[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by bf1983

I would say ignore the Versys. I had a short spin on it and even though I am 6 feet tall and can plant both my feet on the ground, the sheer bulk of the bike made it a handful to negotiate at slow speeds...

+1. Versys is handful in the B2B city traffic. It can get quite hot as well. It's an amazing interstate tourer though.

[RiderZone]

Really lovely that everyone has completely ignored one of your choices, the Interceptor Don't buy it if 500 kms day trips are your thing, the stock bike absolutely sucks for that requirement. Stock bike also sucks for two-up commutes, bad pillion ergos and lava for exhausts.

If I had the budget, I'd get the Honda 500. If not, KTM 390.

[MadCap09]

I know they are new but the one bike no one seems to mention is the Yezdi scrambler. Test rode one multiple times, it will give you great low end torque and flickability in the city commutes and is fairly stable at 100+ speeds ( better than REs) for highways. It looks great and the riding position is good for the 500 km weekend rides.

The service network of Jawa is now widely spread, in city (Bangalore) and in smaller nearby towns.

Of course it doesn't have the refinement of a Honda500, but then it costs less than half and is a way better choice than Dominar and it looks great. Since I don't commute in the city I ended up buying a pre-owned Triumph Tiger, but that was before Honda reduced the price by a lac.

My suggestion like everyone else's - Honda does everything but comes at a price. Which may be worth paying as the overall cost and experience of ownership would be great

[btdhar]

With my personal experience of 8000 km of city, trails and highways, I think the 390 Adv is. a true all rounder. The heating is very well managed. The low end torque is also a matter of getting used especially coming from the Himalayan, won't take much time. The last ECU update has improved it for me personally. The Kawasaki engines are just super refined but overall weight and slightly heavier clutch compared to the KTM may be a downer in city traffic. My recommendation will be for the KTM Adv 390

[NSK123]

I would suggest test ride the new Yezdis as well.

Originally Posted by rohing

Need some guidance on comparions from experts here. I need a comfortable.middleweight cruiser for 500 km/day trips (once a month) and city commutes in Bangalore (25kms) once a week. I am 6.1ft and 40+yrs so comfort is key

[Parishrut]

I have a Dominar since last 4 years. I use it for similar routine as you have described. I had been doing 1000+ km trips every month until the pandemic struck, and 25 km commutes ever since, which are partly city traffic and partly good roads like Electronic city flyover.

While the big bikes are definitely more comfortable, Dominar has never failed me and I know I can go even longer on my trips. I usually don't do more than 500km/12 hours of riding on a single day, but I have spent 18+ hours on broken roads and it was fine if you can live with the extra weight. The weight won't trouble you much in the city since you would commute only once a week, and the same weight will keep you rock solid on the highway. It has superb low end and mid range, and I barely even use the accelerator in the city traffic for the first 2 gears. The sound and feel is good enough to keep you happy at below 4k RPM in the city and then redline gloriously as you merge onto the highway. I just wouldn't want to use it for more than 2-3 days in peak traffic (which is how I ended up buying a cycle). I've taken it on off roads as I love taking the road not taken. Unless you are doing some crazy off-roading, you can easily swap tires and the bike will take you 95% of the places.

It has very good service support, especially because of its popularity with touring groups which means you can find specialized mechanics if you are not happy with Bajaj. Bajaj service is decent enough and very cheap (I love it) but I always had a backup checkup done at Highlander to keep long distance reliability in check. Only issue is that good service support is limited to cities when you are on a trip. Not all Bajaj service centers in rural areas can work on a Dominar. But otherwise, relative to other premium bikes in the same segment, parts availability is good and mechanics are not difficult to find if you have a breakdown. The only other brand that I think out performs this is RE.

Good customization support is cherry on top. There are lots of additional accessories well suited for it at a decent price, and the engine has enough grunt to carry their weight around. It even looks good when it is properly kitted out!

To be honest, I keep reading all the reviews on Team BHP and lusting after the Honda CB500X which in my opinion is a very genuine upgrade for my needs, especially given how I use the Dominar, but everytime I see a new update that Bajaj makes, I just keep considering buying a new Dominar again :P For the price that it comes at, it is astounding value. There are flaws, yes, but for the price, I am not complaining.

