[karanddd]

I sold my Himalayan yesterday and I am already thinking of what motorcycle to get next. I am moving to a new state (GA) and taking my DL registered motorcycle there, paying road tax again, etc. were things I did not want to do. Maybe I could have gotten away just riding around, I don't know. Another reason for selling is that I had begun to find the Himalayan a little cumbersome, and not very amenable to zipping around. But maybe that's only because I was mostly riding in the NCR region, with tons of traffic to contend with.

For my next motorcycle, I both want something nimble and lightweight, but also decently powerful. I prefer ADVs to road-oriented motorcycles, but at this point I am open to both kinds of options. My budget is 3 lakhs give or take. I am open to used motorcycles, which broadens the search a bit.

Motorcycles I am considering:

Xpulse

I love the Xpulse (I own one in Nepal) and the 4V seems nice, but I am afraid of the downgrade in terms of power and am worried I'll find it boring to ride on the curvy roads in South India.

Interceptor

Feels like a natural upgrade from the Himalayan. Like the twin cylinder engine a lot. Cons are weight (even heavier than the Himalayan) and I am not particularly drawn to its looks.

Continental GT

In my view the better looking RE 650. Same concern about weight.

Vstrom 250

Looks nice. Seems decent power wise. Con is the poor front suspension travel (is it all that bad?) and the fact that it feels unexciting. Why would I not just get a Gixxer 250 naked instead?

Yezdi Scrambler

Not considering the Adventure because it's literally a Himalayan copycat. Again power appears decent. Cons: I heard in one video the kerb weight is over 190 kilos, no idea whether that's true, but if so, the 30 odd bhp is not good enough to compromise and get a pig. Poor service network, no idea re. reliability, yet to see one in the flesh (in Delhi!)

Scram 411

Wouldn't it be daft to sell a Himalayan and buy a Scram? Or would it? It reduces weight, which was my main grouse with the Himmie, but by how much really? Does it translate to the saddle at all? No idea. I do like how it looks. Con: Old wine in new bottle to some extent, feels a little foolish.

CB300R

Not at all a fan of how it looks but I am enticed with its low weight and good power figures. I am a relatively large guy (6 feet 90kg+) so not sure whether it would be too small or uncomfortable. Cannot take anyone as pillion. Cannot go off-road. But on curvy roads I'm sure it'll be wonderful. Also pushes my budget by a fair bit.

KTMs

Brother lives in GA and has a Duke 390 which he hardly rides so it's as good as mine. Do I want the same engine et al with more plastic cladding? I like the ADV 390 kind of, but feels too samey still with the Duke. Is the ADV 250 significantly lighter than the ADV 390? I'd give that a look then. Online it says the weight is the same.

The Xpulse right now is the most likely candidate as it's the easiest on the wallet and will let me save a good deal of money. In the future I can play with the rally kit, I can off-road a bit, etc. I have no doubt I'd enjoy it. But two Xpulses in two countries? Hmm.

I will take test rides of all these motorcycles, but unless I get good, long test rides, I feel that I end up getting more confused than certain when I do quick 10-15 min runs. That is, I end up liking something or other about everything I ride, and it's not a long enough duration for the truly bad things to come up. In another world, maybe I'd be getting the CRF 250 or something similar. But as that cannot be, I am keen to hear your thoughts and hope to make up my mind soon.

[amvj]

The general rule is, go for a higher power motorcycle than the current one so that you will not get bored quickly. This is particularly applicable for low powered motorcycles. Your list contains almost every genre of motorcycles may be except cruisers. If I am your height I will not worry about the weight of the motorcycle that much.

[karanddd]

Originally Posted by amvj

The general rule is, go for a higher power motorcycle than the current one so that you will not get bored quickly. This is particularly applicable for low powered motorcycles. Your list contains almost every genre of motorcycles may be except cruisers. If I am your height I will not worry about the weight of the motorcycle that much.

This is the main thing holding me back from the Xpulse, even though I think it fits my requirements to the T. If only a more powerful Xpulse-like bike was sold here. The weight isn't a problem on a day to day basis, and I found the Himalayan to be very manageable in all conditions. But I don't enjoy the feeling of lugging its heft around. I have ridden about 3000 km on the Xpulse in Nepal (including in Mustang) and the bike gave me such confidence, to jump road barriers, cut across fields, drive over a river bed, things of that nature. I don't think I can feel as confident with a heavier bike.

[GreasyCarb55]

Originally Posted by karanddd

Motorcycles I am considering:


Interceptor

Feels like a natural upgrade from the Himalayan. Like the twin cylinder engine a lot. Cons are weight (even heavier than the Himalayan) and I am not particularly drawn to its looks.


