Top 5 Bikes And Scooters For College Students Under Rs 1.5 Lakh
From trusty commuters to powerful and sporty bikes and scooters with impressive mileage figures, here’s what you can get…
It’s that time of the year when many school students move to college and along with it, they also become eligible for a driving licence. Choosing the right bike or scooter for daily commutes is essential for college students, especially while balancing affordability, style, running costs and mileage.
That’s why, we have compiled a list of the top 5 bikes and scooters for college students under Rs 1.5 lakh (ex-showroom). From reliable premium commuters to powerful and sporty bikes and scooters, here’s what you can get:
1. Royal Enfield Hunter 350: Rs 1,49,900 (ex-showroom)
Engine: 349cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder J-series engine
Power: 20.2PS at 6100rpm & 27Nm at 4000rpm
Tested Mileage: 40.19kmpl in the city & 35.98kmpl on the highway
The Royal Enfield Hunter 350 is the manufacturer’s most affordable and lightweight bike. The neo-retro roadster has the same 349cc engine as the Royal Enfield Classic 350. With a peppy engine and decent mileage, the Hunter 350 is one of the best bikes to consider under Rs 1.5 lakh. The bike is available in two variants: Retro and Metro.
Featurewise, the Hunter 350 gets a semi-digital instrument console. The Retro variant has an analogue speedometer pod and a digital inset that displays the odometer, trip metre and fuel gauge. The Metro variant on the other hand also features an analogue speedometer. However, the digital inset on the Metro variant shows an odometer, two trip metres, a fuel gauge, a gear position indicator, a reserve metre and a clock. It gets a halogen headlight and indicators whereas the tail light is LED.
Both variants get an optional Tripper Navigation Pod with turn-by-turn navigation. Moreover, the Retro variant gets single-channel ABS and the Metro variant is equipped with a dual-channel ABS. However, its rear suspension is a little on the firmer side.
2. Hero XPulse 200 4V: Rs 1,47,391 (ex-showroom)
Engine: 199.6cc, air/oil-cooled, 4-valve, single-cylinder engine
Power: 19.1PS at 8500rpm & 17.35Nm at 6500rpm
Tested Mileage: 51.59kmpl in the city & 42.28kmpl on the highway.
The only ADV on this list, Hero XPulse 200 4V is a great choice to take on those bad and broken roads. The bike effortlessly rides over bumps and potholes and is a fun-to-ride bike which will keep you engaged. The XPulse 200 4V handles city commutes very well and is great for exploring the off-road trails on weekends. However, it may sometimes feel underpowered on the highways.
Key features on the Hero Xpulse 200 4V include a fully digital LCD instrument cluster with Bluetooth connectivity and turn-by-turn navigation. The display includes a speedometer, odometer, tachometer, trip-meter readings, real-time mileage, gear position indicator, Eco mode and other basic telltale lights. The bike comes with a LED headlamp accompanied with LED DRLs (daytime running lights), whereas the indicators and tail light is bulb-type. The bike also has a USB charging port, fibre knuckle guards and single-channel ABS.
3. Bajaj Pulsar N250: Rs 1,51,341 (ex-showroom)
Engine: 249.07cc, oil-cooled, single-cylinder engine
Power: 24.5PS at 8750rpm & 21.5Nm at 6500rpm
Tested Mileage: 43.60kmpl in the city & 42.23kmpl on the highway
The Bajaj Pulsar N250 is the most expensive and most powerful bike on this list. It comes with a stylish and sporty design, has good performance and is equipped with a host of features and rider aids, making it a safer bike. It is an all-rounder that can do city commutes, highway runs and weekend rides effortlessly.
The Bajaj Pulsar N250 comes with a fully LED lighting setup and features an LCD instrument console with smartphone connectivity providing call and SMS alerts and turn-by-turn navigation. The LCD also shows a speedometer, odometer, tachometer fuel levels, real-time mileage, trip meter, gear position indicator and other essential info. The bike has recently been updated with rider aids including traction control, and dual-channel ABS with 3 ABS modes (Rain, Road and On/Off-Road). It also gets a tank-mounted USB charging port and a new button on the left-side switchgear to navigate through the display.
4. Yamaha Aerox 155: Rs 1,47,600 (ex-showroom)
Engine: 155cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine
Power: 15PS at 8000rpm & 13.9Nm at 6500rpm
Tested Mileage: 48.62kmpl in the city & 42.26kmpl on the highway
The Yamaha Aerox 155 is a sporty and powerful scooter that will make you stand out from the crowd. It shares its 155cc engine with the Yamaha R15 and also has the VVA (Variable Valve Actuation). The Aerox 155 being a powerful scooter can do city and highway runs effortlessly, it has a smooth engine, provides decent mileage figures and comes with a single-channel ABS as standard but has a firm suspension setup, which can be harsh on bad roads.