P.S. Thumb rule for long distance reliability: Avoid everything that is less than 2 years old or fresh in the market, especially from new brands.

Edit: Just read that you are 6.1 ft tall. You will definitely need handlebar raisers on the Dominar and it will definitely not be as comfortable for you as it is for me. I am 5.9 ft.

[51morris]

Originally Posted by HYPERTOURER

If you want to look at a used bike then the Ninja 650 is something that has bullet proof reliability. You can get a 2 year old one in pristine condition for around the 390 adv money or if lucky even a newer model. Spares arent very expensive either unless you break the body panels.

I was going to suggest the same, albeit with the Versys in mind. The Versys 650 is a very capable bike and if you can get a well cared for one in good nick, it will last for years.

Cheers,
Praveen

[VijayAnand1]

To add to what Bhpains suggested -- surprised how the CB350 was missed. It's a relaxed, smooth and a very capable motorcycle. With great low end torque, comfortable suspension, pillion friendly and a motorcycle with quality that you'd expect from a Honda, this is one relaxed mile muncher that can perhaps satiate your weekend and daily requirements. Throw a leg over for a test ride and see how you feel, perhaps this might fit your bill, and one that'd I'd strongly recommend.

Good luck1

Cheers!
VJ

[maheshm619]

Originally Posted by rohing

- refinement (the vibration after 80 )
- relaibility (clutch wire, cone set, rusting)
- power (best below 100)
- good service network (RE is good, no complaints)

I am 6.1ft and 40+yrs so comfort is key

Suggestions from my middle class point of view:

Meteor 350 is a very comfortable cruiser and has relaxed power delivery.Had one in close family and the seat / relaxed posture was one of the best I had come across.

Originally Posted by rohing

can afford but middle class value mindset kicks in....

Appreciate any thoughts on the above.

Another suggestion is to look for a pre-owned bike. My relative had recently picked up a mint condition GS310 for a price less than new Apache RTR200 4v. One more option would be to wait for the launch of RE 650 cruiser.

[dj_666]

Originally Posted by rohing

2. KTM 390.Adv

3. Interceptor

They are the Top of the line offerings from the respective Brands.

Lovely bikes. You can't go wrong with either Sir

[sharkashwa]

Originally Posted by rohing

As always (per my earlier car buying experiences), Team bhp always brings in a new contender which I never considered. Thanks all for your suggestions esp on the Honda. Couple of points:

- My commute in Bangalore is dropping kids at school (1km) largely within a gated complex, plus once a week to office (Whitefield to ecity). So not a daily rider
.......
As always quite surprised, no one even mentioned Dominar in passing - I do think it is a competent machine.

As noted by Parishrut, the Dominar is indeed a competent machine but it depends on the definition of competency. It is a bike that does 80% of what the Honda does at probably 60% of the price. If the remaining 20% matters to you, then it would be wise to look at the Honda and probably the Versys a bit more seriously.
I have ridden the pre-facelift Dominar once and found it too heavy for the engine that was powering it and the kind of performance I wanted. However, it was perfectly acceptable for city commutes and relaxed highway cruising that folks buy it for. I've also read that the facelift version has a lot more goodies and flaws fixed but at the expense of added weight (6kg IIRC) .
However, noting that you do take the roads less traveled often, it would be prudent to check out the service network that are at least in the vicinity of the routes that you frequent. I would surmise that you will see an appreciable number of shops catering to the Dominar as opposed to the Japs.
Good luck with your hunt!

Cheers,
Sharath

[rohing]

Thanks all. Here is a quick update on the top 2 bikes in discussion -

1. CB500X - I called all the Honda Goldwing dealers in Bangalore and the CB500X is fully sold out. The new one is expected to arrive next month but the old one is fully out of stock. The Honda dealer did not even try and get my information or cross-sell any other bike!!

2. KTM390 Adv - Interestingly, this is also sold out and out of stock. The new one is coming next month and they are taking a Rrs.2000 deposit for booking. At least here the sales guy got my number and whatsapp'ed me the brochure and followed up. I am planning to test drive the old bike next week - they don't have any right now for test drives.

So the wait continues...plan to stop by the Kawasaki center next weekend as well.

