hi, can someone please tell me contact numbers of importers of new bikes in india (any city). I want to buy a brand new 600+ BMW or Yamaha or suzuki or ducati.
Please help me.
Praveen

[manson]

don't go for a ducati , spares in india would be really difficult man .
I would go for a slightly used 2003 1000 cc bike instead as it would cost you the same as a brand new 600 cc ! anyways it all depends on how much you want to spend !

anson .

[Vulken Auto]

benz man is the right one to comment.

[powerslave12r]

If this is your first SBK don't go beyond a 600. In either case, although I'm a Kawi man, I'd say Hondas are best imports for India. This is simply coz the spares are more easily available compared to other manufacturers. So you could choose between a F3,F2,F1 or a new F4i. The RR seriuous are sportier and have a more extreme seating which is not meant for city use. Best buy would be a nice CBR600F4i.
If you are importing a brand new Bike, you could get yourself a Kawasaki Zx-6R. Not RR. That way you can get spares imported too. Nothing and I mean nothing compares to a Green Ninja.

Ducati would be very expensive to buy and maintain. Yamaha you could buy the R6 but it's a very track oriented bike. Very very sharp handling but not as comfortable as a Honda.
Best bet would be a CBR and if you wanna stand out from the now common CBRs, the Kawi Zx6R is the best bet.

[winniemax2004]

hey prav contact me if posible i know a guy but i dont want to reveal his name and number in public so this is my mail id winniemax2004@yahoo.co.uk

[iceman91]

hey pyscho knows someone in bangalore. check with him
also nitrous of chennai is in the bike scene. check with him

[SCARLET]

there is one guy JOE in bangalore who gets imported bikes brand new
somewhere in infantry road

it would caot you around 8 lakhs for a R6 and 10 for a R1

[wanderlustindia]

Bumping up a thread that is almost a decade old! Couldn't find a more suitable one to post my query.

Times have changed since 2005. We can now get legal bikes above the 600 cc category from biggies like Suzuki, Yamaha, HD, Triumph, Honda, et al.

Call it a mid-life crisis!

I've been motorcycles since 2003 ever since 'Gandhiji' started to may way into my pockets. Mainly have been a 'Bullet' guy, having owned 3 of them in the past (Electra 350, Lightning 500 and the Classic 500). I think I've outgrown the 'Bullet' fanaticism to a large extent (no disrespect to current Bullet owners intended). Make no mistake, I think they are great motorcycles inspite of all the quirks that come along with them. But I'm beyond them now!

With time, the financial situation has also improved and hence, I can now afford to own a more expensive proposition. Moreover, the Indian motorcycle has seen a sea-change from the dreary days of the early 2000s. They are more and more options at our disposal. More power to the customer!

So, I'm in the market for a motorcycle with a budget of 8-10 lacs.
Vital stats: I'm 5'10", well-built chap, weigh around 85 kilos.

Thinking out loud, here are my requirements:

1. Will be mainly a lifestyle vehicle. My daily drive is going to be a four-wheeler (Fiesta 1.6 S). Although, I would not rule out the occasional city jaunt to work either!
2. Ideally I'd like to go for a 'new' one but I would not rule out a pre-worshipped one either
3. Good touring capabilities (I devour miles once I hit the road)
4. Reasonably good availability of spares in Mumbai/Pune (CBUs may have trouble with this aspect, I reckon!)
5. Respectable fuel efficiency
6. Don't have to sell my house to repair for a fall (God forbid!) or a general service
7. Reliable A.S.S
8. Does not have to be a go-anywhere motorcycle.

I know that there are now a plethora of options to choose from or so it seems! It is a big purchase, so I want to make sure I'm ticking all the boxes.

