[Stribog]

Background - Am 5'7 and of a medium build, I prefer an upright riding position (had a nicely modded Apache RTR 180 but gave it up because of the sheer stress on the shoulders the committed riding position was causing). Am also 44 years old and the last bike I owned was the RTR which I sold off in 2020 but it had barely been used to begin with. Looking for a nice peppy bike. My current 2 wheeler ride is a used Ntorq.

For some further perspective, am based in Mumbai right now but getting back home to Chennai in April. In Mumbai I use an Ntorq (as driving a car in Marol and Saki Naka is the surest way to go insane from all the traffic), but looking to pick up a bike in Chennai. My daily commute in Chennai would also be heavily traffic filled, from Mogappair to Guindy (has metro construction in one route and a lot of traffic on the other) hence I would prefer to bike it rather than drive my car.

My budget is around 2.7-2.8 lakhs OTR max.

Bikes considered -

1) Jawa 42 2.1 - I really like the Jawa, the engine seems far more refined than the clattery one I test rode 3 years ago. It's low so height is not a problem and definitely looks stunning. The service issue though is a big big question mark. Any enthusiast I have spoken with has told me to stay away. I wonder though, is it okay to just take that risk? I mean how bad can it be?

2) 42 Bobber - same as above but the added issue of poor suspension. Of all my shortlisted bikes this is what the heart yearns for but is the suspension really that earth shatteringly bad? Is there even a single Bobber in this forum (indicating how poorly it's recieved?).

3) Triumph Speed 400 - I loved the TD, absolutely peppy engine with oodles of mid range torque, compact so riding triangle was perfect (though I might need risers to make it even more comfy, looks good, perfect for city + shorter highway cruises. The service network though is a big question mark (though with Bajaj Triumph promising to expand it within 2024 will it continue to be an issue?) but is it that much of a deal breaker?

4) Harley x 440 - the bike ticks all the boxes but is the biggest in this shortlist and while the riding geometry is okay, the height is not something am very comfortable with. Also somehow I found the Triumph Speed 400 engine more city friendly (please correct me if my understanding is wrong) the budget also would go to 3 lakhs OTR. Mind you I started with 2.2 lakhs OTR and pushed it to 2.8 (Triumph OTR price Chennai).

Dark horse - Ronin. I really like the front and side angles but the rear is an abomination. Peppy engine, features that include the kitchen sink apparently and I can save 60-80,000 Rs over the other shortlists.

Any other suggestions? Thoughts welcome.

[Ratan Prabhu]

Hello, from the bikes you have shortlisted, Triumph Speed 400 is undoubtedly the best city bike. However the sitting posture will be slight leaning forward. But since you have taken the test ride already, I'm assuming you are fine with the sitting ergonomics.

I would suggest not to go for the Ronin because it is a step down from all the bikes you have considered even if you will save good money. Later you shouldn't feel that you could have bought a bigger upgrade over your Apache in terms of performance.

Another great city bike which can also do highway trips will be the newly launched Hero Mavrick 440. Since you liked the Harley but felt it is too big, try out the Mavrick as it is slightly smaller overall compared to Harley and has great comfort and torque for city riding.

My vote goes for these two - Speed400 and Mavrick440 (middle variant)

[AulusGabinius]

I've actually had the chance to run around Guindy and Chennai quite a bit recently, so I think I'm familiar with your ride conditions. Given the fact that you don't want a committed position, and you do like the Jawas and the Triumph, I think these should be on your checklist:

1. Gixxer 250: It's a nice engine, although the electronics, suspensions and display are a bit old; riding position isn't overly committed, but you should still check it out. It's not that different from the Triumph. The V-Strom 250 SX also suggests itself.

2. Honda CB350 family: I would suggest the Highness in the touring comfort trim, or the RS in touring trim. The engine is an absolute delight in the city, and it's light enough that it isn't too heavy to handle. A lot of people have liked it on the forum as well. Personally I've driven friends' bikes for a few hundred km, and I feel comfortable on the Highness, not so much on the RS (too tall for it, I think), but the engines are epic and the hardware is excellent. The electronics are a bit budget though. Much has been made of the tall gearing, but it's just a personal taste. Functionality is not affected in any way.

3. Triumph Speed 400: You're already checking this out, but the dealership issue shouldn't be annoying. Pune now has three, with four coming up, and Chennai has 4 or so, if I'm not wrong. That number is bound to increase.

