[KedarB]

Originally Posted by FiatDiesel

Hi Kedar, sorry for late response, completely missed it. I don't remember riding on that specific route but in terms of bad roads / no roads have done couple of them including Varadh ghat during monsoons and further into villages to access various waterfalls. Minor to medium undulation is handled with ease by bike but in case of deep potholes I stand up and bike holds the line...gets pasts it. Here are few snaps from one of my posts: -

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motor...ml#post5380713 (2021 Royal Enfield Classic 350. Edit - Launched at Rs. 1.84 lakhs)

You can also think about Scram, however it will be little higher to sit and has existing Himalayan engine which is due for replacement soon. I would suggest take extensive test rides and find your love. I can say confidently that in case of Classic, while you walk away after parking her, you will always look back at her.

This is good to know! The fact that Himalayan/Scram are reaching their end of life and the engine will no longer be available on the market is putting me off from them.

Originally Posted by ani_meher

Hi Kedar, excellent jotting down of your thought process. Your point about every iteration of RE Himalayan making one wonder how bad it was to begin with, made me LOL.

I have some points in no particular order.
1. Forget 15 years of ownership. In current market, where new and exciting technologies are coming up, riding a dinosaur will soon become too boring. Better to taste new technologies as long as our years are supporting us to ride.

I get where you are coming from. But honestly, I do not mind buying a dinosaur. The two bikes at the top of my list are indeed dinosaurs. But I like the simplicity they offer. Having said that, as I think more on this, I am increasingly less sure of my ability to commit to a 15-year ownership of these bikes. What I am looking for is not available in the market right now. In case it becomes available in future, I might be tempted to change. But I am going to stop overthinking on this and cross that bridge when the time comes.

Originally Posted by ani_meher

5. Nowadays, you get all kinds of bikes on rent at most tourist places, so you may as well rent bikes at your preferred places.
6. Are you going to use the bike in city? If yes, then give preference to lighter clutch and managable weight+seat height.

Originally Posted by ReventonLover

Hello.

The RE classic, in its current avatar, is a much better machine for rider and pillion comfort. However, you should take a long TD and get a feel for seating comfort. I'm 6 feet tall, so the riding position in the classic is slightly hunched.

This is exactly what I am planning to do. Unfortunately, these bikes are not available on rent in Pune, as far as my knowledge. But they are available in Goa! Time to plan a Goa trip to try them out thoroughly. We anyways do not need any excuse to go Goa!

I am 5 feet 8 by the way.

Originally Posted by ReventonLover

Hello.

My personal opinion, prefer for motors which are air/air-oil cooled. Simple to check and maintain. Don't wait for their liquid cooled cousins (if you are not hell bent on higher power output at relatively higher rev range).

Agree on this point. I am not hell bent on the performance and the simplicity of an air-oil cooled motor does appeal to me. However, I am not averse to a powerful liquid cooled motor either, as long as the overall bike makes sense on the things that matter more to me.

Originally Posted by SedanGuy

My shortlist was:
1. Interceptor 650 - i feel this bike has the power but that thing weighs a ton. Its front heavy mostly which makes it hard in and around the city
2. Super meteor - Yet to take it for a spin but I am sure it will be a handful in the city and in Bangalore it will cost close to 5 lahks.
3. Duke 390 Adv - I love how the bike looks and there is not a single bad review on this bike. From most owners I have interacted with none of them have a single issue with it.
4. Vstorm 250 - Again this one is extremely underrated. Haven't taken a test ride as of now but soon will know how it performs in the real world but has great reviews overall.
5. CB350 - I love how this bike performs. The engine and exhaust note is better than the bullet any day.

What I realized was that the old 350 motor, however unrefined it was, it managed to get upto 100 kmph in a hurry. It never had trouble reaching there. The classic reborn and meteor struggled to get upto 100. Upto 80 it was a breeze and those torquey machines put a smile while cruising at 80kmph but anything beyond that the vehicles start wheezing. The stand out was the CB350, I was impressed by the top end of it when compared to the J platform RE engines. It is everything you would want in the bike and then some more.

