I have ridden the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and compared to that I didn't find a big change in the seating of the Bear 650.

BHPian DieselAnna recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

From a close friend came to know that the Test Bike had arrived at the Kandivli West RE showroom. I dropped in to check out the bike.

Saw the Wild Honey colour in person and liked it. However, I enquired more about the Golden shadow, since I was interested in that colour.

• Approx OTR with AMC and EW:
• Wild Honey- 4,07,000
• Golden Shadow-4,16,000

They took my details and handed over the key. I had to pull back the bike from parking and immediately realised the weight. The showroom was kind enough to let me ride how much I wanted. I guess because there were not many takers for this on a weekday afternoon.

I sat on the bike and took 2 mins to understand the controls, the ergonomics, etc.

First observation was, I didn't sit upright. I was expecting this because of the handlebar risers. However, had to lean forward a little. I have ridden the Inty 650, I didn't find a big change in seating, which I was lowkey expecting. The seat cushioning was comfortable. It had ample room to play around.

Got moving and sensed how smooth the gear action was. I was regularly checking the gear indicator to see if the gear had changed. I couldn't feel the lever movement from my shoes (I was wearing Quecha trekking shoes, it may be a factor). The braking was spot on. Even in city traffic, I could go upto 70-80kmph and managed to hard brake and the braking distance was very short.

As reported by many, the suspension is stiffer, it could be better. Let's see how it beds in after a few thousand kms. This bike had only 28kms on the ODO. So very early days. I rode for around 5-6kms in narrow lanes. I was very confident at slower speeds and the weight was never an issue. It's a well-balanced bike. I easily managed to take a tight U-turn without putting my foot down.

Enough has been said about the 650 engine. I will skip that part. It is one of the best engines out there.

I am convinced to buy this but the biggest downer is the spoked wheels. I will wait for a few weeks before I put down my money, because I know RE will bring the Tubeless spokes version. I doubt if alloys will look good on this bike.

Picture of the parked Test bike. My Versys 650 in the background. Some natural comparison may happen but these bikes don't have an overlap except the engine capacity.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Travelling to Spiti for the first time from Bangalore on Hulk and making countless memories, we experienced a journey filled with highs and lows.

BHPian nandita_bayan21 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Prologue

“Live with no excuses and travel with no regrets…”

It was mid of May 2019, and I had quit my job at Infosys. A well-paid secured job right in the IT capital of India, Bangalore, and what would have urged me to take this decision? The ideal answer would be that I must have got a better opportunity in some other company. But that was not the case. Atul and I had completely different plans in mind, and it was time to act upon them. My brother, along with his family, moved from Bangalore to Delhi owing to a job promotion-cum-transfer around three years ago. As soon as he left, it was only Atul, and I left out in the city, though we had ample friends from colleges, work, etc. We were very close to my brother, and once he left, we could feel a sense of emptiness, missed the supportive guidance a sister feels with her brother around. So, the moment he left for Delhi, this was the first time the seed of us shifting to Delhi germinated.

Having moved to Bangalore from Guwahati as a teenager, it is almost close to 13 years that I have spent in this beautiful city. This magnificent city which helped me become a strong adult from a carefree teenager, an independent working professional from a naive student, move out from the comfort zone of home and tackle the real-world challenges with determination. It is here where I made friends, friends who are family, acquaintances, met and married my soulmate, Atul. Anyone who has stayed here long enough would surely agree with me that Bangalore has its own charm. More trees, less pollution, a soothing calm temperature throughout the year, movies at Plaza, Rex, Urvashi, and Vaibhav, pubs like Pecos, Purple Haze, walk through the busy lanes of MG Road and Brigade Road with friends, lush greenery at Lalbagh, well-laid footpaths and tree-lined boulevards. It was a little paradise in itself, and I still prefer to love Bangalore that way despite the growing traffic, pollution, haphazard parking, and chaos. Bangalore would always remain close to my heart even if it has turned now into a chaotic city, losing the compassion slowly. The place has been my 2nd home for almost close to half of my entire life, and the very thought of leaving it and settling into a completely different city was not easy.

Just because my brother shifted to Delhi was not the sole reason for us to do so too. There were many other parameters. I willingly learned Kannada to get more accustomed to the place I was staying in, picked up a little of Tamil too from friends at college. But whenever our parents visited Bangalore, they always had the language barrier to an extent. With Assamese and Hindi being both side parents’ languages for expression of speech, they felt discomfort whenever they had to converse with people in Bangalore, be it while using public transport, cabs, market places, shops, etc. I am not a linguistic chauvinist, but I think most of you will relate to the fact that parents who have spoken local languages throughout their life would find it difficult to converse in a completely different language. Accepting food style was never a challenge, although there were a lot of dissimilarities with taste. I could indeed say that our parents were quite open about the notion that once you are in a different place for earning your bread and butter, it is always good to adapt to the local surroundings and be aware of the rules and norms of the land.

I would say that the most critical factor for us to shift to Delhi was the proximity to both our hometowns. Connectivity of Guwahati and Begusarai from Delhi is undoubtedly better than from Bangalore. Though Bangalore had direct flights and trains to Guwahati, the problem most faced was by Atul. He would lose an entire day if he had to travel from Bangalore to Begusarai, which is in Bihar — changing flights, trains, and taxis to reach home. From Delhi, the Guwahati Rajdhani passes through Begusarai, and the distance is covered in just 12 hours. This was a boon. Also, we can’t deny the most crucial point that our parents are getting older and they would want us to be near them, if not stay with them. Atul’s father is a heart patient, and he requires to come to Delhi very often for his check-ups. So, being in Delhi would surely mean better medical care for him. We have been requesting them to shift to Delhi and stay with us, but they prefer to be staying in Begusarai and be rooted to where they belong. Nonetheless, Atul’s sister and her husband stay in Noida too. This means for both our parents if they want to visit, they can visit all of us together, my parents for me and my brother, Atul’s for him and his sister – a place lesser to go meet their sons and daughters.

Since we were confirmed on shifting to Delhi, it made no sense for us to look for other cities as an option like Pune, Hyderabad, or even Kolkata for that matter. Both Atul and I knew that there were more cons than pros if we have to shift to Delhi. More pollution, extreme weather conditions, need to adjust to a new city, new office environment, and work culture, so on and so forth. However, we felt this was a small price we both were paying to be close to our families. Now, most of our friends warned us about the fact that getting a job in Delhi would be difficult as compared to Bangalore. But trust me, this is not at all true – Delhi has equal opportunities both for a person with technical as well as marketing background. I will speak about this a little later in the travelogue. Hence, with all these points in mind, as soon as it was the beginning of 2019, Atul, and I thought that if we have to shift to Delhi, it has to be this year, within 2019. It was time to take a bold step, decide on a fixed timeline on when to shift to Delhi, and then make all our plans by backtracking from that day. After some discussions, talking to families, we agreed upon moving permanently by Oct 2019 (I wanted my Diwali 2019 to be in Delhi). So, with this date fixed, it made our life easier as between January to October, all our plans and activities were planned accordingly. All along, both Atul and I knew that this was a life-changing plunge that we both wanted to take, but we had each other’s back. We were aware that we are going into a territory full of uncertainties, but until and unless we try, we will never know if this was the right choice or not. There will always be an option to move back to Bangalore.

