[Stribog]

Originally Posted by shancz

Thanks, I thought about adding a foot note about it since the delivery fiasco had me move it out of contention but yeah a TD won't hurt.

To the OP, check out this video, might gain some insights or be more confused
Credits to Providers : PD : Retro Talks

Seriously, an underrated gem of a motorbike, ruined only by the horrible pre sales handling by Classic Legends, but let it not stop you.

Please keep us updated on your hunt.

[girimajiananth]

Originally Posted by Sudarshan42

1. The upcoming Yamaha Aerox 155 (

3. RE Himalayan- this was on my list till recently purely for the comfort value (same reasons you have the XPulse almost), but dropping it for a bit because of various reliability issues reported on this forum.

4. Interceptor 650-

5. The TVS/BMW 310
6. Dominar 400-

I am not keen on a scooter. Look at what happened to Kinetic Blaze. Awesome scooter but it was a market dud.

I did not find the Himalayan to be very appealing and also the various reliability issues which you have rightly pointed out.

The interceptor is probably too much for me. The 2 cyl engine will return very poor FE and the initial cost is upward of 3L.

The TVS 310 is too aggressive for me and BMW is very expensive for me to buy and maintain.

I am yet to TD the dominar.

Originally Posted by rohitoasis

Good to see many more on the same boat as me.

Though i love my bike to bits. I was in need for a secondary bike for my daily commute for days my bike is in service. (Currently using my dad's Access for this 90 Km commute and got it is hard transition from my KTM).

Which KTM do you ride ? This excel is helpful Will use it to prepare my own evaluation sheet.

Originally Posted by Slick

The Bikes you have mentioned are in totally different price brackets, Though the purpose, as you have mentioned is what most of us do, city + the occasional highway ride.


Interceptor
I know you don't want to consider pre-worshipped bikes,

Apache, Gixxer will not be comfortable for the pillion.
Adv Duke might be heavy on the pocket.

Meteor & Classic, I feel are bettered by the Honda.

- Slick

I thought all the bikes I mentioned are in the 1.5L to 3L price bracket. My wife found the Apache 200 to be ok. But it was for a short ride. Gixxer ruled out. ADV 250 is around 2.75L OTR in Bangalore.

Are you saying Honda Highness is better than meteor ? Please clarify.

Originally Posted by TheHelix0202

May I suggest a well used Dominar 400?.

I will consider the Dominar after a TD. Its difficult to find a pre worshipped bike.

Originally Posted by shaikhmimran

Would love to add the Dominar 250 to your consideration set. More confusion!

Originally Posted by vinair

Have a different take and happy if my perspective helps


bikes, accessories, merchandise, memorabilia, and what not! It's like you can start touring right out of the showroom (a bit exaggerated I know!).

To me personally the merchandise, memorabilla wont matter. I can still buy these things without actually getting the bike. What I need is a comfortable , no nonsense bike for city and occasional highway.

Originally Posted by shancz

You are good on the options.



3. 250 Adv : watch for the suspension stiffness, might be a deal breaker for you

Fuel Efficiency of these options is a realistic 30-35kmpl. Treat anything more as a bonus but don't count on it. Don't go by manufacturer claims.

The BMW 310s .

I had not idea that the ADV has a stiff suspension. I thought the suspension was meant to handle bad roads. Agree with you on the FE.

I dont know the cost of BMW, but I am sure its expensive for me. My pokcets are not deep enough for a BMW.

Originally Posted by Stribog

Surprised no one has mentioned the Jawa 42 2.1.

Looks stunning, competent suspension setup. Small form factor means but do give the bike a TD.

My friend has one and I have done a few short expressway rides and it's a hoot and a half to ride in.

Agreed, its a good looking bike. I am sceptical on the service , spares, maintenance , does it come with a tubeless tyre. I guess not because of the spoke wheel. What about a dual channel ABS ? I am yet to check this bike.

Originally Posted by Bluengel180

Any Reason why you have left the Himalayan out of your list? Given that the other two adventure options are included?

The Himalayan has an extremely comfortable ride and a decent pillion.

The bike was not that appealing, plus I read about the reliability issues.

Originally Posted by Stribog

Seriously, an underrated gem of a motorbike, ruined only by the horrible pre sales handling by Classic Legends, but let it not stop you.

Please keep us updated on your hunt.

Which one are you talking about ? The Classic 350 ?

