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Buying my 1st motorcycle at 18: What engine capacity bike do I buy?

I'm looking for something which offers both practicality & performance.

BHPian OffTheLine recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello everyone welcome to this thread. I searched far and wide across the lands of Team-Bhp and could not find anything related to which CC (engine capacity) is the best for a first-time biker. I am 5'3 and will turn 18 next year and wanted to know about a could beginner motorcycle that provides a balance of performance and practicality. All help is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Here's what BHPian WhiskeyTangoFox had to say on the matter:

I think that there are two things that you need to consider whilst buying your first bike.

  1. Displacement/CC isn't all that big a deal. The power that the bike produces is more important
  2. The purpose of the Bike you're looking for and what you're looking to achieve with your motorcycle.

With regard to the first point, we have a wide range of options in the motorcycle market today across various price points, having various styles and of course, various types of engines suited to various purposes. To better help you understand this, let me tell you about my use case. My 2022 Himalayan is my first motorcycle, which I purchase just about a year ago. I had owned an Ather for a few months prior but hadn't ridden anything beyond a couple of scooters or a cycle prior to that.

My intentions with my bike were pretty clear. I wanted a comfortable motorcycle and also always wanted to tour the country and travel to different places. Hence ADVs always appealed to me over other types of bikes. I learnt to ride a motorcycle on my friend's Yamaha FZS and SP 125 (Not because they were low on displacement, but because those were the only bikes at my disposal at the time ). After this, I test-rode my friend's Himalayan and fell in love with the bike. A lot of people said, "Listen, 400cc is way too much for a beginner", but I would be quick to point out to them that it makes only about 24hp, which is IMO perfect for a beginner (Not too much to get carried away, but not too little to get bored easily). The high low-end torque also helped me better master my clutch action whilst being forgiving.

So I would say look for a bike that has between 20-25 HP, coupled with your purpose for this bike. Make sure to test-ride the bikes in contention before making your choice, and do update this thread with your contemplations/decisions. Cheers!

Here's what BHPian JJay had to say on the matter:

My sister was in a similar situation, as she wanted to start motorcycling with a "basic" bike but couldn't decide where to start. She is 5'2" and around 57 kg. We started our hunt with TVS Sport. Following were our shortlisted bikes before we finalized Avenger Street 160.

  • TVS Sport: She said would better ride her Access
  • Splendor: Narrow body and handlebar, Short seat height but again, she didn't want to be seen on Splendor (understandable).
  • TVS Raider: She didn't like the front look (She said its front is "exposed" and ugly).
  • Apache 160 2V/180 2V: She liked the looks and was comfortable riding it but SA didn't know when they would get the next lot with updated emission norms. SA was pushing towards 4V but she didn't like the looks.
  • Hero Glamour 125, Xtreme 160, Pulsar NS 125/160/200, Scram 411: No problem with looks but rejected due to taller seat height.
  • TVS Ronin: Felt heavier and didn't like meter console placement,
  • RE Hunter 350: Loved looks and torque but riding posture was not comfortable, after the test ride she felt pain in her wrist.
  • Unicorn 160: Loved its simple looks and smoothness (test rode friend's Bs4 model), but the seat is taller and felt hard to manage in the city,
  • RE Meteor 350: Loved looks and torque but was VERY heavy to manage in the city and traffic, plus she was getting too much attention on the road which she didn't like,
  • Avenger Cruise 220: Too much chrome,
  • Avenger Street 160: Loved the new all-black look, very Comfortable, Neither heavy nor light, larger bike feeling without noise, low seat height.

Booked one on 15th April, made full payment the next day and got oven fresh BS 6.2 piece delivered on 17th with E20 sticker on the tank. According to SA, our bike was the first E20 Compliant Avenger in our city.

So, for you, I would recommend Apache 180 2V and Avenger Street 160 / Cruise 220 considering your height and that you are being new to riding. I would not suggest entry-level bikes as you would outgrow them in literally no time and well, though they are practical you are too young to consider that kind of practicality. But at the same time also advise you to focus on mechanicals, ride quality and comfort and not some fancy screens and riding modes and connectivity and all.

Here's what BHPian dkaile had to say on the matter:

I hope you have first learnt to ride a bike. If not, first do that! Beg, borrow or steal, get a second-hand bike that fits your frame and where you can flat foot your feet. Grab it from a relative or buy it. I would suggest anything from the 100~125cc capacity to start off with. It may be 10-12 years old, doesn't matter. After living with it for a couple of months you will be able to understand what really excites you. Take a new bike decision then.

Here's what BHPian Oppanna had to say on the matter:

My 2 cents. Since you are a beginner please go with any bike with 100 to 150cc and not more than that. Blindly suggesting motorcycles under 150cc because you have not mentioned your requirements. Is it for Commuting? Daily Errands? Touring?

If I were you I would have picked up a well-maintained second-hand bike, would have learnt to ride properly, gain experience and once I started earning would have upgraded to a higher-capacity motorcycle.

By doing so you are gaining riding experience plus saving a huge sum of money for your parents! along with you getting to know whether you like motorcycles or not!

Do think about it.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

 
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