[shifu]

Hello guys,

I am surprised there is no "What bike?" thread. Request the mods to please move this to an appropriate thread if there is one.

First things first, some facts about me -

- I am not a biker. 2006 is when I last rode a bike. I had bought a Yamaha Enticer in 2004, rode that till 2006 until I moved abroad. By the time I moved back, the bike was sold away.

- Wife is paranoid about 2-wheeler. She had a horrible crash about 15 years back, and she still has those unpleasant memories. Everytime she hears about an accident involving a bike her fear of 2-wheelers is awakened.

- I am 5'4". Relatively short. 63Kgs. Relatively underweight. BMI is normal though .



Anyway, mid-life crisis, plus absence of car parking in my offce has rekindled my want for a 2-wheeler.

Requirement:

- My wife's fear has kind of grown on me too. I am a very sedate and safe driver, but the fear of somebody hitting me is always on my mind. So the first thing I thought when I decided to buy a bike was safety. It has to have ABS (dual channel OR single channel). I don't want to compromise on this requirement.

- Given my personality (read height and weight), I would not like a bike that makes me look like a school kid learning to ride. Also don't want a bike that has small wheels (like Activa, etc).

-I need a bike that takes me from home to office, and back. Pretty much a commuter. But would like some thrill that takes care of the mid-life crisis. NVH should be well handled. Atleast till 80-90kmph. That is probably the max speed I will ever go at. Even on my car (Vento TSI), I rarely cross 100kmph.

* Budget is around 1L.

So far I have listed -

* Apache RTR 160
* Suzuki Gixxer
* Apache RTR 200
* Avenger 220 - My heart is on this bike. Partly because it reminds me about my Enticer, and partly because my legs are able to reach the ground while I am seated on the bike. LOL. Unfortunately, this doesn't have ABS.

Any other suggestions?

[LordSharan]

Welcome to the biker's dilemma. It's always difficult to choose given the options that we have available, unless your heart is sold on something.

Given your criteria, I suggest you go for Gixxer150 and stay away from TVS. I've always found TVS bikes to have more vibrations than I can handle, a sore point in otherwise excellent products. Suzuki has smoother engine, but the ABS is available only in Top End SF FI, which will prolly cost you around 1.2L On road.

Other bikes you can consider is Yamaha FZ15 2.0 and newly launched CBZ Xtreme 200. Or Stretch your budget a bit and go for Yamaha FZ25. The FZ25 would probably strike the right balance with power, efficiency, reliability and NVH.

Good luck on your decision and purchase later.

[abhishek46]

Rather than buying a bike straightaway, buy an Activa/Jupiter. Both have combi brake systems, and are very easy to manage in the traffic.

Pick up from the used market, if you get the hang of it, then you can always move up the food chain.

[shortbread]

Originally Posted by shifu

Hello guys,

I am surprised there is no "What bike?" thread. Request the mods to please move this to an appropriate thread if there is one.........

Any other suggestions?

I know you prefer motorcycles and are concerned about an individual with a smaller frame on something like the Activa. Nonetheless I suggest you take a look at the new 125 scooters available in the market today.

My dad went through a similar crisis, albeit much later on in his life and finally picked up an Activa 125 with disc after much thought. He reckons it's one of his best decisions. These automatic two wheelers are a boon in city traffic and leave the motorcycles behind in most start-stop traffic conditions.

They feel a lot safer, have plenty of usable space, very comfortable for pillions and are a blessing to drive in city traffic. I understand the bike ethos, image, performance etc and I came from the same school of thought....till I broke my auto-scooter cherry and since then I have switched sides.

I believe the modern crop of 125 scooter should do the trick for you. Better performance, disc brakes, larger wheels.....perhaps you should add them to your list of options!

[hiren.mistry]

For your usage a scooter would be a good bet. TVS Jupiter would warrant a good look, its stable and has enough pep. But the best 2 wheeler I feel is the TVS Ntorq, it's the best scooter in the market right now. Will easily fit into your budget too.