One reason I am not keen on the classic is the lack of tube less tyre.

[sukiwa]

Originally Posted by girimajiananth

I had not idea that the ADV has a stiff suspension. I thought the suspension was meant to handle bad roads.

Many journalists have also mentioned that Duke 250 engine+gearbox is much better compared to ADV 250. Although you aren't looking at Duke 250, please do a test ride when you go for test ride of ADV 250.

Which one are you talking about ?

He is referring to Jawa from Classic legends.

[shancz]

Originally Posted by girimajiananth

1. I had not idea that the ADV has a stiff suspension. I thought the suspension was meant to handle bad roads.

2. I dont know the cost of BMW, but I am sure its expensive for me. My pokcets are not deep enough for a BMW.

1. ADVs are also meant to take impacts from intended/unintended jumps during off roading, if the setup is soft it bottoms out like the Himalayan(personal experience), maybe the XPulse too but I haven't ridden that. My friend recently got the 390 Adventure and his only complain is the stiff ride. I think the 250 uses the same setup so that would be stiff too.
From what I collect from personal/others experiences the KTMs have the stiffest suspension of the lot.

2. The BMW 310GS would be 3.7lakhs and G310R would be 3.2lakhs on road Bangalore but the pinch is more on the maintenance so won't recommend it to you.

Your initial list is good since it encompasses different types of bikes. But IMO your requirement points to either a street-naked or a retro.
Some quick suggestions :

1. CB350 : Looks and feels like a big bike(uncle bike as per your wish ), sounds great and suits your needs well.
2. RTR 200 : good street bike, if you decide to get it think about getting the version with riding modes and adjustable suspension. Its just 7k more than normal but your get to experience and play with cool stuff.
3. Classic 350 : just launched, should have a comfortable rear seat but if you aren't comfortable with the reliability and are having first iteration blues then skip.
   
4. Meteor : good options, personal choice on looks but since you aren't comfortable with the reliability and the seat seems like a deal breaker, skip it.
   it.
5. Xpulse/250 Adv/any adv : since you aren't going to go off road, I would recommend against getting any Adv. Why pay for stuff you aren't going to use.

Will try to answer(as a bold inline comment) some of the cons you have mentioned in your first post.

Originally Posted by girimajiananth

Hello Team Bhpians,
Hero Xpulse dislikes

• 200cc does not feel much of an upgrade. I wish it was at least 250CC. : You'll have to wait some time for that.
• Missing 6th gear. This would have made a good difference on the highway (IMHO). I am not going to take my bikes off-road. : True, important point.
• Some owners feel that its a good urban bike, but misses the punch on the highway. : True
• Single channel ABS. Feels like something missing when other manufacturers can offer dual channel.: True, its a cheap off roader without the "motocross abs", that's how they do it.
• No tubeless tyres. I hate to push bikes when I have a flat tyre. : Valid point but a known compromise with spoked wheels at this pricing.

TVS Apache RTR 200 dislikes

• The bike felt small. I did not get a big bike feel. : True, compact is the word.
• The ride position is a bit aggressive. Of course this is more of a track bike than a tourer. : True , a street naked essentially.
• Short weekend rides may not be comfortable for a pillion and may lack the power for a highway. : Won't be that comfortable for sure, and more power is welcome for a tourer along with a 6th gear. It can tour but its not meant to and definitely not two up.

Honda Highness dislikes

• I read a few reviews where owners have complained about faster brake pad wear out. : No idea but that could also mean better brake pads which wear our fast but give better braking too, like tyres.
• some owners are not happy with the gearing ratio. I am not sure I understand this issue. : I think what they mean is that the bike needs to be revved higher to gain speed as compared to its competition like the REs. But that's a personal choice and if you didn't feel it its fine. Coming from a street bike style of riding it wouldn't be noticeable since you would be used to carrying decent revs.
• False neutral issue. : No idea, check on that.
• Nothing much to dislike actually : Then get this

Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Dislikes

• Unknown long term reliability issues. : I wouldn't be too worried on reliability but yes getting any bike/engine's first iteration is always a risk.
• Pillion seat is too small. Not enough space at all. : Then skip it.

I would suggest to redo the test rides if you're unsure about any bike and then choose which you enjoy the most.

Hope it helps and Good Luck.