Thanks

[rohing]

After an elongated wait, a productive Saturday morning and start the test drives. I tested 2 bikes today:

KTM 390 Adv

The good:
- Good street presence. The photos just don't do it justice. Infact it is bigger than the Himalayan
- Nice riding comfort, low vibes and takes bumpy roads well
- All Gizmos incl. USB charger, Nice color screen etc.
- Lot of accesories for touring
- Good back seat space. My wife was most comfortable here compared to others
- Good pick up, comparable to interceptor though that smooth as the twin

The not soo good
- The seat height relative to the handle bar and windscreen is too high. The Himalayan seating was perfect. There does not seem to be any other seat options
- Need to keep revving and stay on the gears. Relaxed ride is just not easily doable in traffic
- Seat was hard. Wish it was softer

Overall: Not perfect but definetly in the short list!

Interceptor

The Good
- The engine. Enough said. Super smooth and pulls well!
- The price
- No vibes. Vibes was one the reasons I got rid of the Himalayan.
- Perfect for city riding. For shorter people, the seating position should be much better

The not so good
- The seating position is ok for city and small rides - for my height and weight touring will be a pain
- Back seat
- RE quality. After the constant niggles in Himalayan, I just can't trust RE fully
- Not ok for touring

Overall: Love the engine but not the overall package. Wish KTM had this engine

After KTM 390, I clearly ruled out Versys as I don't think I can handle it in Bangalore traffic. 390 is the biggest that is manageable. Waiting for Honda CB500x and will give GS 310 a shot.

[rohing]

Finally, taking this thread to a conclusion and turning into a ownership review.

Yep! I got the new 2022 KTM 390 Adv (one of the first in Bangalore) and it is awesome!

Firstly, I never ended up test riding the Honda and GS310. Why - got a very lukewarm response from Honda and owning a BMW and riding offbeat destinations never settled down in my mind. Finally, call me lazy/spoilt - the thought of riding from whitefield to MG road area in Bangalore just to test drive & the possibility of having to do so for every service/troubleshoot was a no-go. Maybe Bangaloreans will understand! I knew the compromises I was making by not choosing a twin and I made peace with it. Other than that there was no doubt about the KTM in my mind.

Aside from this the experiences of TBHPian @RedLiner (2 months across the Eastern Indo-Tibet Himalayas | A KTM 390 "Adventure" | 2021 Report) and his travelogue to the NE played a big part in booking the bike. If he could take the bike to the places he took with no trouble then it should be OK. I never spoke to him, or commented on his log but his experiences made up my mind. Thank you!! Also thanks to @NeilJerico, @AutoIndian and others who were part of this short but effective thread on my bike buying.

The delivery experience -

I booked the bike with a 2500Rs deposit and it took my 8 weeks to delivery. I never followed up (as I was in no hurry) and let them take their time. I got the call, paid the money overnight and the bike was ready - no fuss. The reps were decent but paperwork could have been more organized.

They also volunteered to get some accessories installed right there. The convinced me to install a piggyback box to get the hazard light function (fits right in and no wirecutting) and I wanted a handlebar riser. Both done with minimal fuss and bike is ready to go. Here is a pic.



All very happy until riding home from the dealership, I felt the bike losing power as if clutch was being engaged on and off! Not a good feeling. Came home, did not feel good about it and went straight back to the dealership. Looks like the Handlebar risers stretched the clutch wire too much and it was engaging. A little bit of readjustment and it was fixed - whew! I hate it when a new machine has issues.

Work schedule/ travel and all the bike was stationary for a week. Finally called up a friend over the weekend and decided to do a quick 150 kms spin in the outskirts of Bangalore Sunday afternoon. Like any new vehicle it takes a little bit of time for the bike and the owner to get used to each other
It was uneventful except for a error that keeps popping up - it shows up as "Quickshifter+" at the bottom of the TFT and the warning light. Switch off the engine and it disappears! Again, gave me an uncomfortable feeling as I like my bikes to be in shipshape but I was travelling again and there was no time to troubleshoot or go to the dealership. Here is a pic inside a reserve forest with RE friend testing the KTM



One more week passed and the bike is stationary. Back in Bangalore and had to go to Coimbatore (quick weekend trip to my native). I came home to realize that kids were sick (the effect of going to school after 2 yrs) and that the Ecosport maybe needed by wife in case we needed to get meds or go to the doctor. An inkling of an idea started forming about taking the bike to Coimbatore - 800kms round trip, solo ride, light rain, some random errors (that I have not solved), new bike, no storage space on the bike yet...(a little crazy). But what the heck. The guys who get these bikes are crazy anyway and this is the whole reason you buy a tourer!!! Nothing like an 800km ride to get to know your bike. Here are some pics and I will write down the good and the issues after that-

What is good:

- Mile muncher. Even before 1st service could cruise above 100 (the main reason I sold Himalayan). No fuss. Loads of reserve power at even 110.

