[racingturtle]

The hunt for a mid sized sports tourer

Although this is my first post, I have been following discussions on cars and bikes here since 2008. I have mostly been a silent reader, but the invaluable inputs of fellow members helped me buy my first car in 2011, and later, a 6-month-old pre-worshipped Vento TSI from a fellow BHPian in 2016, which I still possess.

Over the past year, I came to terms with what many call a midlife crisis, which for me meant rekindling my love for motorcycles. I set out to find the perfect machine in the 500cc-and-above category, while figuring out what style of motorcycle would best suit my needs. So far, I have test-ridden the Honda NX500 and the Transalp 750, and realised that while adventure-style motorcycles certainly appeal to me, I am more drawn to the sport-tourer category.

My biking journey started with a Yamaha RX100 back in 1997, even before I was officially eligible for a driving licence! The real riding adventures kicked off in 2001, with daily usage of around 100 km and occasional 500–600 km trips to hill stations in the South. Around that time, fuel economy became important to me, leading me to the TVS Victor. However, the Victor simply lacked the soul I was seeking for my style of riding, so within a year, I upgraded to a Pulsar 150 DTSi.

The Pulsar 150 DTSi has been a companion across many chapters of my life, travelling with me as I moved for studies to New Delhi and then worked in Mumbai and Pune. Eventually, with four-wheelers taking priority, the Pulsar was parked away, only occasionally brought back to life at local Bajaj service centres. Finally, in 2023, I handed it over to a friend for use by his employees.

Between 2023 and 2024, I revisited the idea of getting back on two wheels. I wanted a bike with a classic feel, but with modern reliability. After trying out several Royal Enfields and the Triumph Speed 400, I eventually fell for the Honda CB350 in a stunning red shade and picked it up in May 2024. This bike revived my passion for riding.

However, within a few months, I started to realise that I craved stronger low- and mid-range torque, as well as a motorcycle that would be more comfortable for highway cruising.

The CB350 is flawless for city commutes, though I tend to ride with a heavy throttle, and it runs out of breath fairly quickly. Still, I love its timeless, classic feel — all the benefits of a classic Enfield, without the drama and upkeep.

By 2025, the itch for an upgrade returned. I was looking for a bike with a big-bike feel, ample power and torque, and the ability to handle city traffic comfortably. I also dream of doing weekend breakfast rides to clear my mind.

After a lot of research, I shortlisted the Kawasaki Versys 650 and Honda NX500, leaning towards the Versys for its superior power figures. Unfortunately, my experience with Kawasaki dealers in Chennai was extremely disappointing. At the Egmore dealership, the salesperson seemed disinterested, handed me a poor-quality photocopy of the price list, and even told me nobody buys the Versys 650 and that I should look at the Z900 instead. Neither Egmore nor OMR had a display bike, and the OMR dealer said I could only test ride if a customer brought their bike in for service. Overall, the Kawasaki dealership experience left a bitter taste.

On the other hand, the Honda BigWing showroom at Saidapet was far better, and I got to test ride the NX500 and Transalp 750 back-to-back. While the NX 500 is perfect with its lightweight and nimble handling, I fell in love with the Transalp’s raw power and ease of use, even in Chennai traffic. I put down a deposit for the 2025 version launch after reading every possible review online about the improvements coming in on the 2025 Transalp 750. But what is holding me back is that I’d have to invest significantly to get the bike to a fuss-free standard (for example, upgrading to tubeless rims from the Africa Twin, which alone would cost around ₹1.5 lakh, or going for an Outex conversion).

The Versys 650 continues to tempt me, if only the dealer experience were better. Triumph was never in my consideration due to the horror stories of service experiences shared on this very forum.

However, with the updated Triumph Tiger Sport 660 launched in 2025, now featuring cornering ABS, cruise control, and quickshifters, I have brought it into my consideration list too.

About myself: I’m 5’10” tall, weighing a bit over 90 kg, and I’m looking for a comfortable motorcycle with an upright riding posture. The bike will be used primarily for riding pleasure — since I already have two cars for my daily work commutes — with around 90% of its use in Chennai city traffic, plus occasional breakfast rides and 2-3 weekend getaways annually of 400–500 km to hill stations and nearby destinations. I don’t plan on tackling any serious off-roading, apart from dealing with the broken roads and patchy stretches that are part and parcel of Indian conditions.

