I usually prefer my car for commuting but now my work location has shifted and travel distance is 50 kms daily.

BHPian NB_4763 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello guys,

I am currently confused whether is it worth to buy a CBR 250R in 2023.

I usually prefer my car for commuting but now my work location has shifted and travel distance is 50 kms Daily. I had decided to do the commute on 2 wheeler as I can save time in traffic. My budget was around 80k on a second hand bike so I came across this 2016 CBR 250R ABS run 30k for 85k rupees[3rd Owner].

My main priorities are:

• Decent mileage (35+ will be great)
• Decent comfort for daily commute
• Must be reliable
• Must be able to cruise at 80-100Kmph

My usage will be mainly office commute and occasional bike rides with colleagues. I also plan on holding on to it for as long as possible so will the spares be too expensive? Also are there any major red flags to look out for? Is it a good deal? Should I go for it?

Any other bike suggestions will also be helpful (Budget 80k-100k)

Here's what BHPian saitvsk23 had to say on the matter:

The CBR is a value for money motorcycle and you can use it fully to the last penny and last gear, if you decide to use your money well.

All you need to get is good tyres, good engine oil, coolant and timely servicing done to enjoy it fully. Get a nice helmet to protect your head and a nice pair of gloves and jacket. That is since you're doing quite a bit of distance in a single day. So safety matters. Moreover, its got ABS too.

As long as you have just 10-100 grams of patience and willingness to order parts in case something needs to be replaced, you'll have the best bike India probably ever experience. Its just the right mix of sport and comfort. Literally a swiss army knife. I can help you with the parts too incase (god forbid) you need to get something ordered. Spares are just a teeny tiny little bit expensive, but they do serve the purpose. And there are always aftermarket alternatives available.

Pro tip : In case you decide to get the bike:

Get Motul 10W40 oil installed for the first 1000kms and then replace it with the LiquiMoly Street Race 10W40. Your CBR almost feels like a tuned 600cc. I'm not kidding.

Also, ass per your priorities:

• Mileage in the city : 31-35 kmpl easily. Try staying at 5-7k RPM and you might be able to squeeze out just a bit more. Highway is above 35kmpl easily.
• Comfort : I had ridden my friend's R15 V4 recently. When I compared the seating position of the V4 to mine, my CBR felt like a recliner sofa. Again, I'm not kidding. I'm a heavy build guy at 6 feet tall and above 100kgs in weight. Still i feel comfortable. Traffic can get to you a bit in the shoulder area, but since you're saying that you have a highway commute (>30kms one way), it should be more than comfortable to you. It's the right mix of sportiness and comfort.
• Reliability : It's a Honda. Do I need to tell you anything else? It will only stop running if the fuel is finished. Or else it will outlast you too.
• Cruising Ability : When this baby CBR was launched in western markets, they called it a sports cruiser. I myself used to experience this on a daily basis. Post the oil change I had spoken of previously, the bike is very quick to reach 80kmph and has a very addictive surge. It's equally thrilling and dangerous, provided you can keep it under control. It can do triple digit speeds all day, and I'm assuming that you're lighter than me. So in that case, the bike can reach higher speeds even faster.

You can do office commutes, rides with other big bikes, highway trips, dates (just in case - they won't complain about the backseat too; it's got a lot of padding to keep them comfortable) and other activities. The design is timeless and still turns heads wherever you go. You name it, CBR can do it with style, grace, elegance and comfort.

This bike has no red flags as such, just look out for the ticking noise. I'll share the link of my thread, where it has been discussed at length.

I'm so sorry that I forgot about the bike you asked about. Please DM me using this same username at Instagram and I will be able to help you instantly, and at length.

Try haggling for atleast 80k. Anything above that doesn't make sense. Tell that you need to upgrade to an LED bulb, brake pads, tyres, etc. Most importantly, check the pending traffic violations on the vehicle and use that to reduce the price. We can do it here in Hyderabad. I dont know the case for Bangalore.

In the case of upgrades : halogens don't make sense in 2023. Upgrade to an LED main bulb. And your stars will thank you. I've observed that the Versah brake pads offer better brake feel. It's immediately noticeable. You can easily upgrade to it. Get an Exide battery, my Amaron has been giving me problems recently. Here's a link yo my thread.

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

80k for a 3rd owner bike is a very bad deal in my opinion. You can easily get a very well maintained 1st owner CBR260r ABS version for less than 1 lac (2016-2018 models which were right before the BS4 ones)

Regarding your requirements from the other post,
It is a comfortable sports tourer. If you are used to commuter bikes or cruisers, then it will take time for you to get used to it. If your usage is city only, the bike isn't fun to ride. It's a sports tourer and hence, the real fun is to ride on highways at speeds of 80+ on top gear.

I've owned the bike since 2012 and have been constantly getting a fuel efficiency of ~28 kmpl in city and 33 kmpl on highways.

The sweet spot of this bike is between 5k and 6k RPM on top gear. That translates to speeds between 80 and 96 kmph where the engine vibrations are lowest. It can do high speeds too ofcourse but the engine is mostly relaxed between 5-6k RPM. At those speeds constantly, you can expected a mileage of 35kmpl.

The spare parts are an issue at service centers. Will take time to order slow moving parts (regular service parts like oil and air filter, fork oil seal, etc are available). Doesn't matter how reliable Honda bikes are but if the bike is owned by 3 different owners, I will not trust it even if the price is low.

Conclusion from me - look for a first owner CBR ABS bike from 2016-18 and don't mind paying 1L for it after getting it test ridden yourself and inspected by a trusted mechanic.

Other option - there are other decent options other than CBR. Example - FZ250, Honda Hness, Gixxer 250, etc which offer good refinement equal to or better than the CBR and are more comfortable and give better fuel efficiency (and isn't discontinued yet)

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Below 5500 rpm the bike behaves like a 200cc bike and above 5500 rpm it unleashes its true potential. This is a good thing for a person upgrading from a smaller displacement bike.