My long-list (in no particular order) after a bit of research online:

1. Yamaha FZ1 (just around the 10L mark; I've seen used examples for much less, though)
2. Suzuki Bandit (new is beyond budget; so look for in the used bike market; haven't seen many examples so might be difficult to find one)
3. Triumph Street Triple (around 9L; naked styling, rave reviews)
4. Kawasaki Z800 (big bike feel, weighty, aggressive naked styling, superbly priced, should come under 9L OTR)
5. Harley Davidson Iron 883/Superlow 883 (will need a lot of customization to make it touring-worthy; not usable in stock form for touring)
6. Triumph Bonneville (deceptively quick for its staid looks; a worthy upgrade coming from a Bullet 500)
7. Kawasaki Ninja 650 (superb touring machine; decent for the occassional city jaunts too)
8. Harley Davidson Street bob (new is beyond budget; look for in the used bike market; less likelihood of finding one!)

Appreciate your thoughts, folks.

[djay99]

Originally Posted by wanderlustindia

With time, the financial situation has also improved and hence, I can now afford to own a more expensive proposition. Moreover, the Indian motorcycle has seen a sea-change from the dreary days of the early 2000s. They are more and more options at our disposal. More power to the customer!

I would suggest you to first arrive at a decision whether you wanna buy a cruiser or a sports bike.

Do include Speed Triple (you may need to stretch your budget) if you would like to go for a sports bike since it got oodles of torque and is a nice highway tourer (or cruiser) when compared to Street Triple.

Less expensive option would be Ninja 650. If you like it then look no further as it is best bike for touring in indian conditions.

[dustom_99]

Depends on what you call touring! If 400-500km a day riding solo on highway is good enough , look no further than sportsters! 48 is one hot bike and they will only require sundowner seat for long day on road.
You will get lots of ready made friends to tour with!
Bikes have proved to be reliable After spending several indian summers , when launched people said they would not survive.
Bonnie is another worthy option, if you do not get fed up of looking at it day after day!

In any case you will out grow the stock power of all the above mentioned as you will get used to acceleration!
Wanting more is never ending story!
Custom parts are not must on any vehicle, people do it because want to!

[wanderlustindia]

Originally Posted by djay99

Do include Speed Triple (you may need to stretch your budget) if you would like to go for a sports bike since it got oodles of torque and is a nice highway tourer (or cruiser) when compared to Street Triple.

Less expensive option would be Ninja 650. If you like it then look no further as it is best bike for touring in indian conditions.

The Speed Triple is well above 10L OTR and will be a big stretch. I'm not ruling out the Ninja 650R but fear that I may quickly outgrow it for want of more power. For now, it remains in the list.

Originally Posted by dustom_99

In any case you will out grow the stock power of all the above mentioned as you will get used to acceleration!
Wanting more is never ending story!
Custom parts are not must on any vehicle, people do it because want to!

Yeah, I agree! But I'm hoping I can keep one, ride one for atleast 2-3 years before thinking of an upgrade. If I had the luxury of an extra few lacs, I'd have gone a segment higher rightaway but that is not the case right now. So, the options I've listed are the best I've got.

[harsha.muvva]

Originally Posted by wanderlustindia

Good touring capabilities (I devour miles once I hit the road)

This depends a lot on rider than the ride.

There are people who can easily do 700-800 kms a day on super-sports like r1,fire blade..etc without any complaints and yet there are people for whom 200 kms breakfast runs itself are a big deal. But just because few are comfortable we can't call them as comfortable.

what i meant to say is it varies from individual to individual, now that Triumph and HD are giving test-drives you can drop-in and check it out for yourself.