Thanks for sharing your shortlist and experience! You guys in Bangalore are really lucky that you have option of renting out a lot of bikes. I think it's crucial to try them over a longer distance before you can really understand if they suit your needs or not.

Originally Posted by SedanGuy

I am currently test riding the KTMs 250 & 390 advs and maybe wait for 450 liquid cooled REs as well before I pull the trigger. I hope you buy something that meets all your requirement. One thing I realised while doing this exercise is that I want to keep my next bike for the next 10 years atleast and did not want to buy something that i can get bored with easily and the REs & CB350 might fall under the "might get bored" category.

All the best in finding your right bike, right now!

CB 350 is indeed a good option, the classic just appealed more to me. This might change after I get an extended test ride, Let's see!

Originally Posted by CormoranStr1ke

Hey, you have already done a lot of research. Here's my opinion on the Classic 350 / CB350 comparison.

At the end I went with CB350 around 2 months ago. The super light clutch is such a joy to ride in the city and the traffic in Ahmedabad can get as bad as Bangalore at times. It feels so easy to manoeuvre manually. I actually ended up liking the tall gearing a lot in the city. The design isn't exactly super special and classic, but IMO it isn't souless either. It definitely looks much better in person than in photos.

If you do decide to go with the retro classic category, I would urge you to atleast get a test ride on CB350 back to back after Classic 350 before deciding. The experience might surprise you.

Attaching a photo of my bike from a recent small weekend ride

Thanks for sharing your experience and congratulations on getting the right bike for you. This color on the CB 350 looks really great! I am definitely trying to get a longer test ride of the classic. Will see if I can find a CB 350 as well.

Will keep you all posted on my experience once I get the remaining test rides.

[Shobhitsaxena]

Originally Posted by tarmacnaut

My ideal bike would be a Himalayan, with an engine as good and simple and refined and characterful as the J series engine, with some more power, and a bit less weight, and quality improvements that are closer to the Honda. But I understand that perfect bike may never come. So, is the Classic my best bet right now?

I recommend you going with Classic and rent a Himalayan for one of your rides. If you are concerned with the weight of Classic, believe me, that's all you will be thinking of if you buy Himalayan.

Pillion sitting position is a dealbreaker for Interceptor so I won't recommend that considering your better half comes from an Avenger (Sofa).

In my similar and convoluted buying decision, I went with Himalayan following heart over mind, so go for long test rides, feel the bikes in showroom. Whatever you choose, it will grow on you and you will grow with the bike. Looking forward to your final choice and experiences! Keep us posted.

[ani_meher]

Yesterday I took test ride of around 8 vehicles. So thought of adding to your confusion

CB300F: Mainly lured by the 50k discount by Honda. At around 2.2L on road Pune, the reduced price definitely attractive. Engine generates power very fast. Seemed bit gruff as compared to other insanely priced CB300R.
CB300R: Gem of an engine at higher RPMs, clearly smoother than CB300F at all RPM ranges.

But I didn't like the Harry potter like position - sitting on a broom with nothing visible in front - of such street bikes. So dropped these two out of contention.

CB350/Highness: Not available for test ride, they are waiting for new RDE compliant bikes. I had read that due to tall gears, one has to change gears a lot in city, and I am not looking towards wrestling the gearbox.

Ronin 225: Looks are polarising. Looks bit weird to me. 160kg weight makes itself felt while pushing around. But runs beautifully. Low end torque is amazing, with peak torque at just 3750 making the riding experience wonderful. Riding position too is spot on. Off center speedo looks nice, but could be bigger/brighter/colorful. Base version's red looks smashing.

Kawasaki W175: Didn't even feel like asking the test ride after looking at the bike. Feels too much barebones and retro not in a good way. It looks like a yesteryear's budget bike where one can't really afford anything further.

A chinese 250 twin touring bike: I forgot the brand or the bike's name! It was in the showroom right next to Kawasaki, and the bike's name was some Turismo or something. It was a 250 twin, and I took a test ride out of curiocity. It was a vibey machine, but very eager to leap forward. It reminded me of two stroke era, with vibey and eager engines. But didn't ask any further information. Looked around at some chinese bikes. If/when mainstream bikes get such features like keyless entry, button operated windscreen height adjustment or color infotainment screen, it's a different experience.

