Motorcycles, these are the machines that oozes thrill from the start. Speaking of thrill, it’s on another level when these motorcycles accompany us on our long tours. This is one of the prime reasons the biker community has boomed over the past 5-6 years. So, if you are one of those who like to take challenges and do what fewer people have done, here are 10 best beginner motorcycles to tour on. (In no particular order)
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Hero Xtreme 200S
Hero Xtreme 200S An unexpected entry into a tourer segment is the Hero Xtreme 200S. This is the only motorcycle from the list that is just around its launch. But considering the previous BS4 model, we bet it could be a really good companion out on the highways.
Technical Specs
Engine 199.6CC with OHC Transmission 5-speed Power 17.8 Ps @ 8500 rpm Torque 16.5 Nm @ 6500 rpm The Hero Xtreme 200 offers the perfect package for a tourer, with very little compromises, which is power. For you to know the BS4 Hero Xtreme 200 came with a 199.6cc air-cooled engine that used to push 18.4ps of max power and 17.1 Nm of peak torque. Though the numbers are decent for the size and weight of the motorcycle. That said, it could cruise at 90kmph without any hassle. But it is expected the Hero Xtreme 200S will be powered by the same engine as the Xpulse 200.
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Yamaha MT15
Yamaha MT15 One of the most powerful 150cc motorcycles in the entire world is the Yamaha MT15. You might also know; this shares the same engine as the Yamaha R15. But keeping that aside, MT15 could be the perfect machine to tour on. This comes down to several things, most important being the power and drivetrain.
Technical Specs
Engine 155CC, Liquid Cooling with 4 valve head, VVA Transmission 6-speed Power 18.6 Bhp @ 10000 rpm Torque 14.1 Nm @ 8500 rpm That said, the talking point about the engine is the VVA technology that comes with this utterly refined engine. VVA tech allows the engine to generate power higher in the rev range and this is what makes it fun on highways. For reference, MT15 makes peak power at 10,000rpm. The other boasting point being an additional 6th gear for the motorcycle to stretch its legs on the freeway.
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Royal Enfield Classic/Bullet 350
Royal Enfield Bullet 350 Talking about cruising and not talk about the Royal Enfield is well, not possible. So, here the Royal Enfield Classic or Bullet, whatever you like to call it, underneath they share the exact same components, few differences being in the aesthetics. With that said, the motorcycle offers below-average power and adequate torque figures, after all its a cruiser. But keeping torque aside, this motorcycle weighs nearly 200kgs (194-with 90% fuel and oil, as if you put 90% oil after service).
Technical Specs
Engine 346CC, Twin Spark Transmission 5-speed Power 19.8 Bhp @ 5250 rpm Torque 28 Nm @ 4000 rpm So, this heavyweight motorcycle does offer 28Nm of peak torque. it’s more than enough to propel the motorcycle up to 100kmph because after which there are just vibes. The happy range for the motorcycle is 70-80kmph after which it’s sure tiring. That said, saying it is fuel-efficient is a good joke.
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Honda H’ness CB350
Honda H’Ness CB350 | Touring Motorcycles One of the two motorcycles to come to India is the Honda CB350 or H’Ness. Similar to the Royal Enfield 350s this too is a cruiser and is all about torque. For you to know, this motorcycle gets a ton of features when compared with its rivals, including Honda Smartphone Voice Control System (HSVCS) and an assist and slipper clutch.
Technical Specs
Engine 348.36CC Transmission 5-speed Power 21 ps @ 5500 rpm Torque 30 Nm @ 3000 rpm This motorcycle also boasts of first in segment Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) in which you control the amount of torque you wanna lay down on the road. Again, similar to the RE this produces similar but slightly more power and torque figures with a 350 engine. On the highway, a 6th gear will surely be missed on this one too.
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Bajaj Avenger 220
Bajaj Avenger Cruiser 220 | Touring Motorcycles The Bajaj Avenger 220 is one of the oldies in this segment, though old, it stills packs a punch to smoke some of the tech-focused motorcycles. This is the only motorcycle that offers a sit back riding position and is super comfortable. Personal experience, it feels as if you are riding a sofa (Not even kidding).
