Which bike for dense traffic city commutes & 150 km highway stints?

My daily commute in Chennai would also be heavily traffic filled, from Mogappair to Guindy.

BHPian Stribog recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Background - Am 5'7 and of a medium build, I prefer an upright riding position (had a nicely modded Apache RTR 180 but gave it up because of the sheer stress on the shoulders the committed riding position was causing). Am also 44 years old and the last bike I owned was the RTR which I sold off in 2020 but it had barely been used to begin with. Looking for a nice peppy bike. My current 2 wheeler ride is a used Ntorq.

For some further perspective, am based in Mumbai right now but getting back home to Chennai in April. In Mumbai I use an Ntorq (as driving a car in Marol and Saki Naka is the surest way to go insane from all the traffic), but looking to pick up a bike in Chennai. My daily commute in Chennai would also be heavily traffic filled, from Mogappair to Guindy (has metro construction in one route and a lot of traffic on the other) hence I would prefer to bike it rather than drive my car.

My budget is around 2.7-2.8 lakhs OTR max.

Bikes considered 

• Jawa 42 2.1 - I really like the Jawa, the engine seems far more refined than the clattery one I test rode 3 years ago. It's low so height is not a problem and definitely looks stunning. The service issue though is a big big question mark. Any enthusiast I have spoken with has told me to stay away. I wonder though, is it okay to just take that risk? I mean how bad can it be?

• 42 Bobber - same as above but the added issue of poor suspension. Of all my shortlisted bikes this is what the heart yearns for but is the suspension really that earth shatteringly bad? Is there even a single Bobber in this forum (indicating how poorly it's recieved?).

• Triumph Speed 400 - I loved the TD, absolutely peppy engine with oodles of mid range torque, compact so riding triangle was perfect (though I might need risers to make it even more comfy, looks good, perfect for city + shorter highway cruises. The service network though is a big question mark (though with Bajaj Triumph promising to expand it within 2024 will it continue to be an issue?) but is it that much of a deal breaker?

• Harley x 440 - the bike ticks all the boxes but is the biggest in this shortlist and while the riding geometry is okay, the height is not something am very comfortable with. Also somehow I found the Triumph Speed 400 engine more city friendly (please correct me if my understanding is wrong) the budget also would go to 3 lakhs OTR. Mind you I started with 2.2 lakhs OTR and pushed it to 2.8 (Triumph OTR price Chennai).

• Dark horse - Ronin. I really like the front and side angles but the rear is an abomination. Peppy engine, features that include the kitchen sink apparently and I can save 60-80,000 Rs over the other shortlists.

Any other suggestions? Thoughts welcome.

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

Hello, from the bikes you have shortlisted, Triumph Speed 400 is undoubtedly the best city bike. However the sitting posture will be slight leaning forward. But since you have taken the test ride already, I'm assuming you are fine with the sitting ergonomics.

I would suggest not to go for the Ronin because it is a step down from all the bikes you have considered even if you will save good money. Later you shouldn't feel that you could have bought a bigger upgrade over your Apache in terms of performance.

Another great city bike which can also do highway trips will be the newly launched Hero Mavrick 440. Since you liked the Harley but felt it is too big, try out the Mavrick as it is slightly smaller overall compared to Harley and has great comfort and torque for city riding.

My vote goes for these two - Speed400 and Mavrick440 (middle variant)

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

I've actually had the chance to run around Guindy and Chennai quite a bit recently, so I think I'm familiar with your ride conditions. Given the fact that you don't want a committed position, and you do like the Jawas and the Triumph, I think these should be on your checklist:

1. Gixxer 250: It's a nice engine, although the electronics, suspensions and display are a bit old; riding position isn't overly committed, but you should still check it out. It's not that different from the Triumph. The V-Strom 250 SX also suggests itself.