RE Classic 350: For a long time I simply hated this bike, just because the crowd I used to see on this. So when I took it out for a test ride, it was with bit disdain too. But it soon gave way to awe. The new 350cc engine is very smooth, the mirrors hardly vibrate and the shocks were simply the best for city riding. I didn't feel like asking for more speed, but enjoyed the torque. The clutch too felt very light. The cap on the headlight looked like an arrow while sitting on top of the bike, so pinpointing the handle in the target direction was very easy. Just that the speedometer is too retro.

RE Hunter 350: It felt like a budget version in every sense. The engine too felt harsh, vibey ride, hard shock absorbers. Overall I didn't like it.

RE Meteor 350: Looks amazing, but I felt that I was sitting on a sofa with sagging cushions, and so my knees felt a bit higher than seat! I am 5'7", so height wise there is no problem. Suspension was harder than Classic, and the seating position ensured that one cannot stand or escape any road irregularity, but has to endure it while seating firmly.

RE Classic 350 again: To make sure of my experience, I once again took a test ride of RE Classic 350, and liked it once again. This test ride helped me reduce the bias I have against this design.

In the end, the motorcycles I liked best for city commuting and light touring, with good low end torque and good suspension are Ronin 225 and Classic 350. Ronin's shape is weird, and TVS not reporting monthly numbers for Ronin is giving rise to suspicion that perhaps markets are not welcoming it.

Ronin base version with single channel ABS is at 1.8, top version with dual channel ABS (recommended) and bluetooth is 2.07. RE Classic 350 costs 2.5-2.7 for various versions.

I am looking forward to Bajaj-Triumph bikes that are expected to launch in this year.

OP, any update from your side? If you haven't yet, do test ride Ronin 225.

[ProLearner]

The TVS Ronin could meet your requirements, if you like the looks. It has dual channel ABS, USD forks from Showa, good low-end torque and a comfortable seating position.

Another bike you could check out is the new Hero Xpulse 200T 4V. It has the upgraded 4v head, alloy wheels, and is road focused unlike the regular Xpulse.

The BMW 310GS is also a good option, but is more expensive. My friend has the naked G310R and the bike is really good. Note that BMW service costs are on the higher side.

[rajshenoy]

Originally Posted by ani_meher

Yesterday I took test ride of around 8 vehicles. So thought of adding to your confusion

CB350/Highness: Not available for test ride, they are waiting for new RDE compliant bikes. I had read that due to tall gears, one has to change gears a lot in city, and I am not looking towards wrestling the gearbox.

Wow, you surely had time on your side !!

CB350 owner here, bike has its own characteristics due to the tall gearing but once you get the hang of it, it is very much manageable. You can be on 2-3 gears in city traffic and 3-4 on highways and you don't really need to change gears often. I use 5th only while cruising above 70kmph. I was skeptical about using lower gears and impact on fuel economy but the bike is pretty frugal returning 35+ kmpl(40+ on highways) Slipper clutch does make things easy and enjoyable.

But the primary competition to this is Classic350 and both are neck and neck.

[KPR]

Whoever TDing or looking for a new bike please don't rule out Xpulse 4v. At 1.6L it is som much VFM. There is a character in that bike than other ones sold at this price point.

[zaks]

I think going by your needs the best ones in short listed category IMO are -
1. Dominar 400
2. RE Interceptor 650
3. Himalayan
4. KTM Adventure 390

[KedarB]

Sorry I haven’t been able to respond on this thread. Work and family commitments kept me busy. But this was a welcome break from obsessing over the bike and gave me a nice chance to revisit my thoughts a bit later. I felt the need of a longer test ride to form a clearer picture in my mind. A friend was in a similar dilemma between the meteor and the classic (classic because I added it to his confusion). We cooked up a plan to drive down to Goa, rent these bikes and ride during the day and chill out on shacks at night! A plan this good has a way of working itself out.