I hope the story so far has not bored you; hence, let me come back to the actual prologue of this thread. My notice period at Infosys was close to three months with no negotiation (which I didn’t need anyway). After some calculations, so that both our last days would be close to each other, Atul also went ahead and quit from his job by the first week of June (his notice period was for two months). This was a very scary moment for both of us, as although we had put down our papers, we were without any job offers in hand. Despite being terrified, we knew that it wouldn’t be so difficult for us to survive a few months without a job/salary because of the savings we were doing for several months. Initially, I had the thought of taking a few months break from career, prepare for the shifting, do the actual movement, settle down, and then go on finding a job. But after some discussion with friends and family, they convinced me that this would be a bad idea, and the ideal way to move ahead would be to keep applying for jobs in parallel and see how things unfold. So while we both went ahead and quit from our respective jobs, we started floating our resumes through Naukri, friends and acquaintances, ex-colleagues for job opportunities in Delhi and NCR regions. It wasn’t as bad as we expected, through those 2-3 months we did get few calls for job opportunities, and the job pipeline kept building up slowly and steadily. I was confident that by the time it would be Oct 2019, we will surely have some offers in hand.

While we were waiting for our respective last days, Atul and I had this sudden urge to do one last long ride from Bangalore. Between later part of August (both our last days would be done by then) and October, we will get some 1.5-2 months which would be sufficient for doing all packing, shifting, clearing and transferring everything (bank accounts, gas connections, D2H, internet, etc.) and move completely to Delhi. We needed some two and a half weeks for this ride. Having done with most parts of the country, including west, the north-east, the south, and some parts of north India, there was only one place which was yet to be explored by us. Yes, you guessed it right – LADAKH! As the joke goes within our biking circle, you have not graduated as a true rider if you haven’t done Ladakh once in your lifetime. So there were no second thoughts at all, Ladakh it was going to be, our last long ride from Bangalore. We were anyway planning to visit Delhi once before the actual shift to decide on many factors, rented home or own flat to buy, which area to stay (it was actually decided that we will stay somewhere in Dwarka as my brother stays in Dwarka), few face to face interviews lined up, etc. Hence, we clubbed the Delhi visit with this Ladakh trip. I know many people would think of us to be reckless, who goes for a long bike trip before a massive activity like shifting the city? But trust me, this is how Atul and I have always been, living life to fullest, taking some extreme steps in life, do things which bring happiness and some meaning to our lives, live life on our terms. And all this is possible only because we have each other’s back, a supportive family, and the zeal to explore the world together in life.

We considered starting the ride towards the end of August after having done with each one’s last day. Atul had prepared plans for Ladakh way back in 2013, and since then, every year, we would plan for the trip, but due to some issues or the other, it had to be cancelled. This year both of us were determined to go Ladakh come what may. The plan was already done, places to visit already known, and there wasn’t much research to be done for this trip as there are ample number of videos, travelogues, write-ups, and Google reviews. One can easily write a thesis and get a Ph.D. degree on Ladakh by reading all the information available online, which is good for us in terms of saving time on doing research, understanding about the places to visit and other essential details on weather conditions, geographical and demographical scenarios, etc. Like all other trips, this time as well, we decided to pre-book our stays for each day's destination. However, this time around, our exact date of travel was still not fixed so Atul kept the task of booking hotels for a later stage.

So, the days turned into weeks and weeks into months, and it was almost August. It was time to get ready with the final preparations for the ride like booking hotel tickets, get Hulk prepared for the trip, arrange the check-list required, and make a plan for the optimal use of budget. During May, June, and July, we avoided any bike/car trips and unnecessary expenses to save as much as possible (except a couple of short weekend overnight rides to Sakleshpur and Madikeri with our rider friends which incurred barely any cost). I was insisting Atul on booking the hotel tickets by now as it was already the first week of August and with just less than a month left, it was the right time for us to book our stays at the earliest.

Then came the day of August 5, 2019 – the Indian Government revoked the special status or limited autonomy granted under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution to Jammu and Kashmir state, dividing it into two Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh. We started getting news that several army troops have been deployed to the valley to quell any possible unrest that this move would bring in this disputed territory. Internet connections, mobile phone lines, and even landlines were severed to try and maintain law & order in the state. In such a tense situation with curfews and restrictions imposed in several districts of J&K, Atul and I had to rethink once again on our Ladakh trip. Families and friends advised us not to take the risk, drop the plan for our safety and security, which was, in a way, true. The move had worsened the already-heightened tensions with the neighboring country. I have a college friend working in Srinagar, and after talking to him about the current situation, it was fair and wise to drop our Ladakh plan for now. Once again, Travel God had a different plan laid out for us, and the ‘Got Leh’d’ Trip went down the drain for the nth time.

Both of us are thick-skinned when it comes to travelling. If a ride plan is dropped for some reason, we will make sure that we come up with another one, by no means, the days kept for the trip should go waste. Now with Ladakh going out of the window, we had to come up with a plan B. I think it didn’t take much time for us to decide on the next best destination; we planned on doing the Spiti Valley circuit. Spiti was another fantastic destination that was always in our bucket list, and we wanted to do it sometime later, after having done with Ladakh. And, so with just three weeks left for us to start on the trip, all plans and route maps for Ladakh were dropped, and Atul sat down to create a new list for Spiti ride. Both of us did the usual homework of finding out the route maps, places to visit, and other necessary details. Like Ladakh, Spiti also has sufficient information on the internet, and it didn’t take much time for us to decide on the route and places, and finally, the detailed plan. We also fixed on our travel date, August 28, 2019. - a 17 days ride back and forth from Bangalore.

Within the next couple of weeks, Atul and I both served our full notice period and done with our last days. Finally, after working for so many years continuously, we both were unemployed, even though for a brief period (however, both of us had some face to face interviews lined up in Delhi). Once done with the office, it gave us ample time to make arrangements for the trip. First in line was to do some tweaking with Hulk and get a simple service done before the ride, to prepare him for the unknown terrains in Spiti. Atul got the below things fixed:

• EBC Brake Pads worth Rs 9,000
• Hi Flo Air Filter worth Rs 1,500
• New front tyre Timsun TS712R worth Rs 4,000
• OSRAM Pilot Lamps worth Rs 1,000
• Overall service worth Rs 6,000

With all these, Hulk was almost good to go and hit the roads once again. A quick bike wash was also done a day before the ride.

After Hulk, it was time to prepare the final checklist of items to be carried along with us for the ride. Once again, we had to choose what to take and whatnot, so as not to overload Hulk. In the past, there were times when we could have managed with lesser stuff but ended up taking more along with us. This time we wanted to be careful and pick up only bare minimum required things with us, which included (for both Atul and myself):

• 4-5 pairs of extra tee shirts, mostly dry fits, 2 extra jeans
• Quick-dry towels
• 2 warm jackets to wear for cold weather
• Winter gloves apart from our usual riding gloves
• Extra pair of socks and a pair of sneaker
• Bathroom slippers
• Tool kit, puncture kit, and electric inflator
• Chain lube and cleaners
• Rain gear
• Passports and Marriage certificates
• Medical kit (pills for fever, cough, cold, stomach ache, headache, stool, Diamox in case AMS hits, bandages, crepe bandages & motion sickness pills)
• All electronic items and their chargers
• Toiletries (toothpaste, toothbrush, hand sanitizers, hand wash, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, deodorant, comb, sunscreen, body lotion, lip balm, lens solution, etc.)
• Umbrella
• Torch or flashlight
• Snacks (some biscuits, quick bites, etc. This we refilled along our journey)
• Tissues (both wet and dry)
• Sunglasses and anti-glare glasses
• Cloth cleaning soap (just in case we need to do some quick laundry)
• Scissors and a small knife
• A spoon and a glass
• Thermometer
• A notepad and a pen
• Sleeping bags
• Extra bedsheets
• Red Bull
• Extra backpack
• Zip ties, electrical and duct tapes
• Laptop, two 2TB hard disks, connectivity cables, extra memory cards, extra GoPro batteries,
• Last but not the least – our camera gears - tripod, GoPro, DSLR (2), Lens (3), Gorilla Pod

This list pretty much covered everything that we would require for the ride. To carry all the items, we took our Dirtsack Frogman saddlebags, Rynox Optimus Tank Bag, Hepco Becker Xplorer Topcase. We also carried our tent chair and few extra bungee cords to fasten up anything required. Mobile network is supposed to be very bad in Spiti valley with only BSNL picking up in few places, and Kaza (latest news heard mentions that now Jio has better connectivity with 4G available in many places – not sure how true this is). We didn’t get time to pick up a BSNL sim, though.

