[Axe77]

People have provided excellent perspectives with detailed analysis but I’m going to keep this short.

Avoid Ducati. It’s not a forever bike. And its not the best option either.

The 650 is hands down the most VFM option and will meet all your requirements as such. If budget is a strict constraint, you can’t go wrong with this.

But if you want that slightly extra special feeling and a bike that is literally good enough to last you a lifetime, buy a slightly used (for budget reasons) street twin. It is the kind of bike you can really keep and enjoy for a long time to come. I would have said T 100 too but the only reason I’m not is the impracticality of the spoke wheels. If that doesn’t bother you then I’d say T 100 / Street Twin.

If you wish you can keep it for 20 years also, it’ll age gracefully. Get a good FNG if you have reservations on the local Triumph dealership.

[Waspune]

Adding one more bike to your conundrum- Kawasaki W800 Street. It’s the last bike of its kind in the market (read - truly retro) with a torquey air-cooled 773 cc parallel Twin, minimum electronics, 360 degree crank, shaft drive etc.
It looks sweet, proportionate(big) and even though it weighs more than RE 650 the weight is well balanced. The RE 650 seemed top heavy in comparison, according to some reviews. It also sounds proper old school ,similar to the older Bonnevilles.
Power and Torque isn’t the best in class but it is still decent (0-100 in early 6 secs).
IIRC in its BS6 avatar it’s price was slashed by a lakh.

[GoBlue]

Neither. Consider the Triumph Speed Twin. It is a timeless bike. You could acquire either the BS4 model or, pick up a BS6 which is expected to be launched soon.

The Street Twin was and is still a great bike (we tend to compare its price point with the RE Interceptor, although, build quality is much better on the Triumph). However, the Speed Twin is leagues apart in the looks/handling department, not to ignore that monster of an engine.

If you really want a modern-retro Ducati, consider a Scrambler 1100. Do note that these are air-cooled though, can run fairly hot depending on the season/weather. The Scrambler 800 doesn’t make much sense at the present price-point.

Would not recommend pre-owned higher capacity bikes which do not have ABS. It is a bare minimum safety net which is a must have given your desired ownership period.

In essence as per your requirement, given the bike is going to be retained for a long-term period (10+ years), VFM quotient should not be a consideration. Quite likely that what you find VFM today may be perceived as boring tomorrow. Get a bike that is more likely to hold your attention and keep you engaged.

[aravind.anand]

Just took my Interceptor out for a ride this morning after almost a week. Noticed that somebody has fiddled around with with my parked bike and broken the left rear view mirror. Absolutely no fault of mine, my bike was parked in my parking slot in the apartment but some random miscreant has done this nasty work.

I was irritated, but then a spare mirror would probably be less than 600 INR. Knowing this I let it go and enjoyed my ride heartily. I am sure I would have gone mad had it been a Ducati scrambler or the Triumph T100. This peace of mind is something that only the Royal Enfield twins can provide - among the bikes you are considering.

I would vote for Interceptor - no worries about maintenance cost or fuel quality or spare availability, no matter which part of the country you are riding to.

[KayEss]

Let's do a flash recap:
1) you are willing to spend a healthy budget on acquiring the bike but not so much on maintenance
2) you want to be able to ride long (maybe very long at times) distances, even as you yourself catch up on the years
3) you want a do it all machine
4) you want to keep it for a very, very, very long time and want it to age well (and for you to be able to still manage it)

As far as I'm concerned, the answer is obvious. It has to be a Honda CB500x.
A bulletproof and long lasting engine, reliable, comfortable, lower honda maintenance cost, soft roader capability and ability to munch miles and spit them out with equanimity.

The going in price is of course high but that should pay for itself over the decades I suppose.

Best,
Kshitij

[gigatech2006]

I can't believe I'd get these many responses - all of them with well-balanced thought processes and quite objective as well. I'm now seriously considering only the 650 twin or a slightly used Street Twin/T100. One of my friends is asking me to consider the 390 adventure and he has his own views - which I quite agree. Thoroughly modern, safety with cornering ABS, etc and a good balance for highway touring and some mild offroad. Though I like the 390 adventure, I'm not sure if that suits my character (not gonna race, I'm well past that life). Plus, I'm quite particular that I'd want a twin cylinder as my next purchase and I wish 890 adventure was priced better. Anyways, it's either the 650 twin or Triumph -- I'm ready to wait and see if there will be some available that suits my budget.

The wait continues...

[redeff]

Originally Posted by AirbusCapt

Superbikes are a different animal. You can't extrapolate costs from a commuter bike upwards. Similar to how a badge car will always cost much much more to insure, maintain and service when compared to an expensive car from a 'non premium' brand.

Typical bike tyres costs about 15/20 k and last about 10/12000 kms. Each service costs atleast 10/15k and to maintain warranty you got to respect the short service intervals. You should be happy getting 12/15 kmpl @105 Rs/liter, if ridden economically then may be you can stretch it to 20kmpl. Filters need cleaning, chain needs lubing etc etc
Then you get sucked into the 'i wanna mod' phase when you wet dream of 50k exhausts or 1lakh power commanders and what not.

