[puntra800]

I am a 33 year old currently riding a modest Bajaj Pulsar 150 for more than 12 years now. Currently I am in a dilemma, I have always wanted a Royal Enfield from my college days but considering my physique( I am 5' 6" but still I don't feel out of place on a Pulsar) I always shied away from even going to the showroom to check them out and over years other priorities took over and the desire was parked somewhere in the dark corner of my grey matter.

Now since my bike is reaching the 15 year mark I wanted to change it and the dormant devil woke up again now with double the vengeance(Fuelled by my better half, she is also a big RE fan). My brain on the other hand started working exactly in the opposite direction of my heart just telling me to think logically
1. My riding pattern, I prefer 2 wheels over 4 wheels for short drives but when it comes to long drives I refrain from touching 2 wheelers just for the safety reasons(Even if I drive safe I do not trust others on the highways) so in other words its mostly going to be a city use vehicle with occasional long drives.
2. The little boss, I have a little one now and if I take her on a 2 wheeler even for 10kms I am pretty sure I am going to get a sound lecture from both parents and the parents-in-law.
3. The uncle feels , As I am growing old my role as luggage bearer and transporter is becoming more. A scooter makes more sense in this case. Easy storage easy moving around for groceries and veggies.
4. The Demon called Traffic , since the usage is majorly in the city and I stay pretty close to the metro line I doubt I will be taking it for a longer distance within the city as well, courtesy namma Bengaluru city traffic.

All the above points seem logical but then again there is this famous dialogue in Tamil "Inga enna solludhu"(In literal sense, what is the heart saying) and the heart says "RE, RE, RE" .

Requesting BHPians for their suggestions as people say different perspectives matter.

Also If I go for a RE would it make more sense to go for a Meteor or the Classic and if I sway away from RE which would make an ideal replacement for my humble Pulsar.

Thanks

[shankar.balan]

Follow your heart. You only live once. Watch that old Hindi movie Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and take inspiration.
You’re only 33, you have a long enjoyable life ahead of you God Willing. You deserve to chase your own happiness and if RE makes you happy and you can afford it why ever not?
Go for it!

[am1m]

As someone who rides both a Pulsar 180 and an RE (albeit, both more than 10 years old), I find myself using the Pulsar a LOT more in the city. I hate riding the Bullet in Bangalore traffic, the Pulsar is certainly easier to use.

Having said that though, get the bike your heart wants. Get a bike you'll keep looking back at after you've parked it!

[AulusGabinius]

Go ahead and get the Meteor! You can add side boxes and a tank bag for practicality!

[madrasmandayan]

I was in the same dilemma few months ago. Suzuki Avenis scooter vs Honda Highness CB350. I listened to the mind and still having regrets of not getting the CB350 whenever I see one on the road.

I believe once the honeymoon period with RE is over, practicality sets in and that’s when scooter wins. The ‘occasional long rides’ never happens. In bumper to bumper traffic, school round trips, grocery shopping - scooter wins.

However, even though a scooter is more convenient it is no match to a motor bike when it comes to comfort. A motorbike has a proper suspension and bigger wheels/tyres.

Look at the trade offs and make a choice for yourself! Good luck!

[ranjitnair77]

Given your usage pattern, its likely that your RE will gather dust in your parking. It's just not meant for short, congested commutes. And here's the thing with most material possessions: Once you have it, it starts to steadily lose value. The thrill is almost always in the chase, not in ownership.

But the again, your heart has been beating for an RE for many years. It might just awaken the rider in you, given the active RE rider ecosystem. In case you find yourself not using it, you will have no issues in selling it off with minimal financial impact. You should just go get yourself a Classic 350.

[Turbohead]

Any chance you can borrow an RE for a week and see how it goes? You might go with what your heart wants now but looking at the use cases, I'd suggest you to be doubly sure. Seeing your bike lying unused is worse than not having one in the first place.

[SmartCat]

Originally Posted by puntra800

4. The Demon called Traffic , since the usage is majorly in the city and I stay pretty close to the metro line I doubt I will be taking it for a longer distance within the city as well, courtesy namma Bengaluru city traffic.

Originally Posted by Turbohead

Any chance you can borrow an RE for a week and see how it goes? You might go with what your heart wants now but looking at the use cases, I'd suggest you to be doubly sure. Seeing your bike lying unused is worse than not having one in the first place.

Borrowing for a week or two is an excellent idea. Do a google search for "bike rentals bangalore" or "two wheeler rentals bangalore".

