[logicalidiot]

Hello BHP'ians. Thanks for taking a look at this thread!

The time has come where I've decided to buy a new motorcycle for myself in a few months time (Literally, no hurries). I've been saving a meagre amount every month to buy one but little did I think that buying a new motorcycle would be such a hard decision to make. But atleast I know what I want and what kind of motorcycle I'm looking at, so that's a good start I suppose?


Current Motorcycle

I'm currently using an old Hero Honda Splendor which I bought 3 months down my job for office/city commutes. It served me well for 3-4 months before the lockdown struck and then I moved to my hometown as we were on WFH mode since then. Hands down, Splendor is the best possible city bike you can ever have and I'm not willing to part with it. Initially I bought it thinking I would use it for a short period and then sell it off while buying a new one but the bike is so nimble and perfect for city use that I prefer to use the same within city. Not to forget the fact that a tankful could last you a few weeks atleast. With the petrol prices soaring, I don't think I'll let go of this puny little motorcycle anytime soon. Selling this one or not, it is not going to make my wallet any heavier/lighter.


Intro to Me

I'll be hitting 25 by the mid of this year. I'm about 5'5 in height and average built. A motorcycle which suits my height would be appreciated but not really a deciding factor here as I usually am able to manage most of the bikes. I would be using this motorcycle more off the city, so not much worried about it unless I'm going off-road, where it certainly helps.

Budget - Upto 2.2 Lakhs.


Why do I need a New Motorcycle?

Well, I've been wishing to have one since the moment I got my DL for the sheer excitement of owning a motorcycle and travelling places. But my parents are not the kind who buys motorcycle for their kids unless it is deemed absolutely necessary, which apparently it never is, because you can use the public transport. Due to this, I've missed on quite a part of my college life, where my biker friends would hit the road frequently going places and I don't get the chance to accompany most of the time due to bike constraints. But I don't regret it, per se, my parents were teaching me to be independent and I'm happy about it.

From the earlier para, you would have understood that I'm NOT looking for a comfortable city bike as I already have one. So the natural question would be, what do I need it for? I'll list down the points below as it would make it easier for the readers.

• Fun to Ride
  There are some motorcycles which are fun, joyous and puts a smile on your face. This motorcycle should be able to do that.
  
  
• Good Performance
  I don't have the budget to go for litre-class motorcycles but I expect the motorcycle to have good performance for the price range it is in. Definitely not looking for something like Classic 350.
  
  
• A free-revving motor
  I guess I'm still in my early 20s. I like to go close to the redline once in a while. Something which the KTM & Yamaha does easily. So it's a plus point if the bike lets me rev freely.
  
  
• Handles well
  Not much explanation needed here. It should be good around twists and curves.
  
  
• Able to handle off-road abuses
  Yep, the bike should be able to handle off-road. I was interested in Yamaha R15 and likes but I would not be able to take it off-road. Hence, I have ruled out fully faired vehicles!
  
  
• Primarily for fun road trips and exploring places on & off the road
  It needs to be reliable enough on long journeys. I know most of the motorcycles if looked well wouldn't let the owner down, but yeah just saying.

Shortlisted and Confused Contenders

KTM Duke 200
Pros - Love the looks, Fun to ride, Checks my requirements, Dreamed of owning one
Cons - Maintenance on the higher side, BS6 engine is not as punchy as the earlier engines, Can easily get a 250cc motorcycle for this price

Suzuki Gixxer 250
Pros - 250cc engine, Practical and more comfortable than Duke, Cheaper to Maintain
Cons - Not so great looks, can't think of anything else

RE Himalayan
Pros - Checks my requirements, Perfect for on & off the road
Cons - Not a fan of RE Services, Costs higher - not really sure if it is really worth spending more.

