I have a budget of around two lakh rupees and I want a bike that is very comfortable to ride for my daily commute in Mumbai. Decent mileage and good quality are important, but my main priority is comfort as I have a back problem and the roads I ride on are very bumpy. I am thinking about going for a cruiser style motorcycle.
Faiz, via email
Autocar India says: It is a common perception that cruiser motorcycles are the most comfortable as they have a relaxed feet-forward riding position and are positioned as easy-going motorcycles. However that isn’t the case on our roads, because the feet-forward riding position means that most of the impact from bad roads is directly transferred to the rider’s back. Since you mentioned that you have back issues, we’d suggest you avoid this category of bikes.
The best option for comfort would be an ADV bike and there’s only one that fits the bill under your budget – the new Hero Xpulse 210. We have found it to be highly comfortable with a good upright seating position and excellent suspension that dispenses bad roads without any issues. It also has a peppy engine that makes an entertaining sound, has decent performance and it returns reasonable fuel efficiency as well. The only two downsides are that it has tubed tyres which will be an inconvenience if you have a puncture and that it has a relatively tall seat.
If the Xpulse is not for you, we would advise that you consider something like the Royal Enfield Classic 350, Royal Enfield Hunter 350 or the Honda CB350 H’ness (or any other Honda 350cc bike). All three are comfortable for city rides, but each will fit you slightly differently so a test ride will give you an idea of which one you prefer.
