Re: 400cc+ motorcycle with upright seating position: does it exist in the Indian market?

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Re: 400cc+ motorcycle with upright seating position: does it exist in the Indian market?

Bajaj dominar , 39bhp. (373 cc ! )
KTM 390 adventure. 43bhp
Kawasaki verys 300.
Benelli TRK 502/502x
Benelli Leoncino 500
Etc.

Re: 400cc+ motorcycle with upright seating position: does it exist in the Indian market?

Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT

Re: 400cc+ motorcycle with upright seating position: does it exist in the Indian market?

Personally I don't think buying a bike for once in a year trip makes sense, because the time that it will stay parked might end up degrading the bike. You will have to spend time and effort every time to get it serviced before you go for your trip. I would recommend renting the bikes for trip.

Many renting agencies with have the Interceptors 650, which is great bike to tour in India. I am sure you will have the option of bigger bikes as well while renting.

If you still want to purchase because you might have someone who can take care of it for the rest of time, the NInja 650 is also a very good option.
Ninja if your trips are primarily on paved roads. If off road and is also involved, then the Suzuki 650.

Rachit

Re: 400cc+ motorcycle with upright seating position: does it exist in the Indian market?

Two motorcycles come to my mind straightaway based on your use-case and preference -
1. Versys 650
2. VSTROM XT

Both are extremely comfortable, with the Versys being better on roads, and the VSTROM better on trails. The Versys is cheaper upfront and gets a lot of local support because of the large number of these sold and availability of accessories etc.

Nothing else would be as reliable and comfortable as either of these.

Okay there is now an option 3 as well - the new KTM 390 ADV. It's lighter, and a single, but it is a very good package at a much lesser initial investment.

Re: 400cc+ motorcycle with upright seating position: does it exist in the Indian market?

Renting a bike once a year would be a good option rather than buying a new one and keeping it stored.

A bike not used regularly will have below problems :

Cracked tires : The tires will develop cracks and can quite possibly be unusable when you return back next year.

Cracked brake hoses : The rubber hoses carrying the brake oil may also crack and can be dangerous.

Dead battery : A year of storage will make the battery deader than a road kill. There is a chance that it wont even take charge after a year of discharge.

Wiring and electrical issues : Rats will chew through the wiring, a damp storage will get it infested with termites which will also eat up the insulation and sort out the whole damn thing.

Rusted switch gear : The contact points in the switches will rust and wont work properly. a generous spray of WD40 might fix it, or it too will have to be replaced.

It will take you atleast 2-3 days to 1 week to get your stored bike back in working conditions and will cost a lot of money. You can better use this money in renting a good tourer every year and use your precious vacation days enjoying India rather than sitting in the service center trying to fix the issues.

Re: 400cc+ motorcycle with upright seating position: does it exist in the Indian market?

What comes to my mind is KTM 390 ADV, good overall package at a very decent price. It does both on and off decently. Plus it has better networks in India.

Re: 400cc+ motorcycle with upright seating position: does it exist in the Indian market?

So how reliable are the Chinese Benelli motorcycles? And are parts readily available in dealers? On paper the specs of Benelli TRK look great.

As much as I love this motorcycle for highway cruising, I am not considering it at the moment due to the (i) weight (ii) poor stock suspension and (iii) the hanging oil filter.

Thanks, but I am no longer a fan of the Ninja 650. The seating position is almost Pulsar-esque, and I like the forward lean, any more. I would have killed for one in my younger days,. though. Vstorm (a motorcycle I really love on American roads) is out as well due to multiple factors. I am not interested in anything from the stable of Royal Enfield.

Aah, the KTM could work. I wonder if it will be easier to maintain over Benelli TRK as it is a thumper. How is spare availability for KTM? It sucks in the US (from a buddy who owns a 1190). I have ruled out the Versys & Vstrom at the moment. I don't find them suitable on shitty road, which I will ride a lot.

Very good points, but the motorcycle will be with my cousin. She does like to go on short rides almost every weekend. So I am not worried about long term storage.

The KTM could be what I need. How is the spare availability? Never ridden the Benelli (suggested above), but do you think the KTM will be more reliable than the Benelli?

Re: 400cc+ motorcycle with upright seating position: does it exist in the Indian market?

I would not suggest to go for anything from the Benelli stable as their ASS is very bad at the least.
You can check out the Kawasaki Vulcan S and W800 as they would give you upright seating position.
Else BMW F 750 GS, Tiger 800 and Versys 650/1000 are also worth looking into.

Re: 400cc+ motorcycle with upright seating position: does it exist in the Indian market?

I can't comment much, ask on Duke/RC 390 threads. I have P220, and the KTM showroom is integrated into big ones, called pro-biking previously. But everything is separated to offer premium feel to KTM ownership, separate service/sales/spares booth and service/sales personnel.

Re: 400cc+ motorcycle with upright seating position: does it exist in the Indian market?

Ktm anytime,better than benelli.spares will be easy to get.infact benelli does not have proper service network in india.whereas ktm with bajaj has its network.although they are seperate.