[v12]

I would suggest you to go for the Triumph Street Twin if your heart is really set on it. You could probably go in for an intermediate motorcycle (RE650) but that would just mean that you are postponing your dream motorcycle. The Street Twin is a high capacity motorcycle - but it's not one that you will tempt you to ride too fast (compared to a sports/superbike). It's not as powerful as a sports/superbike - where I agree that you would need to gradually upgrade. The Street Twin also comes with ABS and a lot of electronic aids - so it will be much safer than the RE. If you can pay hands on a good used one - go for it. Ride for a while and then decide if you wanna keep it or go for a new / any other brand. A good friend of mine upgraded from a RE Classic 500 to a Street Twin and then a Tiger 800.

[navin_v8]

msnarain mate since your heart is set on Triumph Bonneville Street Twin I would suggest you to rent it and see if you feel comfortable riding the bike. You would also want to check with Bonneville owners to know of their experiences and cost of ownership as you are getting back to biking after 6 years. Our lovely forum has a lot of threads on Bonneville, so you can check with their owners to give your their inputs on ownership and other details on upkeep.

Like others I would also suggest you considering RE twin 650's as it comes very close to Bonneville at a fraction of cost. Being an RE it will have a plethora of aftermarket options for modifying the foot pegs, seats, handle, etc. to your liking. My suggestion to you would be to wait for a few more months when BS6 models start rolling out. That way you will have a newer motorcycle with updated engine and features.

I am also surprised no one suggested you the legendary Kawasaki W800. That one motorcycles deserves a mention and can go head to head with Bonneville in terms of design, styling, easy riding nature, etc. and to top it off typical Japanese reliability. Do consider it and take a test ride back to back with Bonneville and Interceptor to know the difference.

Benelli Leoncino although looks good on paper I am not sure about the after sales support. In the beginning I felt the company has a lot of potential with their offerings in India until their fiasco with DSK which broke the confidence of many owners and potential buyers.

Lastly, I would also like you to take a look at Suzuki VStrom. I know it is a different category and you are not looking at ADV bikes. But the bike makes a strong case for itself in terms of being in a similar budget vis a vis Bonneville (although both are as different as chalk and cheese). Although touted as an ADV tourer it is a versatile all rounder due to its forgiving motor, spot on ergonomics and easy riding nature.

Happy choosing!

[jusgetgoing]

Originally Posted by msnarain

The other bike I have been in love with, and this bike truly sets my heart on fire, is the Street Twin.

I also had a look at the Honda CB300R. It doesn't set my heart on fire, but it does seem like a good motorbike to get back to riding on. And it definitely is much cheaper at around 4L.

What would you do?

Rent both bikes out for a longer period (one after the other) and then take a call on the one tugs at your heart and puts a wide grin on your face.

For ST, if you are able to adjust to and are confident during this rental period, nothing like it. If you are not 100% sure, do not go for it.

Please take your time to choose and if you are not able to adjust to the above 2 bikes, it is the status quo and the search continues for the next one.

[petrolhead_neel]

The CB300R is a great bike, especially since you are someone who is returning to two wheels. If you are not confident about getting the Street Twin now, you might think about getting the CB first and then later on, the ST. Since your heart is set on it, you are bound to get it eventually. The bonus of getting the CB now instead of something like the Interceptor is that the two are as contrasting as it gets, and you don't have to get rid of the earlier bike because it would feel redundant. Actually, the CB300R and the Street Twin would make for great garage.

Originally Posted by Hemicuda

I too would be 34 later this year was suffering from the same crisis late last year. A bit of a long post , but it would help explain how I found my
You may say I have pretty modest needs but this is what for me is a perfect 2 wheeler garage.

Wow! Absolutely love your garage, and I can understand why you think it's perfect.

Neel

[msnarain]

Wow. I am overwhelmed by the responses to this thread. A heartfelt thanks to each and everyone who took the time out and replied to me. Much, much appreciated.

So here is an update. I went and booked the Street Twin.