BHPian vattyboy recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Likes:

• Looks like a proper 600cc plus superbike. It is a head turner, the public forgets their work to have a glance at this motorcycle. Resembles a Ducati, especially in the Red Color.
• Build Quality is amazing, every part is made up of high-quality materials.No Rattles from any part of the bike at any speed, whether passing from potholes or speed breakers.
• Performance - 0 to 60 kmph in 2.8 secs and 0 to 100kmph in 6.5 secs with a top speed of around 170 kmph.
• No stalling issues, can be ridden at 15 kmph in 3rd gear and 25 kmph in 4th gear. It passes 2nd gear speed breaker tests with flying colors.
• Heat management is just amazing. It is very difficult to spot the radiator fan in action. Engine temperature always remains between 80 to 90 degree Celsius all year around.
• Handling is very good. The rider looks for the opportunity to take the corners aggressively. It has Very good ground clearance.
• Rear Taillight is very beautiful and stands out from the crowd.

Dislikes:

• Minor Vibrations- They don't come from the engine, they arise from the dry chain. They start to creep in after 300 km of riding after lubricating the chain. So I found the solution for this, I lubricate the chain in 300 km intervals.
• Headlight- It is " Adequate". Good for city use but the scenario changes on the highways, above 80 or 90 kmph I find them very weak. Above 100 it feels like the headlight isn't even there. Going for some aftermarket light is an option but since I don't take the bike on highways at night and ride it only in the sunlight so I didn't go for them.
• NOT for the pillion. Once I sat on the rear seat when my friend was driving the bike, it felt like I am ON TOP OF BURJ KHALIFA. All cars like Fortuner and Endeavor were below me.
• Exhaust note is not that great. Even Apache RTR 200 and 160 sound better.
• If the engine turns off by mistake in traffic or red light signals, then on some occasions you have to thumb the starter multiple times for the motor to come to life.
• Though a 150-section rear tire is the standard size among 300- 400cc motorcycles, It looks small on the RR310 due to its humongous size.

Alternatives considered:

KTM RC 390 Old generation 2022:

Since (2014-15) I was impressed with the Ktm's because of their raw and wild power delivery.

So this time, I went to the Ktm showroom and took a test drive of rc 390.

Few observations:

• ENGINE STALLING ISSUE- It was very difficult to ride at slow city speeds below 60 kmph. Unlike RR310, Ktm needs very frequent gear changes. Ktm needs 2nd gear only after 25-30 kmph while one can ride RR310 in 2nd gear from 10 kmph without stalling. The same thing applies to 3rd and 4th gear also. RR310 can be ridden in 4th gear at 35 kmph, at this speed Ktm will shift to 3rd gear from 2nd.
• Crowd and Image - After taking the test drive of rc390 for the next few days (approx. a month), I kept a keen eye on the people who are buying and riding Ktm and I found the majority of the crowd riding KTM is what we call 'Chapri nibbas". All of them were riding very fast, rash along with giving a lot of cuts to the other vehicles on the road in chappals without helmets. They are always ready to do road rage.
• The 125cc category is majorly taken by these nibbas and they have spoilt the image of such a good brand.
• KTM should stop selling the 125cc bikes and make their inventory above 250cc.
• EXCLUSIVITY FACTOR- Today Ktm comes in 125cc, 250cc, and 390cc, one can spot so many 125cc Ktm on the road so there was no exclusivity factor in owning a 390cc Ktm.

so rejected.

RE Interceptor 650:

I am a guy who loves the latest technology and modern looks. I was not a fan of the RE design language but stills went for the test drive because somewhat the same price range.

Few observations:

• RE provides the best dealership experience.
• Just give a license and take the bike alone, absolutely no restriction on the time and km.
• Polite staff with knowledge, who doesn't try to let down the other bikes to make their bike look good.
• Most refined 650cc parallel twin engine with the best exhaust note.
• Undertyred, the tires cant take a load of high-speed braking plus full-throttle acceleration.
• In my eyes the bike doesn't look like a 4 lakh bike( no offense to the respected owners of it), I observed a few bikes coming towards me from a distance and I mistook them for some low-budget bike.

Bajaj Dominar:

At that time the bike was available only in the touring model which in terms of looks and usability I didn't like, Afterall I am not going to do touring with the bike so rejected it.

Few observations:

• Bajaj staff is not at all interested to sell the bike, looks it like a govt. office.
• Good exhaust note.
• The bike is very heavy.
• It carries the same Ktm engine but Dominar is a lot smoother to ride and in NVH levels.
• Most value-for-money bike in the segment, if it was available without a touring model and some other color rather than black and green then I think today the story would be different.

Styling & design:

Design inspiration came from some gorgeous machines – Daytona (the 675 from 2006 and Ducati (the red trellis, Panigale-ish profile, and tail-end). The RR310 is TVS most beautiful bike, yet.

Ducati Inspired Red Trellis frame:

The result of over 300 hrs of wind tunnel testing, RR 310 claims to be the benchmark in aerodynamics (for an Indian motorcycle in this segment), and it has all the visual signs to make this claim a believable one.

The RR 310 somewhat resembles a Ducati in the red paint job. From the sharp lines on the fairing to the pinched tail section, there's a beautiful mix of form and function.

RR 310 looks special in every sense of the word.

The bi-LED projector headlights have been integrated neatly into the fairing and are underlined by a blacked-out split beak. A flush-fitting windscreen tops off the front-end styling and it sports a hard-to-miss Indian tricolor decal on the top-right corner – it’s about time we got patriotic about our motorcycles.

