Ahem…. I guess this doesn’t need an explanation as all of you, whom I know or even heard about— no, none of you is going to heaven; well, at least, for now.
But furthering on the headline can wait. Those are teen stuff. For now, let’s ride— not on top of anything but the bike; nowhere else.
Fortunately, the almighty has privileged me with the opportunity to ride loads of bikes. It might be many thousands of miles that I don’t have any record about. But I can tell you the number of bikes I have driven, experienced, and interacted with.
And it’s not many as I don’t have a habit of borrowing bikes unless it’s anyone from my family or alike. By “alike” I mean those buddies to whom I am eternally grateful for their brotherly gesture. Yes, that includes many of you who are reading this.
I’d like to take a moment to thank You.
Anyway, the few brands I have had experience with are mostly Honda, Bajaj, Yamaha, TVS, Hero, Runner, Suzuki, and a few others. Count Vespa on my list too. By experience, I say I have ridden them for many miles to develop a sense of judgement.
And from that perspective, Bajaj goes beyond and above the list for its affordability, reliability, availability of parts and after-sales service. Yes, Nobody Does it Better than Bajaj if your concern is fuel efficiency, cheap but robust spare parts, and availability of servicemen.
Personally, I like Yamaha for its comfortable and powerful bikes, they are overly expensive compared to their nearest competitors. And the spare parts are very expensive. Actually, Yamaha is still reigning the market with its sports and premium-graded commuter bikes. But it’s not for the mass people. And when the majority skips something, it loses its title as “popular.”
Honda is obsessed with its premium bikes. Although they have launched a few commuters, somehow, their marketing didn’t reach the common people; not very effectively.
TVS, on the other hand, has a fair share of market domination with its all-star TVS; be it RTR 150/160 or 4V, people with RTR love to show-off a bit even if there’s no floor for it. Honestly, they design their bikes smokin’ hot— everyone has to fall for it. But when it comes to road safety and reliability, TVS is a big no. And I think Stryker is the worst addition to the Asian market.
Hero doesn't care about the punks. They have a loyal user base of oldies. No offence but Hero bikes suit their specific riders. Although CBZ and Hunk were very popular among teenagers and thrill-seeking bikers, they failed miserably to present the upgraded versions. And the new Hero Triller and Hunk seem to be a joke to me.
Suzuki did some splendid jobs launching some fancy bikes at fairly competitive prices and still, they are favoured by many bikers, when it comes to features, their performance is poor. Imagine a bike costing you 3+ lakhs has no oil-colled system— when every other brand is doing more than that.
But Bajaj— ah, the brand that knows the South Asian market too well. They have bikes for every taste, age and social class. For example, Pulsar suits everyone— no matter if you are a teen or in several twenties, it will impress you with its vibe. And it’s competitively priced based on its features. But the newest edition is overpriced in my opinion although they have added new features. Consider their other models and series, they are built to last; to give you a thrill and feel powerful.
I almost forgot to mention a very special bike that combines all— Lifan KPT; look, aggressiveness, power, comfort, and safety— be prepared to surpass your expectation once you rev the throttle. But you need a monstrous body to blend in. I’m joking!
