[V.Max]

Hello Team-BHP folks!

I'm thrilled and pleased to be a part of this knowledge bank. Massive thanks to admin team for approving my entry here. Shame I found my entry here so late eventhough admin had approved my membership long ago!

Now here's my deal - I've been suffering chronically from this disease called Bike-choosophobia for a good 3 years now . I currently own a BS 3 FZ-S since 2014 and looking for an upgrade since 2021. Unable to make up my mind and looking for guidance to from you folks!

First my requirements:
1. MUST BE A "non-vibrating" multi cylinder vehicle OR a "non-vibrating" single which can cruise at 100-140 with ease.
2. Has to give a minimum of 25-30 kmpl in city conditions (I like to hypermile and go for occasional speed bursts) and have sufficient ground clearance.
3. Preferably light weight, say around 165-190 kilos
4. Long rides will be done say once a month.
5. Not brand conscious (But i don't want any bikes originating outside our country's northern borders).
6. Budget under 5.5 lakhs and not a used bike.
7. Can be any type of bike, say an ADV/Faired bike/Cruiser. Anything!

Please share your views on firstly whether my expectations are preposterous or fair and then suggest a good alternative.

Cheers,
V.Max

[ABeeBytes]

Originally Posted by V.Max

Please share your views on firstly whether my expectations are preposterous or fair and then suggest a good alternative.

What all have you tried and where are you stuck? You must have something that's pulling your heartstrings. Let us know.

[VW2010]

Some combinations may work, but not all the requirements will be satisfied.

1 - Single-cylinder cruising at 100-140 with ease without vibration - Does not exist.
2 - 25-35kmpl on multi-cylinder will be difficult to manage in the city. A single cylinder may be able to get close to 25
3 - There are some good options at that weight range but many won't satisfy the above 2 or point 6 (KTM and similar 350-400cc)
6 - New under 5.5 leaves you with certain good bikes in the 400/500cc segment which won't satisfy 1, 2 or even 3

You may have to get the Xpulse and upgrade the bore to get to 120kmph at ease. This will satisfy all the requirements.

What you are asking for in my humble opinion is a custom bike requirement that cannot be purchased off the shelf. Based on a recent purchase by a friend of mine, the BMW 850 or the street triple RS satisfies all points but fails miserably on point 6. You should check the RS457 as it is a better bike that satisfies most of your requirements and since you are not worried about the type of bike.

NX500 at exorbitant cost is also an option but usually that is reserved for Honda lovers.

[7000plusrpm]

So, if you want around 35kmpl from your bike, your best bet would be to stick to 250-300cc segment. You comfortable cruising speed will be restricted to 100, which I feel is more than sufficient for our roads. Your options would be the Duke/Husqvarna 250, Suzuki 250s (Gixxer, SF, VStorm), Honda CB gang (CB300R/CB300F/HNess/350RS/CB350) etc.

If you want to cruise at around 140, you probably need a 650. I have never had the chance to ride one for long. This will push your budget to 9.5-11L (The Versys and the Triumph Tiger 660s).

The middle ground is where the 400-500ccs are. Some of them are in your budget too. Your options are the Aprilia RS457, the Ninja 500 (too costly in my opinion for what it offers) and the KTM and Triumph 400s. You can cruise at 120 on all of them comfortably, and push a little further on some of them. The ground clearance and mileage criteria may not be satisfied.

I am not sure if you are going to use this for touring or not. For touring, the Triumph 400X, the scrambler is a very good option. Otherwise, the Aprilia RS457 comes very close to most of your requirements.

[Ratan Prabhu]

Very reluctantly, I can vote for Ninja 300 to fit most of your requirements. Will cost around 4.50L on road.
I have ridden it extensively when my friend used to have one and can surely say it has zero vibrations at 120 kmph on 6th gear. Will easily give 22-23 kmpl in city and 27-28 kmpl on highways.
It is a comfortable sports tourer.
Cons : Decade old bike, low ground clearance.

Aprilia RS457 would cost 5.30-5.50L on road and still is a better value for money product than the ninja but fuel efficiency have been inconsistent in various reviews.
Bit more aggressive riding position compared to Ninja300 but not too aggressive.

As mentioned in posts above, no single cyl bike can cruise without vibration above 110-120 kmph, no twin cyl bike will get you "minimum 25-30 kmpl" mileage.
Ninja300 and RS457 come close as they are entry level twin cyl bikes. They will be a big upgrade over your 10 yr old BS3 FZ. There are many other bikes at ~3L price range which can cruise at 100kmph and save you 2-2.5 lacs and still be a good upgrade over the FZ

[DieselAnna]

I shall suggest 2 bikes which almost fits your requirements:
1. RE Interceptor 650
2. Triumph Scram 400x

[ChetanM6]

I have a similar conundrum but albeit a bit different. I already have the Yamaha YZF R3. I bought it when i was in early 30s and after 7 years, I am now looking for a twin cylinder motorcycle that doesn't have a committed riding posture. There are no ADVs or Street motorcycles in that 5-5.5 lakhs range unfortunately. I would love to get suggestions from fellow members here.

[R-Six]

Originally Posted by V.Max

Please share your views on firstly whether my expectations are preposterous or fair and then suggest a good alternative.

Hi V.Max,

I got to agree with the rest of the gang here, the expectations are a bit confused and demanding. But hey, we are called petrolheads for a reason. But having said that, expecting a single cylinder vibe free bike to cruise around 120 is a tall ask

That aside, here are some of the bikes that fall in your budget / requirement criteria and might suit your needs:

• Triumph Scrambler 400X
• KTM 390 Adventure
• Harley Davidson X440
• Honda NX500

But remember one thing, no bike fits all the needs. So, best bet would be to go try some of the shortlisted bikes and see which one suits your needs the most. If you are confused after the shorter test drives offered by the dealership, rent those out for a day or a weekend and go for a longer ride with your buddies. That will give a clear understanding of what works best.

