[neelkumar]

From my experience, I'd not suggest anything below 250cc. They can get you to places, but the torque available in higher capacity engines will get you there with much less effort, especially in stop-go traffic and ghat sections.

I'd suggest either from Honda's CB350 twins or Royal Enfield's 350 classic/meteor twins. RE's bikes might be new, but the service experience is relatively better compared to other brands.

I currently ride an Avenger 220 street and I would not recommend it(due to its terrible pillion comfort) or anything else from Bajaj's stable. I've owned a Pulsar before this and the service experience is very bad even now.

I'm planning to replace my Avenger right now and I'm looking at CB350 RS. Have also considered Dominar for sometime which is actually very potent machine, but skipping it only because of the brand Bajaj.

[Mach_1590]

Hi darkLightning, I am also hunting a motorcycle for two-up touring from past 3 months and I am quite lazying around in the market. I am exploring new as well as used bike(a must) markets. I am open to a very large spectrum of rides from Meteor 350 to Versys 650 to Tiger 900. I have almost decided what I want and below are the few things which I think might help you in making a purchase. Having been said that, apart from machine, touring is also about "man" and how you invest in accessorizing the motorcycle and yourself will make a vast difference to your experience.

Since you need a bike for two-up highway rides with luggage, you'll at least need a 20hp/250cc machine with good midrange(very important) and something with a cruising speed of 90kmph. So minus all the 150cc bikes from your list, and the 200cc street bikes like NS200, RTR200 are good for about 300/400 km weekend trips at best.

Bikes like RE Meteor 350, Honda CB350, Yamaha FZ250 would just be adequate for your usage considering you accessorize them for comfort and touring. Keep at least 50-60k aside and invest in touring oriented riding gear, gel seats, luggage related modifications, better headlight bulbs, auxiliary lights, sturdy cellphone mount with charger, windshield, bluetooth communication device for you and your better half and such would make your ride comfy and reduce the rider and pillion stress.

In the used bike market, if you find a good example of CBR250(ABS), go for it eyes closed. I have used it for 4 years and I still regret selling it.

[gauravanekar]

I couldn’t go through all the responses in the thread hence ignore me if it’s a repeat advice.

Get a alto/WagonR/celerio in cng variant or get a petrol variant and convert to cng.

Use is for everything (in city travel and long distance travel)

I am sure you’ll get cng in Bhopal, Nagpur, Hyderabad and Bengaluru as well. Use the car to its fullest potential and sell it off after 2 years. Think about it. You can get a good motorcycle after 4 years.

Cheap running cost, near universal service support, protect from rain, summer sun and winds, luggage space.

See the thing with motorcycles is that you’ve to give them a wide berth in terms of budget and attention, initially you feel the need for better seat, then saddle stay with with bags, sometime later helmet upgrade, the then all kinds of riding gear for both of you, then comes fully synth oil, new air filters etc. the list is endless.

A cng alto will be the least demanding, just throw the luggage in the back seat, crank up the AC and off you go, you may even carry some home cooked food in hot boxes for the long distances.

[MaheshY1]

You're on point about shortlisting a highway-friendly bike. I've done a road trip on the Navi and it wasn't fun. I could do it again but I wouldn't want to.

Here's what seem to perfectly meet your requirements - USED Classic/Bullet 350/500 and here are my reasons:

1. Comfort (for the rider as well as pillion). We don't even need to talk about this. Anyone who has spent even a little bit of time in the saddle will vouch for this.
2. Resale. Since you're going to use it for a while and then sell it off, the RE makes perfect sense - especially used. They don't depreciate. They have about the same level of reliability, whether you buy new or used. If you buy a sparingly used 3-yr old bullet, then even with a lot of riding (50k/2y), it'll still come out to be 50-60k/5yr, which is a pretty standard average of 12k/yr. So, it won't look like it was ridden a lot. You can still find good prices because of the corona effect. By the time you sell, the inflation after the corona economy rebound could see prices rising and you will probably be able to sell it for about the same price you paid for it.
3. Reliability/repairability - For simple highway use, the Bullet will rarely ever give any trouble. At 80kmph for the 350 and 100kmph for the 500, they're in their respective comfort zones. Even if they do, pretty much every roadside mechanic has at least some experience working on REs. So, it's easier to fix.
4. Fuel efficiency - at cruising speeds, these bikes will easily give 40-45kmpl.
5. Luggage - No worries. This bike is made for carrying luggage. Racks and saddlebags fit easily.
6. Torque - Even with 2 heavy adults and a lot of luggage, I haven't seen these 2-wheel RE tractors struggle - ever.

