[neith]

Voted for the Freedom125, even though it's not my cup of tea. Full marks to Bajaj for thinking outside the box and delivering it as a properly engineered package.

[praful]

Should pricing be a factor in deciding the bike of the year?

I see two issues with that -

1. We have a wide list of two wheelers with diverse price ranges, hence price should not be a factor of reference as we are effectively choosing one vehicle over another.

2. Manufacturers sometimes can do a boo boo! Case in point, Aprilia Tuareg where Aprilia has really really made a big blunder with the pricing. But that should not take away from the fact it is a great bike (price aside!).


On a lighter note, which is also why I voted for the Tuareg 660 (yes owning one makes me a bit partial towards it as well!)

[100Kmphormore]

Has to be the NS400Z. This bike made me realise why I purchased my 390, and why I want this 400 too. Not another bike has made me feel like this. Such performance (40 hp) at a very accessible price and the overall VFM package makes it THE bike for most. The Goldie and the RS457 came close, but both are niche segment - won’t be the bike for everyone. I rate fun factor, ease of access and ASS highly if recommending to anyone and having owned a V15 before, this was a great job by Bajaj where the 250s failed.

[Mar21]

Voted for the Aprilia.

The BSA was a close second (i may still buy the BSA over the Aprilia to replace my Classic 500) but i love what Aprilia have done and will definitely consider them when it is time to write the cheque.

[ghost-was-here]

Voted for Aprilia. Good engine, good looks, good price.
Hon'able mention to Bajaj Freedom CNG. New innovation in this sector after a very long time.

[offroad]

Voted for Guerrilla 450.

A perfect package from Royal Enfield. Powerful, easy to ride for everyone (wrt height), easy on maintenance too. We suited for city rides and quick weekend getaways. Ticks most of the boxes.

And yes special mention to Bajaj Freedom CNG. Not only on the innovation side, the bike also looks quite good. There can be a bigger engine with that design in the future

[Soorajkumar1511]

I am casting my vote for RS 457

Personally, I'm not a big fan of Italians, but when someone puts in real effort and it results in something worthy of appreciation, it should be recognized.

The reasons are listed below
- Bang for the bucks! From my perspective, this has the potential to make other manufacturers in the industry realize that localizing production and setting prices at an attractive point can not only capture attention but also gain acceptance.
- An affordable TWIN cylinder in the segment
- Good looking
- Light and agile


By all means this is not a finest machine, but this time I will lean towards it.

Thanks

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Grabbing ~27 % of the votes on this poll, the Aprilia RS 457 is the Team-BHP Motorcycle of the Year, 2024!



We had an amazing list of launches this year IMHO - from the Royal Enfield Interceptor Bear 650 to the BSA Gold Star 650, from the TVS Jupiter 110 to the Bajaj Freedom 125 CNG. Kudos to TVS and Bajaj for coming up with such impressive features on their mass-market commuters that even the enthusiasts community has taken due notice!

But none of these products have captured as much global appeal as the Aprilia RS 457.

The RS 457 is the brand's first Indian foray into motorcycles, but Aprilia pulled off a masterstroke by manufacturing the RS 457 in India at Piaggio’s plant in Baramati near Pune. By making in India for the world, Aprilia delivered on quality with its excellent aluminium dual-beam chassis, mini-superbike looks and paint finish, best in class instrumentation, etc - all the while ensuring a very competitive pricing that undercuts equivalent twin-cylinder rivals significantly. The star of the show, however, is the 457cc twin-cylinder motor that produces a segment-best 47 BHP & 43.5 Nm coupled with an excellent, communicative and forgiving handling package that makes the RS 457 as good on the track as it is on the roads.

Way to go Aprilia! Hoping to see a lot more from the brand over the coming months - starting with improvements to the product (brakes in particular) and the dealer network. Looking forward to the imminent launch of the Tuono 457 and also keeping fingers crossed that the Tuareg 457 will make an appearance next year end as well.

[Guru_GPS]

Mind-boggling options this time. My mind was oscillating between Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z and TVS Jupiter 110. Finally took a deep breath and voted for the TVS Jupiter 110, mainly for all the practicality it offers in the price band it sits in. We have a first-gen Matt grey Jupiter and then the 125cc Jupiter with its humongous storage space. This 11occ looks like it will offer similar power and torque output as the 125cc, and affordable too.

As a collateral damage, my mind is now fixated on the new 300cc engine unveiled by TVS, and eagerly waiting for its launch. Wishful thinking, but I expect TVS to launch the zeppelin cruiser with this engine. It will be even more enticing if they come up with a 300cc scooter also.

[sgmuser]

For once I have voted for the winner. I thought the 457 is a genuine attempt targeted towards Indian bikers versus what for e.g. Honda does. Where's that one good product from its line up which is good, without vibrations and doesn't feel downgraded/built to cost? Honda is happy with Activa sales it looks like. In that aspect I am impressed with this powerful fully faired mid ranger which is true to its pedigree. Double thumbs up.

[Samarth 619]

I've voted for the Pulsar NS400 Z. I feel its giving you a lot of bang for the money, and to a wider audience.

Think about it: 12 years ago, I got a 44 bhp 154 kgs Duke 390 for 1.8L ex showroom. And this bike does 40 bhp, and sells around the same price in 2024.
Considering it got 22 votes, I guess the community did note it.

Mavrik 440 is all torque and low rpm, like a refined Royal Enfield. This is appreciable on its own though, no doubt.

Freedom 125 was a good sign and it shows the community is matured and caring enough to think about the commuter. I wouldn't mind if it would've won this anyways.


What the RS457 does tragically different is not enough, considering that many cities don't even have service centers and thus, majority of Indian bikers will not be affected by this launch, even though it ticks almost all the boxes.
Somewhat I leave unconvinced with the result, but that's the magic of democracy, it opens a person's eyes. Let's hope Aprilia makes an impact in terms of road presence.

[amyntor]

Originally Posted by Samarth 619

What the RS457 does tragically different is not enough, considering that many cities don't even have service centers and thus, majority of Indian bikers will not be affected by this launch, even though it ticks almost all the boxes.

Well, this is not a poll for the best Indian bike of the year, is it? The poll was rightly labelled "Team-BHP Motorcycle of the year" and was open only for Team-BHP-ians, who are more likely to be based out of big cities (not me though).

Had the poll been open for more people with diverse backgrounds and levels of experience (read non-enthusiasts), I'm sure some other two-wheeler would have emerged as the people's favourite.

[Bombastic]

I feel this award should be split into 2 sections - Commuter and Performance, because each are miles apart in what they do and what users expect from them. Usually the vehicle that pushes barriers wins, and that usually comes from the performance end of the spectrum. There is no way you can place a Jupiter next to an Aprilia and not give the Aprilia the award, as it would be better in every way except practicality and fuel efficiency

[Motorfanatic1]

Aprilia RS 457 is no doubt the most exciting performance bike.

I had voted for TVS Jupiter 110, as the brand offering has come a long way in terms of value for money. Competing with Honda in the same league and giving them a good competition is not a small feat, by any means.

[Nithesh_M]

Doesn't this bike suffer from heavy brake fade since launch? Have Aprilia fixed it by now?