2. Honda CB350 family: I would suggest the Highness in the touring comfort trim, or the RS in touring trim. The engine is an absolute delight in the city, and it's light enough that it isn't too heavy to handle. A lot of people have liked it on the forum as well. Personally I've driven friends' bikes for a few hundred km, and I feel comfortable on the Highness, not so much on the RS (too tall for it, I think), but the engines are epic and the hardware is excellent. The electronics are a bit budget though. Much has been made of the tall gearing, but it's just a personal taste. Functionality is not affected in any way.

3. Triumph Speed 400: You're already checking this out, but the dealership issue shouldn't be annoying. Pune now has three, with four coming up, and Chennai has 4 or so, if I'm not wrong. That number is bound to increase.

4. Duke 250/ Vitpilen 250: The position is not as committed, but it will push the budget. All things aside, the new Duke is just excellent. Took a TD just for fun, and the engine is a little on the calm side for a Duke, but good fun in the city. Hardware is excellent, suspension nearly as good as the Triumph. Vitpilen should be similar.

5. RE Hunter: If you're going for this, put aside some 25 k for comfort mods, including rear shock replacements with Classic 350 shocks, a FuelX Pro, and an Easy Clutch. Electronics are typical RE. But still a better bet than a Ronin.

Essentially, I would look for something 180-185 kgs in weight, power figures around the 25 bhp mark, and torque around the 20 Nm mark. The Triumph stands out in all of those.

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

I commute in the same route everyday. Trust me, no bike is comfortable in our hot and humid climate when clubbed with peak hour traffic.

I used a CBR250R initially. It wasn't bad but could feel some heat around the legs. So I recommend not to go for a Duke (correct me if I am wrong). I then used a car but driving in 100 feet and Poonamallee road is stressful and time consuming.

Tried metro but it increased the commute time and the walk to office made me sweat a lot.

Now I use a scooter (Suzuki Avenis). It is extremely convenient to move around but the trade off is comfort. The suspensions on scooter (no matter how advanced) is never good enough. Even for a 16-20km round trip a day, it doesn't feel comfortable especially when we hit a pothole.

I am planning to go for CBR300R or switch to cycling (again not safe if you take the Poonamalle road). I liked Honda Highness but in slow speeds none of the heavy bikes are comfortable. There is always a trade-off  MT15 would be an amazing choice if not for the hard suspension.

You might also consider the 150CC segment (FZX, Xpulse, CB200X) unless you suffer from the upgrade itch like me

Choose wisely!

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

Check out the Xpulse 200 4V. 18bhp is more than sufficient for city runs. Excellent suspension (potholes, undulations, etc. are history). Can be used for city purposes, touring, off-roading, adventure, etc. Lot of feedback will be found of it underpowered. In city the engine is jerky owing to fuelling issues in 1st and 2nd gear, however 3rd onwards it runs fine. Mid-range is great to keep you moving at a brisk pace. On the highway keeps 90-95 easily, the engine is high revving, unrefined, however smooth. 90-95kmph on highways is more than decent on our Indian roads. Hero service is bad and parts availability is not readily there.

I am 46 and have been using it for the last 2 years for city and highway runs. Definition of power is a personal preference. I find the Xpulse a rugged, all purpose, take it anywhere bike.

OTR is now at 1.8 I guess, you save a lot of money in buying this. I also ride an 2015 RE TB clocking 1.4K on the odo. I too am sold on the Jawa 42, and Bobber however both Xpulse and Jawa are dodgy on the same service and performance fronts. I chose the Xpulse owing to better usability, and value for money on the buck.

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

Good looking is subjective but if you want a premium city-commuter that is peppy, the CB300F and the CB300R are great choices. Amongst non-sports bike style models, I would put more emphasis on how light the bike is and how less it heats up in traffic rather than riding position as I think these are the 2 factors that contribute to stress free city riding. Looks like there is a Big Wing sales and service center in Ambattur, so if are residing in Mogappair, that could be a plus point.

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