- Suspension is great. It take potholes and bad roads quite well. I am 40+ and my back was perfectly ok after the long ride incl. in bad Bangalore roads

- Very stable - TC, ABS etc. work. Never skidded or felt out of control even in wet surfaces - compare to a 1st gen Himalayan where precise front/back brake coordination was key else the back wheel slipped

- Informative TFT with everything you need

All in all, very satisfied with the purchase and great value for money. The average mileage was 30km/l.

So what is not OK?

The list below are my peeves but largely fixable:

1. Quickshifter+/ error - Keeps popping up. I am not using the Quickshifter but still keep popping up. Need to go sort it out. But has no impact to the bike or the performance. Is this a common issue?

2. The blue tank area is a dust magnet!! What were they thinking?

3. Seat - Butt pain after 200kms of riding. Have to do something to the seat to make it more comfortable - any suggestions folks? Please.... The Himalayan seat/seating position was better

4. No main stand - Really loved the main stand in the Himalayan. Having only the side stand is an issue - can a main stand be fixed?

5. Headlight is not very effective - not great for long rides. I need to get aux lights installed - any suggestions on the best brand and a nice place to do it in Bangalore?

6. The GPS -- one would have hoped that GMaps syncs but no. You have to buy a app etc. Come on KTM! I need to get a phone/GPS holder installed and use GMaps - any suggestions on the brand please let me know?

7. Fuel indicator - it starts flashing red in the TFT with a warning light from <160kms mark - do not understand the logic. Is there a way to set it to something reasonable? I took it all the way to <50mark but flashing red for 100 kms does not help

8. Hearing some chain noise at low speed

9. Need a higher windshield. For my height he wind buffeting is too much - any idea/suggestions?

As mentioned no biggies but initial things to be sorted out.

Other queries:

1. Phone connects via BT and shows who is calling but how do I talk - would any suggest BT helmets or any other idea?

2. Any nice KTM longer distance rider groups in Bangalore? How do I get connected? I do not like the concept of 100 guys going 50 kms for breakfast and calling it a ride (forgive me if I offended someone, just my age is to blame). A nice group of slow, cautious, well planned, long distance riders would be my cup of tea.

3. Any ideas on storage - best pannier / rear box ideas? Would love rear box with cushion for the person in the back seat to lean on.

4. Any ideas on how effective gel/air seats for the rider? I really need to solve that problem.

Thanks again for everyone who helped me with this decision. Looking forward to long rides. But first the first service now.


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[neil.jericho]

Congratulations rohing! The new KTM Adv 390 looks great in the blue and orange paint scheme. What was the on road price of the bike? The 8 weeks waiting period is inline with other showrooms pan India. When I enquired about the Adv 250 recently, I was told that there would be a minimum waiting period of 45 days. In fact, the only bike that was in stock in the KTM showroom here, was the RC 200.

For aux lights, you can go with Mad Dog lights. They are a proven brand. Get the caps for the lights, so that they remain out of sight from the eyes of the police, when you are not using them. It should be easily available across riding gear and accessory stores in Bangalore.

For a phone holder, if your wallet permits, go for the original RAM mount. It should cost you around Rs 4,400 or so, but its well worth it. Bobo phone holders seem to be popular as well. Ive ordered one recently but Im yet to install it.

For bluetooth connectivity, you will need a Sena or a similar device, and install it on your helmet. Theres lots of feedback on these products on the forum.

Im not sure of KTM specific groups but you could join the TBHP motorcyclists in Bangalore on their weekend rides. There is a separate thread for that.

My buddy Red Liner should be able to help you with your other queries.

Looking forward to more updates on your lovely motorcycle.