[yd_gli]

I was in a similar situation as you over the last month. I have ridden bikes all through my life until the mid 30s. Rode an RX-135 in college and then a Duke 200 until a decade ago. At that time for some reason I grew out of two wheelers and sold my Duke off in 2014.

For the last year I have been looking out for an additional car but the crazy wait times have been a bummer. I finally decided to get back on a bike. I don't have need or the budget for a bike that costs in excess of 3L. The only other criteria I had was that it should have a retro/vintage look. Thus, I test rode the CB350RS and the Interceptor. The Honda as good as it is didn't feel like I was riding a bike worth 2.5L. It doesn't have the punch or the sound that appeals to me. It felt like an Enfield 350 with twice the refinement but half the thump. No go. Next up was the Interceptor. While not perfect the bike is super fun to ride. I test rode it on a 40C April afternoon and it gets hot but I don't intend to ride it regularly or during the peak heat times of the day. I even test rode the GT but the long term posture issues meant that it was a no go.

The Interceptor maxed out my budget at 3.5L OTR. But I am pretty sure its got the best balance of cost vs. performance and will keep me happy for the next 5 years. Its mod friendly, service centers are at every nook and corner which is a boon for someone who doesn't have the time to either work on the bike at home or spend hours with service. I'll take delivery of mine this week.

[shankarbn]

If your throttle hand is careful and you have experience, you can definitely jump right on a 650cc+ bike and be okay. You will be nervous for a bit but if you have a cool head, you will be fine in a few weeks.

That said, you do need good technology to keep your tyres on the ground and not be intimidating as an overall package. The bike you're not considering yet is the bike that I will recommend - The KTM 390 adventure. It may just be a big single cylinder but it has ABS and MTC plus it has wonderful ergonomics that are perfect for touring and commuting (possibly sans the foot peg position but that's an easy fix aftermarket). For around 4L, there isn't a better bike in the country. On a 1200km ride across the nilgiris, my friend on the 390 adventure kept up with me on my tiger 1050cc triple cylinder bike - that should tell you a lot. Spares are cheap and service centres are available everywhere so even services and upkeep shouldn't play havoc on your finances or downtime.

[rajbas]

Triumph Street Twinis a better interceptor with very comfortable seats and riding position. It is more powerful and as a byproduct generates moderate heat in congested city riding.
I don't think you should be considering the Speed twin for your requirements and experience.

Point taken on speed twin. I'm planning on riding an interceptor, street twin and speed twin in that order and not overdo on the testing part.

Looking at Z650RS but ground clearance seems to be poor, worse than Triumph. I'm not a big fan of the Kawasaki color choices available either The color schemes seem to be "look at me" kind.

If for any reason you do zero down on the Street Twin, do try to locate a pre-owned. I was very wisely and rightfully advised by the forum members to find myself a a pre-owned Street Twin and am really happy that I went went it. (https://www.team-bhp.com/news/used-o...48-replacement )

Thank you Mindshack. This thread of yours were amongst a few that convinced me to add Street Twin to the list. I was initially zero-ing in on Interceptor 650 but the comfort and the joy part is as critical for me as the price is.

Given that I'm a novice when it comes motorcycles, I am skeptical about purchasing a used Triumph Street Twin. At best I can take it to a mechanic which are very few for Triumph. If you have recommendations, pls let me know.

Originally Posted by shankarbn

If your throttle hand is careful and you have experience, you can definitely jump right on a 650cc+ bike and be okay. You will be nervous for a bit but if you have a cool head, you will be fine in a few weeks.

I love driving in general and start driving right the day after I land in India normally. Hoping that I can adjust quickly to the additional power.

I don't relate to KTM lineup that much.

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[RT13]

Originally Posted by rajbas

Dear Fellow Team-BHPians,

I have moved to Tiruvannamalai (tier-2 town) and my work requires me to

My requirements are (a) commute in local traffic 3-4 days a week (b) ~200km on way driving on highway either to chennai or bangalore (c) Joing likeminded biking groups just to enjoy the ride (the bike must be fun not boring!). Because of the age factor and also personal preferences, I like to classic/retro style bikes.

Welcome! Frankly your requirement absolutely screams reliability, reliability, reliability. Over all else. The last thing you want, when being based in Tiruvannamalai, is to be trying to figure out how to coordinate any kind of after sales requirements other than than which is scheduled. Which in my humble opinion just begs for a Japanese bike.

Secondly, you need something which will cruise effortlessly and at good speeds, or it would be a downright criminal waste of my beloved TN roads. From where you are, there’s so much great recreational riding to be done so easily.

Thirdly, for Bangalore traffic, for just 4-5 days a month I don’t think you need to worry too much about traffic. As long as it’s not a Ducati which’ll fry you alive, you’ll be fine. So while a bike which is decently manouverable in traffic is desirable, I don’t think you really need a corner carver for such a limited monthly scenario.

