In the global motorcycle market, we have seen the constant growth of large capacity adventure bikes. They eventually were selling than most other motorcycle segments.
To stay relevant, every motorcycle brand had to offer a bike in that segment to stay relevant in the changing market conditions.
As the adventure bike market evolved, the engine capacity on these offerings constantly grew in size.
Eventually it reached a point where these bikes became so big, as to be unwieldy in the dirt. An area, where they were supposed to shine.
Having a real adventure was getting more and more difficult on them.
This made manufacturers turn their focus on building and selling smaller capacity adventure bikes. Which was bound to happen with growing markets like India and South East Asia, demanding small capacity bikes at a lower price tag.
The companies benefited as these bikes were possible to be sold in the Western markets to A2 licence holders. A win-win situation for everyone involved. Especially the riding enthusiast.
But if we keep all that aside for a moment. The question arises, how does an adventure bike benefit you, in your real world riding conditions?
Why buy an Adventure bike?
Here's a few reason why you should consider buying a small capacity adventure bike:
Light Weight: These bikes are much lighter than the big adventure bikes. If you have ever ridden no dirt, then you know that a fall will happen eventually. There is no escaping it. Lifting a small capacity bike is much easier than a heavy one. Especially if you like your adventures solo!
Easier Handling: School taught basic physics, tells you that the lower the mass, the easier it is to change direction. These lighter ADVs are easier not just to handle on the trails, but are better for city commuting as well. Which is an important factor, since most bikes we buy, end up being used for commuting a lot.
Pocket Friendly: Easier on your wallet, not just at the time of purchase. But even in ownership. You end up spending much less, considering spiraling fuel prices.
Designed to Fall: These bikes are built for the dirt. Therefore, a fall is mandatory. Manufacturers design these bikes to be dropped and still suffer minimal damage.
Go Anywhere: These bikes are built to take you anywhere. Long after the road comes to an end. The limits of your adventure suddenly opens up to much wider horizons than previously imagined.
Endurance Ergonomics: Since these bikes are built expecting the rider to go touring. Comfort is a major factor in design. You can ride these bikes for many hours a day and still be relatively fresh in comparison to other kind of motorcycles.
Road Handling: Earlier with suspension and chassis design, dirt bikes used to be terrible to ride on the road. Now thanks to better design and metallurgy, new ADV motorcycles handle fantastically on the road as well. A good rider can make an ADV a proper canyon carver!
Function over Form: Unlike most other motorcycle segments, in which physical appearances play an important role. In Adventure bikes, function takes precedence over form. It is easier to live with these bikes for this very reason. Of course looks are subjective and ADV bikes are no different.
How Big is Too Big?
How big or small an ADV bike should you buy? Is it possible for a bike to be too big or too small? What is the sweet spot in which you want to find yourself?
In the small capacity adventure bikes in India, you can buy a bike right from 200 cc, which goes up all the way to 500 cc. There are of course even bigger bikes, but that is beyond the scope of this article.
Some motorcycles are more inclined towards the dirt, while others are more keen on the road.
Choosing an ADV motorcycle is subjective to the rider's requirements. A bike perfect for you, is not necessary the best option for your friend!
Choices!
The Indian motorcycle market currently has a lot of options for you to choose from.
Here's our list of options in ascending engine capacity order:
Honda CB 200X | Price: INR 1,47,535 Ex-Showroom Delhi
We start with a bike which doesn't entirely fit on this list. It is here more because of its ADV looks, rather than genes.
Honda positions this as a smart commuter motorcycle, rather than a full blown adventure bike.
It has a 184.4 cc engine, which produces 12.7 kw and weighs just 147 kg.
This motorcycle makes sense, if the maximum time you are going to be spending riding is city commutes.
Positives: Lightweight, tubeless tyres, perfectly tuned suspension and excellent handling.
Negatives: Insufficient power for highways or trails. 17-inch wheels aren't made for trails. A poor 167 mm of ground clearance, will not clear any trail obstacles.
Hero Xpulse 200 4V | Price: INR 1,36,378 Ex-Showroom Delhi
The Hero Xpulse 200 4V is an excellent option for somebody looking to spend a lot of time on the trails. It is small and comes at a great price.
Equipped with a 199.6 cc engine, it produces 19.1 PS of power and weighs 158 kg.
You get a proper 21-inch front wheel for handling trail obstacles.
Positives: Lightweight, excellent suspension for trails, large front wheel and good ground clearance.
Negatives: Small tank, insufficient power for highway riding, tube type tyres.
KTM 250 Adventure | Price: INR 2,44,205 Ex-Showroom Delhi
A powerful adventure bike which is oozing its Austrian genes. The KTM 250 Adventure has a 248.76 cc engine which produces 30 PS and weighs 177 kg.
An excellent machine for riders looking for a bike which will be comfortable on the trails, highways and for commuting as well. While returning decent fuel efficiency.
Positives: Good power, decent weight, acceptable fuel capacity and range, slipper clutch, liquid cooled. It also has great handling and braking characteristics. 200 mm ground clearance is also acceptable for the trails.
Negatives: 855 mm of saddle height, makes it uncomfortable for many Indian riders. Especially while commuting in the city.
Benelli TRK 251 | Price: INR 2,79,000 Ex-Showroom Delhi (Approx.)
Benelli claims that the TRK 251 is your entry to adventure, and they are not way off the mark. It has a 249 cc engine which produces 19 kw and weighs 164 kg unladen. Which means its kerb weight would be around 185 kg.