[aravind.anand]

Originally Posted by LordSharan

Given your criteria, I suggest you go for Gixxer150 and stay away from TVS. I've always found TVS bikes to have more vibrations than I can handle, a sore point in otherwise excellent products. Suzuki has smoother engine, but the ABS is available only in Top End SF FI, which will prolly cost you around 1.2L On road.

If vibrations is the reason why you would shy away from a TVS dealership, then I would strongly urge you to go back and take a test ride of the new Apache RTR 160 4V. Took delivery for a friend last week and had the bike with me over the weekend - such a smooth motor that makes even the Gixxer seem a little unrefined. In comparison, my decade old Apache is a rattle snake! TVS has left behind the vibrations for good.

However, considering he is not very tall, I would still suggest an Avenger over any of the regular 150cc bikes, as being able to place the foot firmly on the ground elevates the confidence of the rider. And considering that he wants to ride smoothly and enjoy the ride, a cruiser might fit the bill better.

[comfortablynumb]

Originally Posted by shifu

Any other suggestions?

Hi,

Some related threads for your reference:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorb...upees-one.html

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorb...k-comfort.html

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorb...rx135-one.html

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorb...50cc-bike.html

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorb...otorcycle.html

How far would you be commuting daily? If it's quite a bit, I would advise you to check the Yamaha FZ & Unicorn 150/160 too. Very smooth, decent mileage and both have a upright riding posture (compared to the Apache).

Enjoy!

Cheers,
Vikram

[navin_v8]

Originally Posted by shifu

I am not a biker. 2006 is when I last rode a bike. I had bought a Yamaha Enticer in 2004, rode that till 2006 until I moved abroad. By the time I moved back, the bike was sold away.

- I am 5'4". Relatively short. 63Kgs. Relatively underweight. BMI is normal though .

I am a very sedate and safe driver, but the fear of somebody hitting me is always on my mind. So the first thing I thought when I decided to buy a bike was safety. It has to have ABS (dual channel OR single channel). I don't want to compromise on this requirement.

- Given my personality (read height and weight), I would not like a bike that makes me look like a school kid learning to ride. Also don't want a bike that has small wheels (like Activa, etc).

-I need a bike that takes me from home to office, and back. Pretty much a commuter. But would like some thrill that takes care of the mid-life crisis. NVH should be well handled. Atleast till 80-90kmph. That is probably the max speed I will ever go at. Even on my car (Vento TSI), I rarely cross 100kmph.

* Budget is around 1L.

So far I have listed -
* Avenger 220 - My heart is on this bike. Partly because it reminds me about my Enticer, and partly because my legs are able to reach the ground while I am seated on the bike. LOL. Unfortunately, this doesn't have ABS.

Any other suggestions?

shifu mate looking at your requirements I feel you must take a look at Suzuki Intruder if you can overcome its looks. But like they say beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.

It has a smooth and refined 150cc engine, although not the same but I have rode a Suzuki GS150R and found its engine ultra smooth and vibe free. It was even better than the butter smooth Honda Unicorn. The intruder might give you a Enticer/Avenger type feeling with its cruiser type design and ergonomics.

Safety wise I believe it comes with a single channel ABS (although a proper dual channel ABS is recommended). You might have to stretch your existing budget a wee bit more for the intruder. Also the price differential between Fi and carburetor version is minimal the former gives better performance.

[su1978]

Shifu mate, i too have the same type of issue that you have reported above. Of all the cruisers that you have mentioned above, i believe that Royal Enfield is one of the cruisers that you will instantly start liking once you manage to have a test drive. It may look intimidating-Truck like, from outside. Although price is a bit over your budget. But it does have a character which no other bike can afford to even think about. You will not look like a teenager or an other person on the the road. Once you are on it, bikers and car drivers will immediately give way. You can keep on cruising all day long. The cheapest one being the Classic 350 which also happens to be one of the best selling model. You can customize the seats as per your requirements and your wife will also feel at home and at ease being a pillion.