So dates and hotels booked, we looked for rental options that could provide us the classic 350 reborn. Himalayan BS6 and Meteor were easy but a lot of rental agencies do not mention if their classic is the older UCE one or the new J series one. I finally stumbled upon a rental section on the Royal Enfield website. They had a chrome red classic 350 available for booking on our dates! So we booked the classic and the Himalayan on day 1, and Classic and Meteor on day 2. Plan was to ride both bikes back to back and see what they are like on a variety of terrain and over longer duration.

I will talk about the renting experience a bit later, let me get straight to the test ride experience –

This was the route we took on both days. Tried to keep it similar to help us compare the bikes we were riding.

Google maps link


Day 1: Himalayan and Classic 350


Pros for Himalayan:

• The bike was more refined than what I expected. My test ride in Pune was mostly inside a small lane at very low speeds and I only experienced the initial gruffness. The engine smoothens out as you pick up pace and is buzz free at 90 100 as well
• Has great weight distribution. It initially felt a little heavy steering, maybe because of the 21-inch wheel. But once you get used to that, you do not feel its weight. Moving it around the parking lot is easier than what its weight would have you believe.
• Liked the riding position for my 5’ 8’’ height. The more you ride, the more comfortable you get in that position
• Has a good pick up of speed and shows urgency if you give it throttle. Its very easy to reach 90 100 speeds and it has reserve power to go beyond 100 as well. Managed to touch 110 on an open empty section of the newly minted NH 66
• Suspension is good at particular speeds. it is good on bad patches of road.

Cons of the Himalayan:

• The gearbox was perhaps the most disappointing aspect. It was clunky and the shift from first to second made a really bad and loud clunking noise. It was notchy at all but the changes made at exact optimal RPMs.
• Overall quality levels were poor. The bike we received had 3K KMs on the odo but the windscreen was vibrating when the engine was lugged or revved. The mirrors don’t stay in position. The small buttons used to set/reset trip meters are very hard to use. It just felt like a generation older than the classic and RE has grown as a manufacturer in this generational change which makes the difference even more apparent
• The bike stalled in between quite similar to how it was reported in this post
• The torque figures are very healthy on paper. But when ridden back-to-back with the classic, the Himalayan does not feel that tractable. It knocked and protested at lower RPMs
• While the suspension was good on very bad/broken roads, I found it a bit bouncy on the cement section of NH66 which are highly undulating. This again wasn’t as good as I thought it would be from the reviews. Very similar to how I felt about engine refinement, but in a negative way.

Here is how my frame looks on the Himalayan.



Pros for Classic:

• The test ride experience was substantiated by the rental bike. It felt very refined and smooth.
• The bike just feels very calm to ride. You are much more relaxed, and I found myself being very gradual in building and shedding speeds. My friend on the Himalayan seemed to be making more gear changes and working much harder.
• The gearbox is REALLY good. No false neutral, at the same time, it goes to neutral when you want. The gear changes are smooth, accurate and clicky. Add the fact that you do not change the gears so much makes the riding experience that much better.
• Classic also felt very well balanced in terms of its weight distribution. Don’t get me wrong, when I picked up the bike from the RE showroom, it did feel heavy while moving it around in their parking space and taking it out. But once you start riding it, it just feels very natural. Changes directions easily and I found it very manageable in heavy traffic conditions.
• The riding position felt good. Our rental bike had REs touring seat fitted on it. So even after riding almost 180 KMs on day 2 both of us did not feel the fatigue. This was also the only bike where I did not get numb posterior.
• I was happy with its ride quality. Its good at low speeds and it's also stable on good roads at high speeds. It felt better on the undulating sections of NH66 compared to the Himalayan that was bouncing a bit more. The only place where the Himalayan is better is on broken roads where it takes the edge off the potholes. You can feel these on classic, more than you do on the Himalayan.