It has all the characteristics of an adventure machine and is a great option for people looking to buy something different.
Positives: Good looking machine which is more road biased. 18 litre fuel tank gives you incredible range on the highway.
Negatives: A bit on the heavier side to be thrown around in the trails. The company also has fewer customer touch points as compared to other brands in India.
Suzuki V-Strom SX | Price: INR 2,11,600 Ex-Showroom Delhi
A motorcycle from the Japanese manufacturer, which has 'do it all' attitude. It sports a 249 cc engine producing 26.5 Ps of power and weighs a light 167 kg.
Positives: 19-inch front wheel for good off-road manners. Power is sufficient for the trails and for highway runs. 205 mm ground clearance is also decent. Tubeless tyres is a plus.
Negatives: A tiny 12-litre fuel tank.
BMW G 310 GS | Price: INR 3,10,000 Ex-Showroom
A bike which is perfect for those who are fans of BMW and have always wanted a BMW parked in their garage. Th G 310 GS has a 313 cc engine which produces 34 hp and weighs 175 kg.
It is a capable highway muncher and of course comes with the iconic badge.
Positives: A refined engine with a solid build. It also has a good suspension with neutral handling to make it easy to use in all conditions. Built primarily for road use, it is okay to be used on gravel roads, but not any hardcore trails. That being said, the 19-inch front wheel helps overcome many a trail obstacle.
Negatives: 11 litre fuel tank is small for highway distances. You pay a premium for the brand, so the price is on the higher side for the bike you are getting.
Yezdi Adventure | Price: INR 2,12,900 Ex- Showroom Delhi
An adventure from the well known Yezdi brand in India. But this new machine is from the reborn stables of Jawa-Yezdi.
Whether you like it or not, this bike resembles the Royal Enfield Himalayan. Which is not surprising, considering the Himalayan is the benchmark in adventure bikes in India.
This adventure has a 334 cc mill putting out 30.2 Ps of power and weighs 188 kg. Which is a bit on the higher side.
Positives: 21-inch front spoke wheel allows this Adventure to tackle some serious trails. The bike also comes with a relatively large 15.5 litre fuel tank, giving you decent highway range, before you are forced to stop.
Negatives: Not as many customer support points in comparison to other Indian brands.
KTM 390 Adventure | Price: INR 3,37,043 Ex-Showroom Delhi
The larger sibling of the 250 Adventure, the 390 takes the adventure up a few notches.
It is one of the quickest bikes in this list and is great for trails, commuting and clocking up miles on the highway.
You get a whopping 43.5 Ps of power from its 373.27 cc engine, with a weight of just 177 kg.
An excellent all-rounder for people looking for power and modern electronics to keep all that power in control.
Positives: Power to weight ratio is excellent on this bike. 200 mm of ground clearance is decent for trail riding. A stellar chassis and suspension combination to give you nimble handling. Braking performance on this bike is better than the competition. The 14.5 litre fuel tank is decent, but not great for highway cruising.
Negatives: 855 mm high saddle will be problematic for a lot of Indian riders. The presence of more electronics means that there is more things which can fail. It is available at a premium price compared to other offerings in the market.
Royal Enfield Himalayan | Price: INR 2,14,000 Ex-Showroom Delhi
A motorcycle which changed the face of touring and adventure motorcycling in India. Royal Enfield opened up the market for other brands to follow, after seeing the success of the Himalayan.
Synonymous with adventure, this bike has a 411 cc engine, putting out 24.3 bhp and weighs 199 kg. An excellent all-rounder at a phenomenal price.
Positives: Excellent value for money. You are getting a lot of bike for the price you pay. Great off-road manners. Also an okay machine for cruising on the highway. A 21-inch front wheel coupled with 220 mm of ground clearance shows its off-road bias. Saddle height of 800 mm makes it more accessible for many more riders.
Negatives: 199 kg makes it one of the heavier bikes on this list. A long stroke engine means it has good torque, but not quite the punch to accelerate away on highways and commutes. Tube type tyres. Brakes aren't at the level of the competition.
Honda CB 500X | Price: INR 5,79,952 Ex-Showroom Delhi
A twin-cylinder motorcycle and the only one on this list. The 471 cc parallel twin produces 35 kw and weighs 199 kg.
Difficult to compare this Honda with any other bike on this list. It has a very different price point and engine configuration to make it an apples to apples comparison.
Perfect for people looking for the smoothness of a Honda and who would like to go adventure touring around the country without a worry.
Positives: A parallel-twin engine which is super smooth. More than sufficient power for highways and trails. 17.7 litre fuel tank gives you good range on the highway. 19-inch front wheel rolls over most bumps of the trails.
Negatives: 181 mm of ground clearance isn't great to have on rougher trails.
Is there a best from the rest?
Each motorcycle on this list gives you good reason to buy it. And a few reasons not to buy it.
Which bike is perfect for you, depends entirely on your requirements.
Those looking for adventure without burning a hole in their pocket can buy the Hero Xpulse.
Overall capabilities brings you the KTM 390 Adventure, but at a price.
Value for money is best enjoyed with the Royal Enfield Himalayan.
The only twin-cylinder you get is the Honda CB 500X.
Currently we Indian motorcycling enthusiasts are lucky to have this range and options of adventure motorcycles available to us.
Depending on our use, budget and adventure quotient, we can find the near perfect motorcycle.
from ஆட்டோமொபைல் https://ift.tt/4J6csBw
0 Comments