Booking And Delivery Experience:

• It was average.
• Not as good as RE nor as bad as Bajaj. Comparable to KTM.
• They demanded Rs 10k as a booking amount and promised the delivery of the bike in 8 days. The new lot bikes including black color and red color were unloaded from the truck on the 6th day itself in front of me, after that I took a test drive along with PDI. There were no red flags so I gave a green signal to the SA.
• They didn't arrange something special for their flagship product. Before me a customer was taking the delivery of his Tvs Jupiter, I saw all the process of it and the TVS guys repeated the same with me.
• A special and unique delivery of the flagship product which costs more than 3 lakhs is highly necessary, consider this advice TVS.
• A simple duplicate large key-giving picture by SA to me was taken and that's it.

Technical specifications:

• Engine Type - 4 strokes, 4 valves, Single cylinder, Liquid-cooled, Reverse inclined.
• Codeveloped by BMW Motorrad and TVS.
• Engine Displacement -312.2 cc
• Max Power -34 PS @ 9700 rpm
• Max Torque -27.3 Nm @ 7700 rpm
• Kerb Weight- 168 to 174 kg
• Top Speed- 160 kmph claimed by TVS but some have attained 170- 173 kmph top speed on YouTube.

Engine Character:

Below 5500 rpm the bike behaves like a 200cc bike and above 5500 rpm it unleashes its true potential. This is a good thing for a person upgrading from a smaller displacement bike.

Safety Features ( Loaded upto the brim):

ABS:

The rear abs come into action a lot of times even when there is very less rear braking bite.

Hardly saw the front abs into action even when 90% of the stopping power comes from the front.

Glide through traffic:

This function helps to ride the bike only with the use of a clutch without the accelerator during heavy traffic.

Put the bike into 2nd gear and leave the clutch without any throttle and the bike will glide on its own at 12-15 kmph and 18-20 kmph in 3rd gear.

Thtottle by wire:

It gets a sensor to sense the throttle input rather than the old cable-type mechanism of the throttle. This is very precise and the bike knows what the rider wants from it immediately.

Slipper clutch:

It allows the rider to do rapid downshifts while preventing the rear wheel hop.

Reverse inclined engine:

Helps to keep the center of gravity in the middle of the bike thus resulting in improved cornering and handling characteristics.

Separate Duct to pass fan Air:

This does its job perfectly by proving a separate passage to the hot air coming from the engine when the fan turns on. The hot air passes directly to the ground and I don't feel any heat on my legs. It is written that do not block the duck so that the hot air can pass through it.

Accessories:

Bought a helmet. This one is SMK, I can't remember the exact model. It came with a pin-lock 30 which is removed after a few days because I use spectacles. Even when the pin-lock prevents fogging of the visor, the fog accumulates on my specs. So I prevent myself from riding the bike in the rain.

Elegant Auto Brand Seat cover. It is of very good quality and looks good too:

Usage Pattern:

• For a daily office commute of 5 km on one side.
• For going to the gym in the evening and some random rides with friends to malls, lakeside, etc.
• Total distance I ride per day is 20 km.

Riding Stance and Position:

While the overall visual appeal is sporty, the RR 310 isn’t a hardcore, out-to-get-you machine. Yes, the ‘RR’ in its name does, indeed, stand for Race Replica but its riding position is nowhere close to as committed on a supersport or superbike. TVS understands the Indian audience’s excitement towards a fully-faired motorcycle but also knows that not everyone lives next door to a racetrack. Let’s admit it – a committed riding position makes you look like a genuine racer-boy but almost nobody can live with the wrist-kill that comes with it.

There’s ample room to sit on offer. This helps me with being comfortable on high-speed cruises and long distances.

The riding posture is just perfect and doesn't tire me at all, I am 6ft tall and it feels like the bike is perfectly designed for me. When I sit on it I get a feeling that it completes me.

There is a lot of room in the front riding seat.

If you sit behind then the riding posture becomes committed and comes close to KTM RC.

If you sit in the front then riding posture comes close to Dominar or Interceptor.

Mileage

City: 25 kmpl

Highway: 38 kmpl on 70 kmph, 35 kmpl at 80kmph, 33 kmpl at 90kmph, 31kmpl at 100kmph, 27 kmpl at 120 kmph. And drops its 18-20 kmpl near its top speed.

TVS claim a tank capacity of 11L, but in reality, it drinks about 11.5 L.

The bike gives a range of about 280 km on the full tank when used inside the city.

In my motorcycle, a lot of effort is needed to close the fuel lid after refueling. The fuel lid closes only after applying a lot of pressure from above and then rotating the key to close it.

Continue reading on BHPian vattyboy's TVS Apache RR310 for BHPian comments, insights and more information.

The bike must have fallen on the car and someone just picked it up and ran away.

BHPian bluevolt recently shred this with other enthusiasts.

I want to share an incident that happened with my car and seek advice for the next steps.

My car (Kia Seltos), parked in my allotted parking, has been severely damaged by a bike parked adjacent to it. I notice the damage during my night walk (at 11.10 pm) today.

The bike must have fallen on the car and someone just picked it up and ran away. Please find photos of the damage attached.

Upon finding this, I called the guard at the tower and asked him to bring the owner of the bike along. But as per the guard, no one opened the gate of the flat even after 5-7 rings of the bell. After this, the main gate security was called. The supervisor came to the parking to see the damage. He checked the bike and it was found that the bike was on the side stand, with a punctured tyre, totally imbalanced and someone just made it fall on my car. As per the supervisor, the owner did not answer the phone.

Please advise me on the next steps to take. Should I call the police in the morning if the owner is still not reachable or does not accept his fault? How should I manage this damage? Get it done through insurance or at an outside workshop. My car is 3 years old and I haven't claimed insurance yet.

