[Swap_Abarth]

Voted for new Duke 390.

It is a ballistic machine with terrific handling. It has a character. It is loaded with lots of features too.
New entrants like Triumph 400 twins, HD X440 and new Himalayan are impressive bikes. Though in my books, these are not even close to what duke offers (performance, features and looks). This makes my choice simple.

[AtheK]

Himalayan for me, while street is a good bike it is just the brand name that carries it and that too the cheapest from the brand. Not only is Himalayan a better and more versatile motorcycle, the fact that RE after service is leaps and bounds ahead of Triumph, I will not buy a triumph bike for a foreseeable future.

I also believe to buy a mid range or top end priced bike from a manufacturer rather then an entry level from a premium brand with a questionable after service.

That said if Triumph is able to give a good after sales service it will be great, and I do wish them a great future in this partnership.

[am1m]

How are people voting for the Himalayan when the deliveries haven't even started yet?! I'm not saying it may not end up deserving the title anyway, it sure seems like a great bike. But without a lot of actual user/buyer reviews, how do we know? (Forget influencer/auto mag reviews, most of them are paid for.)

[Samarth 619]

Voted TVS Apache RTR 310.. It does all the right things well and for a reasonable price.

I would consider Triumph 400 seriously, but Triumph are giving a very hard time to a 2014 Daytona 675 owner... Hence, I don't wish to vote for them.
I think we should talk with our wallets and votes both.

By the way, I'd like if we have power-output segment based voting.
Its just not ok to compare a 110cc scooter to a 765cc track tool in any comparison.

Originally Posted by am1m

How are people voting for the Himalayan when the deliveries haven't even started yet?! I'm not saying it may not end up deserving the title anyway, it sure seems like a great bike. But without a lot of actual user/buyer reviews, how do we know? (Forget influencer/auto mag reviews, most of them are paid for.)

Totally valid point.
I guess many are bound to vote by an "expected" product, which they may or may not get.

But then again, not many will actually ride most of these vehicles before voting. Again, our sources of info are the same- influencers and all.

[PatienceWins]

Voted for Himalayan 450.

This year has been great for affordable premium/ touring motorcycles with Himalayan 450, Triumph Speed/ Scrambler, KTM ADV 390 SW version, new Duke etc. Though the other launches in this segment are also great, the vote goes to RE because of the new benchmark they have set in the ADV segment by addressing all the shortcomings of the old himalayan - power, balanced suspension, more advanced features like ride by wire, switchable maps, digital speedometer etc. Other than the name and the resemblance of front view to the old himalayan, it is altogether a different product.

[Funny]

For me the top 3 contenders are Triumph 400s, KTM 390 and Himalayan 450.

Triumph has shaken the market with its value proposition and hence my vote goes to Speed 400. Although if I had to pick a bike for myself, it'd be the Scrambler 400X. Triumph 400s are the OG Duke 390s of current times: excellent pricing, decent features and good performance. Folks shouldn't be comparing the 400s with other Triumph big bikes and their past experiences since this is a new product line from a new partnership, let's give them a fair chance.

KTM 390 has lost its charm of being the best VFM bike for the given performance. Those who are praising it are ignoring the fact that the OG 390s were priced at 2L OTR and the current 390 is well over 4L OTR Bengaluru. For double the OTR price, I do not see the value apart from the extra features which are mostly overkill for the segment.

Coming to the Himalayan 450, personally I feel it's not a complete product yet since the tubeless spoke variant is yet to be launched in India. I would not touch a bike with tube type setup in current day and age even with a bargepole let alone invest in a new Gen RE bike which is well known for some major issues with its earlier iterations. If they launch the tubeless variant with decent pricing, sort out all initial niggles and initial ownership reviews are positive then it'd be my pick for that year whenever that happens.

Folks who are in other cities with lower taxes are not feeling the heat, but here in BLR the taxes are through the roof and the price delta between these bikes are almost in lakhs instead of thousands. Approximate OTR BLR prices for reference: S400: 3.1L, H450: 3.4L, D390: 4.1L

[Meph1st0]

Voted for Himalayan

It was a close call between Triumph 400 and Himalayan. Triumph 400 looks beautiful, rides very well, packs the punch and is priced out of the park.

However the Himalayan actually blew me away. It is exactly how a successor should be - good power, improved suspension, love the digital cluster and looks really nice is person (have a soft corner for adventure bikes).

[Axe77]

Speed 400 or Himalayan 450? At the time of writing this, I still cant decide which way to cast my vote between these two.

But before that, let’s take a step back and appreciate what a year it’s been for us two wheeler enthusiasts. Let’s start with the heart of the action - the 400 CC segment where things have literally never been this sweet.

KTM
We’ve had an absolutely smashing update to the Duke 390 which always had a brilliant engine and has now made genuinely impressive advancements to a key component - the chassis. As brilliant as the Duke is, it’s likely to spawn equally incredible purpose built tools like the RC 390 and the next gen 390 adventure and this is one amazingly competent trio once all three are available.

The Bajaj Triumph 400s
Then comes the fantastic partnership from Bajaj and Triumph. The Speed and Scrambler duo have set an absolutely incredible benchmark for competitors. It’s got a great engine, built to a fantastic standard and will again create an interesting family line up with the most likely addition of a cafe racer. The incredible VFM pricing that both offer is the icing on an already very desirable cake.

The Speed can be a very beginner friendly performance oriented city bike. The Scrambler is an incredible lifestyle vehicle as would be the cafe racer as and when they release it. All in all, a banging start to the partnership.

