[jetsetgo08]

If comfort is a priority, the Yamaha FZ and MT should be out of the list. They are surely lord of the streets when it comes to handling but thats about it. All of it, unfortunately comes with a compromise in comfort(read stiff suspension), both for the rider as well as pillion.

My pick would be one among the RE 350's or the Honda 350's. Followed by the Pulsar 250's. They may not be outright enjoyable, but hard to go wrong with any of them if comfort is a priority for longer daily commutes.

[Motard_Blr]

As I understand your requirements, here is what I think are important criteria to select your bike:

- sedate rider
- good deal of highway riding
- needs to be comfortable

Based on these, I suggest you ignore anything less than 200 or 250 cc. At highway speeds all small engines will be running at high speeds with annoying vibrations and will not be relaxing. A bigger engine will also have sufficient reserve power for easy overtaking.

My suggestions:

RE Bullet or classic 350 with the J series engine
RE Meteor
Suzuki V-strom 250
Dominar 250 or 400
Triumph 400
Duke 250, not the 200 or the 390

All these bikes are good in city traffic and are comfortable for average height riders.

Happy test riding!

[inline4]

Take a test ride on the H-D X440. Its highly likely that this could be your choice. Its a peach of an engine and the road presence wont leave you wanting.

[viggienomad]

Suggesting a vehicle based on requirements is one thing. Suggesting a bike is another. Bike is far more personal than a car. Any bike brand will not do. Even if it has more pedigree! Personal preference matters.

Even though you mentioned that you prefer Japanese bikes, it seems that you are inclined to own a Suzuki or may be a Yamaha. Not any other Japanese bike. Of these, the V-Storm seems a better pick. The FZ-25 - the 250cc in Yamaha - is not so comparable. While the FZ-25 ride can be comfortable, the power feels a bit underwhelming.

As for securing your laptop, check ModPac 20L by Carbonado. It can be strapped securely on the back seat. But strapping & unstrapping twice on a commute can be a hassle.

Since you will be riding about 100kms in a commute, have you considered proper riding gears? You may also need to pack at least a rain gear on the laptop bag. On reaching office, you may need to personally carry the laptop pack (with rain gear), riding jacket & helmet from bike parking place to your office seat. Guess you might have already thought through them also.

Alternately you may consider side panniers for V-Storm & helmet box. https://carbonracing.in/products/adv...v-strom-250-sx It may look a bit too much for commuting though.

Thinking of storing helmet & rain gears in bike, have you considered Yamaha Aerox 155 ?

[turtlebiker]

Originally Posted by biju1971

I need some suggestions on a suitable bike for doing a 100km ride to work once or twice a week.
======
I have finished about 110000 on my Ciaz and it has not let me down any time.

I don't have any personal experience with most of the bikes suggested by others here on this thread, but I've heard a lot of good opinions from the users of the V-Strom SX250.

I have, however, ridden the X-Pulse 200, and that is a surprisingly well-handling machine. As for its service, make sure to ask other owners, if any, who give their X-Pulses there at that particular service center because I've heard that the services might not be that reliable.

The main point that I would like to convey is that before you buy a vehicle, try to rent it out for a week or more. That would give you a better feel for the normal use case you would have for the vehicle. Hope you find the bike of your dreams! : )

[biju1971]

I tried out the V strom 250. I tried moving the bike around and its a weight and length i can handle. I sat on the bike, but i cannot flatfoot. However it is not a cause for concern. Iam riding a bike after 25 years on a road with traffic, hence was little bit nervous. The gear shifts on my TVS Suzuki was all down. This one was different and had only a toe shifter. The clutch and brakes were good, but the gears were not slotting in easily. The bike had a check engine type of warning on the display.The bike did not have a crash guard but the dealer promised he would provide one. They also have some discounts in terms of 50% insurance. I asked him to provide the Suzuki riding jacket. He said he would get back on that. Overall i liked the bike. The seating position is good and the seats provide good comfort.I am planning to try out the RE meteor and the Hero X Pulse also. However all models of RE weigh around 190 kg and that sort of puts me off.

[V0rtex]

Originally Posted by biju1971

I need some suggestions on a suitable bike for doing a 100km ride to work once or twice a week.

Don't make a decision till you test ride the bike. In my opinion the Vstrom 250 SX and CB 200x seems like a good option for you.

[Reinhard]

I'm going to write something that might get deleted as "off topic" by the mods .

Buy the bike based on your test ride experience as well as inputs of the bike experts on the forum. I have 0 value to add in this regard with my regular office riding experience still restricted to a 10 year old 150CC super rare on our roads bike (coincidentally its a Suzuki, and like your Access - its well engineered machine that nobody noticed).

My advise will be something different altogether. Don't ride so much to office so often. Continue to use the car. Its much safer, much more comfortable. I know it brings 0 adrenaline rush compared to riding a bike. But our highways - crowded or not - are UNSAFE. In this day and age - I feel for mundane tasks like office travel etc, if it involves hundreds of kilometers of travel - a person better put safety & life on a higher priority than anything else. Touring - which is the next thing on your agenda (envy!) is a different ball game altogether - surely you'll enjoy the bike and you should.

Perhaps it will be a good idea to borrow a bike from some friend & use it for a while, before buying one for yourself. I have my share of friends who planned big and bought big bikes, but are yet to fulfil the plans and eventually ride the bikes mainly only for routine visits to service centers.

Hate me as much as you probably will, but these are my 2 cents.

[GeeTee TSI]

I own a Vstrom and I ride it to work occasionally with my laptop bag stuffed with formal shoes (which I change into from my riding gear). The rear seat gladly takes the load of my bag and I haven't had to strap it down.

On the bike, it takes ruts with ease and the posture is comfortable. The weight has been manageable but for the rare paddling out of a parking spot. The turning radius is wide! (although not a concern outside of parking manoeuvres. The headlights are excellent (once set to position) and the engine is torquey.

Oh! This is my first ever motorcycle bought well into my driving years and I am sold!

[biju1971]

After a lot of deliberation and thinking, I finally booked the V Strom 250. I kept thinking about the bike, I didn't want time to pass by and then find out I am too old to handle the bike. I also want to do short tours after I leave my job.
There was an INR 13000 discount this month, but they were trying to sell me a 2023 model. I insisted on a 2024 model and they promised to deliver me one in 10 days time. I have paid an advance of 25000. I have not told my family as I am sure they would be against it. My son is 21. I will give it to him some day.

Is there a PDI checklist for motorcycles, how do we check the date of manufacture? The dealer said he would provide a crash guard, but I know that is not enough. I would like to buy some accessories for the bike. What is a good site to buy stuff including a tail bag? Any suggestions on the essential accessories would be welcome

[Motard_Blr]

Congrats on your selection! I wish you many miles and many smiles with your bike.

For the VIN, here's a thread that might help:
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motor...e-scooter.html (Find the date of manufacture (VIN) of your motorcycle / scooter)

For PDI, there are several threads in this forum that you can consult. But the basics are that everything should be like you expect it to be: new, no scratches, fits correctly, makes no unexpected noise, feels right when pressed or pulled, starts easily, rotates freely, lights brightly, etc. It's mostly common sense and basic knowledge of motorcycles.

For accessories, I suggest you don't go overboard on fitting the bike with them. Just buy the essentials: basic crash protection and a tail bag that you want. Via Terra makes good quality bags. There's a separate thread here that you should read.

I do encourage you to buy riding gear. A good helmet, a good jacket and gloves are a minimum.