KTMs

Brother lives in GA and has a Duke 390 which he hardly rides so it's as good as mine. Do I want the same engine et al with more plastic cladding? I like the ADV 390 kind of, but feels too samey still with the Duke. Is the ADV 250 significantly lighter than the ADV 390? I'd give that a look then. Online it says the weight is the same.


I will take test rides of all these motorcycles, but unless I get good, long test rides, I feel that I end up getting more confused than certain when I do quick 10-15 min runs. That is, I end up liking something or other about everything I ride, and it's not a long enough duration for the truly bad things to come up. In another world, maybe I'd be getting the CRF 250 or something similar. But as that cannot be, I am keen to hear your thoughts and hope to make up my mind soon.

These 2 bikes would be my top contenders for a Himalayan 411 replacement.

The Interceptor 650 would be a great upgrade. The 650 parallel twin is (IMO) THE best engine you can buy under 5 lakh and the weight difference is about 2-3kg over the Himalayan and once you get it moving I don't think you'll feel the weight as much as the Himalayan. If you're touring I'd get the premium touring seat as some say the stock seat is too soft for touring. 3 lakh should be enough to get you a well maintained Interceptor 650 with less than 5000-6000km on the odometer. If you want to spring for a new one in Goa it would cost approximately 3.4 lakh (Single Tone), 3.5 lakh (Dual Tone) and 3.7 Lakh (Chrome) on-road Goa.

The Duke 390 is a phenomenal bike, fast and zippy in the corners, lightweight (162kg) and that brute of a single cylinder. KTM seats feel like plywood at first but they become phenomenal touring bikes after break-in. Again, 3 lakh should get you a well maintained Duke 390 with about 5000-7500km on the odometer. Again, 3 lakh should get you a well maintained Duke 390 with about 5000-7500km on the odometer. If you want to buy new it would cost approximately 3.4 lakh on-road Goa.

You can go for the Adventure but since a new 390 ADV is almost 4 lakh brand new (on-road Goa), good examples on the used market with low mileage would be around 3.3-3.4 Lakh and at that point you might as well buy a brand new Interceptor or Duke 390.

The Continental GT is manageable in the city and for shorter rides (some practice required if you're not used to bike with clip-on handlebars but it can be done) but I don't think it would be good as a Himalayan replacement. A company called Zana makes handlebar risers for the Continental GT but I don't know how well they work.

Unless you can get a Honda CRF300 Rally through private import the XPulse 200 4V is possibly THE best bike in the Indian market for pure off-roading and is a good tourer but would feel like a downgrade over the Himalayan.

[Red Liner]

Used Ninja 300 from the presale market. Perfect bike to enjoy the long highways and winding roads that constitute the western ghats.

Just dont start saying i want to do offroad now. Get that flight to Nepal!

[neil.jericho]

karanddd, since you already have an Xpulse, I would suggest that you look at something different. Since you have a fair budget, you should get yourself a much better bike at this time.

You havent mentioned what sort of riding you will do, so it is a little difficult to pin point a specific bike for your use case. If its all round usage of commuting, weekend rides plus some touring (which is what most of us do), then I would say

- Rs 3L and above : A new Interceptor 650. See if you can live with the weight. To me, the lack of OEM alloy wheels is a bigger problem than the weight. YMMV. Since your brother has a Duke 390, there isnt any point in getting another KTM.
- Rs 2.5 L : A pre owned Interceptor. Use the money you saved over buying a new one to mod it up. A better windscreen, replacement master cylinder etc will go a long way towards spicing things up.
- Rs 2 to 2.5 L : A naked Gixxer 250 or a faired SF 250. Light weight and fun!
- Below Rs 2L : Apache RTR 200 4V. A great product.

[Torino]

If you can wait then the upcoming Himalayan 450 Scrambler could be a nice upgrade. I think the Scrambler can be the perfect daily rider and weekend off-roader by offering most of the ADV stuff without the hefty intimidating appearance. Also from the recent 650 & 350 launches, it looks like RE now has the engineering capability to make and sell reliable and world class motorcycles right from day 1. In 2020 RE announced plans to launch a new product every quarter and it appears to be fairly on track from looking at its recent slew of launches. The 450 Scrambler could probably arrive early next year since the recent spy shot looks almost production ready.

[nitro.1000bhp]

Right now the only replacement for the xpulse is the xpulse itself. You could try the xpulse t version with 17" alloys which might be more flickable in tight city spaces and less headache in case of punctures.

The vstrom 250 is a good option too. It seems like a versatile all-rounder albeit a less exciting one. But suzuki engineers their bikes to last and they won't shake themselves to bits after a year like some Indian bikes do. Seems like a good, no frills fill, shut and forget kind of bike.

If not you may have to wait for the recently patented Honda crf190 but I won't hold my breath till it's launched. Some websites claim even the crf300 has been patented but I am not sure how credible their sources are.

Good luck choosing.