4. Duke 250/ Vitpilen 250: The position is not as committed, but it will push the budget. All things aside, the new Duke is just excellent. Took a TD just for fun, and the engine is a little on the calm side for a Duke, but good fun in the city. Hardware is excellent, suspension nearly as good as the Triumph. Vitpilen should be similar.

5. RE Hunter: If you're going for this, put aside some 25 k for comfort mods, including rear shock replacements with Classic 350 shocks, a FuelX Pro, and an Easy Clutch. Electronics are typical RE. But still a better bet than a Ronin.

Essentially, I would look for something 180-185 kgs in weight, power figures around the 25 bhp mark, and torque around the 20 Nm mark. The Triumph stands out in all of those.

[hikozaru]

Originally Posted by Stribog

My daily commute in Chennai would also be heavily traffic filled, from Mogappair to Guindy (has metro construction in one route and a lot of traffic on the other)

Take the metro from Thirumangalam to Guindy and get some exercise walking to your office (or negotiate some monthly fee with some auto or taxi guy to take you to your place everyday). Easy come, easy go. Chennai metro is not even crowded unlike other cities, to justify putting yourself through the torture of riding without AC on bad roads and heavy traffic.

[madrasmandayan]

Originally Posted by Stribog

My daily commute in Chennai would also be heavily traffic filled, from Mogappair to Guindy (has metro construction in one route and a lot of traffic on the other) hence I would prefer to bike it rather than drive my car.

I commute in the same route everyday. Trust me, no bike is comfortable in our hot and humid climate when clubbed with peak hour traffic.

I used a CBR250R initially. It wasn't bad but could feel some heat around the legs. So I recommend not to go for a Duke (correct me if I am wrong). I then used a car but driving in 100 feet and Poonamallee road is stressful and time consuming.

Tried metro but it increased the commute time and the walk to office made me sweat a lot.

Now I use a scooter (Suzuki Avenis). It is extremely convenient to move around but the trade off is comfort. The suspensions on scooter (no matter how advanced) is never good enough. Even for a 16-20km round trip a day, it doesn't feel comfortable especially when we hit a pothole.

I am planning to go for CBR300R or switch to cycling (again not safe if you take the Poonamalle road). I liked Honda Highness but in slow speeds none of the heavy bikes are comfortable. There is always a trade-off MT15 would be an amazing choice if not for the hard suspension.

You might also consider the 150CC segment (FZX, Xpulse, CB200X) unless you suffer from the upgrade itch like me

Choose wisely!

[aargee]

Depends on 2 factors primarily
1. Route C or route H
2. During or non peak hours


I've done more than this every single weekday {56 Km} with route H from 2010 to 2016 {when the traffic was way too sparse} with my Rx & later CBR 250R & during off peak hours & still got frustrated. But that's me speaking from my experience.

Point I'm trying to say is: if route C, then you'll certainly appreciate a gearless scooter on long run, if route H then spending 2-2.5 lakhs may provide good. If I were to do it today:

Here's my alternate view: Mogappair to Guindy is 16-17 Km one way atleast; if you intent to ride for 5 days, then you may be doing ~750 Km a month which is ~10000 Km year for which you may want to consider Ather which not only saves you about 1+ Lakh depending on the model, but also with ongoing maintenance. You may have to compromise on your highway rides though. But you're more likely to get a ROI in about 2.5-3 years with an EV

[rajkir80]

Originally Posted by Stribog

Any other suggestions? Thoughts welcome.

Is Pulsar N250 a sensible choice? It has very good low end torque, nice midrange, good riding position, comfortable suspension which in bad city roads, less weight and dual channel ABS.

The price is well under 2L. Like NS200, there can be facelift very soon which will include upside down forks and if not more a 6th gear as well.

I'm bugged up with driving car in Bangalore traffic and expecting to pick up a bike soon.

[b16h22]

Originally Posted by Stribog

4) Harley x 440 - the bike ticks all the boxes but is the biggest in this shortlist and while the riding geometry is okay, the height is not something am very comfortable with. Also somehow I found the Triumph Speed 400 engine more city friendly (please correct me if my understanding is wrong) the budget also would go to 3 lakhs OTR. Mind you I started with 2.2 lakhs OTR and pushed it to 2.8 (Triumph OTR price Chennai).

Any other suggestions? Thoughts welcome.