In a nutshell if you plan to buy a 10 lakh superbike and keep for 10 years, factor about 8/10 lakh extra for all the extras mentioned above during the lifespan. Happy biking!

Luckily enough, the scrambler is not that expensive. Regular annual service is around 8-10k. Reliability has been fine except for the well documented clutch issue *hasn't stuck me yet* Mileage is above 20 easy in Mumbai traffic. Have taken it to ladakh, dropped it a couple of times and its been just fine. Almost bone stock, just changed the handle bar to the full throttle one.

Here's the thing though. I never bought the bike for practicality. The bike is way more fun than the other two you mention. It makes the most power, has the least weight, carries the Ducati name and its a time tested air cooled engine that makes anyone who rides it grin. People who upgrade from their scramblers miss it. People who see you on a scrambler from their interceptors and their Harleys, BMWs and even the kawasakis give you a big thumbs up.

The scrambler is not for you if you want to make a practical choice. Please understand that the interceptor won the practicality game the second it was launched. The Street twin won the looks game the second it was launched. The scrambler is the most fun out of them. The lightest, the lightest hearted. It pulls on to the heart strings. I'm in the scrambler owners group on whatsapp. Its the best biking whatsapp group i've been a part of.

Do i want a street twin? Sure I do. It's gorgeous. But it's down on power, it's down one one gear and it's up on weight.

As for desmo service. Worry about that when you reach 25K Kms. Happy riding man.

[doga]

If your requirements are listed in the order of importance, then the RE twins have to be it. Give you have owned a GT 535, I assume you are not too averse to the committed riding position which makes me vote for the RE GT650. The latest BS6 looks ravishing in the rocker red paint scheme, although if I hazard a guess your current GT535 is red as well in which case may be another colour would be more appealing.
Understandably it's not going to be as exotic as the other two options, but from what I gather from all the reviews on the internet, it's a very reliable bike and it wins hands down on the spare parts/servicing cost. The others two can't even think of competing in this regard. Also, the new GT is much more comfortable than your current bike as the clip-ons are mounted above the top yoke unlike in your bike where it goes under. The engine has lots of character and is in a very low state of tune so plenty of opportunity for 'mods' later on. There are big bore kits already available for the bike to bring the power figures on par with the Triumph plus plenty of suspension upgrade options as well- basically the bike is a blank canvas begging you to mod it. I almost got the rocker red GT, but canceled in the end as delivery was delayed due to covid and I instead decided to get a Jap superbike.
The obvious thing going for the other two options is the exclusivity, relatively better built(not by a huge margin though!) and better power, but spare parts and servicing would be much costlier-the Ducati in this regard is a distant third!
In the end, it really has to be a test ride on each bike and finding out which really pulls your heart strings strongest. I suspect the Triumph would appeal the most to you in this regard, although the Italian Vtwins are no less emotional. If it's going to be a head over heart purchase then it's very difficult to overlook the RE twins. Good luck with your purchase and do let us all know what you end up with!

[gigatech2006]

Guys. After considering your inputs, I have shortlisted 2 motorcycles. Even to my surprise, I've removed the Street Twin from the equation, along with the other obvious choice in my primary list - the RE 650 twins.

I thought, heck, let me just buy the KTM 390 Adventure as it suits my height (6 ft) and weight (around 80kgs). The suspension doesn't sag when I sit on this and the seats have a good amount of cushion - stiff, but pretty ok. Much better than the ones I had on my Continental GT 535.

Just for the heck of it, I test drove the Trident 660 and something in me fell in love with it instantly. Can't put a finger on the 'what' and the 'why'. When the trident was first launched, I thought it looked like a 'macho' avatar of the Bajaj Pulsar and rejected it right away. But, Triumph being Triumph, I honestly believe that this is a well-engineered motorcycle. The Trident actually looks so much better in flesh, than in the pics - I think!

Comparing it with the ADV 390, the Triumph wins in the performance, exhaust note and the looks department. The ADV 390 just works well in most situations like a jack of all trades and doesn't excel in any. However, I believe that the ADV 390 is good value for money from a practical standpoint.

Also, I checked out the CB500X - I didn't test drive it as I got no emotional connect looking at the drab design. I agree that ADVs look more functional and not designed to win beauty contests. But for the 8.8 lac on road price, I'd expect it to look good too.

Again, coming to the original question - if I want to have the motorcycle for a while, say about 10 years, will the ADV 390 last? Or would it be the Triden 660? Both have a lot of electronics, and I can't say for sure that these will be trouble free like the old school Bonnevilles. I may be wrong here. Btw, the ADV 390 is with 5 year warranty.

But, just when I thought that the choice has narrowed down to the ADV 390 and the Trident 660, Triumph had to tease the Tiger 660 sport This is a good problem to have, for us!

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by gigatech2006

But, just when I thought that the choice has narrowed down to the ADV 390 and the Trident 660, Triumph had to tease the Tiger 660 sport. This is a good problem to have, for us!