[Geo_Ipe]

Originally Posted by puntra800

...Currently I am in a dilemma, I have always wanted a Royal Enfield from my college days but considering my physique( I am 5' 6" but still I don't feel out of place on a Pulsar) I always shied away from even going to the showroom to check them out ...
...the dormant devil woke up again now with double the vengeance(Fuelled by my better half, she is also a big RE fan)

Go get the RE NOW!
5'6" is not too short for an RE, except maybe the Himalayan. You're blessed with a better half who loves REs & encourages you to ride. You're in your 30s, financially better off than when you got the P150 - Go test ride the Meteor, Classic & the 650 twins and let us know what you felt.

[KPR]

Originally Posted by puntra800

All the above points seem logical but then again there is this famous dialogue in Tamil "Inga enna solludhu"(In literal sense, what is the heart saying) and the heart says "RE, RE, RE" .

If it is RE please take a rental bike or friend's bike for few weeks and ride it in traffic and then decide. My suggestion to you is to get an easy to operate clutch for ease of riding in traffic. I would suggest you to have a look at W175 too for city duties. It is a Kawasaki!

[androdev]

You can buy an RE and also a used activa for the places where don’t want to take RE.

[udzgodfather]

If your 90% of the usage is through city traffic, trust we you want a scooter, if you'll find riding the bike cumbersome through traffic you'll eventually start despising it. There are lot of Bike Rentals in Bengaluru, you can easily get the bike for rent for a day or two. Rent it, go out with the boys for a weekend ride or morning ride, have fun and give back the bike to the rental company. You can use the RE money for the other road trips or vacations.


And eventually if you feel that you do need a RE, you can make it a two bike garage 2-3 Years down the line, Scooter for short city runs and RE for long runs

[WhiskeyTangoFox]

I live in BLR and travel a minimum of around 20-25km per day. I have even done about 36kms a day for a couple of months through peak BLR Traffic on my Himmy. I don't think it's really that big a deal to ride an RE in traffic but for two reasons.

1. The Heat from the Engine in Bad Standstill Traffic is not unbearable but is irritating
2. Heavy Clutch, but hey, I think of it as a forearm workout

However, in regular stop-and-go traffic, if you aren't continuously going out at peak hours is a breeze. No issues whatsoever. The weight of the bike has never been an issue for me.

I would suggest a Scram/Classic/Meteor/Hunter for your usage. For storage, get a Top Box. Since it is going to be a city bike primarily, there's no question of the bike's handling being affected by the box at such speeds. The mileage on these variants is pretty decent as well.

Out of the models I suggested, the Scram is the most comfortable, the hunter is the lightest, the classic is timeless, and the meteor is low and snug. I'd suggest you test-ride all of them and take a call!

Best of luck XD

[Abhyjith K.A]

Absolutely go for it! We gotta live life fully. From whatever you have said so far, it seems to me that the Hunter 350 was made for you. I rode a friend's Hunter recently. The weight was so well managed that it felt unbelievably light, yet stable at the same time. The J Series engine was an utter delight as well. My only gripe was the slightly committed riding posture (But that's because I personally prefer upright and laid back positions. Since you ride a Pulsar, I think it won't be an issue for you). Test ride one and find for yourself.

If you're an RE fan in the traditional sense, then it has to be the Classic 350. Meteor is a good compromise in the middle. Plus it has a unique cruiser type sitting position. But Hunter would be easiest to maneuver around in tight city streets and traffic. I don't think height matters much with all these three. A test ride would show the real story.

I didn't mention the Himalayan and the 650 twins so far since they might not be practical for your usage purpose. The 350 cc J Series has enough power to keep you entertained, but also does give very good mileage for what it is.

Test ride all of them, rent a few, and see for yourself which one suits you the most. Hope you find the right bike for you And when you do, please do start taking it for longer rides. It's a pleasure that just can't be put in words easily.

A.

[caveman969]

The classic is an amazing city bike. It's excellent low end torque makes short rides at low speeds a super pleasurable experience. The clutch is a bit heavy but since there's so much torque you don't have to shift too much.
The engine is perfect for your usage, now just pick what riding style you want: hunter vs meteor vs classic.

There are other interesting bikes you can check out like the Honda cb350 for more midrange punch and feather light clutch, and the vstrom 250 for its commanding stance and peppy engine,

Also don't worry about the height. I'm 5'4 and I found the classic and vStrom (830mm seat height) super comfortable. If you can tiptoe both sides, that's more than enough,