[shancz]

Originally Posted by ebonho

As a Bullet and a Gen 1 Duke rider, I think personally that refinement comes very low down in my list of must haves from a machine. If it does the basics right and plasters a smile across your face doing it.

I have always wondered about this buzz about vibrations. If someone makes a super refined motor(Honda Unicorn) we'll say that it doesn't have character so Hero had mentioned that they intentionally introduced some vibrations and stiffness to the gearshift of the Xtreme(can't recall which one) to go with the character of the bike and the journos appreciated it.

As someone who has toured with the RTR 180 and ridden the Gen 1 390 Duke, I am still not sure what is this "vibrations" being talked about

Since it boils down to personal preference this hammers home the need of a detailed test ride.
To each their own.

[girimajiananth]

Check out my old thread, I got a lot of valuable advice from everyone.
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motor...vs-others.html (Buying advice: Hero Xpulse vs TVS Apache RTR 200 vs Honda Highness vs Others)

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by shancz

As someone who has toured with the RTR 180 and ridden the Gen 1 390 Duke, I am still not sure what is this "vibrations" being talked about lol.

The RTR 180. EGAD!!!!

The Duke 390 is actually surprisingly and hypnotically smoooooth at full chat. Its traffic and tight city roads its a very crotchety old man in (much like yours truly). The Duke 200 was in its element in the city.

Cheers, Doc

[shancz]

OT :

Originally Posted by ebonho

The Duke 390 is actually surprisingly and hypnotically smoooooth at full chat.

The only issue I have with the Duke is at slow city speeds where it frets, fumes, makes its temper felt, displays heart attack worthy real time FE and when it sees that the idiot on board isn't respecting the Duke, it teaches you a lesson by shutting off mid traffic having you haul it out of traffic in full public view and curses.
It's for a reason its called the Duke
Outside of this I have rarely looked at the instruments since I was busy enjoying the bike, savage is the word.

In vibration terms, the RTR180 is a mellow bike below 4000rpm easing into the world, a rebellious teen between 4-6000 and an absolute delight from 6-10000rpm.

These traits define the character and feel of any motorcycle, vibrations are a part of it. They will become vocal when they're being ridden outside of what they're intended for but all said and done I have never not enjoyed riding any motorcycle till date and the first motorcycle I ever rode was a Machismo 350

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by shancz

In vibration terms, the RTR180 is a mellow bike below 4000rpm easing into the world, a rebellious teen between 4-6000 and an absolute delight from 6-10000rpm.

My only "grouse" with TVS is that at heart its a hard core racing pedigree company and down the generations of its bikes, after the decently sized 2 strokes like the very delicious Supra (and of course the Ind Suzuki and Shogun and the runt of the litter Shaolin), their home grown 4 stroke Apache series bikes were really compact (politically correct term for tight, cramped and small for big boys like me).

That I believe was their racing DNA not kept in check when being translated on to the street for normal people eating 3 meals a day and not "half haddi" pro racers.

I think their first non-starving human sized bike I saw was the recent new fully faired one. In bright red. Looker.

Cheers, Doc

[shancz]

Originally Posted by ebonho

I think their first non-starving human sized bike I saw was the recent new fully faired one. In bright red. Looker.

awesome and I agree but I am at the other end of the spectrum in height not weight.

The bright red set hearts racing but I am more of a grey person. RR feels a but shortchanged under the fairing and KTM plays a big role in that. But just because of how it looks, it always occupies a slot in my mind.
I call it a blank cheque which hasn't been crossed yet

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by shancz

awesome and I agree but I am at the other end of the spectrum in height not weight.

The bright red set hearts racing but I am more of a grey person. RR feels a but shortchanged under the fairing and KTM plays a big role in that. But just because of how it looks, it always occupies a slot in my mind.
I call it a blank cheque which hasn't been crossed yet

So you don't think the 310RR with 34 bhp and 27 Nm torque slots in very nicely between the Gixxer and 250 KTMs and the bigger 390/400s?

Of course, its way out of budget here on this thread for the OP's 2-2.5 lac envelope.

I'll be honest, it never made our final consideration set when buying my son's bike. Was it launched in 2019? I don't know. But the Suzuki won our hearts.

Cheers, Doc

[shancz]

Originally Posted by ebonho

So you don't think the 310RR with 34 bhp and 27 Nm torque slots in very nicely between the Gixxer and 250 KTMs and the bigger 390/400s?

Its not about the positioning but I think such a brilliant design deserves a better powertrain.
In my fool's paradise if TVS can build a 400cc inline 4 I will be one of the takers but adding a dose of reality I could settle for a parallel twin.
Somehow I can't digest that design housing a single underneath especially the sound.
A mental block is a fair assessment of my mindset but it is what it is.

[PratikPatel]

Originally Posted by bigolp

Since many of you are suggesting KTM Adv bikes, I would like to mention once again that those bikes are too tall for my comfort. Please see post #12 (Budget sports bike or sports tourer for commuting and touring) which is now mentioned in the thread starter post as an EDIT.
.

While the Duke seat height is 820mm it can be decreased to 800mm by 20mm by removing the seat spacer (a regular practice done by SVC). Incidentally, Gixxer ride seat is 790mm, Dominar is 800mm, R15 is 815mm.