You can add one more bike to the list, the Hero Mavrick. It is priced well and it has the same engine from the X440 that you liked. The riders triangle looks sorted for city and highway riding. The service center experience might not be as premium as a Triumph or other premium brands.

[GrandTourer]

Originally Posted by Stribog

Background - Am 5'7 and of a medium build, I prefer an upright riding position (had a nicely modded Apache RTR 180 but gave it up because of the sheer stress on the shoulders the committed riding position was causing). Am also 44 years old and the last bike I owned was the RTR which I sold off in 2020 but it had barely been used to begin with. Looking for a nice peppy bike. My current 2 wheeler ride is a used Ntorq.

*snip snip*

Any other suggestions? Thoughts welcome.

Slightly left field suggestion, but how about the Dominar 400. I know it's sligtly old in the tooth, but it fulfills you requirements quite well. The engine is tractable and strong enough for both city and occasional highway runs. The riding position is very comfortable, and not at all committed. Plus it sits right in your budget - 2.8L OTR Chennai.
Only downside would be the weight.

[Weirdtolerancy]

Looking for something very similar but in retro or neo retro looks.

Torn between Svartpilen, Harley and Triumph.

[itisravi]

Good looking is subjective but if you want a premium city-commuter that is peppy, the CB300F and the CB300R are great choices. Amongst non-sports bike style models, I would put more emphasis on how light the bike is and how less it heats up in traffic rather than riding position as I think these are the 2 factors that contribute to stress free city riding. Looks like there is a Big Wing sales and service center in Ambattur, so if are residing in Mogappair, that could be a plus point.

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by hikozaru

Take the metro from Thirumangalam to Guindy and get some exercise walking to your office (or negotiate some monthly fee with some auto or taxi guy to take you to your place everyday). Easy come, easy go. Chennai metro is not even crowded unlike other cities, to justify putting yourself through the torture of riding without AC on bad roads and heavy traffic.

My suggestion exactly. But going to Guindy metro station from Anna nagar side involves an interchange between two lines at Alandur metro station. Depending upon where his office is, he can get down either at Ekaduthangal metro itself or go to Guindy metro, but unless the office is a stone's throw away from the metro station, it will be better to use some last mile connectivity to avoid arriving at the office sweat soaked.

[Apex1815]

Sir, My suggestion is you can also consider "Royal Enfield Hunter".

Few + points for you may be:
- Upright sitting position
- Seat height 790 mm
- Less Bulkier than other RE Motorcycles
- Price point less than 2 Lacs in Chennai
- Easy to handle in Traffic

Only one negative I can think is the Fit & Finish of the Hunter especially the wiring.

[Stribog]

Originally Posted by Ratan Prabhu

Hello, from the bikes you have shortlisted, Triumph Speed 400 is undoubtedly the best city bike. However the sitting posture will be slight leaning forward. But since you have taken the test ride already, I'm assuming you are fine with the sitting ergonomics.

I would suggest not to go for the Ronin because it is a step down from all the bikes you have considered even if you will save good money. Later you shouldn't feel that you could have bought a bigger upgrade over your Apache in terms of performance.

Another great city bike which can also do highway trips will be the newly launched Hero Mavrick 440. Since you liked the Harley but felt it is too big, try out the Mavrick as it is slightly smaller overall compared to Harley and has great comfort and torque for city riding.

My vote goes for these two - Speed400 and Mavrick440 (middle variant)

Maverick is something that I didn't consider and many are recommending it. I looked up reviews and it seems like a solid vfm bike so will TD it. Ronin yes, I had mixed feelings, but threw it in as a dark horse in the race.

Originally Posted by AulusGabinius

I've actually had the chance to run around Guindy and Chennai quite a bit recently, so I think I'm familiar with your ride conditions. Given the fact that you don't want a committed position, and you do like the Jawas and the Triumph, I think these should be on your checklist:

1. Gixxer 250: It's a nice engine, although the electronics, suspensions and display are a bit old; riding position isn't overly committed, but you should still check it out. It's not that different from the Triumph. The V-Strom 250 SX also suggests itself.

2. Honda CB350 family: I would suggest the Highness in the touring comfort trim, or the RS in touring trim. The engine is an absolute delight in the city, and it's light enough that it isn't too heavy to handle. A lot of people have liked it on the forum as well. Personally I've driven friends' bikes for a few hundred km, and I feel comfortable on the Highness, not so much on the RS (too tall for it, I think), but the engines are epic and the hardware is excellent. The electronics are a bit budget though. Much has been made of the tall gearing, but it's just a personal taste. Functionality is not affected in any way.