[karanddd]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Used Ninja 300 from the presale market. Perfect bike to enjoy the long highways and winding roads that constitute the western ghats.

Just dont start saying i want to do offroad now. Get that flight to Nepal!

I actually like the sound of that. I'll have a look at the market. I need to check how viable it would be get a bike from KA or MH. Options in GA are relatively limited.

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

karanddd, since you already have an Xpulse, I would suggest that you look at something different. Since you have a fair budget, you should get yourself a much better bike at this time.

You havent mentioned what sort of riding you will do, so it is a little difficult to pin point a specific bike for your use case. If its all round usage of commuting, weekend rides plus some touring (which is what most of us do), then I would say

- Rs 3L and above : A new Interceptor 650. See if you can live with the weight. To me, the lack of OEM alloy wheels is a bigger problem than the weight. YMMV. Since your brother has a Duke 390, there isnt any point in getting another KTM.
- Rs 2.5 L : A pre owned Interceptor. Use the money you saved over buying a new one to mod it up. A better windscreen, replacement master cylinder etc will go a long way towards spicing things up.
- Rs 2 to 2.5 L : A naked Gixxer 250 or a faired SF 250. Light weight and fun!
- Below Rs 2L : Apache RTR 200 4V. A great product.

My riding is basically as you describe, a mix of everything. All with just one bike. I just saw a Continental GT on OLX today that looks promising. I'll mind the weight less if the engine is truly as good as promised. I have ridden a friend's Interceptor a bit and I did enjoy it. Gixxer or Apache, maybe, maybe not. Would feel like huge aesthetic downgrades from the Himalayan. The Xpulse doesn't feel like that because of how distinctive it is.

Originally Posted by Torino

Unless you can get a Honda CRF300 Rally through private import the XPulse 200 4V is possibly THE best bike in the Indian market for pure off-roading and is a good tourer but would feel like a downgrade over the Himalayan.

If I had all the money in the world I would. The CRF 250 in Nepal costs NRs. 16 lakhs. The Xpulse was 4 lakhs. When I was in Nepal I did toy with the idea of getting an XR 190L (6.5 or 7 lakhs I think), but it did not seem worth the price difference over the Xpulse. Fingers crossed one day Honda launches them here.

Originally Posted by nitro.1000bhp

Right now the only replacement for the xpulse is the xpulse itself. You could try the xpulse t version with 17" alloys which might be more flickable in tight city spaces and less headache in case of punctures.

The vstrom 250 is a good option too. It seems like a versatile all-rounder albeit a less exciting one. But suzuki engineers their bikes to last and they won't shake themselves to bits after a year like some Indian bikes do. Seems like a good, no frills fill, shut and forget kind of bike.

If not you may have to wait for the recently patented Honda crf190 but I won't hold my breath till it's launched. Some websites claim even the crf300 has been patented but I am not sure how credible their sources are.

Good luck choosing.

I am going to be in a fairly non-dense, non-urban part of Goa so I am not too worried about city traffic. But the puncture thing is worrisome, especially on unpaved surfaces. The 200T is a good suggestion, but I think if I can get an Xpulse, it'll be with the explicit intention to off-road as much as I can.

Thanks everyone for your inputs. I really appreciate it. I will update the thread as I go on test rides. I am not in any hurry to decide as it'll take at least a few weeks to get an address proof there that I can use to purchase and register the bike.

[LongDrive lover]

Originally Posted by karanddd

For my next motorcycle, I both want something nimble and lightweight, but also decently powerful. I prefer ADVs to road-oriented motorcycles, but at this point I am open to both kinds of options. My budget is 3 lakhs give or take. I am open to used motorcycles, which broadens the search a bit.

My suggestion, pl. take a good test ride of Suzuki V Storm 250, before finalizing anyone

[chhotagujju]

I would request you to check out and test drive the Honda CB350 RS once. That bike is quite a looker. IMHO it looks and feels better than the CB300R that you have listed in your post.

[NSK123]

I am having RE Thunderbird 350, bought Yezdi Roadster recently. Happy with it. Take a test ride and see.

[four.bytes]

Originally Posted by karanddd

But the puncture thing is worrisome, especially on unpaved surfaces.

I'm thinking of getting xpulse for international trip, what is the puncture problem you guys are talking about?

[Sebring]

What are the negatives of the Himalayan that made you sell? You should buy a bike that cover these shortfalls. The VSTROM 250 is 'jack of all trades'. The suspension takes everything you throw at it, don't worry. Stands out for its looks, mileage, smooth engine ... suggest you test ride

[rohing]

I sold my Himalayan and had the exact same question. Ended up buying a KTM 390 adv and loving it. Here is the discussion thread and my first month ownership experience. Hope it helps.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motor...ommutes-2.html (What comfortable middleweight bike for 500 km/day trips (once a month) and city commutes?)