11 Great Motorcycles That Liberated India

Two decades ago, people’s minds were chained into thinking that there is nothing more in the two-wheeler world except for scooters and bland commuters. But then came a few motorcycles that liberated India and its people to different segments and better models in the commuter segment itself.

These motorcycles freed the minds of Indian people and exposed them to unchartered territory that even pushed manufacturers to come up with something new every year. Here are the motorcycles that liberated India and caused a revolution on their own.

1. Royal Enfield Bullet
   

   

   This bike is the longest-running motorcycle to be in continuous production in the entire history of motorcycles. If a bike deserves to be called a Legend, it should be the Royal Enfield Bullet 350. Initially imbibed for serving the Indian army, it soon started production in the year 1955. The timeless classic design and ruggedness of the Bullet 350 have remained the same throughout the years, even to this date.

   It has a cult following not only in India but throughout the world. Its introduction came with a 346cc, air-cooled, four-stroke engine that produced 18 bhp and 30Nm of power and torque, respectively. The sheer power of this bike, combined with its ability to go effortlessly on rough terrains, caused a storm in the Indian two-wheeler industry, making it one of the first motorcycles that liberated India.

2. Yamaha RX100
   

   

   I don’t think this bike needs an introduction, and any amount of praise for this bike is underrated. The RX100 is one of the motorcycles that liberated India from slow coach commuters and some very heavy motorcycles. The Yamaha RX was light, compact and packed enough power and torque to make your pillion shout their lungs out if you go into beast mode and sync with the nature of the bike.

   The RX was inspired by its elder and wilder brother, the RD350, and is undoubtedly considered an icon today. It came with a 98cc engine that produced 11 bhp and 10.45 Nm of torque on a bike that weighed less than 100kg resulting in an insane power-to-weight ratio. When the RX was launched, it definitely was not the most powerful, but it was quickly the peppiest ride and immediately captured the youth and enthusiast’s hearts.

3. Hero Honda Splendor
   

   

   We were brooding about how boring the commuter segment is, yet we have included a commuter itself on this list, which makes it contradictory to what we are trying to say. But this is no ordinary commuter, my friend. This is the motorcycle of the masses, and it can easily be called India’s motorcycle without a doubt. The primary reason is the sheer numbers in which it was sold, and for many years it was the highest-selling motorcycle not only in India but for the entire world. It is not an exaggeration when we say; every household had this motorcycle. Right from the wealthy working class to the lower middle class, every single house had this bike.

   Interestingly, it still sells in huge numbers even to this day, making Hero remain on the top of the list of the largest motorcycle manufacturers in the world. The primary reasons it was selling well were its insane fuel efficiency figures, reliability and cheap maintenance. It used to give a mileage of around 80 kmpl when others struggled even half of that. These remain the exact reasons why it continues to sell well even now.

4. Hero Honda CBZ
   

   

   The Hero Honda CBZ marked the return of performance bikes after the two-stroke era. It was the first entry-level 4-stroke performance bike that came with a 156cc engine that produced 12.6 bhp of power and was the first bike to comes with a 5-speed gearbox. This pushed the top speed more than 100kmph, and the fact that it can cruise at higher speeds without much stress on the engine, courtesy of the 5th gear, gave it a tactical advantage, and every motoring enthusiast wanted a piece of it.

   The floating tank design, three pod instrument cluster, stylish headlamp unit, and not to forget the disc brakes combined to make it one of the best looking motorcycles back in the days. It looks better even now when compared to some of the recently released products from Hero. It nailed the combination of performance and styling.

5. Bajaj Pulsar 150/180
   

   

   The CBZ might have started the performance motorcycle segment, but its reign was short-lived, and that’s because of the phenomenon that was introduced by the name “Pulsar”. In 2001, Bajaj (majorly a scooter manufacturer) decided to introduce a product that would give a tough competition in the market and manage to sell well. But little did they know that this exact product would blow up the performance segment into an entire community and work to etch its name in the history of Indian motorcycles.

   Designed by Glynn Kerr, the trademark muscular fuel tank, round headlamp and twin-pod instrument cluster combined with an insane performance gave a whole new meaning to its tagline ‘Definitely Male’. It was introduced with two engine options: the 150cc that made 12bhp and a 180cc that churned out 15bhp. These may not look like much right now, but back then, they were the most powerful.

   The Pulsar is now available in many models and designs and catering to a wide range of consumer interests. It also became a common name in the stunt bike category, and when you see the ads done by professional stuntmen, you will know why. This shows that the Pulsar was one of the motorcycles that liberated India in many ways and introduced people to many segments, from performance to stunting and racing.

6. Hero Honda Karizma
   

   

   In response to the emerging threat, Bajaj Pulsar, Hero Honda, had to develop something even more significant, and they did exactly just that. They introduced India’s first 4-stroke motorcycle with an engine capacity above 200cc and the most powerful engine. Combining that with a 0-60 kmph sprint in 3.8 seconds becomes the first choice for those who want performance. On top of all this, it looked drop-dead gorgeous with its bikini fairing, fairing integrated turn signals, sculpted tank, digital trip meter and a long comfortable seat. This was a package that every biker dreamed of, and the icing on the cake was its more than average fuel economy which forced the Karizma to kick-start the touring segment in India.