Gigatech, new toys for us boys will keep getting launched. You will have to make a decision and pick one up or it will be window shopping forever

All the best!

Cheers

[bf1983]

Originally Posted by gigatech2006

But, just when I thought that the choice has narrowed down to the ADV 390 and the Trident 660, Triumph had to tease the Tiger 660 sport This is a good problem to have, for us!

The Tiger 660 is over a year away from launch in India at least if not more. It has to first be launched in the international market then production will start and then it will come to India.

So I would recommend you pick either the ktm or the Trident. If the Trident clicked with you so consider it. However one caveat is that the Trident is ill suited for taller riders. On short rides you may not notice it but on longer rides you may feel cramped. Do see if it's possible to take a longer test ride.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by gigatech2006

.

Comparing it with the ADV 390, the Triumph wins in the performance, exhaust note and the looks department. The ADV 390 just works well in most situations like a jack of all trades and doesn't excel in any. However, I believe that the ADV 390 is good value for money from a practical standpoint.

1. Ignore the Tiger Sport. It’s a long way off.

2. I feel motorcycling is about what it enables. And at some level, the KTM 390A will take you (and a pillion / luggage) to more places than you can imagine. Be it in a 200 - 300 kms range around your home, be it to Leh should you wish, or just potter about in town. All of this in half the price of a Trident.

3. I don’t know if it has the ability to last 10 years. I think it should. But another way to look at it is even if lasts 5 years, you can buy two 390As for the price of one Trident in the space of 5 years. I’m not saying that’s what one should do but just putting longevity into context based on what you’re spending.

4. Between the two bikes if I had to buy only one today and have no other bike, I’d likely put my money on the KTM 390A / 310 GS or similar. They’re all wonderful bikes and actually facilitate the most versatile riding situations.

(Although I own and have ridden a Tiger, I toured 3 days on hard core trails and roads combined in Himachal on a 310 GS accompanied also with a 390A so speaking from first hand experience. Both very accomplished bikes)

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by gigatech2006

Again, coming to the original question - if I want to have the motorcycle for a while, say about 10 years, will the ADV 390 last? Or would it be the Triden 660? Both have a lot of electronics, and I can't say for sure that these will be trouble free like the old school Bonnevilles. I may be wrong here. Btw, the ADV 390 is with 5 year warranty.

KTMs long term reliability is suspect at best. I know several riders who owned them and sold them off due to poor quality, reliability problems, bike switching off while riding etc. Based on their track record, I dont think it is going to age well.

I posted on one of the other threads recently, just test ride every bike that is in your budget. You can never say what clicks with you. I would suggest that you dont look at the next bike as your final bike. That puts more pressure on yourself to go big or go home. Look at what you will want for say, 3-6 years instead.

Between the two options you listed, the Adv 390 is more well rounded and better suited to mixed Indian conditions. But the Trident is the keeper.

[gigatech2006]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

I posted on one of the other threads recently, just test ride every bike that is in your budget. You can never say what clicks with you. I would suggest that you dont look at the next bike as your final bike. That puts more pressure on yourself to go big or go home. Look at what you will want for say, 3-6 years instead.

You're right. I've removed the 'absolutely long term' condition off of my chest and that's one of the reasons the KTM came into the picture. The Trident will be a keeper for sure as it surprised me quite pleasantly - I had very little expectation and took a test ride just for the heck of experiencing the triple cylinder for the first time ever. Loved it to bits. And I can now imagine why those that own the Street Triple never let go of them and comes as highly recommended.

[gigatech2006]

Just wanted to give you all an update: Bought the Triumph Trident!

The Trident was not even in my radar (if you noticed the title of this thread). How did I end up getting it? I'll share more on my ownership review over the next couple of months. But, here's the list of items that made me take the radical decision:

1. Love the sound of the triple. I love the twin, but somehow the triple sounded equally good (and somewhat ferocious - very very subjective)
2. Love the handling - not that I'm an expert in any other motorcycle other than the REs that I've been owning since 2007
3. Quite a friendly motorcycle - 80bhp sounds a lot, but kinda encourages you to play with it - carefully!
4. Short, stubby styling - doesn't look like a big bike - feels like one when I ride it (again, my last bike was the Conti GT 535)
5. Good instrumentation - lovable display with information, just in the right doses
6. Doesn't garner attention - to many this might be disappointing, but I love this fact that when the bike is idle, no one really cares. I'm perfectly fine with it. Still, I'm not liking the attention it gets in traffic signals when I crank the engine and let it idle, a couple of seconds before the light turns green

Will I regret not buying the Street Twin? Will I regret not buying the Scrambler? No, but I'd love to own both of them, alongside the Trident. But, for the sake of practicality and financial saneness - the Trident ticks all the boxes for me, right now.

Special thanks to Neil Jericho for all his pointers here and via DM (though I know he's not a fan of the Trident. In fact, he may be surprised by my decision ), and to all others who poured their knowledge base on this thread, helping me buy the one that I'd like (and probably keep) for a long time!