Honda Highness CB 350
Pros - Honda Reliability, Great quality, Premium to look at
Cons - On the heavier side, Prefer a nimble and good performance based bike, Not a rev-free bike, no tachometer


P.S I have not taken TD of any bikes listed above. I have ridden several Duke 200 & Himalayan in the past, so I know how it rides for the matter (not the BS6 models).


Well, from the above, I found the Gixxer 250 to be a clear winner here based on what I need. But I do not like the way it looks and the bike looks less premium than the Duke 200 even though the latter misses out on the LED headlamps. In short, my brain has decided clearly that Gixxer 250 is the way to go but my heart says to go for Duke 200. As a team-bhp'ian, I'm quite unsure if I should settle with my brain or my heart. Duke 200 is something which I could stare at all day whereas Gixxer, I don't feel that way.

On other hand, I have thoughts about RE Himalayan too which would serve great for my road trips and off-road activities but it is kind of out of my budget. If I'm at all stretching my budget, then I'll have to add Bajaj Dominar 400, KTM Duke 250 as well to the list. But really not looking forward to stretch it unless that extra 30k is going to make a hell lotta difference on the motorcycle. Thoughts please?

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Motorcycle forum!

[aargee]

Sharing my experience, not advice as some folks say Indians love to advice; so this is NOT advice!

Originally Posted by logicalidiot

Fun to Ride

You'll get to know only if you ride; so start to TD

Originally Posted by logicalidiot

Good Performance

These days my expectation of performance is Versys 650 kind of motorcycle; back in 2011, I thought my C250R had awesome performance; ofcourse it still has, but better than most mass markets. Point here is, this point varies.

Originally Posted by logicalidiot

A free-revving motor

For this you've to rely on tech-spec, something like xxbhp@11000 RPM

Originally Posted by logicalidiot

Handles well

I'm reminded of the saying, 10% ride & 90% rider in our biking community

Originally Posted by logicalidiot

Able to handle off-road abuses

KTM Adv 250/390's department

Originally Posted by logicalidiot

Primarily for fun road trips and exploring places on & off the road

KTM Adv 250/390's department

For all the points you've listed, here're what comes to my mind...
1. Used Versys 650
2. New KTM Adv 390 or 250

But foremost things to be done are...
1. Join a proper biking group like TBhp/xBhp thereofs where rider & safe riding matters more than the ride (not the Thillai Nagar 3rd Street Yellow NS200 biking club)
2. Learn on motorcycling, proper riders & their lifestyles & see how best you befit there
3. By then you may even be in a better position to understand, ride & buy a motorcycle that you really want

[drrajasaravanan]

Hi
Of the list you have made you can safely rule out Honda Highness, Gixxer. Himalayan and KTM adv will be out of your budget. Himalayan is too heavy to pull and push or lift it if you have a spill but low end torque is wonderful. KTM will be bit more expensive to maintain and poor low end torque may be a deal breaker and not easy to ride on poor roads.
IMHO consider Xpulse 200cc FI, it cost around 1.2L, light, can do 85 - 90Kms comfortably and brilliant to offroad. Do a test ride and see whether you can handle the bike, you may need to get used to tip toeing and may not flat foot. If this doesn't fit the bill save a bit more and go for the Himalayan. Cheers.

[Mik]

Based on your requirements, the ktm 200 is a hands down winner. It is incredibly fun, handles like a knife and is very punchy throughout the rev range.
The only downside is that the ride quality is harsh and you will have to get used to it.
Re Himalayan won't be my choice at this age as the ktm provides you the mad-dog ability which the himalayan can't. It's more happy chugging along miles and handling off-road in comfort.

The xpulse is a very interesting proposition. While it loses out on performance, it makes up for it with its poised handling, off-road bashing character and friendly maintenance. It's frugal too, so I suspect you can let go the splendor.

Come to think of it. I have owned the 220, gsxs 750, cbr250r, ktm 390 and lived with a Karizma and a electra, spent hours on the himalayan - but find my new xpulse the weapon of choice while tackling city/rural roads and just having some serious low maintenance fun

Do one thing, rent out the xpulse, Gixxer 250 and the himalayan for some time if possible in your city. You shall know the answer.

