Bajaj Avenger to Royal Enfield Thunderbird: India’s 5 cheapest cruiser motorcycles

Cruiser motorcycles have been selling well in India for some time now. The blend of comfort and easy riding have drawn people back to the stores for them. Companies are also catering to customer demands and offering plenty of options now, and that too at affordable price points. Here is a list of the five cheapest cruising motorcycles available in India right now.

Royal Enfield Thunderbird/ThunderbirdX

Rs. 1.50 Lakh (350), Rs 1.91 Lakh (500)

Rs. 1.56 Lakh (350X), Rs. 1.98 Lakh (500X)

Why? Stylish looks and that famous Royal Enfield exhaust thump

The Thunderbird and ThunderbirdX are the most stylish and well-designed bikes from the Chennai-based company. The X variant of Thunderbird is more youth-oriented and come with trendy styling. While the Thunderbird variant sports a more traditional cruiser look, the Thunderbird X gets a more urban cruiser design.

Both the 350-cc bikes get the same 346-cc unit construction engine that produces 19.8 Bhp of power and 28 Nm of torque. The 500-cc engine, on the other hand, produces 27.2 Bhp of power and 41.3 Nm of torque. It is mated to a five speed gearbox. The prices of the Thunderbird 350 and 350X are Rs. 1.50 Lakh and Rs. 1.56 Lakh, respectively. The bigger-engined Thunderbird 500 and 500X retail at Rs. 1.91 lakh and Rs. 1.96 lakh, respectively.

Bajaj Avenger Series

Rs. 95,923

Why? It is a VFM product and gets raw power. Also, affordable to maintain.

The Bajaj Avenger brand has been around for a while in the market now. This street-smart bike is one of the zippiest cruisers available. The Cruise variant of the motorcycle comes with spoke wheels and a big windscreen. It’s all shiny and has chrome in abundance. Coupled with a low-slung seat, long wheelbase and swept-back handlebars, this bike commands attention wherever it goes. It also boasts of attractive headlamps with LED DRLs along with a digital instrument console to boot.

It has the same engine as on the Street 220, which in fact is the tried-and-tested Pulsar 220 DTS-I mill. It produces 18.8 Bhp of power and 17.5 Nm of maximum torque. Prices start at Rs. 95,923. If you want a decent cruiser at an affordable price, this one is for you.

Suzuki Intruder

Rs. 1 Lakh

Why? Unique design and refined engine.

The Suzuki Intruder is quite a good bike to get on to. The Intruder name in itself is an icon. The original M1800 is one of the largest and most powerful production cruiser bikes. This however is a 150-cc iteration but with the same DNA. Also, in its 150-cc version, it is basically a Gixxer in disguise. Both the bikes share the same chassis, swing arm and engine with the Gixxer.

The Intruder has a 155-cc petrol engine mated to a 5-speed gearbox. The engine is good enough for churning out 14.6 bhp of power and 14 Nm of torque. Prices start at Rs. 1 lakh and it comes equipped with an ABS. Also, its look may not appeal to everyone, but there’s no doubt it’s a head turner.

UM Renegade Commando

Rs. 1.82 Lakh

Why? Something different from the regulars. Also looks premium.

The Renegade Commando is one of the Renegade series bikes, which UM manufactures. The Renegade series has many other models under its belt too. To let you know, UM Motorcycles is an American brand, which started its Indian innings in 2014.  The bike gets low-slung seats and forward set foot pegs.The handlebars are swept back, which translates into a good cruising experience.

This bike gets a 280-cc engine mated to a 6-speed gearbox producing 24.8 bhp of power and 23 Nm of torque. The Commando is a direct rival to the Royal Enfield Thunderbird. The bike looks quite good and has excellent street presence. One letdown however is that UM does not offer ABS even as an option. Prices start at Rs. 1.82 lakh and it makes for a pretty good choice if you want something different.

Royal Enfield Bullet (350/500)

Rs. 1.16 Lakh (350), Rs. 1.68 Lakh (500), Rs 1.49 Lakh (350 ES)

Why? Old school comfortable cruiser. Cheaper than other Royal Enfield bikes

The Royal Enfield Bullet series is so famous that many people now refer the company’s bike by saying ‘bullet/bullat’. It carries the iconic design of yesteryear Royal Enfield bikes, along with the power to lock horns with the competition. The bike comes in three variants, the Bullet 350 cc, Bullet 500 cc and the Bullet 350 cc ES (Electric Start). While both the previous bikes miss out on disk brakes and electric starts, the latter comes equipped with both. Both the non-electric ones come with a hand-painted pinstripe logo unlike a printed one on the ES.

The 350-cc Bullet and Bullet ES get the same 346-cc unit construction engine, which is shared across other 350 models. It produces 19.8 Bhp of power and 28 Nm of torque. The 500-cc engine, meanwhile, produces 27.2 Bhp of power and 41.3 Nm of torque. The Bullet 350 and ES come at Rs. 1.16 Lakh and Rs. 1.48 Lakh respectively, while the 500-cc version retails at Rs. 1.68 Lakh.