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I have been on a hunt for a motorcycle for almost a year now and have been putting off the decision because I cant seem to find a right fit. So here I am looking for your experiences and any bits of advice that you can spare. I already gone though the numerous threads on the forum and have test ridden a few bikes but still no luck.

Needs :
- Needs to have an upright seating posture.
- Should not strain my hands (see pics attached of what my current bike does to my hands)
- Should accommodate a mini me at the front at times and a pillion in the back on rare occasions (he will move to the pillion seat once he is a bit older currently 3yrs old), we usually take the car out unless we have to go somewhere less than 3-4 kms.
- Will be driven in the city 98% of the time with the rare occurrence of taking it for more than 30 kms.
- The suspension needs to be able to handle the potholes in Chennai.

Wants
- At least 30+ Bhp power, I am upgrading from a 150CC Honda Dazzler which I have had for the last 14 years.
- Fuss free service experience (one can dream).
- Reliable- should last at least the next 10 years.

The list:
Am 5'11, definitely on the heavier side about 95kgs, and these are the bikes that I have already test ridden and either turned them down or they are stuck at the back of my head.

- Hunter 350 - to small for me plus was less than the 30bhp want.
- Meteor 350 - Was a perfect fit but did not like it , heart was just not into it.
- Interceptor 650 (alloy) - Loved it, the weight wasn't an issue but it did strain my hands , but am thinking a handle bar riser might fix this issue.

-Speed 400 - Test rode it, loved it, booked it and cancelled as well , felt small like the hunter.
- Scrambler 400x - Test drove it but wasn't very sure, might go back for a longer TD. Not sure if my boy would be able to sit in front.
- Speed 900 - Loved this one, test drove it in Mumbai traffic and eerily balanced bike, dropped it considering my use case and where i would be riding it.

V-Strom 250 - Glided over potholes, but strained my hands.

Dominar 400- The TD vehicle was a nightmare :Frustrati, wasn't maintained very well chain was loose, absolutely no bite for the brakes, and noise from the engine, didn't go more than 50 meters from the showroom I returned the bike and I walked away and it also strained my hand.

Apache RTR 200 : Seating was committed but surprisingly didn't stain my hand, but the suspension was still and bounced over potholes.

CB 350 RS : again loved it had minimal strain on my hands, booked it, saw the speed 400 cancelled the booking, considering value proposition.
CB 300 R: Great bike, but its meant for a single rider, pillion's beware as the seat can be a sore point.

Duke 390 : High revving machine, its truly a a great machine, but just not for me.

I feel that the CB 500X would have been a great companion for me but I have never seen one in person either on the road or in the showroom and I have been enquiring with Honda for almost a year and they are absolutely clueless.

I do know that many will point out that my use case fits a scooter perfectly but i just don't want a scooter. Any other suggestion than can help me reduce the strain on my hands is also welcome, am also trying to get back in shape assuming that it might help me as well.

P.S Check out the Honda badging from the grips etched on my hands.

The Honda NX500 is coming early 2024. If the budget allows, it will be the perfect all round bike.

Did you check out the new Himalayan 450 or the KTM Adventure 250/390? Maybe an over kill for the city riding only use case, but should meet most of your other parameters - especially the space requirement.

You only need to fit handle grips or wear gloves to get over this issue, otherwise one of them will be in your garage. Alternatively, switching to Meteor 650's handle grip to Interceptor will eliminate the need altogether. Since you didn't like Meteor 350, not sure if you want to try Meteor 650.

Note:
a. Interceptor 650 - Your mini-me & other half will find it extremely uncomfortable
b. Speed 900 - It's a motorcycle to be ridden hard & long, but for your use of 98% in city & rarity of more than 30 kms...not sure what to say
c. VStorm 250 - Little practical

Like Rajeev says, Himalayan 450 or D390 may be a good fit

Last but not the least: In the present ages, any motorcycle is old in 3 years & outdated in 6 years & will be considered extinct in 9 years

I think a new or sparingly used CB 500 X or the NX 500 if and when it’s launched is a wonderful option. Lower down the price range, I feel for predominant city use, the Scrambler 400X will also be a nice option.

Bear in mind that some of these bikes coming closer to the 400 cc mark do tend to heat up a bit in the city and are you really ok with having a small child on the front on such bikes. I’d say that for any two wheeler though - such a small child in front is really avoidable - specially since you have access to a car. Given the above I’m not really keen on suggesting a Himalayan which can tend to heat up a LOT in city traffic, certainly more than the Triumph 400s.

I note your last statement on scooters but I’d still suggest you give the Aerox a look as an outside contender if no bike fits your requirements. It really is a stunning scooter with really nice performance.

The old saying goes grip the bike from the tank not your hands but I've found this difficult to do on many motorcyles especially commuters.
Outside of that a well designed riding triangle will take the strain off your hands even if a bit sporty like the RTR you experienced but almost always the suspension will be a bit stiff, in line with the sporty intent of the motorcycle.

Suggestions for a test ride, in order :
1. RE Classic 350 : an ideal fit for your needs. Low end response, comfy suspension, tank is not intrusive. Although short of the 30bhp mark but I do suggest a test ride as your needs warrant a good low and mid range response over top end performance.

2. Triumph Scrambler 400X : If the 30bhp is a threshold then you're left with this as the best option.

3. HD X440 : Just take a test ride to get a feel of things. Also check how is the servicing going to happen at your location.

I went through something similar that it took a little more than 8 months to choose amongst various options & the long drawn launch cycle didn't help either. I am not one for pre-booking without test riding & luckily enough they gave the early bird discount for people who actually wanted the bike and pay for it.