About the rear drum brake sliding on Avenger - let me tell you, you're blaming the wrong thing. If the wheel locked up, then it means that the brakes did their job. The tires lost traction. They're the weak link. The lock-up could be because of 1 or more reasons - high pressure, worn-out tyre, poor brake pressure modulation, gravel/sand/oil/wet roads/hydroplaning. Tires are the second-biggest upgrade you can make to improve the safety/performance of the motorcycle to suit the surfaces on which you'll ride. You can even do trails with reasonable confidence on a Bullet with just a tire swap.

About the used vehicle being a gamble. 1st, with a Bullet, there's little to gamble. I know someone who ran his Bullet without engine oil for more than 100km, bored it and fixed it and he's still using it. Know that, everything is fixable. The cost of maintaining might seem like a lot until you factor in the depreciation and opportunity cost. I have 5 vehicles in my garage. 4 of them, I bought used and I regret buying the fifth one new.

Compared to a used Beat diesel prices at the time, the depreciation + opportunity cost @ 24%/yr has lost me about Rs. 13 lakh. It'll take you a few years before you manage to fully appreciate and wrap your head around the concept of opportunity cost, compounding and depreciation. It took me about 3-5 years to take in each concept. Even on a Bullet, you'll have some opportunity cost hit and inflation hit but the depreciation will be less.

Because I bought my vehicles used, I don't mind keeping them around even when I'm not using them. They've already lost their value. They're not losing any more any faster. With a Bullet, you may even consider keeping it around even when your usage drops considerably because of the negligible depreciation.

Gear
For safety gear, set aside 30 - 40% of whatever you spend on the motorcycle. We pay more than this in taxes on a motorcycle. I think we should pay at least a similar amount for our safety. You'll need 2 sets of gear. So, maybe you should keep 40 - 50%. And DO NOT skimp on quality boots.

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by darkLightning

Thanks A.P, I really appreciate the insight coming from someone who has extensively used lower cc bikes (CT100). Coming to Avenger, call me old school but for me the original cruisers will be Yamaha Enticer and RE Thunderbird. As for the avenger it is one of it's kind left now in the market however as per my understanding it has rear drums and can skid hard, I have driven one that my friend owned and it wasn't a comfortable experience.

Yes, the Enticer can be given some credit however the Thunderbird is not a cruiser, have a closer look at the foot peg placement.

The Eliminator was the Enticer's contemporary and a proper cruiser, which is what has evolved into the Avenger and is the only one still on sale.

There are 2 issues with your inference, let's take it one at a time.

1. Disk Brakes being better than Drum Brakes irrespective of use case is a very wrong inference.

2. Now coming to use case of the Avenger, you're saying that the tyre locked hence you think the drum brakes are at fault? Not really. The brakes were effective hence the tyre locked, the weak link here aren't the brakes but the tyres on the motorcycle. Also to note, a cruiser is rear biased and if you still managed to lock the rear then you'd have to wonder how inferior the tyres have had to been.

Another interesting option if I had to go this route the preferred choice would be Thunderbird, but as of now I am not looking at used (BS4 second registration) option due to reasons mentioned above.

If a Thunderbird is what you seek then get a Bullet and swap the bar to that of the Thunderbird and you get a near similar riding position, which is what I'd done on my Bullet.

The BS6 Bullet 350 is still on sale with the old Pushrod engine, it comes with EFI now which is the reason for the 45kmpl FE, but even it craps out you can go for a Factory Carb conversion as parts are interchangeable and available.

I did see a recommendation for a Honda CBR250R, I currently do have one in my garage along with my P220 and I have to say, the P220 makes a better case all things considered, then again if you have limited exposure to motorcycles and care only about the one thing the motorcycle is good at i.e highway cruising then the CBR250R is the better pick provided you're fine to ignore reliability bits like spare availability, spare pricing, and the obvious factor being double or triple the cost of purchase even in the used market, a used P220 you can get from 20k upwards, whereas a used CBR doesn't come for less than 60k.

The CBR250R came to India during a power vacuum making it the defacto choice for a lot of beginners and those shifting from commuters which is the reason for its Cult following, as someone who has owned and clocked around 60k kms each on the ZMA and P220 I simply do not find the motorcycle to offer anything substantially worth mentioning when it comes to touring.