I have written an e-mail to the society maintenance office for action highlighting the below points:

• The parking next to mine is an empty space and besides that, it belongs to another flat. Hence, this bike is wrongly parked next to my parking spot. This has damaged my car badly due to the negligence of the owner in the first place.
• I have asked the security to scan the CCTV footage in the parking area to identify who caused the damage. If it is some other person who made the bike fall, he/she should be identified at the earliest and action should be taken against them. I parked my car at 2 pm in the slot in perfect condition and I saw it damaged at 11.10 pm during my night walk.
• The guard on duty at the tower prior to 8 pm must be called and interrogated - why he did not check the parking? When the bike would have fallen, it must have caused a loud noise and the guard must be attentive enough to check the incident in the first place. The car itself is parked close to the lift lobby.
• Even If the bike had fallen due to some other person, the owner of the bike will still be held liable for damage as it is his responsibility that the vehicle is in a stable condition when parked so that it doesn't fall on another vehicle.
• This is a clear case of unorganised bike parking near the designated parking slots of the owner. I have asked for immediate action to be taken to remove wrongly parked bikes near the designated parking spaces of others. Bike/scooter owners must be directed to park in their assigned slots, where they park their own cars so that their two-wheelers cause damage to their cars in case of a fall and not to others' property.

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

I know it's heartbreaking for a car owner but police action for such trivial issues is really not worth it. Rather what you can do is make enough noise so that RWA members and security take a note of it and such accidents can be prevented in the future.

Check the CCTV footage. If the bike fell down on its own (which is owner's negligence), get your car repaired under insurance or otherwise and ask the bike owner to pay for damages.

If some kiddos or a third person did it, which is more likely to be the case, I doubt there's much you can do. Get it repaired and move on with life.

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

It will be impossible to pin the liability on the RWA. They will have some board or notice that will say parking at owners risk.

Your best bet is to hope that there is a CCTV that captured this and the person is a resident.

Additionally that that resident is a decent person who accepts his mistake.

Here's what BHPian am1m had to say on the matter:

Don't even think about involving the cops for this small damage. I understand how this feels to a car owner who loves his vehicle, but getting the cops involved will make things far worse. If you're lucky, they will refuse to get involved seeing the minor damage. If you are unlucky, they will use it as an excuse to extract money from both you and the person you are making the complaint about!]

Even about the other person accepting blame, it's going to be a matter of luck. If you are lucky, they will do the decent thing. But mentally prepare yourself that they won't. Get it repaired, move on. Certainly lodge it as an issue with the RWA. Whatever you do, don't continuously try and seek out the other party. Offense is the best form of defense and people who are wrong often get aggressive to cover their mistake. They might file a harassment complaint against you and that is certainly something the cops are more likely to act on!

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

Agree with the opinion of folks on this thread.

I had a similar experience a couple of years ago when an overhead pipe came apart and fell on my car's roof and bonnet in the designated parking slot. I initially tried to take the path you want to go down on -> Managed to get CCTV evidence and tried to pin the fault on poor maintenance. Realised that the amount of time I was spending on this vs the benefit was just not worth it. I got the car repaired and moved on (that's what insurance is for). I just ensured that the pipe repair work was done properly so that it doesn't happen again.

I understand how you must be feeling, but its probably best to repair the car and move on. I think you have already brought it to the notice of the right folks, and a good win for you would be if the bike's owner is more careful in the future about how he parks and/or moves the bike away to a different slot.

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

Kindly claim insurance and get it fixed. The whole purpose of the insurance is for such things. Since no damage to life was done involving police is of no use, they will probably make you sit at the station for hours waiting till you change your mind of filing a complaint. A common tactic used by cops to have minimum people file reports etc.

The society could co-operate and provide you CCTV footage, hopefully the owner will come forward. Since you have already sent an email you could request the society to take positive action and desist wrong parking in designated areas and fine fellow society members for such violations.

In a society I visit vehicles parked wrong are clamped and the owner fined for such acts.

Here's what BHPian Hayek had to sy on the matter:

Don’t think you can prove who caused the damage to your car. Even if the bike fell, it’s an accident. Except if it was deliberate and malicious damage, you need to bear this cost your self - whether through your insurance or out of pocket is your call. Such things happen everywhere in the world - which is why you have insurance.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Both are good on different aspects, with Apache offering more comfort and R15 gives more economy and ability to maintain high speeds over long time

BHPian SaurAswale recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi all,

I have just started my career last year as a mechanical engineer. I have been absolute nerd for bikes and after drooling for 25 years, I think this is time to gift myself with one and join the tribe. I need help to take the decision, so here is some background.

Growing up in a farmer family, I have experience around 100cc splendor and passions(5 splendor and 3 passions).We use them for farm duties to 300km 'Rides' in a day. Until recently my brother bought Hornet 160r.

At start of career, it makes sense only to buy used one. Budget is set around 80k-90k and 1L including basic gear. Here are my requirements:

• Top priorities are fun to ride while giving good fuel economy of at least 40+kmpl. So all KTMs, CBR and Gixxers are out.
• There is "No need of a bike" as my parents says. I live in hostel literally 10 meters of my office. So, it is true to some extent. There is no commute now, but the bike should do commutes and errands after a year if I switch job or get married.
• I wish to keep her for at least next 5-7 years.
• As said this will be only vehicle I'll buy in near future it should be able to carry my partner as pillion and little luggage.
• I am working in Hyderabad, 600kms away from home in Kolhapur and I want to ride to home and back on the bike once in a quarter. So should be comfortable and efficient at highway speeds.
• Touring and weekend rides (At least I am planning to do it).
• ABS is mandatory.

I have only two motorcycles in my mind. Both are at different end of spectrum. First is king of the segment, Apache RTR 200. Another is the college crush and the Legend, Yamaha R15. I am not considering any other as most of out of my budget and these two I love.