[Slick]

Originally Posted by girimajiananth

...
I thought all the bikes I mentioned are in the 1.5L to 3L price bracket. My wife found the Apache 200 to be ok. But it was for a short ride. Gixxer ruled out. ADV 250 is around 2.75L OTR in Bangalore.

I guess with the exception of Duke all are closer to each other.

Are you saying Honda Highness is better than meteor ? Please clarify.

Well, I realize, what I think better might not be for you, so
Ref - I ride quick and my preference is a light yet stable bike which is comfortable and reliable (while riding, Braking as well as from a maintenance standpoint)
I have a Gixxer 250 SF so probably I am a bit biased towards a Japanese bike.

But based on the reviews, the Honda is better for people who ride a bit quicker, rev happy, while RE is for people who wish to be a bit more leisurely.

Honda For me -
- Better Engine Refinement, (though new gen RE is also competent)
- Better Performance
- Better Brakes (this is important for me)
- Lighter
- Better handling
- Upright city riding stance
- Better reliability

RE - Better brand recall for some
- Better at comfortable cruising in the city
- More Cruiser based riding stance

In all if you like retro tourers, you wouldn't really go wrong with either but I would prefer the Honda, especially if the price difference is not much.


PS - Do TD an Interceptor, and check out ownership threads. And like someone else mentioned, do also consider the Himalayan.

- Slick

[girimajiananth]

Originally Posted by shancz

1. ADVs are also meant to take impacts from intended/unintended jumps during off roading, i
From what I collect from personal/others experiences the KTMs have the stiffest suspension of the lot.

I would recommend against getting any Adv. Why pay for stuff you aren't going to use.
.

The reason I am drawn towards the KTM Adv 250 is the power from the 250CC engine. It throws out a 30BHP from a 250 CC while the highness and meteor is at 20 - 21 BHP for 350 CC.

I will TD the KTM ADV or probably rent it once.

As I mentioned earlier, I have no plans of off roading. I am looking at KTM as a tourer.

Originally Posted by Slick

PS - Do TD an Interceptor, and check out ownership threads. And like someone else mentioned, do also consider the Himalayan.

- Slick

The initial cost of interceptor is too high. 3L +. Not sure if I can extend my budget. The Himalayan can be considered. But I feel, the KTM Adv is a better bike compared to Himalayan.

[R.Daroga]

Lets start the other way around by eliminating bikes from your list.

1. Xpulse OUT. This is the king of offroading but it struggles equally keeping pace on the highway. Since you said you are not into offroading, you can safely omit the Xpulse.

2. Meteor OUT, the new Classic IN. The Meteor is a lovely motorcycle but the feet forward riding position puts all your weight on the spine and with pothole ridden roads that we have, it can cause longer term back damage. The Classic is all the goodies of the Meteor + better riding position, better parts availability and better resale value. Test ride it back to back with a Meteor and eliminate one of them.

3. Apache RTR 200 4v. OUT. By the way you have described the bike, it doesn't look like you have liked it a lot. It's a good all rounder but not really great at anything. Will get boring over time. You can give it a miss.

4. 250 Adventure not sure. It stands head and shoulders above the rest in terms of highway abilities. Nandi hills, Coorg, Goa, Ladakh, it will do it all and do it at a 20-30 kph average cruising speed faster than the other bikes in the list. But then, you'll have to live with that engine heat and agressive power delivery all the time in the city. KTMs are reliable and relatively cheaper to maintain. The Adventure is extremely spacious and comfortable for the pillion as well. If only you can live with that always-on aggression, go for it. There's no such thing as "relaxed riding" with any KTM.

5. The Highness is a good city bike. Reliable, fuel efficient and well mannered. Ignore the tall gearing people are taking about, you'll get used to it. The clutch pull is extremely light, gears are precise, brakes are sharp, suspensions are well tuned for what they are. It has everything going for it in the city. It will struggle staying beyond 90-100 kph on the highway though. Also, no factory fitted wind protection available makes longer distances at higher speeds that much more tiring.

I feel the call you need to take is based on what kind of highway riding you wish to do. If it is muti day, high speed touring, the 250 Adventure is your only option from this list. If it is just 100 km breakfast ride on weekends, take a call between the Highness on one side and the Classic or the Meteor on the other.

Hope this helps.

Happy riding!