Coming to the hotel, like most of you would know that we prefer to make our reservations before the start of the trip. This time when it was around two weeks left for the ride to start, we sat down and made most of our bookings. Few we went for on the spot walk-ins or some places where we couldn’t find anything available online. Here is a list of all the hotels we stayed (along with the fare mentioned):

• Nagpur – Hotel OYO Townhouse 155 Satya Kalmana Market (Rs 1,366 for an AC Deluxe room for one night, breakfast included)
• Jhansi – Hotel The Marvellous (Rs 1,200 for an AC Deluxe room for one night, breakfast included)
• Delhi – no accommodation required
• Rampur Bushahr – Hotel OYO 40105 River Rock (Rs 800 for a Deluxe room for one night)
• Chitkul – Samaa Resorts (Rs 1,250 for a Mountain-side view room for one night, breakfast included)
• Nako – Himalayan Homestay (Rs 800 for a Mountain-side view room for one night – this was a walk-in, breakfast included)
• Kaza – Zostel Spiti (Rs 2,500 for Deluxe Private room for one night – we stayed here for three nights)
• Chandrataal – Pema Thang Camp (Rs 2,400 for a night tent with bathroom attached, welcome Maggi and tea, dinner and breakfast – this was a walk-in)
• Manali – Hotel Himshakti (Rs 1,200 for a Deluxe room for one night – we stayed here for two nights – this was a walk-in)
• Chandigarh – Motel Maurya (Rs 1,316 for a Deluxe AC room for one night, breakfast included)
• Delhi – no accommodation required

Most of the hotels were good, and we didn’t have any major issues apart from the OYO properties, where we had to give extra money. OYO would let you book the property for a lower price, which would be not per the hotel folks. And once you reach the premise, the hotel reception will ask you to pay the standard price for that particular room booked else they don’t let you check-in. Ultimately, with no other option left, we had to pay the actual price for the rooms demanded by the hotel. After riding for such long and reach a hotel to relax, the last thing that you would want to do is argue and look for some other accommodation. OYO customer care would also be of no help as the only thing they would say is ‘Extremely sorry for the inconvenience caused, we deeply regret. We are looking into the matter’ – the greatest lie of all time! Nonetheless, I will let you know more about each hotel once I get into the daywise travelogue.

So with all basic stuff arranged, hotel reservations are made, the entire travel plan well-laid out, Hulk serviced, it was time to count days for the final D Day – the ride day. A weekend just before August 28, we had to make a quick trip to Hyderabad (24 and 25 August) as I enrolled myself for the Airtel Hyderabad Marathon for a 10k run. It was a simple drive in Skiddy, reached Hyderabad on Saturday, picked up my running BIB, ran the race on Sunday early morning, ate some lip-smacking Biriyani in Paradise, and drove back to Bangalore by the evening of Sunday. While returning, I got the results of my run, finished the 10K run as the 1st runners-up in the Female Open category (more than 6000 people were running the race, and finishing 2nd amongst all the female runners was a great achievement in this journey of running for me, though the timing was not my personal best). It was a Sunday well-achieved. Some clicks from that weekend are below:

And so, after returning from the Hyderabad trip, it was just two days for us to do all the packing, last moment knick-knack items for the trip, clean and get all the riding gear ready, a wash of Hulk before the trip and ticking all items from the checklist to not miss out on anything.

I would also like to mention here about the total expenditure that we incurred during the ride. The break-up is mentioned below:

• Petrol – Rs 12,530
• Food – Rs 14,455
• Hotel – Rs 19,032
• Miscellaneous – Rs 50,100 (this looks like a considerable amount – isn’t it? More on this later)
• Flight – Rs 8,000

Finally, some quick bytes from the ride:

Riders: Atul and I (pillion)
Bike: Kawasaki Versys 650
Dates: August 28 – September 26, 2019
Route taken: Bangalore > Nagpur > Jhansi > Delhi > Rampur Bushahr > Chitkul > Nako > Kaza > Chandrataal > Manali > Chandigarh > Delhi > Bangalore
Distance covered: 4,000 km approx. (Bangalore > Spiti > Delhi)
Total expenditure (for two people) – Rs 46,017 (petrol, hotel, food, and some extra expenses), and as mentioned above, I’ll give more details on the miscellaneous expenditure of Rs 58,100 at a later stage.

P.S.: Just before the trip, we got all our DSLRs and lens serviced, but since 70-300 mm was working fine, we gave it a pass. However, during the trip, the focusing system of the lens started malfunctioning due to which some of the pictures came out blurry. Please bear with the image quality.

Also, this turned out to be a pretty lengthy prologue, but I wanted to put forward details of each event that happened before the ride. Stay tuned for the day-wise description as more stories unfold as we go along the ride.

Spiti Ride Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9G6QtxAMLA

Continue reading BHPian nandita_bayan21's travelogue for more insights and information.

After riding my Kawasaki Versys 650 for four years and 20,000 km, I have overgrown it and looking to upgrade.

BHPian StepUP! recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello there!

I am seeking this community's advice/help in deciding on my next bike. Before that, just a bit of background - My current ride is, rather was, a Versys 650. 5 years old, odo stands at 20000kms. Before this, I had a CBR250R.

While CBR was a good bike, my wrists always hurt due to the sporty riding position. No matter how much I tried to correct my posture. I was in my late twenties then.

I went for Versys in my early thirties, it being an ADV has great suspension comfortable for long rides. It has enough grunt to keep up with superbikes, the engine is typical Japanese, low-speed high gears very much doable. Mild off-roading is a breeze.

However, after riding it for 4 years, I have overgrown it. With its advantages, I think it has its own flaws:

• I never felt connected to the bike, I sit on the bike and not in the bike. While it dismisses bad roads with aplomb, on the highway or taking corners, it feels usually boring. Don't get me wrong it has a superb chassis to lean in corners but this being a high CG bike, after you lean in, to get back in line, that nervousness is always there. Of course, attributed to my limited skills as well.
• Always top heavy
• Heavy 230+ kgs weight with high CG becomes scary to manage in traffic and tricky situations like when you have to stop on a slope or while coming to halt, your leg is on a slippery surface or in a ditch. For reference I am 5'9" and with riding shoes, I have to tip toe. I could never flat feet when in the saddle.
• Lacks character. Engine note is meh.

With a heavy heart, I let it go. Versys took me to so many places and a lot of beautiful memories are associated with it. Rode her to many forts, lakes, dams, and ghats around Pune. But I am convinced it's the right decision. I was not riding it much for many months.