. Reasonably good availability of spares in Mumbai/Pune (CBUs may have trouble with this aspect, I reckon!)

regular spares and consumables like brake pads,air/oil filters,clutch cables..etc will be always available with most of the showrooms.
however in case of crash, its a different story

. Respectable fuel efficiency

you can get a fair idea on this by speaking to owners of that particular bike

. Don't have to sell my house to repair for a fall (God forbid!) or a general service

A zero-depriciation comprehensive insurance will take care of that

. Yamaha FZ1 (just around the 10L mark; I've seen used examples for much less, though)

Since i own a fz1 and having done nearly 7,000 kms on it,here are my observations
- I find the riding position comfortable( compared to super-sports), however NINJA 650/ BANDIT have very much relaxed riding position compared to it

- Just keep in mind that, its just a detuned R1 engine,It has got all the power which we will ever need. Acceleration is mad especially in high-revs

- Makes typical inline-4 sound and manages to catch attention,but not as much as a faired super-sports

- Like any other naked it has wind-blast at high speeds, but less when compared to other nakeds like street triple/z800/z1000

. Suzuki Bandit (new is beyond budget; so look for in the used bike market; haven't seen many examples so might be difficult to find one)

If you are Ok with the dated looks of bandit,nothing like it.
It is one bike which can take you from Kanyakumari to Leh without breaking a sweat

. Triumph Street Triple (around 9L; naked styling, rave reviews)

i find the wind-blast to be little high and the way it delivers power is amazing.
You can have a test-drive and decide for yourself

. Kawasaki Z800 (big bike feel, weighty, aggressive naked styling, superbly priced, should come under 9L OTR)

Have heard a lot about this and must say this one fantastic machine.
Just plonk in a wind-screen you are take it wherever you want to!

Very well priced IMHO

. Triumph Bonneville (deceptively quick for its staid looks; a worthy upgrade coming from a Bullet 500)

This definitely is a worthy upgrade if you are ok with old school looks and muted exhaust sound

. Kawasaki Ninja 650 (superb touring machine; decent for the occassional city jaunts too)

-Like you said it is a superb touring machine and gives you the needed kick for those occasional high speeds.
-It has got enough power to over-take almost anything on our highways and a very good power delivery too
-Very comfortable riding position(you can literally ride it all the day and still feel fresh)
-No problem of wind blast,thanks to the big wind-screen
-Upgrade the brakes and you have best machine under 8 lakhs!


NOTE : With the kind of budget you are having, you can buy almost any big bike you want to ( either pre-owned or new), so go for the one which makes you grin like kid every time you see/ride it

Regards,
harsha

[dustom_99]

883 will be most upgradable set of wheels! Few months into ownership , you can upgrade to better seat / filters exhaust .
Again after 6 or so months upgrade to new map! Sissy bars/ handle bars , fenders or whatever you feel is needed.
Upgrade to bigger engine in few years of ownership . 1200/1250/1400cc whatever you want to stop at.
Then upgrade to better clutch.
Later that decade upgrade to fat rear wheel putting on 240rear.
Than upgrade to raked front end .
Wait i can go on whole night without even getting into bling!

Imagine all the fun of all this shopping ! Refreshing you and your ride every now and then

[ankitwanchoo]

Originally Posted by wanderlustindia

Mainly have been a 'Bullet' guy, having owned 3 of them in the past (Electra 350, Lightning 500 and the Classic 500). I think I've outgrown the 'Bullet' fanaticism to a large extent (no disrespect to current Bullet owners intended). Make no mistake, I think they are great motorcycles inspite of all the quirks that come along with them. But I'm beyond them now!

With time, the financial situation has also improved and hence, I can now afford to own a more expensive proposition.

Hi wanderlustindia,

Reading your post takes me back exactly two and half to three months back when I was in almost the same situation that you are in!!!! You have to read this to believe me, http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/superb...treet-bob.html


I'll try and give my 2 cents to some of your points although might be biased towards what I ride!

3. Good touring capabilities (I devour miles once I hit the road)

Street Bob is fantastic for touring however this is based on my ODO being at 3200kms in two months of riding the bike and the longest I have ridden is only 350kms. Am itching to take the bike on a long ride up the hills and would probably be doing that next month. How she behaves on really bad patches of read, only time will tell.

4. Reasonably good availability of spares in Mumbai/Pune (CBUs may have trouble with this aspect, I reckon!)

If you end up picking up an HD, be prepared for an exorbitant expenses on accessories and spares. If you read my thread, you will realize I just paid INR 3.2 to fix a puncture. Not trying to dissuade you from picking up but generally warming you up to the idea of opening a savings account where you start regularly saving for Harley accessories and spares once you come into the fold.