As someone who not only rides but also works on his own motorcycles I can assure you that if you're even remotely considering long term ownership, then it's best to stick with Indigenous options, if at all opting for the Japanese, then I'd suggest Yamaha followed by Suzuki.

Hope that helps.
A.P.

[nitro.1000bhp]

A rule of thumb for cruising on highways- get a vehicle with atleast a 40kph buffer between cruising and top speeds. Meaning, if you intend to cruise at 100 then get a bike with a top speed of 140kph atleast and if its 120 get a bike with a top speed of 160+. Many of the 200cc you've shortlisted can barely manage 110 top speed so you'd be wringing its neck near the red-line at 100 kph. This will cause excessive vibrations, fatigue to the body, wears the engine faster and fuel efficiency will also take a major hit. Not ideal at all for your needs.

My suggestion for your use case. Get a 250 or 390 adventure. The long travel suspension will save your back on bangalore's moon crates and speed bumps, the tall 6th gear will save your bum from vibrations at speeds above 100. I'd say, dont give too much thought towards depreciation. Anything with wheels on it is bound to depreciate. The better comfort experienced on those really long rides will make up for the hit taken on depreciation.

And there are ways to store bikes for long periods. You can read up about it on the internet. Basically, drain all the fluids like oil, coolant and petrol. Disconnect the battery. Give all metal parts a generous spraying of WD40, put a bike cover and keep it under shade or preferably in a closed space and you're good to go. Hope this helps.

[FloatingCanvas]

That's a great reply, darklightning. It covers almost all the clarifications sought by the forum members here.

Based on the info you provided, I would like to share the following:

1. Get a bike that can cruise in a relaxed manner. 6th gear is a must for effortless cruising. Apache RTR 200 is a brilliant bike but has only 5 gears. The lack of 6th gear is left on open roads after a few hundred kms. Bajaj NS200 feels much smoother with its 6th gear though on all other fronts I'd prefer the RTR 200.

2. Pillion comfort is very important but not given enough attention on most 150-200 cc bikes. Thunderbird or Himalayan offer much, much better seat comfort than FZ, Apache and the ilk. And make sure to pick a dual channel ABS equipped bike as the lack of it can cause skidding - drum or disc alike.

3. No need to have any worries about the new RE Classic 350. It shares the engine with Meteor, with no reported issues to date. While visually similar, it is a whole new bike with vast reduction in vibes and a smoother ride. Meteor is great for the long highway runs while classic is better for city traffic.

4. If you are apprehensive about getting a pre owned bike, get a new one and sell it off at whatever price it fetches. Remember, the price is small for providing you a safe and comfortable journey of 50k+ kms.

5. Ooty isn't too far from Bengaluru, but it has some steep ghat sections that will definitely leave a 150cc bike struggling, especially with two up. The twisting sections and descent can be very risky without good brakes and safety net. So, do some prep before embarking on the trip.

6. If you insist on the BLR-Bhopal trip, invest in some quality protection gear - good helmet, armoured jacket and knee/shin guard.


That said, I would still urge you to reconsider the long ride plans alone. The difference between 400km and 1500km is much more than the numerical difference. The fatigue can be very dangerous and be potentially hazardous. The risk of accident aside, frequent long bike trips can wreak havoc on your back and spine unless you are in excellent physical shape and have a strong core.

Whatever you choose, do discuss with your entire family and take a considered call.

Wishing you thousands of enjoyable and safe miles. All the very best!

[Phantom 510]

Hero Xtreme 200-S is a very underated product but it really scores high where it needs to. The torquey engine with short gear ratios would make it very tractable in the commutes. It has a strong initial and midrange pull. It's refined and should be reliable as well being a Hero. It has comfy ergonomics with seats that are not sportily set and should be comfortable for both. It has a handsome face and the fairing gives it a decent road presence as well. It has blue tooth connectivity with turn by turn navigation, no hassles of fixing aftermarket accessories. It is a great motorcycle for the price one pays. However, a proper test ride would paint you a clearer picture before you take the plunge.