What I want in my next bike:

• Budget max 10 lakhs OTR
• Not too much downgrade in terms of power
• Shouldn't be top-heavy, lesser the weight, the better.
• Comfortable to ride. I am 40 now and don't want to strain my back, wrists.
• Twin or more cylinders, no single-cylinder bikes.
• Open to pre-owned route.
• Reasonable ASS and maintenance.
• No Japanese.
• No cruisers.
• No KTMs

Am I asking too much?

My rides are weekend breakfast rides and sometimes to work which is 40kms to and fro.

Only 2 bikes come to my mind:

• Aprilia RS457 (actually it's RS660 but it's out of budget)
• Street Triple

Please suggest if the above are the right choices, and if there are more bikes to consider fitting my requirements.

PS - I haven't taken any test rides yet but soon will do.

Thank you!

Here's what BHPian Axe77 had to say about the matter:

Candidly, yes. I’d encourage you to think through this list and perhaps break it up into the ‘non-negotiable’ conditions and the ‘good to have’ ones. That might help you broaden your options list a bit more.

”Should not be too much of a downgrade”: That rules out the 457. As does perhaps the unknown on maintenance.

From the above shortlist of two, a sparingly used Street Triple R would suit your requirements quite well. You could also consider the Trident 660 perhaps. Again a nice enough motorcycle in its own right but the Street Triple will just be much nicer if you can snare a good one.

If you are open to classics you could also consider the classics range from Triumph. They’re heavier than the above two but not top-heavy. You’ll again need to go slightly used to make it fit in 10 lakh.

I can’t think of much else from your listed requirements, which applied strictly rule out most other options.

Here's what BHPian Cyborg had to say about the matter:

Aprilia RS457 may run into issues during servicing and spares because they don’t have market penetration for the foreseeable future.

Street Triple while being a huge upgrade to your Versys power wise will also be a huge downgrade comfort-wise. The rider triangle is decently committed and could get cramped which will not suit you either. I have owned this bike hence speaking from ownership experience.

I would suggest a brand new Kawasaki Ninja 500 (forget your no Japanese clause) which has just been launched and will fit in your budget. It will not be too much of a downgrade power-wise because it’s much lighter than the Versys 650 (~170 kgs versus ~230 kgs) and power delivery should be more direct. It should be comfortable to ride and own with Kawasaki service which should be better than Triumph and surely Aprilia.

Take a test ride with an open mind and see if it floats your boat. All the best.

Here's what BHPian Sudarshan42 had to say about the matter:

How about the Triumph Trident 660 or any of the other 660 triples (Tiger, Daytona) from Triumph? I know service is a hit or miss, but this will be the ideal upgrade given your constraints.

If not that, also consider the Honda Transalp or the CBR650R. The latter is a bit long in the tooth now, but given that it's a Honda inline 4, should be a decent upgrade. Another wild card can be the Z900, provided your no Japanese caveat is flexible.

Here's what BHPian shabih had to say about the matter:

Since the CBR250R used to put a strain on your wrist, I think the Aprillia and Striple will do the same. You may want to consider Triumph Bonneville or Street Twin. In the used market these two will come in between 5 to 7 lakhs. The classics offer you a no-fuss pure riding pleasure, a thumpy torquey engine, extremely healthy weight distribution that wouldn't feel top heavy at all and you can easily flat foot them. I own a Street Twin and I am very happy with what it delivers.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The Versys now sports a set of LED bulbs which are 8000 lumens and are much brighter than the stock bulbs.

BHPian iamahunter recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

As we end the year, some updates on Versys.

Soon to complete 2 years in Feb 2024, the Versys has crossed 16k kms and its odometer is climbing steadily.

AOM Handle-bar

Currently, I have removed the risers and installed the AOM handlebar. This has changed the handling of the bike. Versys now feels much more nimble and direct. Changing the handlebar was done by myself and with the help of a friend.

I also have flipped the front and read sprockets. The chain seems to be doing well, and would probably last another 7-8 thousand kilometers. The benefits of keeping the chain clean and lubed well are very evident.

LED Set

Next, the Versys now sports a set of LED bulbs which are 8000 lumens and are much brighter than the stock bulbs. The installation was done by myself and it is a 5/10 difficulty DIY.

Front brake pads are still stock, however, the rear one wore out and a Vesrah brake pad is now handling the rear braking duty. I have learnt a few techniques which have given me the confidence to use the front brakes more.

My usual reaction while needing to slow down is, shifting down a couple of gears, applying both brakes and using the engine braking. All these things are done simultaneously and are muscle memory so everything happens automatically, they help me slow down quickly and effectively. Also, keeping an eye out for far-away objects, riding in the centre lane when possible and the ability to detect moving objects in the peripheral vision have helped avoid sudden braking events.

To conclude, the Versys now runs the below enhancements/upgrades.

• Zana Crashbars
• Hexa Center-stand
• Hexa Panniers
• Hexa Top Box
• HJG 40W aux lights (soon to come off)
• Maddog Alpha aux lights
• AOM Handlebar
• Pro Spec Windshield Extender
• Vredestein Tyres (stock size)
• Autobahn LED bulbs
• Zana GPS mount

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

In short, I need to decide whether to go for the KTM Adventure 390 X, which is more budget-friendly and offers the assurance of a new bike with lower maintenance costs but may compromise on highway experience and comfort.

BHPian Shankar.R recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

After some months of contemplation, I find myself faced with a dilemma: choosing between the KTM Adventure 390 X, KTM Adventure 390 Standard, and a pre-owned Kawasaki Versys 650. Currently, I ride an Interceptor, and a recent trip with my partner on my brother's GS310 left a lasting impression on me, particularly in terms of comfort and handling. Although I found the power to be lacking, this experience rekindled my interest in adventure touring.

Let's break down my considerations and confusions:

KTM 390 Adventure X:

I've test-driven the 390 Adventure SW variant both solo and with a pillion. While pillion comfort wasn't as good as the GS310, it was better than the Interceptor. I noticed some vibrations at high revs. The punchy engine and off-road capabilities left me smiling. However, I'm concerned about its highway performance when riding with a pillion and luggage. Will I find it lacking in power for overtakes at highway speeds? I rarely exceeded 110 kmph on my Interceptor, but I appreciated its power for quick overtakes. I'm also a bit worried about the vibrations, but I wear gloves and boots, so I assume I can manage. I'm also skeptical about the MRF tires after test-driving with Metzlers.

KTM 390 Adventure Standard:

This variant is quite similar to the X, but without a few electronics and a quickshifter, which I've been told I won't miss. I'm considering this option mainly because of the MRF tires on the Adventure X, as well as the electronics. Coming from the Interceptor, I think I can forgo the TFT and electronics, but I'm inclined to switch to Metzler tires.

Pre-owned Versys 650:

The Versys 650 is in a league of its own, and I have limited experience with it. The reason I'm considering it alongside the 390 Adventure is due to the possibility of finding a five-year-old Versys with around 30,000 km on the odometer, complete with accessories, for a ballpark price of 5 lakhs.

In short, I need to decide whether to go for the KTM Adventure 390 X, which is more budget-friendly and offers the assurance of a new bike with lower maintenance costs but may compromise on highway experience and comfort. Alternatively, I could opt for the Versys 650 at a similar price point, but this would likely involve purchasing a second-owner bike with slightly higher mileage.