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7. Royal Enfield Thunderbird
   

   

   The Royal Enfield Thunderbird is the motorcycle that liberated India from puttering around in the same town and gave freedom to travel long distances in comfort. The Karizma was a sports commuter which additionally helped in touring. Still, the Royal Enfiled Thunderbird was a full-fledged hardcore cruiser, and any amount of distance is a breeze on this capable bike.

   The 350cc air-cooled single-cylinder engine puts out 20bhp of power and 28Nm of torque, which is quite powerful and is also fuel-efficient with a mileage of around 30 kmpl. This is a long-stroke engine with good torque, making it ideal for touring between cities and states. The machine is well-tuned that once on the highways, you can stay lazy on the same gear even when there is an inclination, which forces other regular bikes to gear down and throttle up.

8. Yamaha R15
   

   

   Many of the previous motorcycles in this list might have upped the ante in the performance segment, but nothing stole the show quite like the Yamaha R15. After the 2-stroke era, Yamaha came back with a bang and introduced the baby R1 in 2008. It was the first fully faired bike in India, and damn it looked good. This is the motorcycle that liberated India into the world of pure racing. The looks alone garnered a lot of buyers as there was nothing that looked even close to it, with that gorgeous fairing at the front and a balanced lookout throughout.

   Apart from looks, it did better in the performance section and was miles ahead when handling. No other bike during its time could take as good as the R15 version1, and its competition only came later during the era of Version 2 and 3. For a 150cc motorcycle costing above 1 lakh, it used to sell very well. The 150cc engine on the R15 was the first engine with four valves and came equipped with liquid cooling technology.

9. Honda Activa
   

   

   This cheeky scooter managed to do something possible only by the Hero Honda Splendour, which is the fact that it was selling in millions. The Honda Activa even managed to surpass the sales of the Splendour and became the highest-selling two-wheeler in India many times. It was almost impossible to find a house without an Activa, and that’s why it deserves the title of the most iconic modern scooter of all time.

   This was a scooter that was enough for the entire family, as everyone from a student going to college to your grandfather visiting relatives, anyone could ride it with ease. The Activa was also a reliable scooter that did not complain much and was very user friendly. With every year, it keeps evolving concerning design and engines. Yet, the ease of use and reliability remains a constant, making it easy to recommend to anyone looking for a good scooter in the market. The Activa is one of the motorcycles that liberated India from having multiple vehicles for the different age groups to just one motorcycle for all.

10. KTM Duke 200/390
    

    

    When the competition for performance motorcycles was mainly between the Pulsars, Apaches and the R15s, the brand killed almost every opponent with just two products. This was KTM dropping the bomb on other motorcycles with the Duke 200 and the Duke 390. We won’t consider sales as a parameter; although the Dukes did sell well, we will consider what the KTMs brought to the Indian motorcycling community. The KTM Duke is the motorcycle that liberated India from its perception of performance and introduced Indians to the term ‘Hooliganism‘.

    When you describe Duke 390 as a monster, it is an understatement, and you are insulting the Duke. It can be termed dangerous for a beginner motorcyclist with that much power and torque, but once you learn to tame the hooligan, it’s an entirely different story. That power to weight ratio is absolute madness and insane. The Duke 390 is doing what the RD350 was doing in its days, providing absolute raw power and performance at an affordable price. Under capable hands, the Duke 390 can go circles around bikes even in the next segment with more significant engines.

11. Royal Enfield Himalayan
    

    

    The Royal Enfield Himalayan was the first purpose-built motorcycle by RE and only the second motorcycle after the KTM RC. Please do not get confused, and we mean that the RC was purpose-built for the track, and the Himalayan was purpose-built for everywhere else. The Royal Enfield Himalayan is the motorcycle that liberated Indians from the tarmac itself and gave them the freedom to go anywhere the rider wished to go.

    You want to go to the office – check, you want to go on the highway to visit another city – check, you want to go to places where no one else can think of going – double-check. The 411cc engine that comes on the Himalayan was newly developed for this product, and its 24.3 bhp of power is a little less for our liking. Still, the 32Nm of torque paired with an excellently designed 5-speed gearbox is exciting, to say the least, when you decide to go off the tarmac.

    The power feels less for a 411cc engine, the bike is heavy, and it misses out on a 6th gear, leaving you wanting for more on a highway. Still, everywhere else, in the city or going off-road, it is competent, and you will never regret the decision of buying one if you want to tread the unbeaten path.

These motorcycles have each caused a revolution in their terms and appeared in the list of motorcycles that liberated India. They have freed Indians from their usual motorcycle concepts and shown us that there is more to life than just commuters. Each of them is special and bring us a lot of memories, and some of them are waiting in your garage to make more memorable moments that you will cherish your entire life.

Riding a motorcycle liberates you from your worries. They free you from your daily chores. They liberate your soul and help you find a different kind of freedom that only motorcyclists can acknowledge with one another. If you don’t understand what we are talking about, grab the keys and set out on a solo ride to the mountains or any quiet place for that matter and let us know your liberating experience.