[shancz]

Originally Posted by darkLightning

1. Previous riding experience -

My start of outstation trips started with a friend's Star City, easing around in the slow lanes at 50-60kmph, talking, chai breaks and random stops at off beat locations peppered the entire trip. Maintaining any time wasn't important nor was the destination. Our first trip was supposed to be a casual coffee stopped ride to Mysore but we ended up in Ooty in pouring rain.
Star City with two 70-75kg blokes had done Bangalore-Ooty, Bangalore-Coorg with ease, returned 75kmpl and never broke down barring punctures in the first trip due to bad tyres.
Then came the RTR 180 with mostly solo trips around the 300-400km/day mark.
Longest was a Bangalore-Pune trip(June 2012) but with a night halt in Belgaum since I had managed to overheat the engine courtesy barren but beautiful roads back then, the Motul 300V which brilliantly masked the roughness which the bike used to get when it started running hot and most importantly the RTR180 which doesn't like cruising.
RTR180's(not applicable for the RTR200) rear seat was horrible for a pillion. I experienced it once for barely 30-40kms and would never do it again. Friends who have rode pillion for 300-400kms have expressed a strong desire to throw the bike off a cliff after they reach back complemented with some unmentionable words

Originally Posted by darkLightning

2. Bangalore Bhopal round trip -

Just to test your endurance its doable but there is a big difference in riding 400km and 800km at a stretch.
Around the 400km mark your body is getting tired so if you reach your destination you feel you can go more but that endurance will most likely fade in another 100 kms on the bikes you've mentioned. Most likely by this time daylight is thinning out, you are tired but now you try to make the the destination, a recipe for disaster IMO. Not saying its not possible but highly risky.
I have been in this situation once since I didn't have an option, most harrowing experience till date and didn't repeat it again, will skip the details.

But if you ever want to do Bangalore-Bhopal then break it into 500kms/day considering the roads are fine and cover more distance if you're making good progress.
Things which I practice and recommend, assuming you and the bike are properly geared up and serviced:

• Carry raingear for all on board
• Start early but have breakfast
• Waypoints and Alternates : example my halfway marker was to reach Belgaum by 1300 so I can have lunch and head out by 1400. Any delay more than 30 mins means halt at Belgaum, have lunch then enjoy the town or have an alternate within 2 hours of driving time to halt and explore, that's the most fun part of travelling with your own vehicle, IMHO.
  But this rule has to be followed religiously since the you'd have only 4-5 hours of daylight remaining after that in summers in the western areas.
• Never travel at night : If you don't have halfway markers you'll end up stuck somewhere you don't want to be, in the dark, neither enjoyable nor safe. With a pillion as your direct responsibility not worth a shot at all.
• Highways are boring on a two-wheeler especially the bikes we're talking about, so it has to be enjoyable meaning take it easy.
• For long distances like the one you're talking about you should have liquid cooling. Personal experience.

My primary objective of any road-trip is enjoyment, everything else is a side-effect and if it isn't enjoyable it becomes a task, IMHO.

Originally Posted by darkLightning

- So the true target trips for this purchase will be more on the line of Bangalore-Gokarna, Bangalore - Ooty as I mentioned in opening post.

For this your shortlist is good enough, Gokarna might be a bit of a stretch but doable.

Originally Posted by darkLightning

I am trying to stay away from Dominar or any Bajaj to be honest as I have some trust issues with the Bajaj experience I have observed of my friends over the years.

I had the exact same experience/perception with multiple friends owning Pulsar 150/180/200 but the Dominar is different and a friend in Bangalore is extremely happy with his 2018 D400 and its SC.
I rode the bike and its very good, in the city and outside it. Well suited for your needs.

Originally Posted by darkLightning

Thanks shancz, your experience with RTR 180 is another positive in a way for RTR 200 4V.

But remember that both engines are different, all the flaws in the 180 seem to have been sorted in the 200. Primary being the engine vibes and power delivery.
The RTR200, IMHO the best of the upto 200cc with adjustable suspensions and riding modes(as a learning experience) but its compact and not sure if your wife would be happy with the seat and space. Check it out over a TD.

As for the bikes I can recommend the following essentials, from experience, targeting a 400-500km trip distance regularily :
- dual disc brakes
- dual channel ABS
- tubeless tyres
- liquid cooling(essential IMO but could be skipped if you're cautious during summers)

Bikes I can foresee to fit your needs, not in order with a few cautions :
- RTR 200 4V : check rear seat space and comfort
- XPulse 200 4V : check for riding dynamics with pillion, the higher GC might not be very usable for your trips which are mainly road based
- XTreme 200R/S : take a TD, I have a feeling it might get an update soon with a 4V motor, pillion should be more comfortable than the RTR200.