Also ATGATT !

[SoumenD]

Originally Posted by logicalidiot

P.S I have not taken TD of any bikes listed above.

First up, this is where you should start. Nothing beats a proper test ride & its real fun IMO to try various machines once in a while even if you aren’t buying. So first start test riding

Originally Posted by logicalidiot

Budget - Upto 2.2 Lakhs.


Why do I need a New Motorcycle?

• Fun to Ride
• Good Performance
• A free-revving motor
• Handles well
• Able to handle off-road abuses
• Primarily for fun road trips and exploring places on & off the road

Shortlisted and Confused Contenders

KTM Duke 200

Suzuki Gixxer 250

RE Himalayan

[i]Honda Highness CB 350

Not sure what himalayan or highness are doing in the list while you are looking for high revving motors but if looks is the only thing you don’t like about Gixxer, why not try out the faired version? Gixxer SF 250. I feel it looks good in black or moto GP edition

Bhpian gauravanekar posted an ownership review thread on this bike recently. Here’s the Link (Back to biking - Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 MotoGP edition review)

[Pratzgh1]

I know this might sound unreal, but the maximum amount of fun is to ride a slow motorcycle fast! Avoid large motorcycles and buy something that suits your style of riding. I moved to another city and shifted from a 200+cc motorcycle to an 88cc engine. I must admit, I am having mad fun pinning the throttle at max zipping past others whilst still unable to cross any speed limits. Try to get the KTM 125 or 200, if you insist on motorcycles, else get a 125cc scooter that is practical and zippier in city while being stable on highways. Happy riding mate and even a 125cc scooter like the Burgman or NTorq will be a worthy upgrade to a splendor. If you can stretch a bit, aim for the KTM 250. Nothing beats its value to performance aspect.

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by logicalidiot

[*]Primarily for fun road trips and exploring places on & off the road
It needs to be reliable enough on long journeys. I know most of the motorcycles if looked well wouldn't let the owner down, but yeah just saying.[/list]

To me, your top 3 should be the
- Suzuki Gixxer 250
- Royal Enfield Himalayan
- TVS Apache 200 RTR 4V

Test ride all your options including the BS6 Duke (which you have a soft corner for) and see which you connect with the most. I test rode the BS6 Ave 390 recently and felt it was completely neutered, I cant even imagine how the Duke 200 will feel with the shift to BS6.

[Axe77]

I dont know what’s the right bike from that list but I can tell you this. When it comes to motorcycles in particular, you can read all the blogs you want but its the test ride that will tell you which bike is meant for you. The right bike will talk to you right away and you’ll know pretty quickly its the one you want. It’s just the way bikes are I feel. There is a different kind of connect and its personal to each individual. So do embark on those test rides and perhaps see how you feel about each one.

[shancz]

Originally Posted by logicalidiot

I'll be hitting 25 by the mid of this year. I'm about 5'5 in height and average built. A motorcycle which suits my height would be appreciated but not really a deciding factor here as I usually am able to manage most of the bikes. I would be using this motorcycle more off the city, so not much worried about it unless I'm going off-road, where it certainly helps.

Budget - Upto 2.2 Lakhs.

So you are my height but I am fat so you are better off
Primary reason my experience could come in handy is because I was in your shoes in 2011.

Hope you don't mind but adding my views to some of your points :

• Good Performance : I won't recommended to go for even a 600cc sports right now, regardless of the budget.
  
• A free-revving motor : You should always start with high revving motorcycles, that's how it should be done. I have seen people who went from a Splendor to a Bullet and using the rev range doesn't even occur to them. That needs some re-training so not advisable, your point is correct but not dependent on age though.
  
• Able to handle off-road abuses : I am guessing by this you mean going to some places off the road which is fine. Any further "off-roading" limits your choices to the Himalayan and the XPulse.
  