Try it once. You will like it. I myself was a Royal Enfield hater till some time back. But having driven the classic 500, i went for Thunderbird 350 which is a class in itself. Attaching few snaps which may tempt you to think about a RE

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by shifu

* Budget is around 1L.

So far I have listed -

* Apache RTR 160
* Suzuki Gixxer
* Apache RTR 200
* Avenger 220 - My heart is on this bike. Partly because it reminds me about my Enticer, and partly because my legs are able to reach the ground while I am seated on the bike. LOL. Unfortunately, this doesn't have ABS.

Any other suggestions?

If you are open to buying a good bike from the pre owned market, there are great deals to be had on bikes like the D390 etc which will just about squeeze into your budget.

[shifu]

Thank you for all the options guys!!

Originally Posted by LordSharan

Given your criteria, I suggest you go for Gixxer150 and stay away from TVS. I've always found TVS bikes to have more vibrations than I can handle, a sore point in otherwise excellent products. Suzuki has smoother engine, but the ABS is available only in Top End SF FI, which will prolly cost you around 1.2L On road.

Other bikes you can consider is Yamaha FZ15 2.0 and newly launched CBZ Xtreme 200. Or Stretch your budget a bit and go for Yamaha FZ25. The FZ25 would probably strike the right balance with power, efficiency, reliability and NVH.

Good luck on your decision and purchase later.

Thanks for the plethora of options!

Originally Posted by abhishek46

Rather than buying a bike straightaway, buy an Activa/Jupiter. Both have combi brake systems, and are very easy to manage in the traffic.

Pick up from the used market, if you get the hang of it, then you can always move up the food chain.

Originally Posted by shortbread

I believe the modern crop of 125 scooter should do the trick for you. Better performance, disc brakes, larger wheels.....perhaps you should add them to your list of options!

Originally Posted by hiren.mistry

For your usage a scooter would be a good bet. TVS Jupiter would warrant a good look, its stable and has enough pep. But the best 2 wheeler I feel is the TVS Ntorq, it's the best scooter in the market right now. Will easily fit into your budget too.

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

If you are open to buying a good bike from the pre owned market, there are great deals to be had on bikes like the D390 etc which will just about squeeze into your budget.

Thanks, but no thanks. I don't want anything that has less than 15 to 17 inch wheels. I feel that because of small wheels, its easier to skid in sand. Just a feeling, didn't verify scientifically.

Not so keen on the used market as well, unless I really know how that particular bike has been maintained.

Originally Posted by aravind.anand

However, considering he is not very tall, I would still suggest an Avenger over any of the regular 150cc bikes, as being able to place the foot firmly on the ground elevates the confidence of the rider. And considering that he wants to ride smoothly and enjoy the ride, a cruiser might fit the bill better.

Thats exactly what I am thinking as well. But the absence of ABS is the only deterrent.

Originally Posted by comfortablynumb

How far would you be commuting daily? If it's quite a bit, I would advise you to check the Yamaha FZ & Unicorn 150/160 too. Very smooth, decent mileage and both have a upright riding posture (compared to the Apache).

My commute would be around 8-10kms. Thanks for the options, will take a look.

Originally Posted by navin_v8

shifu mate looking at your requirements I feel you must take a look at Suzuki Intruder if you can overcome its looks. But like they say beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.

Yup, this bike fits the bill to the T. Except the looks. What on earth were they thinking! I saw this on the road one day. I can't phantom myself riding that contraption.

Originally Posted by su1978

Shifu mate, i too have the same type of issue that you have reported above. Of all the cruisers that you have mentioned above, i believe that Royal Enfield is one of the cruisers that you will instantly start liking once you manage to have a test drive.

Thanks, will check it out.


---------------

I have started an excel sheet with all the different options, and the facts that I could gather from the websites. It also has the 'perceived' pros-cons of each bike, will fill in more after test drives.


The RED boxes are bikes that don't have ABS, and hence will probably be eliminated. The YELLOW boxes are those that are in contention.