Ruhshaad

[syednizamudeen]

I think Im qualified enough to answer this question as I'm owning a H'ness CB350 for 6 months time with 2200 Km on the odo and have had an extensive test ride of the Meteor 350 and my uncle owns one as per my recommendation and have also had driven my cousin's first gen Duke 250 and another cousin's Dominar 400 for a while.

1. Out of the bikes I've listed, I'd ask you to stay away from the Dominar 400 as it feels heavy, not nimble enough to handle city commutes and less refined when compared to other bikes in the list and also less fuel efficient. Not so comfortable pillion if its more than 10-12 Km commute. (absolutely OK to drop your wife in college). If highway only/touring solo is your main requirement, Dominar 400 is a great choice as its powerful and feels very torquey and handles high speeds very well.

2. If budget is nothing of an issue, looks of the KTM Duke 250 Adventure doesn't offend your wife and if she can handle the pillion seat, the 250 Adv is excellent as a city bike and for solo touring. Handles excellent, be it in slow or high speeds. Duke 250 is refined too and has a comfortable seating position

[NirmalK]

My suggestions would be the RE Interceptor or the Dominar 400.
You would never feel the power lacking on the highway runs with pillion.
Both offer decent comfort to the pillion rider.
Maintenance does not burn a hole in your pocket.
And both present a rather mature look. This would address your better half's concerns of being hit on by college girls

[syednizamudeen]

Cont'd..

Sorry I hit post quick reply by accident

and you can get a fuel efficiency of 28-30 kmpl if you ride gentmanly. It should also be the most expensive motorcycle to maintain that's on our list. Keep in mind that I've ridden only the Duke 250 BS4 1st gen and not the BS6 Adv.

Practical choices that ticks all your requirements and fit under uncle bikes are the H'ness CB350, Meteor 350 / Classic 350

Meteor/Classic 350 : As others point out, the J series RE 350's are not only tractable. But, very refined at the same time. Out of all the bikes we discussed previously, if comfortable, most plush and relaxed riding position is your high priority, my vote is for the Meteor. It can munch miles in the highways without much fatigue and also it tackles bad roads with its softer suspension setup. The rear seat should also feel better than the competition we've discussed so far. It also does look very good in my books and also shouldn't be much expensive to maintain as the Dominar 400 or the Duke 250 Adv. You can expect FE of 32-35 kmpl and I think that's very descent in this displacement category.

New Classic 350 might be sentimental bike and a great looker. But, if you take touring into consideration, I think the Meteor offers better value for the money than the Classic 350 because Classic 350 is not as plush to ride as the Meteor and also you won't feel the Classic to be as quick as thr Meteor due to different tuning. (from the reviews). Classic also should have a descent pillion and I would rate the Meteor slightly above the classic as its OEM backrest is useful and feels slightly more comfortable.

RE's weren't reliable back in the days and not now exactly. You might get lemons with any manufacturer and not just with RE's alone. The switch gear and paint quality is also much improved over the last generation and Meteor should very well fit in your requirements.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST,

Honda H'ness CB 350 :

If refinement is what you are looking for, the Honda Cb350 sits on the top of this list. Be it the Duke 250, or be it the Meteor, CB350 is objectively very refined. Even above its comfortable speeds over 110 kmph, only its chassis can't handle. But, you wouldn't feel any jarring vibrations on the handlebars or seats or in the foot pegs. It's not my opinion. It's a fact.

Seats : I should say the seats are roomy enough and its not as plush as the Meteor. But, slightly firmer seats are better for long distance touring than the softer ones. I've carried pillion for 85 Km on the Highway after a 200 km trip which comprised of city traffic and ghat roads. It's very good even to carry 2 adults if the frame is not that huge. Also, the split seats available as an OEM accessory slightly gets more room than the stock seats and can be fruitful if you think you need an extra little bit of room for the rider and pillion.

Handling : If Duke 250 is not brought in this list, The CB350 H'ness's tackles the corners objectively better than the Meteor / Classic 350. It also stops quicker than the Meteor /Classic 350. The weight of the bike is very well distributed and you wouldn't feel that you are riding a bike of 194 Kg. As a CBZ Xtreme rider, I'm pretty sure you'd appreciate the CB350 more the Meteor within the city/town or at the winding roads.

However with a stiff suspension, it won't feel comfortable if you are riding over a pot hole or bad patches of the road at slow speeds. At higher speeds, it irons out the shocks to a great extent.


