Lightweight, easy to manoeuvre & have enough power to accelerate quickly to the next stop light.
BHPian 2StrokeJunkie recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
So I was thinking of a title along the lines of Royal Challenger of Bangalore but then the Ee Saala Cup Namde line has now sadly turned into a joke on the optimism that the city’s cricket fans console themselves with.
Ok, jokes apart, I will cut straight to the chase. I am looking for a 2nd motorcycle (actually 4th) to accomplish the following crucial purposes:
- Get me in and out of dense high blood pressure-inducing Bangalore traffic.
- Get me to and from work – quickly, safely and enthusiastically every day.
- Save my injured back from the potholes and speed breakers.
- Have a commanding road presence yet be lightweight, easy to manoeuvre with enough power to accelerate quickly to the next stop light.
- Light on the pocket in turns of daily running and maintenance.
- A motorcycle that is rough and tough.
These are some of the requirements for the motorcycle.
I have gotten fed up with riding the Interceptor 650 in the city. I fell like a moron stuck in traffic with that 650cc twin lump roasting my legs in bumper-to-bumper traffic while a TVS50 finds a gap in the traffic and disappears. Manoeuvring the 650 out of parking lots, dealing with the terrible roads, and trying to get ahead of other motorists either preoccupied with their phones while driving or motorcyclists who want to block the road so they can chit chat and ride together – all whilst I have to manage the 200+ kgs of the motorcycle leaves me angry, irritated, tired and exhausted.
A couple of days back I dropped into a Hero showroom close to home and took a test ride of the Xpulse 4V and was floored. It reminded me a lot of my RX (light and nimble) and its suspension reminded me of what none of my other bikes can do. It made light work of all the ruts, troughs, potholes, and speed-breakers with aplomb. It was so good at smoothening out bad roads that I wondered how the Xpulse 4V Pro or the Rally Edition would be. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any in stock and none for me to get a test ride on.
I really like the Blue and White dual-tone paint scheme and since it’s been a while since I’ve ridden a small bore – I was revving it to the redline in 1st and 2nd and having a blast with it. Reminded me a lot of my RX.
The Xpulse Pro also seems like it can climb footpaths and dividers at ease, something which the RX couldn’t do as easily due to its lower ground clearance. The Xpulse also offers me the option of hitting the trails. The tubed tires don’t seem like much of a downer because the motorcycle seems pretty light so pushing it around should not be too much of a problem.
The only negative point I felt was that the fueling was very abrupt at smaller throttle openings at slow speeds. This might make negotiating traffic a concern. Also, I didn’t get a long enough spin to try out its acceleration past 2nd gear so I don’t know how it would far in races to the stop light.
My previous benchmark for the perfect Urban Warrior used to be my ported and chambered RX135 which was a hooligan to ride but it needed frequent maintenance, the brakes were poor and the suspension wasn’t the best with me weighing around 90 kg. But it did have power and was light and nimble.
So I am very seriously considering the Xpulse 4V and the Xpulse 4V Pro – hoping to get a test ride on the Pro version soon to help make a better decision. What do you guys think will be more fun to ride and a more accomplished motorcycle – the std Xpulse 4V or the Pro version?
My height is 5.11
Should I be looking at pre-owned versions of the Xpulse to save money so I can buy new exhausts for the Interceptor?
While I am at it, I am also wondering if I will find the power of the 200cc 4v Hero inadequate and if that is the case should I be considering the Bajaj NS200 (don’t know if it is still available and I have never ridden it to access its suspension capabilities for my requirement) or the N250. I wonder why Bajaj never put in that powerful 200cc LC motor in something like an Xpulse style of motorcycle.
Should I be looking for a scooter instead?
Should I wait for the rumoured Xpulse 400 or the Himalayan 450?
What would you choose as the best motorcycle/ vehicle that meets the needs mentioned above?
Do let me know!
Here’s what BHPian GutsyGibbon had to say on the matter:
If you are a biking purist, you may not like this reply. As you are getting your dose of good riding on the Interceptor, a good reliable scooter for the city makes absolutely practical sense to me. There is a reason why we see our roads filled with Activas and the like. Absolute practicality for the city glides on potholes, zips through traffic, secures under-seat storage, handles parking lot abuses like a champ, ridiculously simple vehicle. Inexpensive to maintain.
If I lived in Blore, my garage would have a GS1250 or an Africa Twin, and an Activa. One would look ridiculous picking up Kothambari Soppu (cilantro) on a GS1250.
Here’s what BHPian sandeepmohan had to say on the matter:
I was in the same boat as you. No motorcycle or two-wheeler can accomplish what you’ve listed.
The ideal solution is a switch to an Automatic Car (an EV preferably) or use the Metro (If it serves where you need to go).
I know EV cars are prohibitively expensive. With a motorcycle, even a light one, you’re still going to be stressed, covered in dust and your back will go out at some point.
I had a daily commute between Cox Town and Whitefield. About 2 hours both ways. By the time I got home, I would be out of energy and pretty much useless at entertaining my 3-year-old son who is excited to see me. In 24 hours, I got to see him for just 2 hours a day (When I got back from work). I could not stand to deal with an energetic child. This was not due to work stress. That evening one-hour motorcycle commute back home wore me out.
I switched to using my gas-loving Fiat Linea T Jet and everything changed. I did end up spending way more on gas and some extra time on the road. However, the many positives went far above that one negative. My stress was reduced, my clothes lasted longer, and my eyes were not stinging. I could sit in air-conditioned peace and listen to some music while I inched forward in traffic. Even if I did not play any music, it was so much better sitting in the confines of the car. The chaos on the outside was muted if not completely shut out. The best part of it all, I could spend quality time with my little boy. There was no looking back at using a bike after this.
With the above said, I did not give up on my passion for riding a motorcycle. I kept that for the weekend.
Here’s what BHPian ashis89 had to say on the matter:
I will go a step further and recommend getting an entry-level bike, a CD Deluxe, Shine or Platina. Hear me out.
Why bike?
I got a scooter a few months ago, just to beat the traffic. Does the job of bypassing the traffic and being practical with some storage space and all. Easy on the pocket too. But those small wheels slip in slush, ruts, and road joints. They crash into potholes and have to be taken carefully to save my back. A bike would fare better here.
Why entry-level bike?
Easy on pocket and maintenance while taking abuse. These bikes are also very narrow with short wheelbases and are better off squeezing through traffic jams than an adventure bike or even a scooter. Almost like the TVS XL50.
Edit: Your signature shows you own an RX135. Its construction is similar to the entry-level bikes I proposed. If you can use the Yamaha frequently then an Activa can complement the garage. If it can’t then a CD Deluxe is a better bet.
Here’s what BHPian Chetan_Rao had to say on the matter:
I’d recommend a scooter any day for primarily urban traffic usage, just for the sheer amount of gearshifts it’ll save you. There’s no joy in city-commute biking, might as well make it as convenient as possible and spare your left wrist & foot.
BHPian ashis89 makes a valid point about suspension quality on bad roads, so find a scooter with an acceptable suspension set-up your body can live with.
If it must be a bike, a proper real-world TD (preferably on your commute route on a workday) is a must. Low-gear, low-throttle crawling would be the primary use case, and if it’s jumpy like you felt on your short TD, it’ll get really annoying, really fast.
Keyword: Need 2nd bike for city use: Fed up riding Interceptor 650 in Bangalore