5 Best Adventure Bikes In India Across Segments: 200cc To 1000cc!

Adventure bikes are the best for Indian roads and there’s no debating that. And that’s because even our normal roads look like off-road trails, and I’m not even talking about what happens to our roads during monsoons. And the one stop solution to all of this is a bike with long travel suspension that you can just hammer through these roads without having to think twice. So here’s a list of 5 excellent adventure bikes that will make for great one bike garages across 5 different segments:

Sub 250cc - Hero XPulse 210

We can’t talk about ADVs in India and not talk about the little mountain goat that is the XPulse 210. The XPulse 200 4V was already a fun bike and the 210 has managed to up the ante in almost every way. It’s a charming bike that’s great in the city, very capable in the dirt and can manage highways quite well. And the standout feature is hands down its suspension. There’s so much suspension travel that it always feels like you’re in control, no matter what the surface is below you. Even in these rains when everyone’s riding carefully, prodding and poking our roads, you can just bash the XPulse 210 through everything (as long as you’re not a nuisance to others) and let the suspension take care of it all.

Sub 450cc - KTM 390 Adventure

The previous 390 Adventure wasn’t a great adventure bike but KTM has knocked it out of the park with the new bike. It’s tall, light and comfortable, exactly how ADVs should be. And the best part is that despite being a performance-oriented KTM, it’s still quite a manageable bike. Its engine isn’t as frantic and even if you’re a new rider, it’ll feel very welcoming for you. My favourite part, though, about the new 390 Adventure is its suspension. It’s the only bike in the segment to have adjustability, meaning you can tweak it to suit the kind of rider you are.

Now many Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 fans would be wondering why we didn’t put it instead of the KTM. And the reason is simple: its weight. The Himalayan 450 is some 15kg heavier than the KTM and it feels that. And while the Royal Enfield bike hides its weight pretty well, it can affect newer riders’ confidence. Especially when you’re riding through dirt and muck, where the bike can already slide around a bit, feeling the 196kg Himalayan 450 slide around can be a bit unnerving for many riders.

Sub 750cc - Honda Transalp 750

First things first, just look at the Honda Transalp 750. Adventure bikes aren’t traditionally good looking bikes but the Transalp looks beautifully old-school and it’s easily the best looking adventure bike in India. And what makes it better is that it goes just as well as its looks. The 755cc parallel-twin engine has a good amount of punch and the moment you wind it up, the bike feels eager and frankly quite exciting. And the suspension is just the icing on this beautiful, tasty cake. It’s soft and very comfortable. Sure, riders who’re quite heavy might find it a bit too soft but we’re splitting hairs here.

The Transalp’s 10.99 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) makes it not only excellent value for the money it’s demanding but Honda’s big bikes have a reputation for not being overly expensive to maintain. At the end of the day, the Honda Transalp is a bike that’ll keep you comfortable and you can take pretty much everywhere, all of that while looking as good as it does!

Sub 1000cc - Ducati Multistrada V2

As wonderfully capable the Ducati Multistrada is, the truth is that its 170PS V4 engine is quite an overkill for most people. And that’s where the Multistrada V2 comes in. The smaller engine means it’ll be a lot more manageable in most situations where the V4 might end up feeling overwhelming. In its latest generation, the bike has a brand-new 890cc engine which will go to the Streetfighter V2 and the Panigale V2 as well. And the best part is that Ducati has made it a lot more usable now, for the bike makes 70 percent of its torque from just 3000rpm.

And that will make the Multistrada V2 a lot more usable and easier to manage in slow city speeds as well. And pair that to the comfort on offer and you have another bike that’ll go pretty much everywhere you want it to. The ergonomics are upright and the suspension is comfortable, meaning you can ride over potholes and jump speedbreakers. And then if the Transalp 750 looks beautiful, the Multistrada V2 looks exotic. With the bright red paint, immaculate finish levels, and exotic looks, this adventure tourer will surely grab the most attention among the bikes in this lot.

Sub 1000cc - Triumph Tiger 1200

And if money isn’t a concern, there are some excellent big bikes in India. Of the lot, our choice was the Tiger 1200 and that’s mainly because of just how much work Triumph put into its flagship ADV. In its latest iteration, the bike is about 25kg lighter than before, makes more power, is easier to ride and has excellent Showa suspension. And the best part is that it’s electronic suspension. What that means is that you can essentially just go through the console and adjust the sort of suspension you want and the bike will adapt to it in real time. Whether you’re riding solo, with luggage, with a pillion or with pillion and luggage, just select it and the bike will adjust accordingly.

And it genuinely works because the bike starts responding differently the moment you make the changes in the console. So it doesn’t matter what your weight or size is, the Tiger 1200 will keep you very comfortable and will be an absolute mile muncher. So if you want your commutes to be comfortable and very fast, we think this 1200cc behemoth ‘should’ be able to manage it.