Performance: if the battle is for acceleration between the Meteor/Classic and the H'ness, The H'ness is quicker. Meteor / Classic or H'ness arent built for performance either. Any Japanese 250 will be quicker than these trio. But, that isn't our priority.

One member pointed out Meteor and CB350 doesn't feel at home over 80 kmph. I'd strongly disagree with that. Without much wind impact, even without proper riding gear, CB350 feels at home with just a descent helmet and gloves on barring Riding jackets and riding pants. It feels sweet between 100-110 Kmph while riding solo and can creep to 135 kmph or so at the max. I'm 5,9 and 62 Kg for your reference.the Meteor can also do 110 but, with a slight buzz when compared to the CB350. It's evident if one rides both the bikes back to back on the same road.

Gearing :

The gearing of the H'ness is polar opposite to Meteor. Its love or hate. You need to work with the gears too frequent when compared to the Meteor/Classic. But, the clutch feels the lightest when compared to other bikes on our list and shifting is just a breeze. The only time you can find neutral accidentally is shifting up from 1st. But, that's a user error and I've not seen any false neutral on my bike so far on any occasions except twice or thrice shifting from 1st to 2nd and I'm pretty sure that's my mistake. Duke 250 is also geared tall (exact opposite of a Duke 200). Stay within 3rd in the city (Till 60 Kmph). Shift to 4th only if you have an open road and like to cruise on 80 Kmph for long. Stay on 4th gear till 110 Kmph and shift to 5 th only to cruise between 100 kmph and up. Even if you ride the CB350 on 4th gear between 90-100 kmph, the FE doesn't drop by a huge margin and also the engine feels silky smooth.

Brake pads issue : Im aware that some people are facing that issue. But, no brake pad is ever made to wear on 2k km. Mine did 2,200 +. No squeaking or no loss of bite in my case. It feels much more confident to brake on the H'ness than the Meteor.

Not just that, CB350 is also very fuel efficient. Even if driven at Highways between 100-110 kmph for 100 km and varying the speeds and working on gears inside the city and also the ghat sections for 40-50 kms,The H'ness returned 33 kmpl which I think it's excellent. If ridden moderately in the city, achieving 35 kmpl is much more easier with the H'ness than achieving 35 kmpl with a Meteor. Some even claim they get 38-39. But, 33-35 Km is very close to reality even when ridden spirited.

Now to conclude, If Bigwing is close to you (under 50 km) and if you are OK with tall gearing and you like the charming looks of the H'ness, H'ness is theoretically / objectively a better bike than the Meteor. I say this not because I bought this bike. if you check the media reviews, everyone would echo the same merits that I'm listing here. When they come to the verdict, they use Bigwing as the reason of the demerit and crown the RE as the J platform 350 is surprisingly very good. But, Not as refined as H'ness. Not my opinion. Its a FACT. So, for mixed City + Highway usage, one can't go wrong with the H'ness.

You should be choosing the Meteor if Bigwing is far away and you had to be riding your bike mostly on slightly bad roads and if you are going to use it for highway only. Don't worry about the broken Himalayan Chassis. No other bike manufacturer in the segment sells bikes as close as RE in numbers. Not even half of their sales. There are many happy customers and the service network is huge and spread wide over the country and also its not a complicated machine to repair.

You're not going to sacrifice much on anything that's on your list no matter you choose Meteor or the H'ness. Both should fit very well. Test ride extensively for 1 hour back to back and make a decision. I was lucky to test ride both the bikes back to back on the same road and made a choice that suits me.

As I'm a new member, I couldnt DM you. If you want a virtual tour or any ownership questions on the H'ness or the Meteor, please feel free to drop a message on WhatsApp /Telegram on 9042609747.

Cheers.

[lovlyfella]

Originally Posted by rohitoasis

Good to see many more on the same boat as me.

Though i love my bike to bits. I was in need for a secondary bike for my daily commute for days my bike is in service. (Currently using my dad's Access for this 90 Km commute and got it is hard transition from my KTM).

I have this excel format i prepared which is still Work in Progress for months now. I am still modifying and updating details with feedback from Bhpians and friends. In fact i was trying to share this earlier

I was wondering in my mind today morning if i should give two sets of weightages to each parameter. One in accordance to needs and one in accordance of wants. Did not do that modification yet. I hope this format helps your decision making.