The Yamaha Aerox comes with an LCD instrument cluster with smartphone connectivity via Bluetooth. Along with basic information like a speedometer, odometer, tachometer, trip metre, digital clock and other telltale lights, the Aerox 155 also provides Call and SMS alerts, phone battery status, last parking location and service reminders. The scooter gets a silent starter, a USB charging port and a side-stand cut-off feature as well.
The slightly more expensive Aerox S variant comes with a fob key and has keyless operation such as proximity unlock, an answer back feature to locate the scooter with flashing blinkers and a buzzer, and an immobiliser that locks the scooter when the key is out of range.
5. Ather 450X (2.9kWh): Rs 1,40,599 (ex-showroom)
Motor: A mid-mounted Permanent Magnet Synchronous motor
Power: 6.4kW &
Battery: 2.9kWh battery pack
Certified Range: 111km
The only electric scooter on this list, the Ather 450X is one of our favourite electric scooters, because of how engaging and fun to ride it is. The Ather 450X being an electric scooter has one of the cheapest running costs as well. No fuel costs might sound like heaven for a lot of collegegoers! With a top speed of around 90kmph, the electric scooter has enough power for everyday commutes. The 450X impresses with its sharp handling and takes on the corners very well. It is a great option if you are looking for a sporty and thrilling e-scooter.
The Ather 450X features a 7-inch instrument console, driven by a quad-core Snapdragon processor. It provides all the basic information including speed, odometer, range, battery clock and other telltale lights. However, the Pro Pack, available as an add-on, enhances the scooter's capabilities with features like adaptive brightness, 4G LTE connectivity, Bluetooth for call/SMS alerts and music controls, and Google Maps-powered navigation. The scooter also comes with regenerative braking as standard. The display also offers various customisation options including multiple themes and a night mode
The Ather 450X also comes with practical features such as auto-off turn indicators, Guide-me-home lights, document storage, location tracking, a trip planner, fast charging support, OTA software updates, an Auto-Hold feature and a reverse mode. It comes with 5 riding modes: Eco, SmartEco, Ride, Sport, and Warp.
User Reviews
- best bike everBest bike in my whole life. The performance and the smooth driving experience are the best in my whole life. The bike style is also unique in this budget, and I prefer all youngsters to turn to this bike and purchase the bike, you enjoy the bike like Hunter. Overall great bike and performance is really great.Read More
- comfortable for off road and cityI’ve been using this bike for the last 3 years, and overall, I’m very happy with it. It’s a great choice for both city rides and off-roading. The mileage and maintenance costs are good, and the suspension is excellent for potholes and rough Indian roads. The main drawbacks are engine heating during hilly rides and some fatigue on rides over 200 km in a day. Overall, a comfortable, reliable, and capable off-road bike. I haven’t faced any major issues in 3 years. I'll rate it 5/5.Read More
- Yamaha Aerox 155The scooter is amazing. Great performance and good mileage as well was getting around 35 kmpl in city. Great handling and high-speed stability with good breaks. Everything is good but the scooter is not suitable for tall riders. The boot could fit an entire full-face helmet inside as well along with space to keep a jacket as well.Read More
- Pulsar N250 - Amazing MachineI chose this bike for it's looks, easy spare parts availability and uniqueness on roads. This is one of the cheapest 250cc out there. It provides almost all the modern technologies like riding modes, Dual-channel ABS, Traction control, Bluetooth navigation, etc. I liked the seating posture and seat height it is very accessible to all types of riders. I like bikes having good low-end torque for effortless city riding and this machine has very good low to mid range torque so these are the reasons I chose this beautiful machine. The overall ride quality is very good. The suspension is not that stiff and you will definitely feel the adrenaline rush due to it's power. This is a very good city machine as well as capable on highways. On highways you can easily cruise at 80-100 km/h without much stress on the engine. I must say that the engine is very refined and smooth.The pickup is great and it has very good midrange performance. I am getting mileage of around 38 km/l which is decent for a 250cc. You can get mileage of 45 on highways if you cruise at a constant speed. The stability of this bike at speeds of 90-100 is decent but I am not sure about the high stability post 120 km/h. You feel the absence of a 6th gear on highways sometimes but the bike manages the gear ratios pretty well. Overall I'll say this bike has got a very punchy and refined engine. The braking is very good and the front brake response is very satisfying you will feel confident while riding this machine. The exhaust sound is very bassy and head-turning. People will definitely notice you. The pillion seat and rear suspension is a bit on stiffer side but it is good for cities. One thing I must mention is it's class-leading led projector headlights.The throw is very amazing and you will feel confidence on highways.No other bike in this segment provides such powerful headlights. So let's come to conclusion Will I recommend this bike I would say if you love bike having great low and mid range torque refined engine then you should definitely go for N250.But if you want a better highway machine having liquid looked technology and better high speed stability then you can look at NS200. Overall both the bikes have their own pros and cons and it all depends on what kind of rider you are and what you want. At last I would say you can buy N250 it will not disappoint. You will love riding it. I hope this review helps you find your perfect ride, Thanks...Read More