Upcoming bikes under Rs 5 lakh: Which of them are worth waiting for?

Open to ADVs, Scramblers, Roadsters, Cruisers and Retro-styled motorcycle options.

BHPian AulusGabinius recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi everyone, after getting the itch to go riding and watching Motovlogs on YouTube, I’ve started looking for a bike. When am I going to buy one? As soon as I can afford it. What will I look for? Well, that’s something more detailed to write about:

1. Power: I weigh a good 108 – 115, 125 kgs at most, and so do my father and brother. On the rare occasion that we have to travel on the same bike, I’d prefer something that can handle us, a total weight slightly south of 250 kg. To me, that means power in the 35-45 bhp range.
2. Torque: For the same reason as above, in the interest of acceleration, I’d like at least 35 N-m, but I’m also looking at the RE 650 twin engine. That actually would be amazing.
3. Stance: No racers for me. Unfortunately, I have abnormally long limbs and a smaller body for my height (6’2″), which leads me to prefer something more relaxed. It was so bad that I could barely change gear on an R15, and felt immediately cramped on a Duke 250. Our current FZ 25 is not ideal, but it’s not terrible either. It’s comfortable enough that I can ride it for two or three hours while not being used to it before the legs and rear end give up existing. So that limits me to non-racers ADVs & scramblers, roadsters, cruisers, retros and the like. Still, a wide field to choose from.

Add to that a budget not exceeding 5L on the road because of middle-class mental constraints, and that I’ll be keeping this for years, that’s the starting line.

Taking these points in mind, I’d say nothing on the market right now fits extremely neatly on all three needs. The ones I really enjoyed and still need to drive and try are:

1. KTM Adv 390: Currently IMO the daddy of the entry-level ADV segment. Need I say more? Yet to try it though.
2. Suzuki V-Strom SX: The baby Strom has a lot going for it as a small ADV tourer, but just a little less power and torque than I’m looking for. Otherwise a solid contender. Yet to try though.
3. RE Himalayan & Scram 411: The real workhorse of the entry-level ADVs, and right on the money when it comes to the torque. Excellent ergonomics and suspension, and is excellent on the highway. Just, not that much power. And the fairing on the Himalayan catches my knees. But the Scram is just a blast, and my current love, which I would book right now for all that and the added manoeuvrability, just that it left me begging for more power on the test ride. I swear, there were tears in my eyes. I rode the Himalayan in Bhutan for a day ride, and it really left me begging for more power on some of the climbs, but the workhorse climbed patiently and calmly. So I’ll pass on them too.
4. RE J-series bikes: None of them has remote power and torque, and I’ll consider only the Classic and Meteor, as they are comfortable to me. The Hunter, unfortunately, isn’t.
5. RE Super Meteor 650: The literal elephant in the room. Tested this out at Nomad Motorcycles in Pimple Saudagar. I’m in love, of course, but on driving it I had second thoughts when the pillion was flung into the air by a smallish speed breaker. The stance felt a bit more exaggeratedly forward-set for my taste, but these are small qualms. But could there be something more fitting on the horizon?
6. Honda CB350/300F/300R: The Highness worked for me really well on the ergos, but other than that, no. 300F wouldn’t be too different from my FZ 25, and the 300R is just a flat no because I don’t fit on it. Anything more powerful is just going to be too expensive, but let’s see.

But some things on the way might, and those are what I’m looking forward to:

1. RE Shotgun 650: If this is a Thunderbird with a 650 engine, which is what the spy shots look like to me, then this is what I thought the Super Meteor isn’t.
2. RE Scram 450: Dream come true. A more powerful Scram, let’s go!
3. Bajaj-Triumph Roadster & Scrambler 400: More curious about these, could prove some solid competition to the Scram.
4. Hero-Harley: Wild card, who knows what’s coming. If it’s like the QJ Motor X500, let’s see.
5. Hero Xpulse 400: Again, let’s see, shall we?
6. Honda CB350 cruiser: Not really following this to be fair. If they put the engine from the 300R, then maybe.

I’ve also heard some rumours about a Bajaj Avenger 400, but no further news. And that’s it for me.

What is everyone here looking forward to, and why?

Here’s what BHPian GhostGrid had to say on the matter:

The RE Super Meteor 650 can satisfy your needs; it won’t deliver an adrenaline rush but will guarantee a comfortable ride. With high-grade parts and unquestionably superb ergonomics, the build quality is remarkable. Finding a comfortable riding posture is the only challenge. I’ve observed a lot of individuals having trouble with that forward stance. RE Himalayan & Scram 411 is the alternate choice; it satisfies all of your specifications, but you should double-check the power-to-weight ratio because I’m not confident of it.

Here’s what BHPian Axe77 had to say on the matter:

If I may make a slightly off-centre suggestion here. For potentially two large riders, you will be well served by a powerful machine, with a plush suspension and one which has decent level components on related aspects like braking as well as well as higher end tech specs.

To this end, perhaps you could also consider a pre-owned Versys 650 / V Strom 650? It will be a clear segment/segment and a half higher, will have more than adequate power, spacious and roomy seating for rider and pillion both combined with a higher segment safety and component spec. I think with a marginal stretch you should be able to get good used examples within the 5.5 – 6L mark.

Of course, in doing so you should be mindful of the increased upkeep costs also that come with such superbikes and make an overall assessment. But I do feel this will be a much better machine to own from all other perspectives. Between the two options above, the Suzuki might be relatively cheaper to maintain, even if it’s marginally costlier to buy.

From a brand-new vehicle perspective, I’d perhaps shortlist the all-new Himalayan 450. Going by the current-gen Himalayan, it should have a good quality suspension and the new engine will likely hold the requisite grunt to handle two-up riding with two heavy men. But this is ultimately conjecture at this stage and we’ll have to wait to see the final product later this year.

I really wouldn’t recommend the KTM 390s – they might be too aggressive for this use case – while the 310 GS will definitely feel underpowered. The interceptor is too small from a comfort standpoint and the Super Meteor is perhaps too low on GC for two heavy riders.

Here’s what BHPian pkothak had to say on the matter:

Have you looked at the new Domainar 400 BS6 second phase version? Which is available in some of the showrooms from April 2023. If your Budget is 5 L, I think it gives most of the features which the KTM 390 adventure is offering, of course, you would be missing the MTC and other Colorful TFT displays etc. But it doesn’t miss out on any basic features required for an adventure tourer. If we compare the price difference between the 390 Adventure (not Adventure X) and Dominar 400, there is a 1.2 Lakhs on-road price difference, with that amount you can get some nice essential accessories for your Touring and still save some amount for fuel to run few thousand kilometres. I would strongly recommend visiting your nearby showroom and taking a test drive. All the best and happy motoring.

Keyword: Upcoming bikes under Rs 5 lakh: Which of them are worth waiting for?