Here's what BHPian parrys had to say on the matter:

If you want to have a LOT of fun, on a motorcycle which feels light, and which will not pinch your wallet should you crash it or some parts just fail; the KTM 390 ADV is the best pick.

I am using it since the first lot rolled out, and still ride it with a wide smile and full throttle. Not even once has an oil seal leaked, even though I try to get some airtime over every large speed bump.

Any iteration of the KTM 390 ADV would be my recommendation.

But looking at the current launch timeline of other produces, I would insist you hold on for a month or two.

Take an extended test ride of the Triumph Scrambler 400 X & also the upcoming RE Himalayan with the liquid-cooled motor. All of these options have a different character, so you decide which suits your riding style best. The KTM 390 is not for everyone, the engine loves to be revved, and if you like a sedate riding style, this would be quite a task to live with.

Coming to your used Versys 650 point, I would skip it unless you get a really good deal for it. What you can do with the above single cylinder motorcycles, you wouldn't with the Versys. Also, the Kawasaki maintenance is known to be an expensive affair at authorised workshops. On a personal note, I find all versions of the Versys ugly looking.

If you do a Mumbai to Goa run on a KTM 390 ADV & Versys 650, I doubt you would leave the KTM behind on a Kawasaki. Of course the twin-cylinder refinement will be missed, but how much extra money would you pay just for that?

Here's what BHPian EXOblivione had to say on the matter:

As someone who has ridden 390 engine-based motorcycles and done long tours with one that I owned, and now rides a Versys 650, I would strongly advice going for the Versys if at all possible.

Vibrations are fatiguing like nothing else, not to mention long term exposure is bad for many facets of your body. They are present all through the rev range, at different intensity and frequency. While the sensitivity to vibration varies from person to person, it’s still something that effects the ride quality and enjoyment on a trip. And since you are coming from an Interceptor, which has a pretty smooth and buzz-free engine, you will probably dislike it more, something that might not become apparent on relatively shorter rides.

The vibrations feel tolerable for a little while, nothing major for an hour or so, but once the bike heats up, the ride time becomes longer, it starts adding up. Your hands will start going numb and tingling, and the fatigue will spread up into the arms and then shoulders and back as you ride for longer and longer. The end of a long ride will leave you exhausted and feeling like you are still buzzing :P. Gloves, boots, Grip Puppies etc. do nothing substantial.

This, more than anything else, is the reason that I switched to Versys. The same route, about 5-6 hours riding in the mountains, that would leave me exhausted before, now barely has me feeling tired. The bike is really smooth, with very minor buzz at certain small RPM windows. There is a minor overall harshness from 4 to 4.5K, then completely smooth, then a buzz in the seat at a little above 6K to 7K RPM (the handlebars and footpegs are vibe free). And the Versys does 100kmph at just under 5K and 120kmph at just under 6K RPM.

There are ancillary advantages too. The 390 engine is notoriously lacking in low-end torque, which isn’t much of a problem riding on the highways, but if you are intending to ride in the mountain/twisties, the that lack really comes across. Whereas the Versys can pull from a low speed in higher gears, and still go to quite high revs, meaning constant gear changes that are a hallmark of 390 riding isn’t needed.

And since I have gotten the Versys, I find myself riding more sedately in general. I guess there is so much torque available so quickly that I don’t need to keep pushing the bike just to keep the RPM up in the powerband. I now reserve spirited riding for the twisties.

Here's what BHPian subincb had to say on the matter:

If your intention is long rides take the Versys. Yesterday I rode 740 km from Attingal-Nagercoil-Bangalore in an ER6n which itself is not near as good as versys. Started at 4.45am reached home in Bangalore at 1pm with 3 petrol and 1 breakfast stops. You can ride steady north of 100 through out with absolutely no muscle sore in multicylinder bikes. Vibrations are not there even in a 2016 bikes. Newer ones are lot better. Even the seats in Kawasaki is better according to me. I am 43 year old 100kg absolutely non athletic guy and I have no back ache or tired after the ride. Took my girls out after the ride.

Maintenance in these bikes are very less comparitively and they are cheap if you are ready to do it on your own. Since used bikes are generally out of warranty you can do the general oil change and minor stuff yourself. Take it to service center for stuff you cannot do on your own.

But if you have a lot of city riding forget the versys and buy ktm.

Here's what BHPian Himanshu809 had to say on the matter:

I’d say that you have three good options which all come with their pros and cons.

1. KTM 390 ADV

It’s a solid package from what I’ve heard from many reviewers and my circle of biker friends. If you are interested in it I’d say wait for the updated version. It should get fully adjustable suspension and the new Duke 390 engine which solves lower end power issues as well. I’d suggest get the standard variant with all the electronics, it makes up for a more comfortable and safe ride at the end of the day.

2.RE Himalayan 450

Initial impressions say that it’s an advanced bike which takes care of all the shortcomings of the previous generation and adds a lot of touring friendly kit as well like a monoshock at the rear, a console with th best google maps integration I’ve seen on this side of money and tubeless spoked wheels.

3. Kawasaki Versys 650

If you get a pre-worshipped bike with no major ailments and if you’re ok with slightly higher costs of maintenance I think this will be the best bike for you as it will feel like an upgrade thanks to higher power figures and it is a capable tourer at the end of the day. A twin cylinder is a twin cylinder, I don’t need to tell you what that means since you own an Interceptor.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The bike must satiate the want to create our shared experience – implies equally comfortable to both rider and pillion.

BHPian arb recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

New query, perhaps not! More like old wine in a sparkling new bottle, nevertheless I am ready for some Team-BHP enlightenment and so here goes my predicament.

“To buy a decent motorcycle now or save for bigger?” Before you slice and dice to give me some Team-BHP style honest, stark opinions with no ounce of blarney, here is the thought process that led to my predicament.

I have not ridden a bike since 2013, not accounting a spec or two of test rides, friend’s bikes that I may have casually taken for a quick spin. Prior to that I have ridden few commuter bikes and scooters available within my circle of family, friends. I was also stupendously naïve to annoy my parents into getting me a Pulsar 180, which at that point was a bit stretched. No, I didn’t realize then. I did say naïve right, okay I’ll settle for being self-centered stupid young man, afterall I did root for P220, while my father used a grand old Splendor all his working life. Cut to the chase, I got a P180. So this P180 of mine, straddled along me through the west coast of the country primarily in northern Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa. It clocked around 80k kms in the 10 years I had it with me. I know some of you with a keen sense of time may have already figured the timelines don't add, well almost all the mileage got clocked in first 5years of ownership and the remaining adding may be thousand odd kms. My P180 went from my daily ride to garage queen to damsel in distress to be rescued by a friendly shop owner who happily continues to ride till I last checked. To summarize my ridding years, I rode a lot while I was not working, did very little while working and absolute zero in recent years.

Time to change a gear, let me introduce my better half. She can ride, ride well I must say, had her share of biking adventures with her friends and would be absolutely fair to say we both enjoyed riding equally but never shared the experience together. Now comes the sudden shove, “Should we not create some biking experience together and if not now, when?” This is 8:30am in morning, after dropping our kid to bus stand while sipping tea. Time to leave the tea and pick remote, youtube to rescue and RE SuperMeteor reviews queued up for play. I did say I am regular to Team-BHP and knew exactly what's the automotive scene, so when the time presented I clicked right to what could be a bike I like. By evening made the booking and voila, peace! Plans galore to create the shared experiences.