Cons for classic:

• The bike is swift in reaching 80. You start noticing a bit of a struggle from 80 to 90, but it gets there. 90 to 100 was a real struggle, especially on the internal roads or on NH66 with even a minor uphill gradient. It did cross 100 on one occasion on a flattish straight road. In the bike’s defense, it was also very windy during that time. However, even after the struggle, the engine still remains refined for the most part. 90 is its comfortable cruising speed and overtakes above this speed will need careful planning. This is probably the biggest downside in classic’s package.
• The digital information unit is quite barebones. I don’t know why RE can’t put a gear position indicator in there or just make it slightly bigger to have the clock and the odo/trip meters showing at the same time.
• You can feel more wind blast on the classic than the Himalayan. This is quite obvious. It was really windy in Goa those days and some sections of NH66 are downhill and very close to the sea. And the windblast was strong enough to scare us going into a flight off the bike.

Here is me on Classic:




Day 2: Meteor and the Classic





Have covered the classic above so let me talk about my experience with the Meteor.

Pros for the Meteor:

• It reaches 100 a little more comfortably than the classic. This was a real surprise. I never thought this difference would be so noticeable.
• I liked its seat. It was very comfortable especially when you sit on it for the first time. The feeling of sitting inside the bike with that bulbous fuel tank between your legs was good.
• The wide handlebar gave a better sense of control over the bike.
• It felt easier to move around at parking speeds even though there isn’t major difference in its weight compared to classic.
• The speed and MID was better than that on the classic. There is plenty of information visible on the MID at the same time and it's easier to read owing to its angle.

Cons for the Meteor:

• The biggest con is its cruiser like riding position. This one is very personal to me, and I admit it’s not as bad as my Avenger. However, I still could feel that familiar numbing feeling at the lower back to tail bone region after riding the meteor for around 50 KM or so nonstop. And it's still not easy to lift up your butt to escape the shock from a pothole or a speed breaker. If you try to, it messes with your balance on the bike.
• In terms of how tractable it is, meteor is somewhere between the classic and the Himalayan. It still did not feel as tractable as the classic.
• Classic felt better through congested roads. This is when its ridden back-to-back with the classic. On its own, the meteor is not that bad in the city.

Me on the meteor




If I were to think about my experiences from the two days and approximately 300 – 350 Kilometers, the Classic 350 really stood out as something special.

There was one particularly beautiful stretch of road between the Arambol beach and the petrol pump where it touches the NH 66 almost near MH border. This goes through some quaint Goan villages and snakes right besides a beautiful river. The speeds on this road were naturally lower. It was on this road that the classic just felt amazing. It was in its element and put us in a state of Zen. Both my friend and I had the same observation.

Then comes the long NH66 that goes from the MH border all the way to South Goa. This road is now almost complete and has some really beautiful bridges built on it. We even managed to ride on the zuari bridge on our way back. Since we were mostly riding during midday on this section, it was quite empty. It was on these roads that classic 350 felt wanting for more power or speed.

While travelling through Panji or the smaller roads that connect the north Goan beaches, the classic again felt comparatively better than the other two.

Another way I like to pick between multiple options is to look at the cons and think about which negative points are complete deal breakers and use that to eliminate prospects. Even with this approach, the classic makes more sense to me, just between these three bikes. The negatives of the Himalayan in terms of its quality and the fact that it will soon go out of production and another completely brand-new bike will take a generational leap forward for this brand means I will stay away from it unless it had really appealed to me (which it didn’t). Same for the meteor. It was never in my consideration, and I got to ride it only because it was on my friend’s shortlist. But I prefer the riding position of the classic to the meteor and the other differences are quite subtle giving this one point a higher precedence.

So while driving back from Goa, we had a long and satisfying debate on the three bikes and we successfully concluded the trip, both narrowing down to the Classic 350!

Once I was back, I also managed to test ride the V-Strom 250 and the Dominar 400. A lot of folks on this thread recommended the V-Strom so I had primarily gone to check that one out. But there was a Bajaj showroom right besides it so check that out too.