I have a lower back problem from time to time & was looking for something upright as well.
I have been doing commutes (45-50km roundtrip) with Speed 400 in OMR for the last 2 months without any problem. The road is bad in patches & the seating position though not fully upright, didn't cause any issue. The suspension handles the bad patches well. There is heat which can be felt in signals but is not unbearable.

As for seating my son (5+ now) in front, many of the 300+ cc bikes do get heated & are longer with large tanks and I am not sure he'd be able to keep his legs in one place. I was quite comfortable seating him in front on a TVS Starcity (keeping the legs on crash guard) & Activa from an early age. I can say one thing for sure, his enthusiasm is not reduced when he nows sits in the back holding me tightly.

Since this is a long-termer, he will grow out in an year and won't be able to sit in front without obstructing & has to shift to rear seat.

Riding the Speed 400 has been fun and at the end of the day is a great mid-life-crisis (and cheaper relatively I might add) bike.

I can definitely vouch for the engine & if it is the same in Scrambler 400X, it will be an amazing ride as well.

You have mentioned that you would be riding your motorcycle inside the city most of the time. Keeping that in mind, I guess you have to reconsider your decision of wanting to buy a motorcycle that has 30+ bhp.

I would actually suggest getting a Scram 411. Yes, it's an old bike, but since you're considering the others, plus comfy seating on the tank, I don't think it gets much better than that. Scrambler 400x would be next logical choice.

In any case, you could get leather grips from Trip Machine Co. to smoothen the grips and make it a bit more comfortable on the hands.

Himalayan 450, KTM Adv 390, Scrambler 400x (less space that other two) seems practical options for your requirement.

Himalayan 450/ Scrambler seems to be more apt for your city usage requirement with more torque in lower end.

Old Himalayan would have been more apt for city usage with loads of torque in low/ mid, but does not make sense considering that RE is going to discontinue it.

I can think of only two machines which can go close to meeting your requirements : with upright seating posture, 98% city use, good suspension, adequate power, built to last and fuss-free ownership.

• Triumph Scrambler 400X
• RE Himalayan 450

I would suggest above bikes in the same order that they are listed.

If carrying a child in front is unavoidable, it would definitely be easier on the Triumph given the flatter shape of the tank.

The weight on hands leaving impressions is more of a habit than a postural issue. Try to be light and less tense on the grip, should work out.

Build quality and fuss free ownership is something yet to be ascertained for both the bikes because they are newly launched. Wait for a year if you can. Thought built to a cost, going by brand value, the Triumph's quality would obviously be a notch above the RE.

Heat management would be an issue on both the bikes, because they are not specifically meant for city commute.

Overall, the Triumph is lighter, more nimble, comes with alloys and is still VFM. So I would recommend it.

Regards

Check the newly launched CB350, which has a true classic design. I think it has less power, but the torque is good and new version has longer seat than hiness or 350RS.

Which bike gave you the temporary tattoo?! Perhaps you are gripping the handlebar too hard.

The 3 you have listed above based on your requirements should work well. A bar back handlebar riser should solve the hand straining issue. These are generally available for all types of motorcycles.

In addition, don't discount a "smaller" looking bike. Everyone starts off wanting a big looking thing and then looks on with jealousy as a Duke or Splendor or petite looking thing carries on business like it's nothing over the worst roads possible.
The Speed and Scrambler 400X are amazing in that sense.
The new Himalayan is nimble and at your height, you might find it nearly ticks all boxes. It's also that one motorcycle that won't stop you taking it almost anywhere, anytime. A proper tourer.
I ride my Himalayan 411 only in city now. And I can tell you, it's a pleasure especially given the ridiculous roads found in some places. A more nimble bike in the Scrambler 400X or the Speed 400 with plush suspension, are not at all bad options.

+1 to Classic or Bullet 350. Followed by CB350, FZ25(discontinued?), Pulsar N250, Pulsar 220 in the same order. These bikes are more than sufficient for almost all practical purposes. These may not feel as huge upgrades from 160cc, but they do ride substantially different, are forgiving and easy on the wallet.

IMHO, in the city, 100% of 30+ bhp would surely be unusable on any modern bike unless one has a habit of riding wide open throttle.

Two things you can take into consideration in my opinion are:
1. If the strain is merely on your palm and not your entire wrist, the same can be solved by a combination of Risers and Grips (Grip Puppies/Route 95 Grips). This will to a certain extent dampen vibrations as well if any.
2. 30 Bhp isn't an absolute necessity if the motorcycle is purely for city use and I would ask you to reconsider the same if you live in a locality with dense traffic. I'd say heat management, good suspension and mileage is more important.

Based on these two criteria, I would suggest a motorcycle a friend of mine has which is the TVS Ronin. If you can get past the design, which may or may not be to your liking, the bike has a really good suspension setup, seating posture, heat management and mileage. It also will be an upgrade over your existing bike in terms of power and torque (Around 20Bhp). Do take a test ride. You can also use the OEM Rear Rack (Accessory) to mount a top box for some storage in the city. My friend has had it for around 9000 Kms so far without any major issues and gets roughly 45kmpl in Mid Level Bangalore traffic (40km Commute per day). Couple this with its 14L tank, and you have a substantial tank range too.

I do like most of the other bikes you've mentioned as well, but I think that they may be overkill for pure city use. Do take a test ride and decide and no matter what bike you pick, set a good sum aside for proper riding gear, no matter the distance. Cheers :D