At this point, I should point out that fun to ride doesn’t necessarily mean the fastest, most sophisticated or best handling. It’s hard to quantify really, but simply put, these are the affordable bikes (and scooters) that we just can’t get enough of – the kind that fuels the very love for riding. So, in no particular order, except that of price (all prices ex-showroom Delhi), here’s the list of bikes that excite.
Honda Navi
The Navi makes it here because it's such a unique experience thanks to its tiny, light and super-agile form. The riding position makes it feel like a scaled-down motorcycle and you can’t help fooling around every time you hop in the tiny saddle. The Navi does have its share of problems, like its lack of stowage space, basic suspension and sparse feature list (there’s no fuel gauge) count against it, but none of that takes away from the fact that this is an incredibly cheerful little thing to ride.
Price: ₹ 42,784
TVS Victor
What’s a commuter bike doing here you ask? Well, there are no rules for what can and cannot qualify as a fun bike and the TVS Victor is just that – fun! The Victor earns our love because it keeps all the virtues of a straightforward commuter, and it also manages to bring in an unexpected level of rider involvement for the segment. This is not to say that it is overtly sporty in any way, but the Victor has a wonderful combination of a smooth and eager engine, a very well-balanced chassis, pliant suspension, good braking performance (disc brake variant) and impressive levels of quality and kit.
Price: ₹ 53,295 (Drum), ₹ 55,295 (Disc) and ₹ 56,275 (Premium Edition)
TVS Ntorq 125
The new TVS has many ground-breaking features including a highly informative digital display, Bluetooth connectivity, GPS navigation and much more. But none of that (or the competitive price) is why the Ntorq makes it to this list. No, that would be entirely down to what a joy this scooter is to ride. TVS has done a great job with its first 125cc engine – it’s one of the fastest scooters we’ve tested, and it also produces a pleasingly deep exhaust note.
The Ntorq offers a plush ride quality and it happily takes on poor surfaces, but it’s also an involving handler and is quite willing to attack any corners that come its way. The ergonomics are accommodating of tall riders and the disc brake sheds speed confidently.
Price: ₹ 59,650
Aprilia SR150
The SR150 scores with its sensational European style, a powerful 150cc motor, and fantastic handling manners. The SR150, and its younger sibling, the SR125, are the only scooters in India to offer 14-inch wheels. Couple this with a wheelbase longer than that of the average 150cc motorcycle and what you get is immense stability and cornering poise. Sticky tyres from Thai brand Vee rubber and remarkably sharp brakes further enhance the SR’s potency.
Practicality, though, is not a strong point; it has a remarkably stiff suspension, a relatively small under-seat stowage space, a tall seat and lacks any frills. For the purest SR experience, there's the SR150 Race with optimised gearing for the quickest performance.
SR150 price: ₹ 71,486, SR150 Race price: ₹ 74,666
Suzuki Gixxer/SF
What makes the Suzuki Gixxer so special? It’s one of those combination factors once again, where everything ties in beautifully. While the engine could use a stronger top end, it does have an eager and characterful nature with a punchy mid-range which is great fun in urban conditions. The gearbox is crisp and the chassis is tremendously engaging. What seals the deal is that you get one of the best riding positions in the class, which allows the rider to lock onto the bike, giving you a great sense of control while remaining comfortable. Even after all these years, it’s still one of the most gratifying 150-160cc bikes out there and you can’t go wrong with either the naked bike or the faired Gixxer SF
Gixxer price: Gixxer: ₹ 77,015 (rear drum), ₹ 80,929 (rear disc) and ₹ 87,250 (ABS)
Gixer SF price: Gixxer SF ₹ 90,037 (rear disc) ₹ 96,386 (ABS) ₹ 93,032 (FI) ₹ 1,00,216 (FI and ABS)