Technical Specs
Engine 220CC, Twin Spark, Fi Transmission 5-speed Power 19.03 ps @ 8500 rpm Torque 17.55 Nm @ 7000 rpm With that said, this motorcycle comes with a 220cc oil-cooled engine with two-valve head. For the displacement, its max power and peak torque output stand at a decent 19.3ps and 17.5 Nm respectively. Yet again, you only get a 5-speed transmission that fairs okay out on the highways.
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Jawa 42
Jawa 42 | Touring Motorcycles One of the well-engineered motorcycles is Jawa 42. Staring at this motorcycle especially in the blue colour just takes your breath away. Jawa 42 is the ideal motorcycle those wanna go retro with no compromise on the latest technological bits. The bike uses the right amount of chrome that truly takes back you into the past era when it was chrome before carbon fibre.
Technical Specs
Engine 293CC, Liquid Cooled, DOHC Transmission 6-speed Power 26.51 Ps Torque 27.05 Nm This motorcycle borrows the powertrain from Mahindra Mojo and is a 293cc liquid-cooled, DOHC engine that makes 26.51ps of max power and 27.05Nm of peak torque. Finally, old school meets the new generation. Along with that the Jawa 42 also sports a 6-speed transmission that adds comfort out on the highway.
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Bajaj Dominar 400
2020 Bajaj Dominar | Touring Motorcycles The motorcycle that raised the competition and challenged a very known motorcycle brand here in India is the Bajaj Dominar 400. Since its debut in 2015, the Dominar has come a long way and now it is ‘the’ most powerful motorcycle for in its price. Along with that, it is also well equipped and is designed for cruising. This motorcycle can cruise at speeds of 120-130kmph no questions asked.
Technical Specs
Engine 373.3CC, Triple Spark, DOHC Transmission 5-speed Power 40ps @ 8800 rpm Torque 35 Nm @ 6500 rpm Underneath, it gets the same 373.3cc liquid-cooled engine as the Duke 390 but heavily tuned for power cruising. Talking about numbers, this motor produces 40ps of max power and 35Nm of peak torque. These numbers are some class apart, but thing gets interesting when we see that this also gets a 6th gear to cruise effortlessly at high speeds.
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TVS Apache RTR 200 4V
TVS Apache RTR 200 4V | Touring Motorcycles Another motorcycle from an Indian manufacturer is the TVS Apache RTR 200 4V. This motorcycle is perfect for almost everything one can use a bike for. Be it on the track, be it commuting, or cruising Apache 200 4V gets it all. With the recent updates, this also gets riding modes, with adjustable front and rear suspension along with adjustable levers.
Technical Specs
Engine 197.7CC, Oil cooled Transmission 5-speed Power 20.24 Bhp @ 8500 rpm Torque 16.8 Nm @ 7500 rpm Under the hood, oh wait, under the fuel tank this motorcycle gets a 197.7cc oil-cooled single-cylinder motor that is capable of producing 20.24hp and 16.8Nm of peak torque. On the transmission front, this gets 5 gears that are adequate for every job.
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Suzuki Gixxer 250
Suzuki Gixxer | Touring Motorcycles If a little bit of cornering along with really fun dynamics is what you seek. Then Suzuki Gixxer 250 is the right thing for you. For starters, unlike the SF this Gixxer gets a really comfortable and not so committed riding position. Over to the front, this motorcycle boasts of, all-LED headlights with LED tail lamps. A digital display wraps up the package.
Technical Specs
Engine 249CC, Oil cooled, SOHC Transmission 6-speed Power 26.1 Bhp @ 9000 rpm Torque 22.6 Nm @ 7500 rpm Powering the Gixxer 250 is a 249cc oil-cooled, SOHC motor that churns 26.1bhp and 22.6Nm of peak torque. Supporting the engine is a 6-speed transmission that gives the motorcycle that extra leg to stretch out on the highway.
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BMW G310R
BMW G310R The badge says it all, making the BMW G310 R the most expensive motorcycle of the bunch listed above. The recently launched G310 R gets new subtle updates like a new paint scheme along with all-LED treatment. Along with that, the engine is also fairly refined than before. The talking point with the BMW G310 R in the BS6 avatar is the price. This motorcycle is priced 70,000 less than its BS4 sibling that was launched last year.