Now the spanner in plans, RE with best of their wisdom chooses not to start the test rides. Waiting starts, day 1, 2, 3 and in the meantime youtube keeps rolling. By end of the week ready to check more options, remember Super Meteor booking was on reflex, RE allowed me to research and so did I. Finalized baselines –

• Must satiate the want to create our shared experience – implies equally comfortable to both rider and pillion.
• Average running to comprise some office drives and some short day drives around Bangalore (Again, to squeeze some shared experience while we navigate the Bangalore traffic) – implies no more than 1000 odd kms running per month
• Larger engine – simply put, why not? Baseline set as multi-cylinder, a minimum of 650cc around.

With above baselines, we went straight to Kawasaki. Inquired for Vulcan and Versys 650, neither available for test rides, not that the showroom folks were interested had there been one available for test ride. Nonetheless, looked around with self gathered knowledge, Versys 1000 caught our fancy and we asked for quotes, exchanged whatsapp number and left. In hindsight, I must have asked them to send the quote wrapped in scroll, tied with golden feathers. And I am sure the salesperson is seeking special permissions from Kawasaki Japan to cater to my request and therefore the unending time to send the quote.

Next comes Triumph, the brand holds some additional brownie points for being our golden apple at one point of time. Went straight in for the V650 equivalent and had a proper test ride in Tiger660, discussed at length on Bonneville range, exchanged quotes and headed home to soak in our indulgence of buying a bike, buying a mid range bike, then jumping on to 1.2L , 15L buying intent. All because RE will not give me a test ride and let me close my indulgence then and there.

Next in line was pragmatism, it is indeed interesting how with time in hand we can traverse all the possible emotions in one hand and reasoning on the other. So our pragmatism led to this –

• Enough of loans, buy with spare cash. Okay can do SuperMeteor now, anything more add some months. Not much worried with wait, but right now-right away type indulgence goes for a toss.
• We buy SuperMeteor, and also start ridding equal to or more then what we are currently expecting. In that case, SuperMeteor is going to be 'less' with ‘Want’ kicking in. GTO’s thread on buying the bigger, better choice comes to play.
• We wait and buy bigger, but the enthusiasm goes down and I am sitting on a depreciating asset. May happen with SuperMeteor as well, but possibly easier to digest. Now that you are aware of my riding background, the need, the want, the logic or ill-logics I again present my predicament “To buy a decent motorcycle now or save for bigger?”

Thank you for reading through and even happier to have your insights, opinions. Thanks!

Here's what BHPian shancz had to say on the matter:

Answer to your question isn't that easy. On one hand "if not now then when" implies going with what you like be it the Triumph, Kawasaki or the Royal Enfield but how long will the interest last forces one to look at the financial hit you're going to take once the initial excitement subsides.

Logic dictates getting a easy to own RE which can be used to service local needs and runs without burning a hole in your pocket in maintenance costs. The 650 twin won't leave you wanting on highway performance but how it feels on the heavy super meteor is something I haven't tried so you'll need to check that out yourself.

But, we haven't got to the most important part, what would both of you like to ride or rather dream to own ? If it's a Triumph or Suzuki then be wary of the ASC and spares issues reported on the forum etc. My point being that if going for "big/imported" bikes be wary of what you're signing up for.

If there's nothing that you really dream about then try out the easier options to live with and that would mean both of you

Also try out these in addition to the ones you've already tried :

• Honda CB 500X
• Suzuki VStrom 650 XT

Here's what BHPian AtheK had to say on the matter:

I always believe to take it easy and make incremental upgrades when it comes to bikes, stick to smaller bike when you are just getting into the game of getting to riding again. Get used to the power and ride aroud, 650 is all the bike you need for touring this country, but start atleast here if not lower.

RE hold there value well in the market, think of the depreciation as investment gone into getting used to riding again and also checking your interest, if it stays and you want more go for a bigger bike. You can also pick a pre owned Interceptor 650 to get the ball rolling, that way when you sell it depreciation will be even lesser.

You have rodeen P180, not sure what your wife has ridden as you did not mention but if it was also not a big bike, please avoid them for now. The bigger bikes mask there speed really well, and if you are just getting used to it, they might get scary then fun in initial few days. Rest you are the best judge, stay safe, ride long!

Here's what BHPian roy_libran had to say on the matter:

If you are resuming riding after 10 years and your last was a P180, I would strongly suggest you to NOT restart with the Litre class or equivalent. Stick to the 650 segment or near-abouts and give yourself time to adapt to riding a big, powerful motorcycle. These are just not as forgiving as smaller bikes and you don't really want to have this realisation at the last instant!

Here's what BHPian mafia had to say on the matter:

Imagine this question in 2010.

An affordable 650 twin would have been a dream.

Get what you can now. There will be something new around the corner always. You can upgrade at sometime in the future if the need and the chance comes

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I'm considering getting any one of these - Kawasaki Versys 650, Honda CB500X and KTM 390 Adventure.

BHPian sgmuser recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi all,

I'm a sedate rider who puts lots of emphasis on ride comfort. I'm looking to get one of these (Kawasaki Versys 650, Honda CB500X and KTM 390 Adventure) for adv touring single-track roads, back roads and some significant highways (to reach those above tracks) too. Priority - Reliability and smooth/vibration-free ride.

I am restarting my biking after a long time - almost 20 years - especially with NO previous ADV experience. I am spoilt with smooth cars and I could not stop my expectation for at least similar quality/vibe-free rides on bikes.

I read lots of reviews and watched videos and understand Versys seems to be at the top of the list for trouble-free, smooth performance and good power when required - most importantly linear power delivery.

Honda offers the reliability which I need but I am yet to test ride. KTM is a single-cylinder affair but the most affordable in the list and could be a far easier entry point both in terms of power and price. I would like to avoid RE for now as I am not comfortable with their style of maintenance/handling etc.

What I need from you all petrolheads is whether my options are smart enough or not? Versys - is it a novice-friendly ADV bike? Which one gives what I want - Smooth/Linear power delivery/reliability/vibe-free ride?

Thanks in advance. I also have a fixation in my mind that the Japanese are more reliable so, I have to limit my option. KTM is managed by Bajaj so, easier to maintain.

Here's what BHPian shancz had to say about the matter:

No experience with these but gathering from first-hand accounts here are some suggestions:

• Versys 650: all the pluses you mentioned but based on your height it might/might not feel that easy in city traffic. Weight is another concern.
• CB500X: Have heard only good things about it except the price and BigWing service coverage.
• 390 Adventure: will feel stiff to ride especially the rear, not sure if the 2023 iteration will have adjustable suspension and tubeless tyres for India. Vibrations are a personal benchmark so a ride across the rev range can decide that.
• VStrom 650 XT: should fit better than the Versys IMO but not sure about the service and support from Suzuki on their big bikes, someone experienced can hopefully answer this.

IMO the CB500X should fit your needs the best but the service center coverage and spares availability is something that you'll have to check for your location.

Here's what BHPian Nilesh5417 had to say about the matter:

Get the KTM - no-brainer IMO based on the fact that you are getting back to motorcycles after 20yrs. Not too expensive to buy new or maintain. Right amount of power, good amount of tech, lower heft, easy to ride on most roads except offr-oads and pretty nondescript. It's not about affordability in your case, it's just the fact that you have had a long gap with motorcycles so upgrade once you get comfortable with it. Else you will end up buying an expensive bike that you won't be riding much - not that KTM is any less expensive these days.

Good luck with your hunt and happy riding.