So, in short, I’d say a Kawasaki Ninja 650, z650 or Versys would be perfect for you. The Z less so because of wind blast. You could even throw in the Vulcan which shares the same engine but in a cruiser form, if that floats your boat. The CB500x is very nice and arguably more versatile but you’ll lose some grunt on the highway for better city riding (which is ideal for most people but exactly the reverse for you imo) and, on a more practical note, frankly I was under the impression it was sold out in Bangalore at least (post the price cut). I would definitely also recommend the V Strom if you can get past its sometime polarising looks (I love it)” but many don’t). Arguably the best middle weight true Adv in India. All of them have good ergonomics too so that shouldn’t be a problem.

I’d give Triumph a miss purely because of where you’re based. Relatively decent reliability for the most part but not a patch on the Japs. I’d give the RE twins a miss completely given both the level of reliability you require and the budget that you have anyway.

Good luck and keep us posted!

Cheers,

[F1 Freak]

Originally Posted by rajbas

2. I see that Triumph services are reasonable and maitenance window is quite adequate. Is heating a problem on city roads? Does de-cat always work? I see mixed reviews here.
3. Is heating a problem with RE Interceptor. The last thing I need is a skin burn, Tiruvannamalai is typically in mid 40's during summer.
4. Any other motorcycle that I should seriously consider. Since I want one for the long term, I'd prefer the bike to be somewhat unique, not flashy but not so common on the roads either.

A. Heating will always be a problem in traffic in big bikes, even the 650 will heat up nicely if you are in stop-and-go traffic. One thing from my side about the Interceptor 650, the rear brake pedal position is weird. Your foot touches the engine.

B. Other options you can consider are
1. The new classic 350- I suggest you leave whatever impressions you have
in your mind about the old one and test ride the new one. It's superb in
terms of refinement and can cruise comfortably around 100 with minimal
vibrations. It's a lovely bike and I would choose it over the Honda.

2. Yezdi Roadster- This is a bit different from Classic and Honda as this
motor is a rev friendly one. I can say it won't be as relaxed as the other two.
I haven't ridden the roadster but did ride the other two offerings from Yezdi.

3. Meteor 350- The same smooth J series engine, but in a different form.

Originally Posted by shancz

Based on your preferences I can suggest to TD the following :
- Classic 350
- H'ness
- CB300R

Cb 300R is an absolutely lovely motorcycle. Amazing and a well-balanced engine, it pulls really well but isn't as aggressive as the 390. And the refinement, doesn't matter how much you rip it not even a tiny bit of vibe. It's a bit overpriced, but I would definitely buy it. The Bigwing guys in my city were great as they let me test ride it on a long route.

[PetaWatt]

Originally Posted by rajbas

Triumph because i Feel its unostentatious, packs enough power and always wanted one while I was abroad.

What's stopping you? Go for it!

Originally Posted by rajbas

I am skeptical about purchasing a used Triumph Street Twin.

Buy a new one. STREET TWIN EC1 SPECIAL EDITION if you want the exclusiveness.

20 days back I bought my 4th motorcycle. Every single time, I followed my heart and never regretted.

[VijayAnand1]

Originally Posted by rajbas

Dear Fellow Team-BHPians,

My requirements are (a) commute in local traffic 3-4 days a week (b) ~200km on way driving on highway either to chennai or bangalore (c) Joing likeminded biking groups just to enjoy the ride (the bike must be fun not boring!). Because of the age factor and also personal preferences, I like to classic/retro style bikes. I'm planning to get one which hopefully can last a lifetime.

I have narrowed down to the following.
Your suggestions are much appreciated. TIA for your time.

Considering this would be a daily driver based on your requirement and an occasional tourer burn, I would strongly recommend a vehicle that has good service back up, easy spare parts availability and overall a service experience that doesn't pinch the wallet. In that sense, Triumph would the last, followed by Royal Enfield's ruthless and shameless OTC spare part policy. A sensible bike that can be owned and maintained would be the CB350. A pretty simple, frugal, long stroker, with decent puff and highway performance, especially when considering traffic performance.

Another point that I'd like to include from a pragmatic point of view would be, heating of these bikes. All the bike bikes, Interceptor, Triumph heat far worse than an Italian pizzeria oven. The CB isn't a denominator here, it does tend to heat up, but when compared to the other two crust makers, this one is way less forgiving, from my experience.

But hey, throwing a leg over the saddle after a while, the plethora of options might be tempting. A little soul searching will in fact lead a coherent decision, from the wonderful inputs provided by the other Bhpians.

Good luck to you.

Cheers!
VJ

[mindshack]

Originally Posted by rajbas

Given that I'm a novice when it comes motorcycles, I am skeptical about purchasing a used Triumph Street Twin. At best I can take it to a mechanic which are very few for Triumph. If you have recommendations, pls let me know.