Here is how they compare with each other. I am not going into spec sheet as it can be found on internet:

• Fun and feelings- I think Yamaha takes this one but Apache is not far behind in terms of fun. Being a motorsport fan, there is always itch to have a sportbike which R15 satisfies and Apache won't.
• Cost- Apaches are very affordable bikes for what they offer. I am able to find 2020 bs6 bikes with ABS, Bluetooth at 85-90k. While older R15v3 are 30k more expensive. God,WHY????
• Fuel economy- I know Apache can give 40+kmpl if driven sanely, and at highway speeds FE will drop further which is expected. R15 wins this one as for R15V3, people are claiming 50+kmpl at regular usage and 40-42 kmpl when driven above 100kmph. Please correct me if I am wrong here.
• Touring- Both are good on different aspects, with Apache offering more comfort and R15 gives more economy and ability to maintain high speeds over long time without breaking sweat or bank. And it's a sportbike not sport tourer hence not so comfortable, But I think I can manage this one just for sake of owning a sportbike.
• Maintenance- I don't have much knowledge on this but I think both will cost same to maintain. If you own one of the two, please share your experience.
• Pillion comfort- R15 is designed for different purpose and which it does the best, bringing smile on riders face. If it was for me alone, I would have bought it by now. But as a do it all bike, it will not make sense in couple of years. Apache wins this one.

Last week I had to travel 250 kms and my brother managed to borrow R15v2 from a friend so I can test ride. I absolutely loved it. She pulls nicely to overtake at 70kmph, very smooth, agility and cornering is as everyone says, Legendary. But being pillion and holding to my dear life is not pleasant experience.

Finally, What do I want?

Heart is screaming for R15v3 and go full yolo as 'You live the life only once'. Be selfish, live for yourself, don't think much.

Head says, be practical and buy Apache. Save 30k which can be spent on petrol. Do everything I want but loved ones close with me rather than waiting for me.

Which one should I choose?

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

The RTR 200 is a fun bike with rider modes and is very easy to drive in the city .The R15 has a committed rider position so being stuck in traffic will kil your wrists if you don't have the proper technique. The R15 is insanely fuel efficient, my V4 sometimes gave me 54+ km/lit ! I feel like your best bet would be FZ25. It has dual channel abs , 35-40 km/lit , torque filled for the city and a comfortable tourer.

Here' what BHPian Mr.Boss had to say on the matter:

All your requirements scream Apache RTR 200.

R15 is very much nimble and fun to ride, but the committed posture is a pain for both rider and pillion. Best alternative is MT15.

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

Based on your mentioned requirements i would pick Apache 200. It is a tried and tested machine out there.

R15 is a nice machine but are you ready to compromise on pillion comfort? Are you ok to ride in that aggressive position for 600 kms one side?

BHPian SaurAswale replied:

Totally agree with you @ Mr.Boss. But the problem is MT15 is launched recently compared to other two and I can't find one used in my budget. Although it'll be better fit, I had to exclude it from my list, same is the case for Duke 200 and CBR 250r both having higher running cost.

Exactly @Oppanna, this is where I'm stuck. Buying Apache is sensible. Though I will happily ride R15 for 600kms but I will not be a pillion for 50 kms. It'll be extremely selfish decision to buy R15. But as I said, I have been dreaming of the sportbike till now.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Picture used is for representation purposes only.

I have never owned a bike before, and I don't see myself riding more than 50 km per week on a bike.

BHPian enthusiasticbud recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello everyone!

I have been a longtime lurker in these forums and finally decided to join to get some advice on my bike purchase. Please bear with me for some context before the questions.

The context:

I was peacefully driving my Creta (2018) around Srinagar when my office decided to call off WFH for everyone and I had to land in Bangalore.
My office provides free cab services for pickup and drops so I don't really need a bike for everyday use. It will primarily be used for running errands, going to the gym, and on the weekends.

I have never owned a bike before, so I want something light within INR 1.5 lakh (showroom) for short trips within the city and around. I don't see myself riding more than 50 km per week on a bike. I have tried the following and here are my observations:

Yamaha FZ X:

The seat is comfortable and the riding stance for my height (6'1") is good. It is a light bike with good looks but feels lacking in power.

Kawasaki W175:

The bike seems tiny but is comfortable. I am not very fond of the looks but it rides smooooooooth. It's light and very maneuverable. If not for the hefty price tag for the lack of features, it's a very nice bike.

TVS Ronin:

It is a bulky bike. I feel like it looks the best among the three options, but I can't ride it in the city.

The questions:

• I will be moving out of Bangalore within the next 6-8 months. Does it make sense to buy a new bike in Srinagar and get it transported to Bangalore right out of the showroom? Financially, it will save me money as taxes in J&K are much lower than in KA and the cost of transporting a bike from Srinagar to Bangalore and back to Srinagar is still less than the tax difference in J&K and KA. I want to know about it from the safety and warranty aspects.
• Does it make sense to buy the Kawasaki? I will have to buy the Kawasaki here in Bangalore because there's no Kawasaki showroom in Srinagar. When I go back to Srinagar, my bike will be under warranty but there will be no Kawasaki service center around me.
• Should I just buy a used scooter for 6 months and sell it before moving out?

Let me know if you have any other bike suggestions. I am also eyeing Hunter 350 but I think that's a heavy bike.

Thank you in advance!

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

Whether you buy a motorcycle or scooter, please refrain buying in from JK & using it in KA, the money saved is not worth the trouble. If I were you, I would simply opt for an automatic scooter for riding within city. Even if you ride 100 Km a week, a petrol scooter/motorcycle (at the time of writing) is most suited than an EV vehicle.

Would suggest waiting for 6-8 months at Bangalore before taking a decision to spend 1-1.5 Lakhs on a vehicle unless you're compensated for that money. And no, not worth the trouble spending on transportation back & forth from JK-KA-JK please.

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

I'm confused. Are you saying you're shifting to Bangalore but will move out within 6-8 months? Or is that a typo and you intend to say you'll be moving into Bangalore?