Royal Enfield
What can I say except - take a bow Royal Enfield! RE’s legacy and journey in the motorcycling is worth a movie in itself and the Himalayan 450 is probably one of the many high points in it. Undoubtedly the best RE to date, bar none, and I don’t want to compare it with the older Himalayan - that doesn’t even begin to compare. This is possible the bike which will check the most boxes for the widest range of riders. It’ll do wonderfully in the city, can do two up touring with luggage and attack the mountains with gusto. This is the bike Indian bikers have been hankering for and in terms of sheer mass appeal, I expect it to be the most versatile offering that anyone with a single bike garage could want. The build may not be up to Triumph levels but it’s still very respectable and hopefully the next 6 - 12 months iron out any initial teething issues as well.

The special 400s
But that’s not all. A special shout to Kawasaki and Aprilia. To launch a niche 400 cc inline 4 cylinder bike is nothing short of commitment to a market. They know it’ll do miniscule numbers but that hasn’t stopped them from bringing such a niche pricey offering to the select few track afficiandos who’d pick this.

Then there is Aprilia with its Indian made 270 deg parallel twin 457 track machine, launched again at a very compelling price of 4.10 lakh ex-showroom. It’s a great year for track day fans with another great entry / entry+ tool to help hone their skills. Between the RC 390, the pricier Ninja 400 and now this baby Aprilia, people who want an entry level supersport in this class have never really had it better. The R3 will be another respectable addition to this space for the Yamaha fanboys although I fear it’ll feel a bit long in the tooth in the face of the current competition.

Everything else
Lets not forget other incredible products that have come to our market this year. I was personally very pleased to see bikes like the River Indie - the set up seems incredible and they’ve created their own unique style and identity in the EV scooter space. Its an honest effort and I’d love to see where brand Indie heads from here.

Honda has finally taken a decent step in India by launching the brand new Transalp 750 - I just hope they can expand their BigWing network a bit more and also have better line of sight to their flagship Africa Twin.

Ducati’s Desert X is another fantastic new foray for the flamboyant Italians - we’ve got a couple in my riding circle and it’s a beautiful bike indeed. Then there’s a thoroughly updated Street Triple 765 - probably one of the best middle weight nakeds.

That brings me to my vote then (I’m literally on the verge of tossing a coin on this between the Speed and Himalayan).

All things considered, its the Himalayan for me in the final balance, and by the thinnest of margins. It’s got incredible specs, they seem to have created a brilliant package overall and it is absolutely fit for its stated purpose - touring in the Himalayas - and yet, versatile enough to do a lot more. The only caveat is I haven’t ridden the Himalayan so going entirely by the online reviews for the time being. But the verdict on its attributes seems widespread enough to rely on in making the vote. Between Bajaj and RE though - they’re going to make sure that the entire segment stays on its toes - and for that we as customers can only be very thankful.

Always wanted to ride to the mountains, your partner by your side and the tent in tow? Well the Himalayan’s got you sorted. Oh - and it’ll take you to office with just as much ease, between those weekend highway runs and mountain vacations.

[Aluminium]

Originally Posted by DarthVeda

So a product which exists on paper and with some friends/relatives of owner, a.k.a SIMPLE ONE finds it to this list while UltraViolette F77 doesn't? Please explain that to me, if you can.

I concur.

Also, the Himalayan 450 is barely out and most of our info comes from the professionals. User reviews and actual test rides should be what you look at to vote for a vehicle. I feel like the hype of the launch is swaying a lot of Votes. If I could, I would vote for the Triumph. It actually disrupted the segment with it's price gave the reality check to some thick headed players in the market.

[Freespirit27]

Voted from the heart for Super Meteor 650. Although the practical choice may be Himalayan or Triumph 400 or Hero Vida in respective categories of adventure, all-purpose and family bike/scooter.
The 650 is aspirational from the 'Boys and their Toys' perspective and is by far the best looker barring the Ducati. A brand has gone out of the way not with the aim of profits but to re-create biking and same is the case with the Himalayan. May the story continue!

[EM-pathetic]

I would vote for the new KTM Duke 390

It's a complete package. I did not find it lacking in anything which it intends to achieve.

Second place would be Harley Davidson x440 which is a beautiful machine at an aggressive pricing.

The Triumph duo of Scrambler400X and Speed 400 make it 3 and 4 for me. I am mostly looking at the 400cc city + bikes here

[madhavgpai]

Voted for the new Himalayan.

Not because it is the right bike for India (most of).
But because it is a bike that makes me proud to say, "Hey look, this was born in India."

Kudos to the effort, the intent and once again re-committing to the purpose of its brand. RE has gone well and truly international and set their bar higher now.

I wouldn't be getting one unfortunately because I prefer to tour the highways in a car, prefer a smaller and nimbler machine to maneuver the city traffic, and in the rare occasion I decide to go on a bike ride up the mountains, these days there are options to rent a suitable bike.

[SGK]

My preference is for the Triumph Street 400, which has recently expanded its offerings to make bikes like Triumph accessible to a broader audience with so much to offer right from engine, features at amazing price point( Launch Price)

[Zanskar]

Voted for the Triumph Street 400. Complete bang for your buck motorcycle just like the Duke 390 was when it was launched. Would have picked up Himalayan but RE is not known for niggle free first generation of most motorcycles they have launched.

[George Thomas]

Triumph Speed 400 definitely.
Wonderful bike.