Given these needs, I feel a sport-tourer would suit me best. I’m currently considering the Kawasaki Versys 650 (50th edition expected in September 2025), Honda Transalp 750 (2025 updated version), and the 2025 Triumph Tiger Sport 660. I’d also welcome suggestions on any other motorcycles in the 500–900cc range that offer a blend of relaxed ergonomics, good low- and mid-range torque, and manageable weight for city riding along with better heat management than the Honda CB 350— perhaps models like the BMW 450 GS, 850 GS or even the Honda NC750X (if it ever makes its way here).

The next step is to decide which one will truly suit me.

[racingturtle]

Here is the overview of my test ride experiences.

Triumph Tiger Sport 660
Since the 2025 version of the Tiger Sport 660 is expected to launch in India by August 2025, I went ahead and test rode the current model. The bike felt similar in size — perhaps even slightly smaller — than the CB350, with a comfortable seat height. The power delivery was immediate and urgent, giving it a high-strung character that didn’t seem to enjoy slow-speed riding as much. I even tried pulling away from a traffic signal in 4th gear, and it managed without protest. However, the power delivery didn’t feel as composed or refined as the Transalp 750. Overall dealership experience was top notch.


Honda NX 500
The Honda NX500 feels tall and narrow, but when placed side by side with the NX200, it’s not easy to differentiate them at first glance. The test bike was finished in Matte Gunpowder Black Metallic — not exactly an attention-grabber, but it does its job without fuss. My only concern is that I might get bored with its linear power delivery over time. Since I usually keep my vehicles for over a decade, moving up a segment feels acceptable to me.


Transalp 750
The Transalp test bike was finished in Ross White and looked intimidating and imposing when the showroom staff rolled it out. However, once I got on board, it felt surprisingly natural to ride, even in Chennai’s hot and heavy traffic. The power delivery was smooth, yet I could sense plenty of power waiting to be unleashed. Initially, I was a bit worried about the bike being too tall, but during the ride, I realised it was perfectly suited to my height and size. It also drew plenty of attention from fellow commuters, standing tall above the crowd. Overall, it was a pleasant experience. I’ve requested an extended test ride of around 100 km, which they have agreed to in principle, though it’s still pending.

[Aditya]

The hunt for a mid-sized sports tourer - Posts moved to a new thread.

[Abh1nav]

Originally Posted by racingturtle

The next step is to decide which one will truly suit me.

I’m currently in the same boat as you, looking to upgrade to a bigger bike, mostly a middleweight Adv. Have the Vstrom 800de and Transalp 750 on my radar.

My biggest apprehension is lack of tubeless rims on both. Still not fully convinced on the aftermarket solutions for tubeless conversions. Hence, the hold up.

Within the segment you mentioned, any specific reason for not considering the Vstrom 800 de?

[after]

Originally Posted by racingturtle

About myself: I’m 5’10” tall, weighing a bit over 90 kg, and I’m looking for a comfortable motorcycle with an upright riding posture. The bike will be used primarily for riding pleasure — since I already have two cars for my daily work commutes — with around 90% of its use in Chennai city traffic, plus occasional breakfast rides and 2-3 weekend getaways annually of 400–500 km to hill stations and nearby destinations. I don’t plan on tackling any serious off-roading, apart from dealing with the broken roads and patchy stretches that are part and parcel of Indian conditions.

Welcome to the forum!

Bit different, but have you considered a Triumph Bonneville? It has a comfy, upright seating posture, plenty of torque and there's multiple variants depending on your requirements. I've seen many on the road with panniers and a top box, so you can use them for touring too. At your weight it shouldn't be too hard to manage it in traffic, either. Obviously wind protection will be lesser, but you can mount a screen to mitigate that a bit.

[racingturtle]

Originally Posted by Abh1nav

Within the segment you mentioned, any specific reason for not considering the Vstrom 800 de?

800 DE is build for better off road capabilities than Transalp. It carries a seat height of 855 mm, about 5 mm more than the Transalp, but it’s wider overall (905 mm vs. 838 mm)

800 DE is also heavier by 22 kg: Weighing in at 230 kg vs. the Transalp’s 208 kg, that extra mass—plus its width—would make it feel bulky and unwieldy for on‑road riding, especially in city commutes.