If it is the former, don't buy anything. Manage with office cabs and public transport until you move out of Bangalore.

If it is the latter, I'd still recommend buying a used Active or similar scooter for running errands, going to gym and such. It is way more comfortable, practical and low maintenance.

Are you going to bring your car as well? This should mostly cover for the use cases when you want to go out somewhere. But please be aware that Bangalore was notorious for cracking down on out of state vehicles. Right now, they are a bit laxed about it but it is only a matter of reprioritization before the BTP picks this up as their next charter.

If you're shifting to Bangalore for good, with your car, I'd suggest getting an NOC from your J&K RTO and registering it here in Bangalore. Instead, if you're only shifting for 6 months, then bring your car for those occasional trips and use it until you move out.

As per KA local MVD laws, I believe out of state vehicles can be used up to a year. It is unlikely such a crackdown is going to start anytime soon, so if you plan to move out in 8 months, your car should cover.

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

Warranty is pan India so as long as you can find the authorised service center its ok. Safety I am not sure of but like a lot of other places an outside registration vehicle is bound to be stopped more by the police.

No point buying the Kawasaki in your situation, just not worth it.

This makes the most sense, you can also get a used motorcycle.

Suggestions based on the experiences you mentioned:

• XPulse 200T 4V
• Pulsar N250
• FZ 25

Anything workable that's available in the used market.

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Vibrations also seem well contained, they also sell something called a vibration controller, but I didn't opt for that.

BHPian WhiskeyTangoFox recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Update: Waterproof mobile holder:

Quick update on a new addition to the bike that I've wanted to get for a long time. Happened to get gift cards recently for accumulating card points so used some it on this.

I'm the kind of person who doesn't like to stop while riding when it starts raining so most of what I invest in, be it gear or anything else for that matter is waterproof. Same goes for a mobile holder wherein I want the map to be running always irrespective of the weather. Hence the quest for a waterproof mobile holder.

In my recent post on this thread, I wrote about the GPS Mount I procured (If you'd like to read more about that, please scroll up xD) and I wasn't too sure about the safety aspect of the older setup.

As you can see from the images, the older mobile holder I purchased from Wecool (Replacement for the Bobo Grip Holder that I managed to break long ago) is a basic spring based holder. Although it is of fairly good quality for the price, at around 600Rs, it is confidence inspiring only if you mount your phone vertically. I like my map in a horizontal or landscape orientation when I have it on the bike so this wasn't ideal. Although it did do the job, I did't want to risk the phone sliding out. Another issue I faced was an annoying rattling sound coming from the phone holder (probably some small plastic or moving part inside).

Hence the safety of my phone being more important, decided to go ahead and get the Yellowfin Waterproof Mobile Holder.

I realised that Bobo, Yellowfin, Grand pitstop, LGP and JB Racing rebadge and sell the same mobile holders so you can pick and choose depending on which one has the lowest price at the time. I picked up this holder for about 1800Rs, which is steep, but again the security it offers and the gift card smoothened that bump

The holder comes with both the mirror mount and the handlebar mount attachment so even scooter riders or even Clip On Handlebar users can opt for this product:

After mounting.

With phone.

Self charging port.

The unit also has a sealed charging port that is covered by a little rubber flap . There is a small distance between the phone's port and the outside (i.e the little tunnel) which is good IMO as it will hold the cable in place. That solves another issue for me where the wind used to pull out the charging cable at speed.

Vibrations also seem well contained, they also sell something called a vibration controller, but I didn't opt for that. I just put a couple of rubber strips that I had from previous attachments between the clamping mechanism which seems to do the job. Although I've only gauged this revving it in neutral and am yet to ride the bike post installation.

The only con however is the durability of the screen/plastic. It is extremely responsive to touch but I've heard from BHPian Helix that it tends to get scratched easily. hence I've ordered a cheap screen protector (The soft film kind and not tempered glass) to help with that. Other than that, seems like a solid product, and I would recommend it.

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The gearbox is the thing that amazed me the most. The shifts are perfect. I would compare this to that of the R15.

BHPian Castro Gunner recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

My ownership review of the Gixxer SF 250 after 3 years/35000 kms:

The background and initial impressions (posted on XBhp when I bought the bike):

Buying experience:

In January 2019, I decided to buy a motorcycle in the range 1.5 L to 1.85 L by March 2020 so that I have time to mobilize the required fund and I might get BS 4 stock clearance offer. With 2 years of knowledge gathering on bikes finalized the Gixxer 250 (Gixxer SF 250 wasn't falling into my price range). By 07/02/2020, I had 1.7 L in hand and started enquiring about rates so that I could buy by mid of March 2020.

Almost all the dealers refused that Gixxer 250 will be available after BS 6 stock comes. One dealer said he can arrange one, but if I choose Gixxer SF 250 he will provide it at Rs. 1,70,000/-. And me excited, discussed with family and decided to buy immediately. I visited the showroom to see the condition of the bike and booked on that day itself. The next day went for taking delivery and did thorough PDI checks (Thanks to the internet).

After completing all the formalities by lunch I reached home with the bike. It was beautiful, the tiredness due to lack of previous day sleep vanished. While I was admiring the beauty of the vehicle in the parking lot,I noticed oil leak from engine head. I became furious and went back to showroom after completing the Friday prayers. The showroom guy seemed to be disappointed and sorry and offered for a replacement if I am willing to take black colour or else he would repair the same vehicle under warranty. As I loved both the colours, I opted for the black one. Their main showroom was 50 kms from my place and they offered a brand new Gixxer 150 to reach there (This is why the PDI is so damn important). I rode slowly considering that someone would buy it and finally took the delivery by 6 pm. After a few days, they gave me a Studd helmet (worth around 1k) and Suzuki seat cover.

