[VW2010]

You said exclusive and hence the recommendation. Check out the Husqvarna svarpilen. We did a test shoot and it was one fantastic bike. Looks exclusive while rides like butter. It is small, lightweight and not a scooter yet it is one of the beautiful bikes we have ridden. It is not a 390 but it turns head and I would love to own one if they come with a 790 version or the 890.

Best looks and smug value goes to Yamaha R15. Nothing beats the charm of that little beauty.

I have a bullet and an RC390 and an L5-S1 issue. Guess which bike hardly gives me trouble and I love riding it? It is the RC390. I have issues every time I ride any bullet but the aggressive position of RC390 takes the point of impact from back to mostly knees and shoulders. I have done a 400km ride in a day in the RC390 and hardly felt any pain in the body while a 50 km errand on the 500 forced me to stretch.

A shot from the shoot.
Husky

[shankarbn]

You have a back pain and want to ride motorcycles again? Your priorities are in the wrong place. No motorcycle will be fully comfortable if your health and fitness are not taken care of regularly. Go to a physiotherapist first instead of buying a motorbike would be my suggestion.

[antz.bin]

First and foremost, Please visit a physiotherapist to address your back issues. You need to get fitter before you get back on the bike. Maybe lose weight as well? If that is the case, refer the Weight Loss thread.

The 2 benefits of getting fitter and losing weight will be that you will be more comfortable and will be able to ride the bike better. Losing weight also means now the bike will be faster.

In the long run, if you want to tour and go long distances, stick to bikes that offer a slightly forward weight bias. That will help you take weight off your butt and lower back which helps in keeping on the saddle for longer.

Once on the bike, learn about the proper riding positions so as to avoid any further back issues and then enjoy your freedom.

Cheers!

[drt_rdr]

Since it's only for short leisure rides within the city, you should probably be fine with any of your choices.

Buy a used vehicle so that in case your back\shoulder issues flare up and you decide you don't want to ride anymore, selling it won't hurt your pocket all that much. Use this for a while, and a year or so down the line, if you find yourself having no issues, you can then sell this off and buy a new one if you fancy it.

[The Great]

Originally Posted by nTorq

Can you please post a picture of the bike with the RD handlebar? I’ve put the Jawa handlebar, but curious to see how the RD ones look.

There you go Sir. Havent got time to go and get those cables tidied up.

Its much upright than the Jawa handlebar though.

[surajram]

For comfortable upright seating, it’s hard not to recommend an adventure tourer.

The RE Himalayan, KTM Adv twins, BMW 310GS and Honda CB200X are all great options that don’t break the bank.

[Indraneel Bhat]

Originally Posted by bravo82in

Jawa:- again lack of exclusivity and quality issues as reported by users is keeping me away from Jawa

I have recently purchased a Jawa 42 v2.0. It is a well made, solid bike. In matt black it looks absolutely bad-ass!!! I was planning to buy an RE classic 350 or Honda CB350. But a test ride on the Jawa sold me on the bike. Whether you buy it or not, please at least take a test ride. I have not noticed any major quality issues with the bike in my run of about 700 kms in total on it. Since it is lighter (172 kg) than the RE (192 - 196 kg) and the CB (181 kg), it will be less stressful on your back.

[naj]

Hello ,
IMHO the interceptor is an amazing bike at the price point it offers . The engine is a gem with good handling with affordable service.
For the seat issue just pop in a touring seat which takes 5 min to swap with Rs 4000 extra .
Your height is much more than mine and I own a GT 650. Super satisfied with the product.
Another good bike is a Benelli 502c to consider .Have ridden it and felt quite solid.

Thanks -

[bravo82in]

Thanks you everyone for the valuable suggestions. As with the back pain there is no permanent solution to it. My back is unfit for touring of any sorts but good enough for shorts trips. Based on the suggestions from the esteemed forum I reconsidered the interceptor and requested for a test ride again. This time I did share my concerns with the RE manager who was kind enough to arrange a longer test drive of the bike, solo and on a relatively empty stretch of road. Sitting a little posterior on the seat gave a better riding triangle and the bike felt a lot more under control. And on an empty stretch, oh man oh, what a machine this bike is. The rush of adrenaline made me forget all the pains and stresses of my life. I felt 20 years younger. If I am buying a bike it has to be the Interceptor. A few modifications may be needed to suit my requirement.

That's me after the TD, feeling like a 18 year old who just got the license to thrill.


Next task is to convince the better half. I will be really grateful if members can share a few tips on that front too

[giri1.8]

If waiting is possible the do wait for the Meteor 650, win win. Situation for you. Only problem is that no one knows when RE is going to launch this model.

[bravo82in]

Originally Posted by giri1.8

If waiting is possible the do wait for the Meteor 650, win win. Situation for you. Only problem is that no one knows when RE is going to launch this model.

The super meteor 650 is the bike worth waiting for. It has everything I need, a relaxed riding stance, alloy wheels, tubeless tyres, tall wind shield, hopefully a gear shift indicator and trip meter. Being RE most expensive offering it’s expected to remain exclusive. It’s launch and availability for TD remains questionable. I am waiting till March before I finalise Interceptor

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by bravo82in

The super meteor 650 is the bike worth waiting for. It has everything I need, a relaxed riding stance, alloy wheels, tubeless tyres, tall wind shield, hopefully a gear shift indicator and trip meter.

Bravo82in, do keep in mind that a relaxed, feet forward (stretched) position is not necessarily a good or comfortable seating position for a weak back. In fact a slight forward lean would be better. Please take proper long test rides of any bike before putting your money down.

Cheers

[bravo82in]

Noted sir, will keep that in mind. I liked the seating position of meteor though it was a short trip. I will definitely take a longer ride before finalising anything.

[Peri_patetic99]

@bravo82in, except maybe the interceptor, nothing defeats the cb350 in terms of exclusivity and road presence, i own one and it is a looker, and lots of people keep looking at it and enquire about it. Personally, i don't think it looks like a splendor but at certain angles you do see a little resemblance ( in photos, not real life- although removing the rear grab rail might help with that). The only problem is the service centre is too far, and with your back issues, I wouldn't suggest you to go for it.

The meteor 350 fits your requirements perfectly, but it might be a bit slow and you might find yourself wanting to upgrade to a multi cylinder bike in the future, however it is comfortable for long journeys and you can get it serviced anywhere. It's also got a gear indicator( very important imo)and it's not that common as a classic, so fairly exclusive as well. Would recommend

The interceptor has a little aggressive riding posture(imo), it might hurt your back a little, although it is also fairly comfortable. It has a few niggles though, I'd recommend seeing youtuber abhinav Bhatt's videos on the interceptor, it will help you decide better.

Also, why aren't the adv 250 and 390 included? The adv 390 has everything you're looking for and more. It will keep you satisfied for a long time.

[jaganm]

I own both the CB350 and the Aerox.

I can recommend the CB350 wholeheartedly. I have done a number of multi day 1000km rides. I find it extremely comfortable for rides upto 300-400 km a day, beyond that the seat is not ideal. It is also a bike for relaxed cruising at 80-100 kmph not something you want to tear down the highway with (for that I use my Versys)

Regarding the Aerox, I've had it for a little over a week. It was a completely impulse buy for me, I had always wanted a maxi cruise scooter and bought it by just sitting on it without even a test ride. I strongly feel if I had taken a test ride, I wouldnt have gone ahead, the suspension is that bad and unfit for our indian road conditions. But that is the only issue. I am going to plonk down the 17-18K to get the upgraded suspension, if it fixes the issue, I cannot find a better bike than this.