Here's what BHPian TheHelix0202 had to say about the matter:

If you can afford a bigger bike, go for it. The KTM is a great machine, but it isn't guaranteed to be fuss-free. Since you have the big monies, go for either the 'Strom or the Versys. There's absolutely no comparison.

Here's a wildcard entry: the Tiger Sport 660.

Here's what BHPian aargee had to say about the matter:

Since your location states Oman, I'm not sure if you're in Oman or India, regardless, my only concern is: you're getting into riding after 2 decades, not undermining you, but requesting you to take calculated steps & understand what you're getting into than taking a plunge, which is exactly what you're doing by consulting with the experienced members here.

• If I were you, my approach will be, to begin with, either riding friend's motorcycle or better rent out for the first few rides, much easier if you're in Oman.
• If it's India, then 100% MUST gain some familiarity before buying middleweights because Indian roads are not the same as they used to be even a couple of years ago & undergoing rapid changes almost every year & 2 decades sounds eternity.
• And to all the motorcycles you've chosen, although many might swear by Versys 650 & I'm very much in love with the {boring Japanese, like my CBR} motorcycle as well; however, DO NOT get carried over by the YT reviews as all of them state their own experience & watching many of them will shove their opinion on you.

For instance, almost all Interceptor reviews stated 2 issues:

• Wind blast
• Slightly forward-leaning posture

What I found was, they were not an issue at all for me. What the internet reviews didn't say were:

• Nightmare of a puncture
• Practicality of finding a RE garage in any corner of the country

Point is: Get into action: mingle with the local RESPONSIBLE biking group to try & experiment with which one suits you the most; perhaps your opinion might change altogether as well or better rent out for few rides. Both these options are a little cumbersome unless you're in one of the metros in India, but then, with TBhp in place, you should be able to find one eventually.

And, this is just a myth! The new J-Series engine from RE or the RE-Twin engines are relatively trouble-free; of course, RE has a long way to catch up with the Japs; but then, talking practically no one comes closer to RE (barring the nightmare of a puncture on RE-twin's spoked wheels); and if you don't like RE350, there's CB350 {yet another boring Jap motorcycle}.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Not many rides at the moment due to rain, but the riding season is coming soon.

BHPian iamahunter recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Update

The Versys is 6 months old and about to complete 6,000 km. Rain is really hurting the odometer from growing fast, nevertheless, riding season is coming soon.

I have been regularly riding it over the weekends on small trips here and there or at least within the city.

There are many things going on with the Versys.

Jugaad for rear mudguard

The muck the rear wheel throws up on the legs is pathetic. Basic design flaw? Maybe. So for the rains, I have done some desi jugaad.

This function over form and I am aware this doesn't look good, but that's in the image. It's not even noticed when you see the bike in person.

Below is the picture taken at human eye level.

The front mudguard extension.

Now there are brands which cost a bomb for this product, I got this is a local one and it works perfectly fine.

I don't have a clear image of the said, but it's keeping my radiator clean.

Windshield Extension

Got a pro-spec visor extension as I was experiencing some buffeting at cruising speeds.

Cost me around Rs 2250 and it worked, till the monsoon dirt hit. The visibility took a toll and I now keep it at the medium setting and the stock windscreen at the medium setting. The buffeting has gone. But I do not like the way it vibrates.

The most needed - Centre stand

Helps in the lubing chain.

Performing DIYs

Aux Lights - Maddog Alpha

The HJG lights that I had earlier installed had to be removed. One of the lights developed some leakage and its lenses used to fog up from inside.

In comes, the Alpha, the best part about this light is the colour temperature, it's 5500K. Warmer than the usual 6000K temp lights. They are much better.

Yet to test these on the highway, will update on it soon.

The second service is due soon.

So the next update will include:

• 2nd Service report.
• Maddog Alpha highway performance.
• Center stand review.

Some images were taken after the previous post.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I am looking for a middleweight upgrade to my CBR 250R and the usage would primarily be city and weekend rides.

BHPian pratik_terni recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello All, This is Pratik and I currently am in Bangalore. Please be advised that this is a long and maybe a boring post, so please feel free to skip to the last paragraph. I have been a regular reader for a very long time (close to 12-13 years maybe) but this is my first post on the forum.

Background: I have owned a CBR 250R for the last 8 years and have done close to 33k kms on the bike mainly in the first 6 years of ownership (almost 0 rides in Covid). The 33k kms include city plus weekend rides to places close to Bangalore, farthest being Pondicherry (393 kms one way due to the lovely Vellore route that we chose). 99% of the trips are mainly me and my wife deciding a place and me riding there with wifey as pillion.

The only bigger bike that I rode slightly extensively was the rented Interceptor which we rode to Hampi and back. I have never ridden a super bike except this and the test rides but more on that a bit later.

Confusion: The CBR 250R is a beautiful bike and super reliable, I never really enjoyed riding it and I have still held on to it for 8 years cos it is that reliable, has alloys and is decently powered for long rides. I actually wanted to buy a Duke 390 but the horror stories of reliability issues back in 2014 were enough to keep me away from it.

Now I am looking for a middleweight upgrade (preferably naked) to my CBR 250r and the usage would primarily be city and weekend rides as mentioned earlier. This would mostly be a used bike cos I want to restrict the budget to 9 lakhs max. It would definitely not hurt to upgrade by not using that entire budget. I am thinking something in the 70-80 bhp range.

I don't think a 100+ bhp bike would really make sense because:

• I may not have the skills for handling it

• The engine heat and subjecting the bigger bike to Bangalore traffic would not be fair to the bike and me

• I don't know where I'd even use that much power to really enjoy a 100 bhp bike without the right skills

My primary expectations from the bike are:

• Pillion comfort because WIFE

• Fun to ride bike which is manageable in city traffic and tight tip toeing spots. I am not fat but not skinny either, lazy with a height of 5' 10". And nowhere close to being fit.

• Good ground clearance

• I do not want an attention magnet

Attempts to solve the above problem:

Kawasaki z 650: It was a good short test ride and was quick and comfortable. That twin cylinder engine does not sound that good and when you ride the triples, it's clear that you are never going to settle for the twin exhaust note.

Triumph Street Twin: This test ride was a big surprise as I did not expect the bike to be that easy to handle.Accessing and Ease of handling probably felt the best of the lot to us. It is decently powerful and sounded good too. But discarded it because the downers were low ground clearance, lack of sixth gear and chain maintenance every 500kms.

One other thing that could be an issue is lack of tyre options for the 18 inch front wheel.

Triumph Street Triple R/RS: I know this is not at all a sensible option but the R was not available. This is the only bike that does not satisfy the 70-80 bhp criteria, is expensive, my wife hated it in the first 10 mins. BUT, the way that bike rode, the engine note, the way it picked up speed, the effortless handling was just enough to forget the street twin I rode.

My wife cursed me the entire ride because she felt like she was holding on to dear life the first time. She was not at all prepared for the test ride (read Indian attire) because we just decided to go try it out.

Triumph Trident: We revisited the Triumph showroom this time better dressed and with very high expectations due to the videos that I had watched. We really liked the way the trident felt. It kind of felt that it was somewhat offering best of both Street Triple and Street Twin. It was comfortable, had a sweet sounding triple engine and has just the right amount of power on paper. I did feel that the throttle response was a bit delayed but as per the videos, traction control can be turned off to address it. We do feel this will be ideal for my use case.

We also retried the Street Triple RS but the response from home ministry was the same, though it is a better bike, it was not that comfortable.