Ownership experience:

As per the owner's manual, the following should be strictly followed for engine breaking in,

• Upto 750 kms- <5000 rpm
• 750 to 1600 kms- <7500 rpm
• After 1600 kms- <10000 rpm
• 1st service @ 750-1000 kms
• 2nd service @ 4500-5000 kms

Further services at every 4500-5000 kms or 6 months whichever is earlier.

Rode the bike as instructed and reached 750 kms mark in a week, and by the tenth day completed 1000 kms and gave it for service. After service there wasn’t any notable difference and took the bike for a long trip (600 kms up and down). During all this time followed the manual instructions. Currently, after a month exactly completed 2600 kms. The following are my thoughts about the bike:

Pros:

• Engine: The engine feels so reliable. It is linearly torquey and powerful on almost all rev ranges. It feels absolutely smooth at 6000 rpm. Below that this is a commuter and post that this is a sports bike.
• Transmission: The gearbox is the thing that amazed me the most. The shifts are perfect. I would compare this to that of the R15.
• Looks: Personally I feels that this is the best looking bike below 3 lakhs and it sure grabs some attention.
• Mileage: I got 42 kmpl at 5000 rpm ride on highways. In mixed conditions I'm getting 35 kmpl. 38 kmpl can be achieved at 110 kmph cruising speed.
• Versatility: Below 5k rpm, this feels like a 150 cc and can be used in commuting and post 6k rpm this roars till the end.
• Ergonomics: I am 5'7" I have the habit of sitting on to the edge of the seat. With that style, my back is COMPLETELY upright. The ergonomics are comfy for both traffic and touring.
• Cruising capability: Crusing at 110 kmph to 120 kmph is easy on this bike. 130 kmph can be reached without any fuss. 140 kmph is a sure thing but at this speed the motor is stressed. But during all these speeds, the bike was surprisingly planted.
• Tyres: The tyres feel very sticky (but online, there are negative reviews about MRF Rev Z C). Really I can feel the tyres hugging on to the road.
• P.S. I am very new to cornering and comparing this with FZ 25 , R 15 V1/V2 stock tyres.
• Headlight: The headlight offers enough spread and range.
• Heating: I rode continuously 150 kms at high revs (7000 to 9000 rpm) at 35 degree celsius weather and during all that time, I felt only once heat pushing towards my calf and that too was not disturbing (would be pleasant in winter).
• Braking: The braking is perfect to my satisfaction (I don’t know why there are negative reviews on Youtube) and being a first user of ABS, it feels so confident.

Cons:

• Pillion seat: The pillion seat is tall as that of R15 V 2, and the comfort is not good either.
• Engine at 4k to 5k rpm: Most of the times, there is sharp vibration between these rpms that travels all along the chassis up to the pillion seat. Also at this rpm, sometimes the engine sounds differently (I don’t know how to describe the sound).

Now, coming to my current views:

Pros:

• Looks: This may be subjective, but I love the looks. The side and rear are marvelously designed. It do attract attention.
• Engine: This might be highly debated, particularly among those who suffer severe vibration. But, this engine is highly versatile. Be it commuting, touring, spirited riding it can do all albeit master of none. Not even a single moment during my tenure, I felt bad about this engine. Too early to say, but i feel this can last long as well.
• Middleclass-esque: This bike can do commuting, spirited ridding, touring and what not!(except off roading). And the service interval is once in 5k kms/6 months, each costing maximum of 2-2.5k. The stock MRF lasts way long (32k- front, Rear still on and seems it can touch 40k easily). Considering all these isnt this perfect for the people who wants everything with their limited money?
• Suzuki-response: The one boon which I got is the GM of Bangalore region who is very helpful. He helped on multiple occasion to get the issues resolved promptly. Also, the complaints registered in suzuki portal are considered.
• Gixxer club: The Gixxer club in Bangalore is very good. The group is active, helpful and fun. Decent amount of rides are organised now and then.

Cons:

• Service centers: This being sold only in premium showrooms, if one were to live/move to rural side it will be an absolute disaster. From my hometown, the nearest ASC is 100kms away!!
• Japanese reliability? Really? : In 2017, being an 125 cc owner, till then I hadn't ridden any sporty motorcycle. The only big bike which I rode was a Bullet 350. Then I had an opportunity to have R25 V2(65k on odo) with me for 5 days. And 5 days later my entire perception about motorcycles changed, ENTIRELY!!! So that's what revving is!! I finally experienced it. Me being a fan among the crowd of RE, turned into a hater towards RE. Partly, because I found the real nature of my liking and partly due to the refinement! TBH, from that moment my interest towards motorcycles grew multifold.
• Now, coming to the topic- I was so sure that I was going to buy a Japanese motorcycle only. The reason being reliability and refinement. I even ditched the Dominar 400 UG (in 2020, the diff in price was just 30k). The engine is definitely smooth but not as like that of Yamaha and Honda (better than Bajaj and TVS). But I was left stranded on road on 3 occasions- 1. Some coil went off that was replaced under warranty, 2. Sensor was misplaced after service, 3. Battery died almost suddenly after 9 months of changing the battery.
• Fit and finish: This needs a slight improvement, as stuff started to make noise. Particularly the official seat cover, that squeaks every time we get on to the bike.

To Suzuki:

The product needs to be improved overall, I hope they already doing that aggressively as V Strom250 owners are very happy.

Definitely, there are electrical issues in the bike- starter coil, battery losing its life in an year or two. Both these issues are occurring all of a sudden and it is not just limited to me as number of people reported the same issue.

As a vouch for reliability, you should offer free towing in case of breakdowns.

Once you start comparing with the Busa and GSXR, the bar is very high. Then this rivals directly the R's of Yamaha and CBR's of Honda and GSXR's of Suzuki!

Final verdict: To be honest, I can neither complain nor praise the motorcycle completely. There are so many goods to fall in love with the motorcycle and occasional mess ups that question the validity of the love.