Technical Specs
Engine 313CC, Liquid-cooled, DOHC Transmission 6-speed Power 34 Bhp @ 9500 rpm Torque 28 Nm @ 7500 rpm A 313 CC liquid-cooled, DOHC motor powers this BMW that pushes 34hp of max power and 28Nm of peak torque. What is even more mouth-watering is the very linear power delivery and the presence of 6th gear makes the bike even more fuel-efficient on the highway.
Also, Read Chain Drive vs Belt Drive vs Shaft Drive | Motorcycle Drivetrain Explained
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if this article is saying about best touring motorcycle available in india then you missed mahindra mojo 300 ABS
I am using it since last 4 years
rode across india and completed 1 lac plus kms woth any issues …
none of the above bikes stand before mojo interns of touring qualities …..
With due respect to you I believe you haven’t experienced the best tourer Mahindra Mojo.
Check it out and you will certainly change your opinion.
Surprised that you have included Honda h’ness , a bike that is yet to hit the Indian roads. Only on the basis of features if you start rating a bike seems to be a real lazy way of doing it.
Hi Amit,
We know that Mahindra Mojo is indeed a good motorcycle for touring, with its 21-litre fuel and decent power output to cruise on the highways. But what is not in its favour is the price. Mahindra Mojo retails at around 2.25 Lakhs (on-Road) which is on the higher end of the spectrum and also does not offer the perfect bank for your buck. In Addition, Honda H’Ness for its capacity i.e 350cc has excellent power and torque figures. Even the price is also justifiable with what it offers. In the end its Honda, certainly rarely anything goes wrong with its R&D. Stay Pinned! 🙂
Yeah so true when you say anything rarely go wrong with Honda. I remember Unicorn and many more more models from Japnese manufacturer. Remember Enticer, Crux Crux-R , Honda gear scooter. Except shine which other bike Honda has been able to sell. Really just going by features is the laziest way to do comparison. Why have you not included Imperila of Benelli. 400cc for 2 Lacs. Going by your logic it should be the best tourer.
Remember quality comes at a price and Mojo is a 24 carat product.
Ride it to feel it.
Hi Amit,
It was never just about features, Honda H’ness has a really potent and powerful engine considering it is a long stroke one. The reason Mojo didn’t make it to the list is the power and for the price. Okay, so let’s talk numbers here. Mahindra Mojo generates 25.35hp of max power and 25.95Nm of torque. Sure, for 294cc short-stroke engine the figures are good. But Jawa 42 having a similar engine with minor tweaks, produces 26.14hp and 27.05Nm of peak torque and the price difference is of about 40,000. I believe you can do the maths now.
Moving on, Benelli Imperiale 400 is a decent motorcycle that lacked and still lacks features. Talking about the engine, the engine output is similar to that to Honda H’ness 350 but again Benelli costs more.
In the end, Mahindra Mojo launched in 2015 was not updated with time especially the ‘features’ Instrument Cluster- feels and looks old, Headlights? halogens, slipper clutch? is that even a thing?. Neither things changed with the new BS6 update. Still, pointing out the change, the new Mojo has only a single exhaust that robs the grunt the bike had. Okay, we know that this doesn’t change the minds of the people who are buying Mahindra Mojo, Oh I’m sorry there aren’t many people going for this motorcycle.
Again, in the end, I would say it is a good motorcycle but doesn’t offer the ‘bang for your buck’.
Pathetic article. Most of the bikes called “Cruisers” are out and out street bikes with an aggressive riding stance which cannot be maintained for long cruises.
Hi Raj,
Well, this is where some necessary mods come into play. For that, refer here.
10 Bike Modification to Make Your Motorcycle Touring Ready
Comparing the features again!!!!!
So disappointed in you that you are writing an article without riding these bikes if at all you know how to ride.
Next time try to put in more effort by practically taking a raod test.
Hi Amit,
Firstly, specs and features are two different things. Secondly, the BS6 Mahindra Mojo could have been better but it is a couple of notches down, ‘Period’. No point of buying an old motorcycle for a high price.