3. Triumph Speed 400: You're already checking this out, but the dealership issue shouldn't be annoying. Pune now has three, with four coming up, and Chennai has 4 or so, if I'm not wrong. That number is bound to increase.

4. Duke 250/ Vitpilen 250: The position is not as committed, but it will push the budget. All things aside, the new Duke is just excellent. Took a TD just for fun, and the engine is a little on the calm side for a Duke, but good fun in the city. Hardware is excellent, suspension nearly as good as the Triumph. Vitpilen should be similar.

5. RE Hunter: If you're going for this, put aside some 25 k for comfort mods, including rear shock replacements with Classic 350 shocks, a FuelX Pro, and an Easy Clutch. Electronics are typical RE. But still a better bet than a Ronin.

Essentially, I would look for something 180-185 kgs in weight, power figures around the 25 bhp mark, and torque around the 20 Nm mark. The Triumph stands out in all of those.

I started with looking in the 25 BHP mark, but went with a friend (who was looking for the Triumph Scram) took a Test ride and felt that bump in power for the minor cost increase was worth it. On your list, I personally don't like the Dukes (44 year old guy, am 100% sure my friend circle itself will relentlessly mock me for picking up a "youth" bike the Huskys I just find them too odd for my tastes and never an RE fan. The Gixxer yes I think I will give it a look see, it's a solid, reliable vfm product with great driveability.

Originally Posted by rajkir80

Is Pulsar N250 a sensible choice? It has very good low end torque, nice midrange, good riding position, comfortable suspension which in bad city roads, less weight and dual channel ABS.

The price is well under 2L. Like NS200, there can be facelift very soon which will include upside down forks and if not more a 6th gear as well.

I'm bugged up with driving car in Bangalore traffic and expecting to pick up a bike soon.

I personally am looking for something that's a step up from the RTR. I doubt that the home ministry will greenlight any new bike when am 50+ (except for Activa type scooters) so I want to at least go semi performance types.

Originally Posted by b16h22

You can add one more bike to the list, the Hero Mavrick. It is priced well and it has the same engine from the X440 that you liked. The riders triangle looks sorted for city and highway riding. The service center experience might not be as premium as a Triumph or other premium brands.

Fair. Will give it a TD.

Originally Posted by GrandTourer

Slightly left field suggestion, but how about the Dominar 400. I know it's sligtly old in the tooth, but it fulfills you requirements quite well. The engine is tractable and strong enough for both city and occasional highway runs. The riding position is very comfortable, and not at all committed. Plus it sits right in your budget - 2.8L OTR Chennai.
Only downside would be the weight.

Have ridden a friend's Dominar and found it way too bulky for my tastes.

Originally Posted by itisravi

Good looking is subjective but if you want a premium city-commuter that is peppy, the CB300F and the CB300R are great choices. Amongst non-sports bike style models, I would put more emphasis on how light the bike is and how less it heats up in traffic rather than riding position as I think these are the 2 factors that contribute to stress free city riding. Looks like there is a Big Wing sales and service center in Ambattur, so if are residing in Mogappair, that could be a plus point.

Lovely bike yes but it didn't appeal to me in city traffic. Took an extensive TD at around 630 pm (peak traffic) and it was not fun.

[AulusGabinius]

Originally Posted by Stribog

I started with looking in the 25 BHP mark, but went with a friend (who was looking for the Triumph Scram) took a Test ride and felt that bump in power for the minor cost increase was worth it. On your list, I personally don't like the Dukes (44 year old guy, am 100% sure my friend circle itself will relentlessly mock me for picking up a "youth" bike the Huskys I just find them too odd for my tastes and never an RE fan. The Gixxer yes I think I will give it a look see, it's a solid, reliable vfm product with great driveability.

Ah, I see. I threw in the Hondas and the Hunter more for variety than anything. Honestly, since your choice seem to be between the Speed 400 and the Mavrick, it's all down to a TD. The Speed was an obvious choice from the get-go though. A further point might be that the Speed is more or less out of its 'customer R&D' period, while the Mavrick will need maybe a few months more to be stable. The Harley, to my knowledge, has far fewer teething issues than the Speed did, but is also nowhere near as nice. I've taken a test drive at the Pune showroom in Amanora, and it feels like a Himalayan 411 in a Classic 350 chassis rather than anything existing today.