5. Respectable fuel efficiency

I get almost 18kmpl in the city and 20kmpl on highway rides and fill the extra premium petrol

6. Don't have to sell my house to repair for a fall (God forbid!) or a general service

You wouldn't need to as you would have already sold it while accessorizing your ride

3. Triumph Street Triple (around 9L; naked styling, rave reviews)

I test rode this for a very very short ride and didn't like the position. Moreover since you are bulleteer, I have a feeling you would be more home on a cruiser rather than a naked street bike however this is my perception!

4. Kawasaki Z800 (big bike feel, weighty, aggressive naked styling, superbly priced, should come under 9L OTR)

Haven't had the opportunity to have ridden this but again saw it at the showroom and felt it might be a tad bit uncomfortable for touring. Looks nice though

5. Harley Davidson Iron 883/Superlow 883 (will need a lot of customization to make it touring-worthy; not usable in stock form for touring)

Well you and I are of the same height although i've been on an aggressive weight loss diet, even after losing 9 kgs in four months am still a couple of kilos over your weight. I found the Iron/ Superlow a bit small for my frame. Fantastic bikes, more manoeuvrable than my Street Bob, falls within your budget and is a sure head-turner

6. Triumph Bonneville (deceptively quick for its staid looks; a worthy upgrade coming from a Bullet 500)

Fantastic bike and beats the Iron/ Superlow hands down in everything (handling, braking, suspension, ride dynamics) except looks and the branding. It looks quite like our bullets however that's where the similarity ends but then again like a Bullet is a Bullet, a Harley is a Harley. You can keep looking at any Harley and not get tired of it however the same does not hold true for a Bonnie.

7. Kawasaki Ninja 650 (superb touring machine; decent for the occassional city jaunts too)

I had almost bought this from a friend's friend but thank god, he was traveling and I got a day to mull over it. Had he not been traveling, I would have not been writing this.
N650 is a great bike, excellent riding position and you could ride this all day and not get fatigued. The fairing and wind screen do an excellent job of cutting down the wind blast which is quite a headache on Harley/ other non faired, non windscreen equipped bikes especially once you cross the triple digit speeds.
I could put you in touch with the person from whom I was buying the N650
as I guess he hasn't sold it yet. The bike was in pristine condition but this would be in Gurgaon, guess you stay in Mumbai so might not be worthwhile. Anyways let me know if you want me to?

8. Harley Davidson Street bob (new is beyond budget; look for in the used bike market; less likelihood of finding one!)

Now you are in my territory. I'll reiterate what djay99 said above, you would need to decide whether you want a cruiser or not. I would say go for the Street Bob if you can stretch your budget a bit.

[Axe77]

Mod Note : Please do NOT reply to posts using bold text within a quoted post, as it leads to visual discomfort for readers. Additionally, it's inconvenient to quote & reply to such a post.

For the correct way to quote, please see this thread. Thanks!

Nice list there, I'm in the market in a similar budget but I've decided to wait 6 - 8 months and then take the plunge. Here's my 2 cents on the machines I do have a view on. I'm personally not an HD fan but if you're considering them you should also consider the 48. Its a gorgeous looking machine and if you can overlook the lesser tank range its worth considering.

Bikes 3. 4. and 6. are ones I am actively considering as well although the Kawi is more or less out because its simply too imposing and big for my height and frame. My replies are within your post below.

