[b16h22]

Originally Posted by YoungDumbBroke

Hello everyone, I'm a long time reader but a first time poster.

At long last I've convinced my parents to buy me a bike and by god was it a task. (Finally managed by telling them that a bike is safer than a scooter because of abs XD). Also I apologise if this is the wrong thread to have posted this query in- as I said, I haven't posted here before.

Now onto my requirements- I'm looking for something that has decent power, great handling dynamics and costs lesser than Rs 3.5 lakhs. Would prefer a bike that is lighter because most of my riding will be done on ORR, Bangalore (an absolute traffic hellscape).

Honestly speaking, an MT15 is the right bike for you to start out on. It is quick enough, light and agile, and easy to ride in heavy traffic. It is also pretty economical to run.

Out of the bikes you've listed, the Honda makes the most sense. It is quick but you can also ride it sedately if you want to. And it is a featherweight for a 300. As with any other 200+cc bikes, take it easy for the first 1 year. Modern bikes are really capable and we can often get carried away and overestimate our own skills. Concentrate on improving your riding skills progressively.

[VStromer]

Hi,
Do consider Honda CB300F. I am pretty sure it will suffice all your needs.
It is not that aggressive neither laid back. Okayish on the purse and Honda has a good track record in service industry.
A 300 cc bike would be a meaning full upgrade for you.

Regards,

Vstromer

[7000plusrpm]

Originally Posted by YoungDumbBroke

Now onto my requirements- I'm looking for something that has decent power, great handling dynamics and costs lesser than Rs 3.5 lakhs. Would prefer a bike that is lighter because most of my riding will be done on ORR, Bangalore (an absolute traffic hellscape).

Bikes under consideration:

Honda CB300R

KTM RC200

Triumph Speed400

I am a 2022 CB300R owner. Please take my opinions with a healthy dose of salt.

For city rides, the CB is just perfect. It's light weight, has a gem of an engine paired with the slick shifting gearbox, very light clutch and a great power to weight ratio. I can reach speedo indicated 105 kph in the 3rd gear. But it never complains if I ride it in 6th gear and 55 kph. That's how versatile it is. Even in city traffic (in Kolkata), I get about 32 KMPL.

Service is cheap, regular wear and tear parts are available in the bigwing easily and a lack of electronics means there is very little chance of something going very wrong.

Only reason I can think of for avoiding this is if you are planning to ride with a pillion often.

2.5 years and 17k kms later, it still brings a smile to my face, every time I ride it.

[doomketu]

Why not the RTR 310 ? Vibes aside ( fix is already there with updated dampeners ) its a great machine, loaded with tech and safety features south of 3.5 lakhs. My config was at 3.26l . Its aggressively quick upto an extent and is nimble in city too. Unless you have a dream machine is mind and are evaluating our responses based on that. Cheers man.

[Phantom 510]

All those shortlisted ones are great motorcycles and packs in quite a punch. These motorcycles will be lot of fun to ride but at the same time it might end up being a lot to chew especially for the ones who have just started riding. So, I would like to suggest a motorcycle with mellow power delivery which would help one to learn the basics of a motorcycle control properly and not get overwhelmed by it and end up in a tricky situation.

[YoungDumbBroke]

Originally Posted by 7000plusrpm

I am a 2022 CB300R owner. Please take my opinions with a healthy dose of salt.
.

Hi, thanks for the info. Im now more reassured about the honda and it does stand as the top contender. Also funnily enough- prior to having created this account and posting my query I'd been scouring the review tread that you'd made on the bike for more info. Glad that you saw my thread!

Originally Posted by doomketu

Why not the RTR 310 ? Vibes aside ( fix is already there with updated dampeners ) its a great machine.

Hey, yes I agree, the RTR is a lovely machine and its dynamics may be better than the Honda and on par with a KTM but the problem lies with TVS and their service for me. TVS products are a joy to ride but sometimes a hassle to own-hence.

Originally Posted by AulusGabinius

As someone who jumped from an Activa to .

Agreed. I'll have to rein in my impulses for a good amount of time before becoming a speed demon.
As for the Gixxers- The sf250 was my original choice and i was almost hell-bent on getting it, but online opinions about the vibration issues- occuring supposedly due to the engine's design pushed me away.

Originally Posted by Asoon

You should also explore FZ 25

Hey, appreciate the opinion but the FZs just do not tug at my heart. Yamaha nerfed them for MT- which is a shame coz they were some of the coolest bikes when i was a kid.
As for the r15/mt15 Its going to be a bike i'm going to be using for a long time hence something with more power would be preferred.