Transalp 750, though it also feels like a daunting bike, once you’re on it, the rear suspension compresses enough under your weight, effectively lowering the saddle and making it surprisingly easy to manage in real-world conditions. I was able to almost flat foot with riding boots at 178 cm height. Also it's build to be more road focused with the electronic aids and all.

Honda Transalp 750, 2025 edition now comes with Tubeless tyres fitted with Tube on the stock spoked rims. And once we go for the OUTEX tubeless kit, the added advantage of the Tubeless tyres already present comes into play, for peace of mind.

The costlier option is going for the Africa Twin rims conversion, which works out to Rs. 1.7 lakhs additional. Here also, there is no need to change the tyre as it's already tubeless. V-Strom 800 DE has no such option currently.

Originally Posted by after

Bit different, but have you considered a Triumph Bonneville? It has a comfy, upright seating posture, plenty of torque and there's multiple variants depending on your requirements.

Before going for the CB350, T100 was the bike I had my eye on as the perfect classic. But at that time, my mind was not open to a 10 lakhs plus spend as I was not sure if I would even enjoy biking after such a long gap.

I agree, I should revisit the T100 and figure out if the GC of 140 mm is a compete deal breaker or not. Thanks for the thought, I will research the bike and it's features, then take a test drive.

[shabih]

Originally Posted by racingturtle

I agree, I should revisit the T100 and figure out if the GC of 140 mm is a compete deal breaker or not. Thanks for the thought, I will research the bike and it's features, then take a test drive.

Do keep in mind that T100 also comes with spokes and in case of a puncture you will need to remove the exhaust mufflers first to access the axel nuts. If you're open to a bonnie then I'd suggest you look at the new Speed Twin 900 which is a lot more modern with better brakes, suspension, improved electronics and comparatively cheaper than T100. I own a 2017 Street Twin, which is perfect for city biking and great for highway touring.

[100Kmphormore]

Do try to get a used VStrom 650 - the V twin has that low and mid range torque, tubeless wheels, spacious for "healthily" built frames and I am seriously considering pestering one Bengaluru-based bhpian to give it to me (read as anxiety brought upon due to a recent post of his ). As for weight and saddle height issues, theres nothing a training session cant fix. I have seen a 6'4 guy fall off an Xpulse due to lack of basics and balance.

As Shumi says and my experience with the tubed, heavy Himmy 411 - there is no reason tubes should exist in 2025, especially for something is predominantly on-road especially in India. Either budget and get the tubeless done in case of the 800DE or the Transalp - its peace of mind especially on solo rides.

Also try the F900GS. Its really nimble and has quite a fast and smooth engine, with tubeless wheels.

[DieselAnna]

Since you have an inclination for the Versys 650, let me throw in a different perspective. Why don't you look at a used Versys 650? The bike has remained mostly unchanged since its inception in India. There are many used good condition bikes on sale and at mouth watering prices. As a Versys owner (I bought used in 2022), I feel new ones are grossly overpriced currently. Other bikes are much updated compared to it. Additional costs of basic accessories also pushes the price.

Having said that, Versys has remained reliable and bulletproof all these years. That should be non negotiable I guess because for these bikes, sometimes, the repair and service costs can be eye watering.

I don't know about the Tiger and NX, I have only commented on the Versys. And don't rule out a good bike just because of showroom experience, its just a 1 time thing. I am sure there would be competent FNGs for premium bikes in Chennai, if service at ASC becomes an issue.

[doonankit]

Kawasaki exprience is same almost everywhere. I can tell you it is the same in Bangalore too, extremely difficult to get test bike.

You need to prove you can buy Kawasaki as an organization to get a test ride, and you have coached Rossis's and Marquez as riding experience. And at the end all you might get is a 2 km test ride!

Coming to the point, i was in similar situation 3 months back and contemplated lot of options [Daytona 660, Versys650, Vstrom 650, CBR650R, Z900 etc etc] but settled for a used Ninja1000SX which costed as a new Versys650 cost. I know, both bikes are different but i can say you will run out of interest in a 650 after sometime.

Go for something which is nearing 100 bhp.