• Primarily for fun road trips and exploring places on & off the road : Just some decent FE and tank range is good enough.

My suggestions :
1. If you intend to do some decent off-roading meaning rocks/slush/sand etc. then I suggest the Himalayan(mind the weight) or the XPulse(mind the seat height) in your budget.
2. If you intend to mainly use it on road but the bike shouldn't mind following that trail down to the dam I would recommend the RTR 200 4V with riding modes and adjustable shocks. Its just 7k above the normal one and worth the experience. Doesn't burn a hole in your pocket either when buying(1.55 lakhs on road Chennai) or to maintain. It can be the only bike too.

Do take a TD of all options, on some motorcycles you just won't feel right to sit in, skip those however enticing they are.

Few side notes :
- If you want a KTM, get the 390, don't settle for anything less.
- IMHO your sequence of upgrades, after the Splendor should be, in bhp : 20-30 -> 40-50 -> 70-80 -> 100-150. Although with better skills and riding modes you can jump from the 20-30 to 70-80 or from 40-50bhp to 100 bhp range. Have a friend who went from the 390 Duke to the Ninja 1000 since he (like many of us) dreamt of having a 4 cylinder howl in his possession and the Ninja 1000 then was 9.99 lakhs ex showroom. He also knew that it would be his first and last big bike owing to family commitments, money and reflexes so getting a 700cc and then a 1000 wasn't feasible. And he's about 5'6" but strong.


Check this out, Credits to the providers

2021 TVS Apache RTR 200 4v BS6 with Riding Modes: Review: Sagar Sheldekar Official

[drt_rdr]

Sounds like xpulse is the bike you're looking for if you need something that can handle abuse, on the road or off it.

It's cheaper than all other bikes on your list... to buy AND run.

It's got a cool little motor, much lesser power than a duke or gixxer, but still a short stroke and revs nicely. And power is not always the thing you need to have fun anyway.

It does offroad head and shoulders better than all other bikes on your list. It keeps you comfy on the roads, and handles quite neutral. No room for complaints unless you want really sharp handling, which you won't ever ever get in a bike with big front wheel and long travel suspension.

People your height may have a slight bit of trouble mounting it, but I'm sure it will all come together with practice.

OR

You can just rev the nuts and bolts off your splendor on the highways, bash it around offroad, and run it into the ground to get your 70,000 rupees worth, and then move onto other bikes. We have people on these forums doing exactly that.

[logicalidiot]

Thanks to all the bhp'ians who suggested their views and recommendations here. I went to check out some of the bikes mentioned in this thread. As I'm currently in my hometown and not living in a metro city, getting hands on a test drive unit seems to be difficult as most dealers don't have any TD motorcycles available here. Since, I'm not in a hurry, I'll be taking it slow and not try to hasten the decision.

RE Himalayan

Since RE is the nearest showroom to my house, I decided to step in here first. As expected, they did not have any TD bike available. A new 2021 model is being expected soon with a few updates. However, the current waiting period for the RE Himalayan is said to be upto 8 months which seemed a lot as I was expecting somewhere about 4-5 months. The current on-road cost is 2.35L here (a slight increase can be expected for the 2021 model). As the TD bike was not going to be available anytime soon either, I decided to visit the KTM showroom next.

KTM Duke 200

These people have the Duke 200 in stock for delivery but do not have any TD bike. I was a bit disappointed as I was really interested in trying out the BS6 model. Nevertheless, the service advisor said the TD bike might come in or around a month. I've asked him to keep me informed when a TD mule arrives. However, what shocked me is that the bike costs 2.24L on-road which is higher than what I saw online (around 2.10L). It really made me me ask the question, "is it really worth it?", especially since the Duke 250 with more power, slipper clutch, LED headlamps and switchable ABS was being sold for 2.54L on-road.