Attachment 2200742

Hi, the xls file is not opening in proper format. Can you pls reshare

[shancz]

Originally Posted by girimajiananth

The reason I am drawn towards the KTM Adv 250 is the power from the 250CC engine. It throws out a 30BHP from a 250 CC while the highness and meteor is at 20 - 21 BHP for 350 CC.

I will TD the KTM ADV or probably rent it once.

As I mentioned earlier, I have no plans of off roading. I am looking at KTM as a tourer.

Makes sense but in that case why not the Dominar 400 ? will be better for your seat height concerns, comfortable, about 40k cheaper than the 250 Adv, . But its heavier than the 250 for sure, expect slightly lower FE but still around the 30 mark and looks are subjective. I had ridden a 2018 dominar and was impressed by how usable the 1st gear was in ORR traffic.
If you like it, as suggested by others, TD that too.
I thought you didn't want the 400 since you had mentioned only D250.

Either way and again get the bike which you like, keeping the specs aside.

[rohitoasis]

Originally Posted by girimajiananth

Which KTM do you ride ? This excel is helpful Will use it to prepare my own evaluation sheet.

I ride the 2012 Duke 200 currently. Happy hunting for the bike.

[amit_purohit20]

Originally Posted by girimajiananth

The reason I am drawn towards the KTM Adv 250.

Hi thread owner unfortunately I would go against the stream and play spoil sport here.

Your main reason is to commute that is what I understand and not to ride fast like maniac.

If you want to commute in horrible Bangalore traffic-
What you should have:-

1) A light weight flickable bike.
2) ABS on both wheels Safety is paramount
3) Smooth engine less NVH
4) Good seat space so that you can change your position in longitudinal direction and feel comfortable.
5) Good seating position is extremely important.
6) Slightly raised handlebars like in AdV's
7) Reasonable FE considering upward fuel trend
8) Good progressive brakes
9) Good quality tyres for rain and slush
10) Good ground clearance so that in Potholes you don't scrape bikes belly.
11) Sufficient pickup to fill in traffic gaps quickly
12) Light clutch
13) Short turning radius
14) Ease of spare parts availability and dealership
15) Known good quality cheap spares
16) Extremely reliable, its your office commute daily

Following bikes are ruled out because-
Meteor and Honda CB350 - Weight more, not flickable
All KTMs- Gearings are short and need frequent shifting, HighNVH race machines
Impulse - You are not going to offroad not good pickup, not selling in large numbers
Apache- Bad Handlebar position.

Now what to do?
No bike is perfect. You want good pickup, and comfort both so my solution

Buy Apache RTR 200. Change the Handle bar immediately with Honda Unicorn Handle You will also have to use Honda Unicorn front brake hose and use Shine clutch cable and Fiero or any similar throttle cable. Rs 1500 cost. Many people would not be able to identify you have changed handle it gels so well. Dosent look odd at all.

What you have now is a supremely comfortable seating position perefect for long rides and daily commute. No wrist pain.
Good brakes, Multi-channel ABS. Apaches are very reliable. Apaches are no more grinding machines because they have now balancer shaft built in inside. Excllent pickup. Good fuel economy. High flickability. Fun in corners.

One cautionary note if they sell the bike with TVS tires throw them straight away ask them money and straight away put the best in Pirelli. 6k front and Rear set available. Go for it. You wont repent this suggestion.

I did this to my old10 year Apache and am struggling to find similar bike in market! If you think that the foot pegs are rear set wont it cause a problem, no not at all infact rear set foot pegs has eliminated my knee pain which I had when I used to drive Victor for 10 years.

Feel free to connect me for any conversion help. I dont recommend modifications but when a simple modification greatly, substantially enhances your comfort by leaps and bounds on needs to try it and reap the benefits.

[Slick]

Originally Posted by girimajiananth

The initial cost of interceptor is too high. 3L +. Not sure if I can extend my budget. The Himalayan can be considered. But I feel, the KTM Adv is a better bike compared to Himalayan.

I meant a used Interceptor, I feel you should have it as the last option, not a preferred option but last option. It is one hell of a bike.

I think you need to test the following during TD,
1. How your pillion likes the shortlisted bikes (if you plan on touring 100+Kms two up)
2. How you find the engine behaviour, Duke will make you ride in an aggressive fashion, Honda will be neutral while RE will be relaxed, varying personalities.

Take TDs and see what suits you. Do share your experiences as well.

- Slick