- Dominar 400 : tank range is a bit low for its size ~250kms, weight is felt mainly during U turns
- CB350 : cost and big wings service reach
- Himalayan : Some niggles and RE service issues
- Classic 350 : more comfortable for a pillion than the Meteor but a new engine and RE service concerns
- 390 Adventure : expensive, stiff suspension, pillion might not be happy

All in all if your wife is happy with the RTR200's seat get that. If she isn't TD all the bikes and get the one which both of you are happy with.
Hope it helps.

Check out my response from girimajiananth's thread (Buying advice: Hero Xpulse vs TVS Apache RTR 200 vs Honda Highness vs Others).

Good Luck

[aargee]

Originally Posted by ike

Isn't the pillion seat a deal breaker? I have heard the pillion seat is rather uncomfortable over long distances?

Originally Posted by AtheK

Continental GT touring seat is very good, plus you have very good options from sahara seats. The rear pillion pegs are an issue if pillion is tall, but many modifications are available to fix that too.

Gentlemen, Inty & Conti, both have reputation on hurting the pillion. Mods are absolutely necessary even for a short pillion (Read anyone > 5.1 are going to complain for sure even on silky smooth highways of TN). I'm told even a forward leaning stance of CBR is much better than Inty. Conti on the other hand has bad manners, it dislikes pillion to the core, although they don't rattle, for sure jerks them torture. As if these woes weren't sufficient, the stock exhaust burns the bum to brim!!

Not experienced, but been reading for Conti to use aftermarket exhaust + rear foot pegs which runs to a good cost on mods

[AtheK]

Originally Posted by aargee

Gentlemen, Inty & Conti, both have reputation on hurting the pillion. Mods are absolutely necessary even for a short pillion (Read anyone > 5.1 are going to complain for sure even on silky smooth highways of TN). I'm told even a forward leaning stance of CBR is much better than Inty.

It definitely needs mods, but my wife who is 5-3, is happy sitting at Interceptor with just seat modification. We have done couple of 300+ kms ride in a day, and she never complaint even once.

But then it's a different scenario for every individual, I do not like the stock seat a bit on interceptor, and that is a definite change needed day one. The footpegs is totally dependent on respective pillion, but yes will need a change, I did put foot peg extenders though, so she can place her feet comfortably and do not touch the exhaust.

It's the gear and engine combo which is amazing, I have been having a lot of fun with the bike, but ya this probably is not a fit for OP as he has already confirmed it's not in his plans.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by mvadg

I have ridden long distances on great roads in the US...on the most scenic routes after a while...In India...different ball game altogether

Add another point, in US, you're in a state of relaxed mind set, follow the process abide the rules while in India our mind is always in state of tension & anxiety, like human beings 50000 years ago, always watching out for dangers in form of snakes & saber tooth tiger; fast forward now, we do the same but watch out for potential dangers on the road from other human beings; basically, rest driving vs restless driving!!

Originally Posted by AtheK

It definitely needs mods, but my wife who is 5-3, is happy sitting at Interceptor with just seat modification. We have done couple of 300+ kms ride in a day, and she never complaint even once

Not even the heat from stock exhaust?
My Wife had a pain under her right leg knees, which eventually faded by evening

Originally Posted by AtheK

and that is a definite change needed day one

We did on stock & I'm sure with touring seat, this issue may get addressed noticeably even if not significantly

Originally Posted by AtheK

The footpegs is totally dependent on respective pillion, but yes will need a change, I did put foot peg extenders

Haha...that is MUST; I think you did right thing

[AtheK]

Originally Posted by aargee

Not even the heat from stock exhaust?

Oh No I have the AEW one, the stock one are heat furnace.

I guess your wife might be tall, but as we both agree the seat and footpegs need a definite modification for any sort of touring. I think a TOP box setup along with those two changes makes it very good tourer.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by AtheK

Oh No I have the AEW one...the stock one are heat furnace...good tourer.

Sir if you don't mind, I love talking about this but on different relevant thread like Interceptor or even Conti, as I feel a guilt of diverting the topic pls.

[drt_rdr]

Not using a bike that often for two years is no big deal.

I've had a couple years where my bikes saw as low usage as a combined 200 or so km. Just take it out grocery shopping once a week or two and it'll be fine. If you won't even be able to start it, you can always make storage preparations as one of the others here suggested.