First the V-Strom 250 SX – the bike feels quite substantial in person and has a good road presence. I wanted to see how the saddle height feels since on paper at least, this is 20mm lower than the Adventure 250 that I had already checked earlier. Moving the bike around in the Suzuki showroom’s front porch, the bike felt just as tall as the KTM 250 ADV. The bike is probably broader than the KTM even in its narrowest region near the tank and that meant I could only tip toe (172 CM tall). It was quite challenging to move it around in that narrow space. Coming to the test ride, I managed to ride it on a small gravel stretch besides the shwroom and then a very small ride around the two signals in front of the showroom (they didn’t allow anything more). The engine was refined lower down and the gearbox was very good. The engine also feels tractable and doesn’t protest being lugged. I could feel some buzz above 6000 RPM. However, the test ride bike probably had a fall sometime as its handle wasn’t pointing straight when the bike was moving straight. This ruined the overall experience. Even if I ignore this small issue, the bike felt a little too tall for my comfort. I have heard many arguments on how this really doesn’t matter and how really small riders race on really tall MOTO GP bikes, but moving around in typical chaotic Indian city traffic or riding on state b-roads where the road shoulder is 2 stories below the road surface and not uniformly in line, I feel riding this tall a bike will be more stressful than a comparatively shorter bike. The V-Strom’s ride quality also felt a little stiff on the gravel section. So, I took the quotation from the sales guy and went home, mentally finalizing the Classic in my mind.

Dominar 400 – this was never in my shortlist, but nonetheless, I will talk about my experience from the test ride. It was again around the same two signals and the distance won't even be half a kilometer long. Even in that short distance, I could feel the superior acceleration from the engine. But the bike was too buzzy even at idle RPMs.

So that’s about it. I booked a gun metal gray classic 350 last weekend and expecting its delivery sometime next week! I would like to thank everyone for sharing their opinions and helping me in my decision-making process. Just writing my thoughts out and sharing it with the TBHP community helped provide a lot of clarity on narrowing down on my final choice. Signing of with this beautiful but rare tea up on the Goan beach! We were riding later, and we are responsible



PS: didn’t test ride the Interceptor. I was afraid I will like it too much and this could increase my confusion even further. Everything about it is beyond what I am willing to spend on a motorcycle (purchase cost, FE, overall maintenance delta above classic etc.). It’s not about waiting longer and collecting more funds to buy it. I have rationalized what I need from the bike the Classic feels like the sweet spot for my needs.

PPS: a friend who had bought the Avenger with me (the 220 street you see in my opening post) is also upgrading and has booked the mark 2 (chrome and red) Interceptor. Am moving from chrome to stealth black and he is moving in the exact opposite direction!

Originally Posted by Shobhitsaxena

I recommend you going with Classic and rent a Himalayan for one of your rides.

In my similar and convoluted buying decision, I went with Himalayan following heart over mind, so go for long test rides, feel the bikes in showroom. Whatever you choose, it will grow on you and you will grow with the bike. Looking forward to your final choice and experiences! Keep us posted.

Thanks Shobhitsaxena, I have gone through your Himalayan ownership review thread! You are bang on when you say what we choose will eventually grow on us. Riding these bikes back-to-back in Goa at least confirmed that I will not regret getting either of them.

Originally Posted by ani_meher

Yesterday I took test ride of around 8 vehicles. So thought of adding to your confusion

In the end, the motorcycles I liked best for city commuting and light touring, with good low end torque and good suspension are Ronin 225 and Classic 350. Ronin's shape is weird, and TVS not reporting monthly numbers for Ronin is giving rise to suspicion that perhaps markets are not welcoming it.

Ronin base version with single channel ABS is at 1.8, top version with dual channel ABS (recommended) and bluetooth is 2.07. RE Classic 350 costs 2.5-2.7 for various versions.

I am looking forward to Bajaj-Triumph bikes that are expected to launch in this year.

OP, any update from your side? If you haven't yet, do test ride Ronin 225.

Thanks for sharing your test ride experience ani_meher. I had similar apprehensions about classic for the same reason you mentioned. But when you ride it, it can change your perspective. KTM riders also have a similar prejudice towards them but am sure not all of them are hooligans. Bajaj-Triumph bikes will be much more modern, going by the spy shots. I would encourage you wait for a year post their launch to allow the two companies to streamline everything! All the best for your search and looking forward to knowing what you finally picked.