Originally Posted by wanderlustindia

Thinking out loud, here are my requirements:
My long-list (in no particular order) after a bit of research online:

1. Yamaha FZ1 (just around the 10L mark; I've seen used examples for much less, though)
2. Suzuki Bandit (new is beyond budget; so look for in the used bike market; haven't seen many examples so might be difficult to find one)
3. Triumph Street Triple (around 9L; naked styling, rave reviews)

An absolutely outstanding machine and pretty much tops almost every review I read on its specific segment with its direct competitors. I did TD this machine and I felt it rode too much on the boil. It didn't seem to be a great option to peacefully potter about town, just wants to be revved and ridden hard and that'll be where its USP will lie. The position is also 'slightly' on the more aggressive side compared to some of the other options. Again, this depends on each person's frame and maybe you'll find it comfortable enough for your touring requirements. It does come with ABS and I think that should be a HUGE advantage over some of the options here, a factor not to be ignored.

4. Kawasaki Z800 (big bike feel, weighty, aggressive naked styling, superbly priced, should come under 9L OTR)

Looks drop dead stunning. Has ABS I believe so ticks the all important safety box. The Street Triple and Z800 are direct competitors so worth reading some online comparos as well. Its really big and heavy though so you'll need to see if you're comfortable in all scenarios. You seem to have the required build to handle it. Kawasaki should also mean reasonable peace of mind although the annoying factor is despite all their footprint reach, they are only selling this model through their Pune dealership, not from Mumbai (there's also one in Delhi I know). The other factor is they apparently are leaving all RTO registration formalities for non Pune buyers to the customers. I think this is really daft but that's how Bajaj operates. They have super products but just don't seem to be able to take a cue from people like HD on upping the whole customer experience from sale to ownership. I also don't know if Mumbai dealerships are equipped to service these bikes if they can't sell so another thing to think about

5. Harley Davidson Iron 883/Superlow 883 (will need a lot of customization to make it touring-worthy; not usable in stock form for touring)

The HDs look beautiful but the ground clearance is spectacularly low, this particular range is not the most refined to ride and the ride quality is really bad. I rode a 48 for a few days and even the smallest speed breaker had to be crawled over. Really annoying and I'm not saying they're not good machines but the above factors heavily dissuade me from buying one for myself. The advantage is that they've really got the best riding groups, both HD supported and otherwise. One buys a bike to be able to ride with groups and the options available with HD are the best, hands down. HD is also extremely customer focussed at every leg and that's another thing which could lean you in their favour. Final point, no ABS in any of the HDs right up to 48, although I'm told that may change for the newer 48s that get launched. Really not sure on this though.

6. Triumph Bonneville (deceptively quick for its staid looks; a worthy upgrade coming from a Bullet 500)

Let me start with the two negatives: no ABS and really plain looking. Although it does have a certain charm its not a head turner like the Iron 883 / 48. The Iron is like the beautiful looking kid everyone admires. The Bonnie has its charm but that's most appreciated through the biased loving eyes of its own parent (rider). Won't really turn any other heads.
Other than that, as a machine, it beats the HDs at least on every count: beautifully refined, much better ride quality, comfortable ground clearance. It just brought a smile to my face as I rode it. Also extremely comfortable overall and much more easily rideable in the city as well as on an open road. If only it had ABS this would be my choice without a second thought. The only thing that might make me keep considering a street triple is the ABS factor.

7. Kawasaki Ninja 650 (superb touring machine; decent for the occassional city jaunts too)

Its a great bike but given your budget, I'd say some of the other options out there will bring you a lot more joy of ownership than the N650. That's just my view based on a couple of days I spent riding it in Thailand. At no point did I feel I'd really like to go home and buy this bike.

8. Harley Davidson Street bob (new is beyond budget; look for in the used bike market; less likelihood of finding one!)

If you must buy a Harley then these are the machines to go for. There's one caveat though, once you get into this price point, there are some seriously more competent and desirable options out there from a riding perspective. The Ninja 1000 for instance is a hands down better machine on every front. Then there's the Honda CB 1000R, Kawi Z1000 etc as well. Of course the Ninja 1000 wont be around in the second hand market so I guess that skews the analysis somewhat. The only reason to buy these machines is if you are veering to HD for the riding group access and experience. Otherwise too many option out there that offer way more bike for that kind of money.