Some times there is a confusion.
It happens when you have too many choices and you cannot make up your mind. It’s the same story about bikes. The first decision you need to make is about your budget.
Walk into a few showrooms nearby and find out the details of the same. Remember, there are always hidden costs, that you do not realize. Motorcycle companies will only sell the bike and give you a toolkit to go with it. Other things such as rear view mirrors, seat covers, buzzer for the indicators, bike covers and all, are add-ons. A few dealers give a basic kit comprising of a few of the above mentioned add-ons, free and a few don’t. So first thing, decided what you want with the bike and then find out how much it costs with everything, including the registration, road tax, accessories and all.
Once you have a list of bikes, specifications and prices, make a simple chart that should have the following. The first column should comprise of the bike names.Row 1 should be for price(inclusive of everything) Row 2, should be the brake horse power of the bike, Row 3 should be projected mileage, Row 4 should be for wheel base, Row 5 for future expenses. Let me go in the reverse, explaining this chart. When you speak to the dealers, ask a few general questions, such as how much does the head light unit cost, how much does a brake / clutch / accelerator cable cost, How much the air filer costs etc. This enquiry will give you an idea of the cost of replacement parts, because these are parts that will need replacement in some time, due to normal wear and tear and will be a pocket burner later, if you do not make a wise decesion early.
Row 4, wheel base is important, because it defines the road grip & stability. The larger the wheel base, the better.(That is why KB100s and RX100s are famous, loads of road gip). Row 3, projected mileage is important, because in todays traffic ridden roads and busy life styles, there will be little time to rip and roar, but a huge amount of thought is need when it comes to mileage, because fuel costs are rising. Row 2, which is brake horse power, defines the power of the bike. Bikes between 8~ 11 Bhp are daily use family bikes, 11~ 15 are medium range roadsters, that offer a decent amount of power and a lesser mileage then the previous category and finally 15 and above are the power hulks that you see on the road., with the least mileage available.
Now comes the part about the style. People’s opinions are diverse in this area, but my observation is that most bikes are quite aesthetically designed and have very little difference in terms of the style. Indian bikes are ideally designed with more plastics, simple twist and turn foot rests and stock square handles. So the over all difference is very minimal. Choose as per your tastes, is all I can say. When it comes to colors, black is undecidedly the neatest. But then Red, Blue, Green are also good colors.(Thats my opinion, because, all my bikes except my Kintec are black).
Also comes into consideration, is whether you want a geared model(An actual motorcycle) or a gearless variant(scooterette). The Activas, Scootys are also good road vehicles.
One advice that I would give, is that you speak to a few friends and colleagues and find out what insurance company their bike is insured from and their experience with the insurance company. It makes a huge difference, because you are paying an insurance premium to get damage coverage and it is important that you select a the company that you want. Remember, every dealer will have an in house insurance desk, but then you can have the bike insured by any company that you want and the premiums are also pretty much the same. If the dealer cribs, tell him that you wish to have the bike insured at a a different place and all you need to do is, not pay the dealer for the insurance, but call the company that you wish to go with and have them evaluate the bike and pay them the money! Some dealers offer a fre insurance, but in this case you might not be able to choose the insurance company of your choice. As far as my knowledge goes, Tata AIG, Oriental India, United India are good companies, but people have mixed opinions about Bajaj Allianz.
The final thing, is what type of a bike you need. I have seen a few articles where people ask question about what good technical specs do for a person who does not ride fast, but automotive technology is improved so that the rider can enjoy the ride and get the best from the bike.
I will not compare bike models, because opinions keep differing and the last thing I would want to do is invite a debate on the topic, as it has happened before. For those of you folks, who wish to ask a question, drop a message and I’ll be happy to answer.
Continued In The Comments Section, Due To Space Constraints.