[AulusGabinius]

Originally Posted by Asoon

You should also explore FZ 25, it is nicely positioned between both lower CC segment <150 and 300+ cc and has best of both worlds. Easy to ride / handle , bullet proof Yamaha reliability, comfortable seating and perfect for Bangalore's traffic.

If you are truly into riding motorcycles then I would recommend you to start with R15M (V4), you will get used to the features (inverted forks / slipper clutch etc.) and the aggressive ride position before graduating to larger segments (400 to 600 cc). R15 is 101 for starter bike riders

Isn't the FZ 25 discontinued since BS6?

[doomketu]

Originally Posted by YoungDumbBroke

Hey, yes I agree, the RTR is a lovely machine and its dynamics may be better than the Honda and on par with a KTM but the problem lies with TVS and their service for me. TVS products are a joy to ride but sometimes a hassle to own-hence.

True, but i am witnessing first had the change. As a flagship owner RR and RTR 310 owners are connected to the correct folks via the AOG and we are able to air out grievances and get action taken. They are understanding that Jupiter is not the sole bread winner. Anyway, take a look, as you are in BLR, you got plenty of folks who can point you to the correct dealers.

I am just checking that this will be your first bike, then i will take back my recommendation. Maybe something more tamer might suit you mate. Cheers

[YoungDumbBroke]

Originally Posted by doomketu

True, but i am witnessing first had the change. As a flagship owner RR and RTR 310 owners

I see, that's a step in the right direction for them.
I appreciate your suggestion my friend; no need for it to be taken back

[hikozaru]

RC200 and R15 make sense only as a learner bike for the track. They are not particularly good road bikes. They made sense a couple of years ago as road bikes when the options for good handling, 40hp bikes were limited. I outgrew 20hp in 2k km. Yes, I am slower than R15 guys at the track so I did not really outgrow the bike but how often can you lean 50 degrees on the street anyway. Get the CB300R or the Speed 400. 40 ponies will never let you down on our endlessly straight highways.

[TheHelix0202]

Take it from someone who’s been in the same shoes before you, and not so long ago either:

Ride all the bikes within your budget at least thrice.

Buy the one that tugs at your heartstrings the most. You can always buy that dream motorcycle later. So don’t worry about ending up with the wrong motorcycle.

Invest in good quality riding gear, look up YouTube videos from legendary motorcyclists (I can give you a list), read manuals, magazines, riding books, and expand your motorcycle knowledge in general.

Most importantly, find slightly older bike enthusiasts and ride with them instead of just college kids. You’ll learn much more that way about motorcycles and life in general.

[Karthik1100]

Originally Posted by YoungDumbBroke

Hello everyone, I'm a long time reader but a first time poster.

At long last I've convinced my parents to buy me a bike and by god was it a task. (Finally managed by telling them that a bike is safer than a scooter because of abs XD). Also I apologise if this is the wrong thread to have posted this query in- as I said, I haven't posted here before.

Speed 400 is a great choice, but I suggest you to start with MT 15 or Honda CB200x, even these are powerful enough for a beginner but not as dangerous as KTM or Speed 400. It's not just the weight of the motorcycle matters, power to weight ratio matters a lot for new riders untill they learn to handle motorcycles in worst conditions.

[Mukunthan91]

Please check out RE Hunter 350. As a owner of Hunter 350 for the past 18 months and having driven around 30k kms, it's a great motorcycle for beginners and city riding.The low end torque is good and offers decent performance in low and mid range.

[ironclad9798]

All the above suggestions are great and thoughtful. But if you are wanting something not very common on roads, I heard and read Triumph announcing/launching 2 new 400cc variants by Diwali this year. The sales guy as well confirmed today. You can have additional choices. One thing I would recommend is test ride your short listed bikes back to back on same day if possible to understand the differences and get a proper comparison on how you feel with each.
Cheers and ride safe!

[mkk_carformula]

As a 2019 Honda CB 300R owner from Bangalore, I would say the Honda or the RC would do more justice to your age. This was the first motorcycle I ever owned, at the age of 24. The CB is on a more middle ground out of the three machines you have compared. It is a revv-happy little machine, and revving to 10k rpm makes me smile every time! And it rides sedately quite well too. Light clutch, being light weight, and flickability are great advantages for city riding I have come to realize. Plus it glides over those crazy Bangalore roads, although the stiffer suspension setup may get tiring in some cases. Reliability is top notch. The battery in mine just refuses to show any signs of ageing even after 5 long years. BigWing service in Bangalore is quite good. I would suggest Silicon Honda BigWing Topline Lavelle Road for purchase and Mysore Road for service. All the very best for your purchase, regardless of whatever you decide to buy finally!