Which bike to cruise on the highways that fits my inherent nature?

Next time you test ride/drive and don’t like a particular machinery, think about it in this way, does this machine fit my inherent nature? You may be surprised by the answer.

BHPian BlackStrat recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Have you ever wondered why is it that some of us like an ADV more than a Roadster, or a tourer more than an ADV or a cruiser more than a roadster? Is it the engine or is it the looks, maybe it’s the performance or wait, maybe it’s the other millions of things that makes a like one type of machine more than the other. If one thinks about it at length, preferably while doing 90 kmph on the Mumbai – Bangalore highway, then it all boils down to the nature of the rider. Your nature makes you choose the kind of machine you end up choosing. A plain vanilla thought, but have we ever thought about something as simple as this? Imagine a calm and composed personality riding a superbike, are they a match made in heaven? Maybe…maybe not.

The reason for penning down my thoughts on this topic are quite persona. So, I was in the market for a motorcycle which can cruise at 90-100 kmph on the highway without breaking a sweat and this led me to shortlist a host of machines. The Scram 411 by Royal Enfield, Vstrom 250 by Suzuki, KTM duke 250, Triumph Scrambler 400X and the Hero Mavrick. Before you jump to conclusions about me barring the Royal Enfield Classics or the Bullet from the list, I already own one of these and hence these impeccable machines were left out of contention. As we can see here, I shortlisted the machines based on their specific capabilities and while all of them were able to meet the most important criteria of cruising at a specific speed, I still gravitated towards only one of these. I test rode all of these as choosing something based on some Youtube videos or reading a spec sheet just doesn’t cut the bill for me. I’d like to share my experience of riding each of these and would like the audience to guess which machine was chosen at the end.

I’ll start off with the machine with the best finish quality. The Triumph is an absolute pleasure to ride with its low-end torque and an amazing throttle map which helps pull from almost any gear and/or speed you are in. If anyone is looking for a city commuter then this is the machine they should own and pamper. What a beauty! On the highway too, the bike feels planted with the tyres and a suspension setup(to die for) which is godly. One reaches the cruising speeds of 90-100 kmph in a flash and staying there is not an issue at all as the bike feels composed and the engine seems stress free. There are vibrations but that is what old-timers call “character”, and what’s the point of owning a single cylinder mill if one can’t deal with a few vibes. Rev-happy is an understatement for this bike and boy it liked to be revved.

Next up, the V-strom 250. Now you must wonder what is a 250cc bike doing amongst a bunch of 400s. This question is answered once you take the bike for a spin. Great stance, great build quality, suspension that almost pummel the road into submission and a throttle response to write home about (literally me right now). While the engine is the same from the Gixxer 250, the way it pulls and pulls and pulls when needed is mind-blowing. On my test ride, I remember hitting 50-70 kmph in a flash. Smooth, but not always crisp, gear shifts and an easy clutch action (I come from the Cast iron and UCE era of RE) makes this machine a good one in the city and a top notch one on the highway. 70-80 kmph is a breeze, 90 is not much of an effort and while you are at it, the speedo shows 100. Seating ergonomics too are impressive and the top all of this off, the fuel efficiency is way about all the bikes mentioned above.

After this was the Scram 411. The sales representative at the showroom was surprised when I asked for a bike which was older as compared to the Hunter 350 and according to him a downgrade from the bike I owned currently. They didn’t have a test bike hence I had to ask a friend of mine to allow me to take his bike for a spin. Most of us know the old Himalayan engine was such a sweetheart at providing low end torque and this engine was no different, it’s the same one as the old Himalayan. As is their trademark, RE delivers on their promise of a mild-mannered tourer with some off-road capabilities. Suspensions were good, the seating position was great, ride quality was almost at par with all the test rides I took. Handling was also manageable, while the bike was on the heavier side at around 190 kgs (my friend got the centre stand mounted) it was not unmanageable. Yes, when you compare it with the Vstrom and the Triumph, it does fall short on the weight department and the tubeless tyres in this day and age are bothersome.

Coming to the KTM Duke 250. Man this bike was manic. If the triumph was rev happy, this was a couple of notches above that. Amazing street naked, that engine is a gem. City commute was not an issue, yes one needs to work the gear to keep it chugging along at the right RPM but that too is a breeze with the gear shifter in the new bike. Suspension setup is good but on the firmer side, which I don’t mind at all due to the road quality around my city. Highway runs were fun but the aggressive riding position won’t let you tour for more than an hour or so at a stretch. Cruising speeds were not at an issue at all as that 250cc mill is almost the best engine amongst all the bikes we test rode.

Last but not the least, the Mavrick 440. Dual shocks are so nostalgic, only Hero can pull off something like this on a 400cc bike. Hero is the Maruti Suzuki of bikes, as most of their consumers ask the “kitna deti hai?” question more often than not. I remember when Maruti launched the S-cross(a good car) but it didn’t work out as the average Indian was not ready to pay more than 10 lakhs for a Maruti. Hero, sadly suffers from this image. There is nothing wrong with the bike and I would go as far as to say that this is one of the best engines from the Hero stable with its character and power delivery. Handling too is top notch with little to complain. Cruising on the highway and city runs are a breeze due to the ease of gear shifts and the tractability of this engine. Yes the fit and finish needs an upgrade but that is something only time can teach as this is their first “premium” product.

So, were you guys able to ascertain which machine did I end up selecting as my new partner for the road?

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I congratulate readers who thought I went for the Suzuki. You too have great taste in bikes.

So here’s the deal on why I went for the Suzuki. You see, I as person and by extension as a rider am calm and like things which are mild mannered and not extremely aggressive. It’s in my nature to allow someone in a hurry to pass. I am that guy who waits at signals even if its way past midnight, not because I can’t jump a signal, but because what the harm in following the law. I am one of those who slows down at every intersection to check all sides even if it’s my signal, this is more of a precaution due to impeccable drivers on our road. The moment I sat on the Triumph it was felt in a hurry. The engine was just too jumpy for my taste. After reading this, you should know how the KTM felt. The Scram 411 almost felt sluggish at a point of time and frankly a bit dated when I compare it with the rest of motorcycles I rode. The Hero was nice but it didn’t feel as comfortable on the highway as the V-strom did. In fact, only the Triumph came close to the V-strom when you compare highway comfort. Both have great suspension setup with the V-strom having a slightly firmer setup.

Reiterating a fact here, all these bikes are wonderful machines, but the choice of the pseudo ADV was partly due to its characteristics and mostly due to my nature. Calm, composed, stable and safety-first approach is what best describes me a driver. I expect the same things from the vehicle I own.

Moral of the story, the next time you test ride/drive and don’t like a particular machinery, think about it in this way, does this machine fit my inherent nature? You may be surprised by the answer.

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