Triumph Tiger Sport 660:

It had same engine characteristics, higher riding position with a screen to protect from the wind blasts for those weekend rides. So obviously better than the Trident right? Wrong. The seat was very good for me but the pillion seat is shaped so far away that it was wierd. Our helmets kept hitting each other and there was a gap between me and my wife. We quickly happily jumped back on the Trident that the Triumph rep was riding halfway through the test ride.

RE Interceptor: Nice and fun bike, most affordable and underpowered of the lot but i felt it could do with 20-25% more power. The seat was also uncomfortable and we took a couple of more breaks during our Hampi ride than we normally do. The lack of alloys has really stopped me from picking up this bike. This bike is really a fallback option for me since it is cheaper than the other options and i can surely save a good amount of money which i can then experiment with modifications. But again, this was not a bike that i loved, just liked it.

I know I should also be trying the Honda 650 siblings, CB500x and the V Strom 650 but the dealerships in Bangalore do not have test ride bikes, nor any clarity on when they'd be available.

I did not try inline 4s like Kawasaki z900 and Suzuki Gsxs 750 in this budget cos 100+ bhp, though I may test ride the z900 just for fun.

Busy members please read from here: Enough of my blabbering, I'll get to the point. I feel I'll be happy with a Trident but the Street Triple R has a lot more to offer for just 2 lakhs more. That may not necessarily mean that it makes it a better option for me because it will heat up more, will need seat modifications to make the pillion comfortable and i am assuming will grab some attention. But it will give me the best naked that there is in the market which is fun to ride. How to get these in the used market is another major concern for me but lets address that later. As a humble request to the forum members, please let me know your thoughts and please feel free to suggest alternatives/options.

Here's what BHPian shancz had to say on the matter:

Never ridden either of those but the Speed Triple is the best naked out there IMHO.

Your requirements seem to be fulfilled by the Trident not the Speed Triple. Adding two lakhs more doesn't get you an upgrade of the Trident but a completely different motorcycle. Adding a more comfortable seat isn't going to take away the brutal acceleration and the power to weight ratio.

Get a Speed Triple for yourself but for a pillion look elsewhere.

Something like a Z650RS would look good and a Versys 650 though bulky would score highly on pillion comfort.

But if it's the sound that moves you then look at inline 3 and 4 cylinders only.

GSX750/CB650R would sound good but do check on the weight and pillion comfort.

Here's what BHPian neil.jericho had to say on the matter:

pratik_terni, welcome to the forum. From your post, the problem statement (intended usage) is pretty clear. However, your solution (options considered) seem to diverge from the conventional choices in the motorcycle enthusiast community.

First things first, among the superbike dealerships in Bangalore, Triumph has by far the worst SVC. The horror stories that we get to know of, are simply mind boggling. Please do research on this before buying a new Triumph motorcycle in Bangalore. We have a dedicated thread on this forum that covers Triumph's SVCs. As a Triumph owner, I would strongly discourage anyone from buying a new bike or a used bike with warranty, in Bangalore and Cochin, where the quality of the SVCs is highly questionable.

Secondly, if you are going to be touring two-up, for 99% of the time, then you are looking at the wrong bikes.

Thirdly, if you are going to be using your next big bike in the city, again, you are looking at the wrong bikes.

Looking strictly at your stated usage criteria, the following bikes stand out for their all round usability

• Honda CB500X (new)

• Honda CB650R / CBR650R / CB650F (used)

I would suggest that you get the Honda CB500X. You will be able to tour in peace and ride around town, without a worry. Yes, test ride bikes arent available at the moment. You might have to wait for a month or so, before the latest generation bike gets launched. Several TBHPians own the current generation CB500X and have shared very positive feedback on its usability for our tough conditions.

In case you are wondering, Kawasaki and Honda offer the best after sales service in Bangalore.

Do remember that you will likely be buying a motorcycle that you will keep for several years. So, don't rush into a decision tomorrow, just because test rides of one or two bikes are readily available. Bide your time and test ride all the options in your budget. Happy shopping!

Here's what BHPian shanmd had to say on the matter:

Hey Pratik

I ride a 4 month old Trident on the streets of Bombay. And let me tell you.. I love it. It has become a "premium commuter" bike for me. I look for reasons to take it and not the car. Any will do. Went on a couple of smallish rides.. including one impulsive Pune and back. My ass got used to the seat pretty quickly. Have a Givi/Triumph Tank bag and am considering couple of tailbags as options. All in all, excitement is all in the air. lol

But I have consciously chosen it to be a selfish experience. I'm 5'10 not marathon fit, but fit nevertheless.. and never thought it would be comfortable for the pillion. The seat kind of ends suddenly. So I am really surprised that you two found it apt in this.

SVC reputation is indeed a huge factor in deciding. My years old list had MT09, Monster 797, Leoncino & Interceptor. First was not sold here, second has world's worst SVC rep in the country, third was a vibrating mess, and the fourth became a dealbreaker due to wheels. Trident came pretty late to the equation. Triple was always the eye-catcher with those bug-eyed lamps. But it's a hooligan experience. The Trident has that quiet unassuming stance.. till you get on and thumb it. Very nimble and balanced on the roads, and not too heavy. It kind of ticked everything on my list. A couple of Triumph owners I knew had shifted cities and were happy with the SVC here.. and so I decided. And that has been a good experience till now.

I am returning to riding after a couple of decades of four wheels. And found the Trident the most welcoming. I found it gentle in handling my mistakes, exhilarating on open roads, doesn't roast my limbs at the red lights and piled traffic, flies under the attention radar until the person is right next to me, and generally being beautiful to the eye.

Still I have reservations about the pillion experience.

Here's what BHPian Axe77 had to say on the matter:

To your specific question: Street Triple R vs Trident 660

The Street Triple R any day of the week!! Its just better built and a FAR superior machine to the Trident in every single respect, right from quality levels to the performance. That extra 2 lakh is disproportionate to what you’re getting in return.

BUT,

as Neil and some others have already pointed out, is it really the bike for you. I would also agree that bikes like Versys 650, VStrom 650 and the Honda 500X suit your use case MUCH better. Amongst these three I feel the VStrom / the Versys will probably feel a distinct notch nicer than the Honda.

The other option would be to save a ton of money and consider either the 390 Adventure or a 310 GS. Both are extremely capable bikes but of course the first three options will be that notch superior on most fronts - comfort for two up touring as well as the overall riding experience. Test ride these three bikes and see which one appeals to you the most in terms of its “connect”.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The 30,000 km mark on the odo came in just before handing over the bike.

BHPian CrAzY dRiVeR recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Maybe the writing was on the wall for a long time, but I was just not acknowledging it. But after 6 more months of denial - I have finally decided to take a temporary break from biking.

Rode the Versys down from Trivandrum to Bangalore one last time, to hand over the bike to a friend, who upgraded from his Interceptor 650.

Quite a fitting last ride - Covered 586 km in 6 hours and 12 minutes to catch up with KarthikK, ebmrajesh and two friends who were on a breakfast ride to Yercaud from Bangalore. And then joined them on their return leg to Bangalore.

Finally crossing the 30k km milestone near Karur, TN

With the group at Dharmapuri

Got the bike washed and prepped after reaching Bangalore

Final odometer reading at hand over

Closing stats

Reposting some top memories from the earlier page to sign off from this thread.

The bike will be in our friend circle and hopefully will be seen in KarthikK's Ninja1000 ownership updates thread.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.