Since there were a few pre-owned Street Twin available, all between 2-4 years old and all less than 10K on the odo, I went through a the following approach to close on mine -
(i) Firstly recognized that the cost of the pre-owned is about 50 % of a new one. These bikes are to easily last for 10-15 years without any issues (except regular service) and more than 150k on the odo. This gave me initial confidence.
(ii) Secondly, asked the seller to give a complete service history from the ASS to be assured it has been maintained well and there were no accidents.
(iii) Then I got the owner to bring the bike to the ASS and had the mechanics run diagnosis, ask two of them to take a ride and confirm that they could not spot any issues.
(iv) Finally, I included a cost of a major service and any identified parts which may need replacement in near future (two easily identifiable being tyres and battery).
(v) Lastly, took a deep breathe, prayed to god and made an offer.

I think I made the right call by picking the Street Twin. The bike has an excellent usable torque, can be ridden in 3rd between 40-60 kmph without any issues, light clutch and finally, bunch of safety features which I was looking for.

Hope the above helps you in some form. Cheers!

[rajshenoy]

Well, you seem to be very clear about your retro styling as all the choices have similar layout.

CB350 is well a city bike, no nonsense and should keep you happy with respect to reliability, decent fun and no nonsense nature.

However since you have also included street twin, wondering if you will eventually get bored with honda in few months. There is no comparison here except looks.

Interceptor 650 however falls in the middle and should keep you happy longer.

CB350 Owner here, I had to drop INT 650 due to ergonomic issues. Cb350 is just perfect if you are ok with relaxed cruising speeds of 70-90kmph

Other alternative is classic 350 which is, well a classic

[rajbas]

Thank you all for the terrific feedback. I've added CB500x, Z650RS to the list. If its not convenient or I feel unsafe, I'm going to try RE Classic, Honda Hness on the highway. Neither Honda nor Kawasaki have any service centers here. The closest ones are either Chennai or Pondicherry.

Mindshack, thank you for the used motorcycle pointers. OLX ones are priced quite high. Will wait and see.

[motorotor]

I was in a similar situation about 5 years ago. Was getting back into riding after a pretty long break. Wanted a retro, had to be reliable and was to be used mostly for long rides with short city rounds. I went for the Street Twin and then after two years of owning it upgraded to the Speed Twin. Both bikes are really easy to ride in the city (relatively light and manageable heat and smooth throttle (aided by riding modes)) but where the Speed Twin comes into its own is out on the highways and on the twisties.

For me at least two-wheelers are an emotional thing and the ideal one would make each ride feel special. Of course if it can make me feel that way while being practical as well nothing like it!

Go for whichever bike pulls at your heart more. You can't really go too wrong that way.

Good luck!

[Manjit24x7]

Welcome to TBHP,

I was in a similar dilemma in 2014, the only difference being I'm in Bangalore and my last bike was an RD-350. At that time (2014) the only choice I had was the Triumph Bonneville T-100, keeping my previous bike in mind.
Today, you have many options, but being in a tier 2 city, dealer + service issues is something you need to keep in mind, a bike that can be fixed locally.
Triumphs no doubt are brilliant bikes, but the nearest service points will be Chennai or Bangalore. Ownership cost is also high.

Like Bigzero mentioned, your choices are at different budget levels.
I suggest going for a low-cost bike to get yourself into the groove and then go with the Triumphs.

1) H-Highness is a no-nonsense bike, if the dealer is available locally, Go for it. Japanese vehicles are annoyingly reliable

2)RE - Interceptor 650 (2022 Variant is more refined) you get the same Bonneville to feel at 1/3 the price. Ownership cost is also pocket friendly. Good for City and Highway runs. Service should not be any issue in RE home state.

best wishes and happy motoring.
Cheers

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[rajbas]

Originally Posted by motorotor

For me at least two-wheelers are an emotional thing and the ideal one would make each ride feel special. Of course, if it can make me feel that way while being practical as well nothing like it!

Exactly my line of thinking. My heart says go for it but I need to dig around a bit more on the servicing challenges, especially when staying in a tier-2 town. The horror stories around Triumph servicing don't help with the decision either. I haven't come across feedback for the Khivraj Triumph service yet. I'm going to do a TD to see if the fun is worth the additional hassle.

Originally Posted by Manjit24x7

Triumphs no doubt are brilliant bikes, but the nearest service points will be Chennai or Bangalore. Ownership cost is also high.

Can you elaborate a bit more on ownership costs? Are you referring to anything outside of the usual service costs? Agree parts and labour are more as is typical with cars too.

Planning to TD RE - Interceptor.

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[Manjit24x7]

What i mean by ownership cost is that Spares are not available off the Shelf, Tyres are today difficult to get due to import restrictions and at exorbitant price.
Pay upfront for spares which are easily 4 to 5 times the cost of RE-Interceptor and wait for 4-6 weeks for them to import.

Accessories like Crash Bars cost 26K (Triumph) against 1.5K for the Interceptor. The list is endless.

The heart breaking part comes when you want to sell the bike, the value depreciates like crazy.

No intent to scare you, just a caution.

Good day

[Sebring]

If you have added CB500X, then you should have your perfect bike right there. It's such a beauty to look at (Pic from my long TD). The new model should be out in few days, so there is also the novelty factor

Originally Posted by rajbas

I've added CB500x, Z650RS to the list