Thank You

[LordSharan]

Why not consider Suzuki GSX 8R, it's a perfect relaxed tourer with an excellent engine and styling that is timeless.

If you are willing to relax your budget, BMW GS850 would also be a good fit for your use-case.

[racingturtle]

Originally Posted by shabih

If you're open to a bonnie then I'd suggest you look at the new Speed Twin 900 which is a lot more modern with better brakes, suspension, improved electronics and comparatively cheaper than T100. I own a 2017 Street Twin, which is perfect for city biking and great for highway touring.

Yes, the Triumph showroom advisor had also suggested that I test ride the Speed Twin 900 back-to-back with the Tiger Sport 660, mentioning that it might actually suit me better. The test bike already had a bash plate installed.

I’d love to hear about your experience with the Speed Twins — did you encounter any ground clearance issues? I’m also curious about its performance over broken roads.

I have a bit of ground clearance anxiety from my time in Pune, where my Vento TSI would scrape on most speed breakers until I solved it by upsizing the tires.

[shabih]

Originally Posted by racingturtle

Yes, the Triumph showroom advisor had also suggested that I test ride the Speed Twin 900 back-to-back with the Tiger Sport 660, mentioning that it might actually suit me better. The test bike already had a bash plate installed.

I’d love to hear about your experience with the Speed Twins — did you encounter any ground clearance issues? I’m also curious about its performance over broken roads.

I have a bit of ground clearance anxiety from my time in Pune, where my Vento TSI would scrape on most speed breakers until I solved it by upsizing the tires.

So bought a 2017 Street Twin (Gen1), which has been fun to live with. You have to ride one to know what it can do. Quite gentlemanly in its approach, though, no rough stuff. Certain things that needed fixing on my bike were the brakes and suspension. Stock suspension was too soft, so I swapped front springs and rear with a YSS kit, and along with a better quality ride, it has largely solved my problem of ground clearance. With a pillion, you still have to be careful. It can do a little bit of softroading, in fact, with so much torque available so down low, you pretty much feel in control at the speeds you need to tackle a bad stretch of roads. There is very little engine heat to annoy you, either riding or in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Now I have heard the suspension and brakes are a lot better on the new model, so that's one more thing off your list. BUT do keep in mind that these European beauties are full of tantrums. One wrong move and they'll not stop complaining till you apologise with all your heart. I recently put a crank1 battery instead of YUASA as it was not readily available, and my bike stopped giving me ABS support . There are more such mutual exhanges of love and hate that I have now grown to live with, but all in all a memorable experience and fun bike with way less compromise compared to every other big bike that's available today.

[loco-motor-007]

@racingturtle - I know that my suggestion is not in same category, but looking at your requirements, is there no consideration for BMW C400GT or Honda X-ADV? These are maxi-scooters but still good for Chennai roads (I'm in Chennai and have been trying to get a test ride on these for quite some time now although unsuccessfully)

[racingturtle]

Originally Posted by 100Kmphormore

As Shumi says and my experience with the tubed, heavy Himmy 411 - there is no reason tubes should exist in 2025, especially for something is predominantly on-road especially in India. Either budget and get the tubeless done in case of the 800DE or the Transalp - its peace of mind especially on solo rides.

Also try the F900GS. Its really nimble and has quite a fast and smooth engine, with tubeless wheels.

Originally Posted by LordSharan

If you are willing to relax your budget, BMW GS850 would also be a good fit for your use-case.

Tubeless wheels are non-negotiable on modern bikes. With Transalp 750 in mind, I’ve been exploring sourcing tubeless rims from the Philippines. It’s a motorcycle-centric market where brands like Racing Boy (RCB) are worth considering. I was quoted around ₹1.7 lakh by the Chennai Big Wing dealer, which seems steep for something that should be standard in 2025. Even factoring in a short trip to the Philippines to bring back tubeless rim set would still land close to ₹1.7 - 2 lakhs mark

Next on the agenda is test ride of BMW GS 850 and 900, and I’m also keeping an ear out for the upcoming GS 450 (expected in November 2025), which seems promising. I would especially like to see the F 800 GS launched in India, as it might be a great match for my needs.

My budget upper limit is ₹15 lakhs, so I will have to see which of these fits in best.