Right now, the heart is inclined towards the Apache 200, but it is way beyond the budget right now. I also need to keep aside about 10k for the accessories (helmet, jacket and gloves).

I am going to have an interesting weekend test-driving

[comfortablynumb]

Originally Posted by shifu

My commute would be around 8-10kms. Thanks for the options, will take a look.

You are welcome. I forgot to mention it in my previous post, but please do take a look at the Bajaj V-15 (not V-12) and Honda Shine SP (125 cc, 5 speed variant) too. Both are very underrated bikes, specially if most of your riding is going to be in the city.

Cheers,
Vikram

[NTO]

Originally Posted by shifu

Hello guys,

I am surprised there is no "What bike?" thread. Request the mods to please move this to an appropriate thread if there is one.

Hey, there is one scooter made for your requirement totally. It is the Aprilia SR 150, It has a decent ride height, around 40 Kmpl FE, Dual channel ABS, Not so small wheels like the activas of the world and can easily do 80 - 90 Kmph with the 10.06 BHP power on tap. Seems like a perfect match for you and has decent suspension set up too to keep you off back pain and other related problems. Please take a test ride before writing the cheque for your two wheeler.

[ashwinprakas]

Being concerned about NVH on a motorcycle, especially a single pot is just something beyong my understanding. Anyhow do watch out for state of tune as irrespective of displacement, market positioning and what not the state of tune has a prominent impact on NVH.

The RTR 160 and RTR 200; you can expect a fair bit of buzz on these motorcycles unless the transmission smooths it out due to the higher compression ratio, these motorcycles aren't made for cruising they're meant for fun as in cheap thrills, though the part quality offered by TVS is a class apart from everything else offered in India, even the Japanese for that matter.

The Gixxer; its a FZ16 with better fuel efficiency, everything else remains the same, chunky low to mid range, stellar handling and mention worthy refinement. The downsides are just the same when it comes to spare prices and availability, not a matter of concern for most but having owned 3 Bajaj's I find every other motorcycle less VFM, guess its like saying Bajaj is a black man in the world of white women, once you go Black you just cant go back.

Avenger 220; Decent for the price and handles quite well considering its rake angle, but at speed it is anything but safe. And do not be intimidated by the displacement, the gearing makes it feel as plush as riding a regular commuter though it packs enough oomph just like the Pulsar 220 it unloads it around the mid range RPM's extending almost upto the top.

Pulsar 150; now this is one of those obvious choices that come up while considering the 150cc class, and the latest iteration with dual discs and 200/220 sub frame is as appealing as a motorcycle can get at the given price range, it offers way more than competition and is twice as much reliable conisdering that it may leak oil but never leave you stranded. In comparisson the Honda's leak compression every now and then, the Yamaha's and Suzuki's are priced a bit higher and spare availability is not as convenient.

The Xtreme 200 seems like it was made for your requirement from what online reviews seem to tell us, spare availability though not as fluid as Bajaj is still better than the rest, do wait a bit before taking the plunge, do test ride the Bajaj Pulsar 150 in the meanwhile.

[shifu]

Originally Posted by comfortablynumb

You are welcome. I forgot to mention it in my previous post, but please do take a look at the Bajaj V-15 (not V-12) and Honda Shine SP (125 cc, 5 speed variant) too. Both are very underrated bikes, specially if most of your riding is going to be in the city.

Cheers,
Vikram

Thanks Vikram.

I would really like to have ABS in my bike. It might appear to be an overkill for city driving, but I would like to use the best of the technology that's available today.

Originally Posted by NTO

It is the Aprilia SR 150, It has a decent ride height, around 40 Kmpl FE, Dual channel ABS, Not so small wheels like the activas of the world and can easily do 80 - 90 Kmph with the 10.06 BHP power on tap.

Thanks for the suggestion! It does have 14-inch wheels.


But does it have dual-channel ABS? Their website is probably down (!!), and the ownership reviews on t-bhp don't seem to suggest so. Will check it out nevertheless!