10 great long-distance motorcycles of India: Royal Enfield Thunderbird to Bajaj Dominar

Long distance touring on motorcycles is catching up quickly in India. Most youngsters nowadays choose two wheels over four wheels as the number of touring motorcycles are increasing in the market. We bring you ten such affordable long distance riding tools that will keep the riders comfortable over the journey.

Bajaj Dominar

The latest launch from Bajaj has quickly become popular. The Dominar is a feature loaded motorcycle and comes with full-LED headlamps. The cruiser is powered by the 373cc engine which is based on the KTM 390 Duke’s powerplant.

The single-cylinder, liquid cooled engine produces a maximum power of 34.5 BHP and 35 Nm of torque. The Dominar is priced at Rs. 1.36 lakh for the non-ABS version and Rs. 1.5 lakh for the ABS variant. The comfortable riding position, powerful engine and fuel injection make it one of the best riding tools available in the market.

Royal Enfield Himalayan

The Royal Enfield Himalayan is the cheapest adventure motorcycle that you can buy in India. The Himalayan is termed as the most advanced Royal Enfield you can buy in the market yet but that will change when the brand launches the new 650cc twins this year. The 411 cc, the four-stroke engine of the motorcycle misses out on the trademark thump for the better things. The single-cylinder engine produces a maximum of 24 BHP and 32 Nm of maximum torque.

The Himalayan comes with some advanced features like an onboard compass to help the rider to navigate through the terrains. Also, the Himalayan is easy to ride and offers a ground clearance of 220 mm and high-positioned exhaust, which allows the motorcycle to wade through deep water crossings and rough terrain with ease.

Royal Enfield Thunderbird

The Royal Enfield Thunderbird gets you the best of both the worlds. The looks of Bullet with the comfort of cruisers, the Thunderbird is in its own league. The low seating of the Thunderbird makes it one of the most popular choices among the long-distance travellers. The Thunderbird comes with two engine options – 350cc engine generating 19.8 BHP and 28 Nm of power and 500cc engine producing 27.2 BHP and 41.3 Nm of torque.

Mahindra Mojo

The Mahindra Mojo is an underrated motorcycle on the market. Mahindra did take a lot of time to launch the Mojo in the market but it is a very refined product. The Mojo is powered by a 295cc engine that produces a maximum power of 27 BHP and 30 Nm of torque. The engine is paired with a 6-speed gearbox and is very smooth to use.

The Mahindra Mojo comes with a huge tank fo 21-litres, making it long distance friendly. Mojo also gets Pirelli tyres that are super sticky and give the rider confidence. It is also very well balanced motorcycle and comes with a relaxed riding position.

Yamaha Fazer 250

Yamaha launched the all-new FZ25 last year and then based on it, the brand launched the Fazer 25. The motorcycle is a fully faired motorcycle based on the FZ25 and gets the same mechanicals.

The motorcycle gets all-LED headlamp system and an aggressive design but the motorcycle is a good choice for long-distance touring. The Fazer 250 is powered by 249cc, oil-cooled plus air-cooled, single-cylinder engine that generates 20.4 BHP of power and 20 Nm of maximum torque.

Bajaj Avenger 220 Cruise

The Bajaj Avenger is cheapest cruiser bike that you can buy in the market. The motorcycle is now available in two variants, Street and Cruise. The Cruise variant of the motorcycle comes with spoke wheels and a big windscreen. The spoke wheels take on the rough roads easily while the windscreen makes the highway cruising much better.

The Avenger Cruise comes with a 220 cc engine that produces a maximum power of 18.8 BHP and 17.5 Nm of maximum torque. Bajaj Avenger 150 is also available in the market but due to the bigger engine, the Avenger 220 is much more suited for long distance riding.

Royal Enfield Bullet

The Royal Enfield Bullet does not go like a literal bullet but it sure has its own charm. The motorcycle is powered by two engine options – 346cc, 19.8 BHP – 28 Nm and 499cc, 27.2 BHP – 41.3 Nm.

Both the Bullet 350 and Bullet 500 come with good low-end torque making it easy to climb on the mountains. The torque also helps the riders to carry heavy luggage on the motorcycle. The Bullet is for people who don’t want to rush and reach the destination.

Bajaj Pulsar 220F

The Bajaj Pulsar 220F is almost at its end of life but the motorcycle still packs a lot of punch. The Pulsar 220 is priced below Rs. 1 lakh and offers versatility to cover all kind of terrains. The Pulsar 220F is powered by a single-cylinder, air and oil cooled engine that produces a maximum of 20.8 BHP and 19.12 Nm of torque.

The Pulsar 220F is a semi-faired motorcycle that provides adequate wind protection on the highways and good agility on the rough terrains. It is the cheapest all-purpose bike that money can buy.

UM Renegade

The UM Renegade is a lesser-known motorcycle in India. It comes in 2 variants – Sport S and Commando. The Commando comes with an optional windscreen and spoke wheels that help make the highway cruising easy. The Renegade comes powered by a single cylinder, 279cc engine that produces 25.4 BHP and 23 Nm.  The Renegade is similar to the Avenger but with more power. It has a very comfortable seating position and a backrest for the people who plan to travel with the pillion.

Hyosung Aquila

The Hyosung Aquila is the only twin-cylinder affordable cruiser in the market. The 4-stroke 249cc, the oil-cooled V-Twin engine produces a maximum power of 26.21 BHP and 21.37 Nm of torque. The Aquila 250 gets the telescopic front suspension and hydraulic double shock absorbers at the rear.

The Aquila 250 is powerful enough to quickly cover the highways and is lightweight (179 kg kerb) making it easily manoeuvrable in the mountains. The Aquila is also extremely comfortable too.