Query approved.

Go for R15 dude eyes closed, however long you ride it never gives you any issues like back pain or something once you get adjusted to it. Bit less power in traffic unless you love revving her otherwise she is a boon.

Advance wishes Ragingbull to get no single answer lol as each person is going to give you the model they like, which is no fault of theirs . Be prepared to get confused more. Here's some fuel to add your confusion...

Avenger 220 dtsi - Good comfortable laid back riding position; can be serviced only at Bajaj PBK.

HH Karizma ZMR - ZMA? Don't you think ZMA is good? Anyway, ZMA is titled as best touring machine in this country & needless to say anything more.

RE Thunderbird Twinspark - Good option. Expect 3 months waiting period or more in Chennai.

RE Bullet electra 350 - You may get it sooner than RE TBTS, but, are you buying this just because you want a touring machine or just compromising?

New R15 ( it may not be a good option but i love that machine ) - Wait for some more time. New R15 is on the cards. It could be a sticker job (cosmetic changes ) or something better, nothing sure at this point. Remember to do a test ride before buying. Lot of our fellow members have one, try taking a test ride for long hauls, check the comfort & go for it. No doubt its a good machine.

All the models you listed (and many more ) have pros & cons in them. Define your requirement in detail, just more than touring, mileage, VFM, reliability. Only then you'll be able to get one as all the above models meets more or less all the criteria you described.

Like Argee said welcome to the world of uncertainity......heard that parts of R15 are indegenised ......The bull needs constant attention and you will spend time and money just maintaining it...My personal experience and preference will be a ZMA-R which is VFM...if your touring speeds are within 110 Kmph...if you are looking for speeds above this then you should look for a CBR 250 or a Ninja 250, which can give you 140 Kmph comfortable speeds...Pulsar 220 with 4 valves is expected by Diwali and should be a VFM contender.
Ultimately choose as per requirements and Vitamin "M" you have.
Know your and your bike's limitations and ride within it.

Guess what, waiting till Diwali will be a good idea (if you have that much patience). Upgrades & new launches would most probably be there. Who knows Suzuki & Yamaha might also bring some new bikes. But if you want to go ahead and buy one right now, you can choose between P220F, Avenger 220 & Karizma. These ones got good seating position and good for cruising at speeds like 100-110 kmph.

Go for ZMA or ZMR.... They are the best bikes for touring...

let me add to the confusion..........

on some points i agree with aargee, but differ on others.....


why have you not considered, mighty P220, power and torque in all rpm range, seating position is more relaxed as compared to R15, very reliable, VFM package, can take you anywhere.

Yep.. Avengers ans 220s can be serviced at any Bajaj SVC, atleast here.

And my vote goes for ZMR - all the good things from ZMA + a lot more feature packed + the advantage that its a lot newer.

REs require a lot of attention and care. They come with their own set of unique problems, lack of service centers, quality issues and so on. And from my personal experience, don't go for an RE if you are not a hard core RE fan. You won't enjoy the ride.

Raging Bull, My top choices would be:
1. HH Karizma R: Engine refined, stress free at 80-90kmph cruising, japanese engine reliability, good ride quality, stability, handling.
2. RE Electra UCE: It has the best seat position for touring. Period! (The Zma R does not have a fully upright position in comparison). The engine has got good top end however it's not as refined or reliable as a Jap engine. Fuel efficiency is better than Zma. Another plus point is that it is easy to secure luggage on Electra. Also Bullets look good even with panniers, luggage racks etc.

Another good choice if you dont mind the lack of power is the Unicorn. Gem of an engine and most comfortable of the new age bikes.

Are you sure? There's a BAL showroom near my home & they don't take anything more than P180 including Avenger. That's in Chennai.

Whoa!!! Who ever gave you that info??? Did you check the UCE ones? I'll have Tarc speak up if possible who has done all way from Chennai to Goa & back on his C5. IIRC he only had his speedo cable broken in his journey.

I agree with Prince. Myself have been in such situations, not once but twice.

Once with a 4 month old Electra UCE - battery went kaput in the middle of nowhere. Later mirrors simply fell off while riding.

Second with a 6 months old std UCE. SVC mechs screwed up the carb to core. Not the bike's fault, but shows how bad is the RE service.

Is this what Prince had said on leaky cylinder heads & stopping in middle of nowhere?

@raging bull : what's your riding style man???what do you prefer???would you like to corner on twisties or simply glide over the road in a stretched position???

I guess answering this question will help you eradicate some confusion,at least...

look...almost all of us like almost all classes of bikes...but everyone has a different taste...there are people who have done a world tour on R1..so technically..it is the matter of personal choice...whatever you have listed here,as argee said, have their own pros and cons..decision depends on what you want to do with them...

regarding the bikes,,i guess by now you must have enough idea of what each one has and what hasnt...

all the best...

I think it will be better to go with HH ZMR or Karizma R