Suzuki Gixxer 250

After visiting RE & KTM showrooms, I had little or no hope of getting a TD from the Suzuki showroom. As expected, they did not have a display piece or a TD unit of the Gixxer 250. But they did have a lot of Gixxer 250 SF for display. It looked much better than the pictures. This made me optimistic that maybe the Gixxer 250 also might be nice to look at. After discussing a bit on the bike, the showroom advisor suggested me to try the Gixxer 250 SF variant for TD purpose. As the bike shared the exact same engine, gearbox and mechanicals, it made sense to try the same. After TD'ing the SF variant, I found the bike to be very smooth and linear in acceleration. The engine was very usable at low speeds but performed well without much vibration at high RPM's as well. For a minute, I felt it was a tad too smooth in acceleration for my liking. I'd be keeping an eye on this after I ride the BS6 KTM's.
The Gixxer 250 costs 2.07L on-road.

Hero Xpulse 200

As many of them were suggesting the Xpulse 200. I thought of giving this one a try as well. The on-road cost is 1.42 L and it seemed pretty light on the wallet. Stepped in here to get a TD of the bike and surprisingly it was available. I was afraid if I'd be able to manage the height in this bike but it was well within the controllable height for me. As the suspension is soft and plush, the moment the showroom advisor sat behind me, the bike went down a bit in height letting me balance the bike even better . The TD was a pretty short one with the advisor behind me, so I couldn't make out the potential of this motorcycle. But I felt it has a considerable amount of vibration at higher RPM's. The power seemed to be very okay'ish. Not under powered but not really powerful on road either. I felt like I need to spend some time with this motorcycle to understand it better. Maybe I'll try to find an Xpulse 200 on rent as @Mik suggested. I'm sure it'll give me a broader and wider perspective of the motorcycle.


I understand some of the bhp'ians have suggested TVS Apache RTR 200 4V as well but I'm not really keen on owning a TVS motorcycle. The performance is well and great for the price but I've heard numerous negative long term ownership reviews from my friends/acquaintances. The long term reliability of TVS Motorcycles remains a question mark to me.

[swiftnfurious]

If you really need a performance bike, its the KTM that you should look at. I suggest you go for a pre-worshipped D390. You should find one with some budget to spare I guess. Also, the pre BS6 is even more "mad" as I hear, so you'll get some extra fun for some lesser bucks.

If you are not predominantly looking at off-road, dont bother looking at the Himalayan / X Pulse. You will not get the FAST performance / handling you are looking for. If you look at the 390ADV thread, most agree that D390 CAN do fair off-roading compared to the Adv itself.

PS:: When I was looking for a bike, many of them suggested / warned me to look at something which will keep me entertained for atleast 5 years, even if I need to stretch my budget. Its not even 3 years and I have already started looking for an upgrade for my CBR 250. Power is something which is NEVER enough and you are too young to be sane either So, settle for nothing less than a 390 if its a KTM

[shancz]

Originally Posted by logicalidiot

I've heard numerous negative long term ownership reviews from my friends/acquaintances. The long term reliability of TVS Motorcycles remains a question mark to me.

I have stellar experience from my RTR 180, has been used by 3 different riders across 3 cities now over 55k+ kms and 10 years. My friend's Star City and and Sport have seen worse and came out shining with stellar FE. None of these bikes have ever broken down or needed anything other than service and consumables. So a counterbalance if I may
But if you don't want to buy a TVS, then skip it.

And since long term reliability and quality seem to be primary, why not check out the Yamaha FZ 25 ? It should be around 2 lakhs on road I guess.

[H0RSEPOWER]

If are thinking about Gixxer 155, you may try the FZ25 once. It has a nice motor with good acceleration & smoothness! But again, the Duke200 would surely be more fun to ride! And the BS6 performance drop should not be too much of a bother, unless you are on a racetrack. But I would suggest to be careful if you think of any used Duke 390, as it might have a chance of being abused a lot.