Anyway all the best on your hunt.

Ride Safe,
R-Six

[b16h22]

Originally Posted by ChetanM6

I have a similar conundrum but albeit a bit different. I already have the Yamaha YZF R3. I bought it when i was in early 30s and after 7 years, I am now looking for a twin cylinder motorcycle that doesn't have a committed riding posture. There are no ADVs or Street motorcycles in that 5-5.5 lakhs range unfortunately. I would love to get suggestions from fellow members here.

You might have to wait for the Versys 300x.

[Geo_Ipe]

Originally Posted by V.Max

1. MUST BE A "non-vibrating" multi cylinder vehicle OR a "non-vibrating" single which can cruise at 100-140 with ease.

May I ask why the indirect pun/poke at the Royal Enfield lineup? Long gone are the days when you needed to go to the gym regularly to start and ride the Enfields!

1. MUST BE A "non-vibrating" multi cylinder vehicle OR a "non-vibrating" single which can cruise at 100-140 with ease.
2. Has to give a minimum of 25-30 kmpl in city conditions (I like to hypermile and go for occasional speed bursts) and have sufficient ground clearance.
3. Preferably light weight, say around 165-190 kilos
4. Long rides will be done say once a month.
5. Not brand conscious (But i don't want any bikes originating outside our country's northern borders).
6. Budget under 5.5 lakhs and not a used bike.
7. Can be any type of bike, say an ADV/Faired bike/Cruiser. Anything!

The Interceptor 650 is custom built for you. Have you taken a test ride of one yet? Butter smooth 650 cc twin cylinder, capable of much more speeds than you have mentioned. Will give 25 kmpl mileage. Kerb weight may be over 200 kg, but no difficulty in managing that at crawling or highway speeds. Unless you decide to carry the motorcycle on your head, weight won't be an issue for the Interceptor. Fits well under your budget.

Please take a test ride and let us know how you felt.

[V.Max]

Originally Posted by ABeeBytes

what all have you tried and where are you stuck? You must have something that's pulling your heartstrings. let us know.

I've tried the RE twins, CB500X (last year), Ninja 300 and the RS457. R3 is so tempting. But the 5.5 lakhs OTR Chennai is making me consider selling one of my kidneys!

Originally Posted by Geo_Ipe

May I ask why the indirect pun/poke at the Royal Enfield lineup? Long gone are the days when you needed to go to the gym regularly to start and ride the Enfields!

Buddy I get you. Just to clarify, I am not taking a dig at RE. It's from my hometown and I love them. I was actually taking a dig at KTM. They're all vibey. All of them.

Or you can say, I have feather-soft hands. Either way, they don't suit me. Desperately waiting for KTM Duke 690. Should be a cracker.

Originally Posted by ChetanM6

I have a similar conundrum but albeit a bit different. I already have the Yamaha YZF R3. I bought it when i was in early 30s and after 7 years, I am now looking for a twin cylinder motorcycle that doesn't have a committed riding posture. There are no ADVs or Street motorcycles in that 5-5.5 lakhs range unfortunately. I would love to get suggestions from fellow members here.

How's your R3 doing ? Kinda tilting towards getting one. People are talking about vibes and buzz in the BS6 R3. Is that true?

Originally Posted by Geo_Ipe

The Interceptor 650 is custom built for you. Have you taken a test ride of one yet? Butter smooth 650 cc twin cylinder, capable of much more speeds than you have mentioned. Will give 25 kmpl mileage. Kerb weight may be over 200 kg, but no difficulty in managing that at crawling or highway speeds. Unless you decide to carry the motorcycle on your head, weight won't be an issue for the Interceptor. Fits well under your budget.

Please take a test ride and let us know how you felt.

I did drive it and thoroughly loved it. BUT here in Chennai, the engine heat fried me. That's my worry and of course the iffy fuel gauge.

[saisailendra]

Originally Posted by VW2010

the BMW 850 or the street triple RS satisfies all points but fails miserably on point 6.

As an owner of a Street Triple R, I can say, that it not only fails on point 6, but also few other points that the OP mentioned about.

The street triple is not "vibration free", which the OP seems to be very particular about.
It does not give anything close to the mileage numbers that the OP is looking for.

[V.Max]

• Triumph Scrambler 400X
• KTM 390 Adventure
• Harley Davidson X440
• Honda NX500

The NX 500 is to die for. But I cant find test rides here in Chennai bigwing network !

[VW2010]

Triumph Scrambler 400X
KTM 390 Adventure
Harley Davidson X440
Honda NX500

None of these will satisfy all your ask. If I have to give a top-down recommendation considering VFM, maintenance, and ownership the order will be

KTM 390 Adventure
Triumph Scrambler 400x
NX500
Harley Davidson x440

The cheapest to maintain will always be the KTM as parts are cheap and service cost is a blessing.

There is always the concern of reliability but 50% of owners have done 1L plus with usual maintenance and 50% have rebuilt the engine after 50K km which is also cheap.

Chennai and test-riding honda and Kawasaki is not possible. Their bikes sell and the dealers are useless and deserve no praise.

[V.Max]

Originally Posted by VW2010

the BMW 850 or the street triple RS satisfies all points but fails miserably on point 6. You should check the RS457 as it is a better bike that satisfies most of your requirements and since you are not worried about the type of bike.

NX500 at exorbitant cost is also an option but usually that is reserved for Honda lovers.

Leaving price aside, Do you mean to say that the BMW 850/Street triple can give 25 kmpl?? Btw, i'm a Honda lover too. There's a used 2021 CB500X available for approx. 4.5 lakhs. Is that a good deal? Pls clarify