am in the market for a 600 - 800 cc bike.

MandarMax, Even I am also in the market for a do I all bike and almost intend the same. I have test-ridden Street Twin, Speed Twin 1200, Interceptor 650, Kawasaki Versys 650, Z650rs, Honda CB650R & finally, Honda CB500X. I fell in love with CB500X on the 1st ride itself, its a perfect bike for our India condition and for personnel of my physique ( I am 5'4ft ) Me and my buddy was in the market, and he opted for Versys 650, which is a great big bike which he is predominantly using as a highway cruiser. And I am still waiting for Honda to Launch CB500X. I will advise you to wait till March 2023; as per Honda Bigwig SA it will be launched by Feb end. Give it a try.