Went on an extended test drive over the weekend and couldn't stop grinning. It was like, we were meant for each other. Ok, that was an exaggeration, but you get the point. The Street Twin is definitely a keeper. I can totally imagine growing old with this motorbike.

I have always loved Triumph's matte colours and was supposed to book the Matte Ironstone grey, but after test riding a Korosi red, I thought liked the red too. Here is a quick question. How tough is it to maintain the matte. How does it age? It starts getting glossy after a few years of riding, sure. But is it easy/accessible to get it repainted to the original in India?

Shaman Triumph apparently uses their Mercedes painting facilities if we need to paint a Triumph. The sales person's response doesn't inspire confidence in me. And he admits it's complicated to maintain matte. Wrapping is not an option, as I believe the beautiful logo from the tank would then disappear. Correct me if I am wrong, please.

I remember giving my precious matte grey TVS Apache for servicing and the TVS technician polished the entire bike using wax/polish thus ruining the entire look. I am guessing/hoping a premium brand like Triumph wouldn't do it.

I read through each and every reply here multiple times over. And I repeat, it is overwhelming and heartwarming to see so many replies. Big thanks to every single person here. I will try to reply to each one of you individually or in PM.

PS: I was woken up by a colleague the other night after he noticed that this post made it to the front page.

[v12]

Congrats Msnarain, decisions taken with the heart can never go wrong. Matt finish paints are difficult to maintain - you need to be very careful, keep the bike covered in public places, bird poop and dust can cause more harm if not treated properly. There are Matt finish polishes available - but I'd you do not want the headache, go for the red. It looks damn good!

Congrats again !

[the_skyliner]

Originally Posted by msnarain

Wow. I am overwhelmed by the responses to this thread. A heartfelt thanks to each and everyone who took the time out and replied to me. Much, much appreciated.

So here is an update. I went and booked the Street Twin.

Congratulations, msnarain!

You made the right decision as buying a stop-gap arrangement bike doesn't make much sense.

[chaudharysaab]

Congratulations. Believe it or not but I am also going through same confusion about finalizing my bike. I test drove interceptor, Vulcan, versyss, HD Street 750, Benelli 500 family and Triumph ST. You can see my dellimma and state of mind.
Only 2 bikes i liked while driving are ST and interceptor which created new headache for me, whether to save money or go ahead and book ST to fullfill my dream.
One question, any offer going on in triumph?

[msnarain]

Thanks V12 and Sky_liner.

Originally Posted by chaudharysaab

Congratulations. Believe it or not but I am also going through same confusion about finalizing my bike. I test drove interceptor, Vulcan, versyss, HD Street 750, Benelli 500 family and Triumph ST. You can see my dellimma and state of mind.
Only 2 bikes i liked while driving are ST and interceptor which created new headache for me, whether to save money or go ahead and book ST to fullfill my dream.
One question, any offer going on in triumph?

Just follow your heart. That's what I did. I knew if I had gotten the RE650 or the Benelli 500, I would have gotten the ST in a couple of years. There was no point.

There are cash discounts going on for the 2018 manufactured bikes. These are the 2019 models though. There are no discounts on for 2019 manufactured, 2019 models.

Good luck with your search!

[bigron]

Sounds good!
Get some gear in place and you are ready to explore.
For matte, regular wax/polish would not work as they are primarily for gloss finish.
All regular car care brands have special products that are meant to be used for a matte paint job.
For cleaning, use regular car shampoo ( use one which does not have the wash and wax feature) and a used clean micro fiber cloth. Use as much water as required.

[msnarain]

Originally Posted by bigron

Sounds good!
Get some gear in place and you are ready to explore.
For matte, regular wax/polish would not work as they are primarily for gloss finish.
All regular car care brands have special products that are meant to be used for a matte paint job.
For cleaning, use regular car shampoo ( use one which does not have the wash and wax feature) and a used clean micro fiber cloth. Use as much water as required.

Thanks Bigron. I will keep you posted about colour choice.

Also, thanks for your earlier reply. Gave me confidence!