[ani_meher]

Congratulations on your booking and thanks for detailed insights! Are you not waiting for RDE2 compliant engines? Daily different manufacturers are launching 2023 RDE compliant models with better features. Maybe Classic 350 too will get updated.

Was one of your requirements city riding? If yes, is the Classic 350 clutch soft enough for city?

[Shobhitsaxena]

Originally Posted by KedarB

Thanks Shobhitsaxena, I have gone through your Himalayan ownership review thread! You are bang on when you say what we choose will eventually grow on us. Riding these bikes back-to-back in Goa at least confirmed that I will not regret getting either of them.

Great thread and assessments. Many congratulations on the booking and looking forward to hear your initial ownership and ride experiences.

[KedarB]

Originally Posted by ani_meher

Congratulations on your booking and thanks for detailed insights! Are you not waiting for RDE2 compliant engines? Daily different manufacturers are launching 2023 RDE compliant models with better features. Maybe Classic 350 too will get updated.

Was one of your requirements city riding? If yes, is the Classic 350 clutch soft enough for city?

City riding was one of the requirements. The bike has to do-it-all honestly. Office commute (won't be riding inside the Pune city, like peth areas etc. much), short weekend rides in and around Pune and few longer trips I have on my bucket list. I was too fixated on the few of these longer trips and hence was looking at Himalayan. But rationalizing what percentage of time the bike will spend in these three ride types made me realize the classic will cover 90% of the bases very well, and it's not impossible to do the remaining 10% of adventures on it either. For the clutch, I was OK with it when I test rode the rental bike in Goa (It was not as crowded as Pune though)

On the RDE norms being introduced, yes, I did think about it. I actually tried to get the bike before these are introduced. There will be a small price hike and the bikes will see some changes in ECU and an addition of the standard OBD2 port. I wanted to avoid that price hike and also avoid any hiccups the bike may have post these updates to meet BS 6.2 norms. As for newer features, the classic product line is anyways quite stable in terms of the feature addition it gets (The fuel level indicator in the reborn model was like a big deal). Both of these are speculations on my part. I have played my cards; let's see how it pans out.

[Bhupesh_2628]

Hi KedarB,

Congratulations on selecting Classic 350 as your final purchase.

I’ve seen your post earlier mentioning one of the disadvantages of cruiser style where you weren’t able to lift your back to adjust posture.

So, while riding the Classic 350 on the trip, were you able to stand on the footpegs to adjust your back/posture, to avoid speedbreakers, to avoid broken roads?

[KedarB]

Originally Posted by Bhupesh_2628

Hi KedarB,

Congratulations on selecting Classic 350 as your final purchase.

I’ve seen your post earlier mentioning one of the disadvantages of cruiser style where you weren’t able to lift your back to adjust posture.

So, while riding the Classic 350 on the trip, were you able to stand on the footpegs to adjust your back/posture, to avoid speedbreakers, to avoid broken roads?

You can definitely stand up to avoid speed breakers and relieve yourself for a short duration.

However, saddling on the classic is not as easy as it is on the Himalayan or other similar adventure bikes. The foot pegs, while more neutral than the meteor, are still not exactly below your ass and the stock handlebar is not that high. So, whatever I could experience, I feel that one cannot stand and ride for extended durations.

[masterChief007]

Originally Posted by KedarB

You can definitely stand up to avoid speed breakers and relieve yourself for a short duration.

My mind is on a parallel thought process, where this statement is really funny. My family is looking at me on why I am laughing so madly, just couldn't refrain myself from commenting !!

BTW congrats on your selection. You know the dilemma stage of selecting a bike is sort of exciting and filled with sweet stress, though I have a CI bullet which is undergoing restoration, but I am also oscillating between KTM 390 Adv and Interceptor 650 for past few weeks and watching so many youtube videos. If I didn't have my std 350 classic and cb 350 would have been two other contenders too !

[trinity0114]

Looking to buy a bike primarily for touring, budget between 2.5 to 3 lakhs, confused between Bajaj Dominar 400 and Jawa 42 Bobber, kindly suggest pros and cons of both or any other alternate. Thanks