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The grips are nice to hold and seem to have reduced the vibrations felt on the handlebar.

BHPian WhiskeyTangoFox recently shard this with other enthusiasts.

Update: Motorcycle Throttle Grips:

Hey All, I was looking for something on the lines of the Grip Puppies but for a lower cost, because dropping 2 grand on a pair of Foam Tubes didn't make sense to me. Anyhow, came across this offering from an Indian Company called Route95 Moto.

Rs. 499 with shipping included seemed extremely reasonable and I figured I'd give it a go. I only found a couple of reviews on Youtube, but the reviewers seemed to like it. I did check out the Grip Puppies in person once and they felt very similar. Received the package in about 5 days.

Looks very similar to the Grip Puppies and feels soft to the touch.

Good thickness as well.

The Installation process is very simple. Simply spray some soapy water onto the stock grips, and slide it on.

Stock grip.

Perfect fit for the Himalayan.

The installation took all of two minutes and was hassle free. They also included a nice little keychain with the pack.

The grips are nice to hold and seem to have reduced the vibrations felt on the handlebar. I'll be going for a ride tomorrow and will update on how these fare.

Until then,

Cheers!

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It truly was a fill it, shut it, forget it bike. Gave consistently above 70kmpl. I have always been a sedate rider and driver.

BHPian 9216 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Got my 1987 model Hero Honda CD100 re-registered for the 5th time. Done more than 3,20,000 km so far. It still sports the original carb, tank and silencer. Should be good for a few more years.

Here's the story as much as I can recall. No log was maintained as my bike was more of a necessity. My work was nearly 30km from my home in a relatively remote place.

I rode my bike 60km a day (averaging to nearly 1500km a month) for over 20 years. In 2008 I moved to town, closer to work. And in 2009, I bought my first car, an Alto LXI. Since then the bike was used sparingly.

When I bought it, there were no service centres nearby. I have always been a DIY person, right from my childhood days. I wrote to Hero Honda for a copy of the workshop manual. Though they refused initially, I pestered them repeatedly (by postal letters : good old days ) and they finally budged and sent me a copy. Since then most of ordinary maintenance work was done by myself. Workshop service was done only when some serious work was needed. Always changed oil at 1500-1800km ( I think this is the only important maintenance needed). Never waited for anything to fail, changing parts with original spares well ahead of time.

It truly was a fill it, shut it, forget it bike. Gave consistently above 70kmpl. I have always been a sedate rider and driver. In its glory days, never once did it get me stranded on the way, except due to punctures. During the last few months I had two incidents. First was due to failed cdi unit. The second, kicker pedal started slipping due to its grooves getting worn out. I was stranded 1 km away from home. Could have started with a push from somebody, but chose to walk back home, get some tools and temporarily fix it.

Major repairs I can recall : Factory clutch disks changed at 115k, cylinder rebored and piston replaced at around 160k(done by me at home by getting reboring done at a lathe shop), crank replacement at about 185k, first full repaint at last registration in 2018, cam chain and sprockets were changed 3 times and valve seals twice. Had replaced the generator coil (ignition) once.

Several years back, while the bike was not used for a few months at a time, rats messed up the entire wiring. As luck would have it, local Hero Honda dealer had an original Japan made wiring harness lying in their stores. This was located because the sales person, who had served there for a very long time, remembered having seen it somewhere. They could not even bill it in their computer system, because it was not in the inventory. They wrote a receipt by hand instead. Unfortunately rats did their job again and had to replace the harness once more.

Every rear tyre lasted about 30-32k (irrespective of brands, MRF, Dunlop and Ceat) and front tyres about 55-60k. Presently using a 3.00" tyre in the rear instead of 2.75" due to local availability issues.

Presently, there is some slight growling noise from the clutch, possibly due to worn grooves in clutch outer. It is still original, though it was machined once. Also it is time to change disks.

One serious difficulty now is unavailability of spares, leave alone original spares. And rubber parts are not available at all. For over an year there was a slight leakage of petrol from the top of the carburettor bowl due to a hard and elongated o-ring and I could not get it anywhere online/offline. Fortunately I found that o-ring for Honda Activa is suitable. That problem solved.The rubber piece ( I don't know what it is called) that connects the air filter with carburetor has become very hard and inflexible. I have a horror of breaking it while taking the carburetor out for cleaning. It may very well end the functional life of the bike.

One con for the bike is that the rear footrest is mounted on the swing arm and not on the frame, making the passenger feel every gutters on the road. This irritates me even today as it did 35 years back. This was, however, corrected in the later avatars of the bike, like CD100SS.

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The engine is still the highlight of the whole package with good reliability and a fitting sound track to boot.

BHPian aravind.anand recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Update after a rather long hiatus!

I have covered a little more than 13k km with my Interceptor and I am really happy with the motorcycle that Royal Enfield has crafted. The engine is still the highlight of the whole package with good reliability and a fitting sound track to boot.

My Interceptor is still running without any major accessories or mods. A powerage slip-on exhaust, tubeless tire conversion and a small vinyl job is all that is different from other Baker express Interceptors! Still on stock tyres, no brake pads have been replaced yet, only the lock-set along with keys were changed under warranty due to the fuel cap sealant rubber failing. Why that tiny piece of rubber is not a child-part is beyond me.

I have learnt to live with the stock seat and though I have ideas to improve it, there has not been a pressing need to change them, it is still manageable for even my inter-city rides.

I honestly do not calculate the mileage very accurately, but right estimate is 22 kmpl in the City and 26-28 kmpl on the highway is what I should be getting.

Got my bike serviced this week, and paid INR 5210 - as I had to change the accelerator cable which was faulty. They also replaced the clutch cable as they said it was hard to operate - but I honestly find it to be harder now that it was before the replacement.

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