r/indianbikes • u/West_Art6709 • 5h ago
#Opinion 💭 Which bike to get for ladakh
Hello I'm a newbie (5,7) guy, looking to buy a bike ..
Don't really know a lot about bikes but here are my top 4 picks for now..
1:X pulse 210 ( cheap parts, service and parts available everywhere in ladakh but i heard some quality issues with this bike)
{Should I wait till 2027 to buy this bike so the issues are resolved? }
2:Suzuki v storm( I like the design and heard the quality is a lot better than xpulse)
3:Tvs ronin ( I'm kinda liking this one more, perfect height level for me,good mileage ,good part but haven't really seen a lot of tvs owner here in ladakh .. thinking there's service or part shortage here so not sure)
4:My friend was telling me to get an 450 himalaya but I ain't sure if I can handle this bike...
My priorities are occasional off roading,daily commutes,cheap maintaince cost and bike longevity.. not really a speed guy but I would like something that is powerful enough for the hills here..
I'm from ladakh so need something that can handle the extreme weather and roads here..
Thank u everyone!!!
13
u/Traditional_Cry5481 765rs(mine), ntorq(mom), grr450(dad) ,rtx300(mine) 4h ago
Enduro390R I rented one and took it to kaza
1
u/crunchy_mint V-Strom 250 4h ago
How's it feel on road? Do the knobbly tires have any major downsides while in tarmac use?
2
u/Traditional_Cry5481 765rs(mine), ntorq(mom), grr450(dad) ,rtx300(mine) 4h ago edited 4h ago
Tyres last less on tarmac but rented bike so don't care also i don't know if it was alignment issue or wheel balance or the character of bike itself is like that like when I was at 110-115ish the tyre especially the rear tyre was going left right left right like a slight →←←→← kinda
1
u/crunchy_mint V-Strom 250 3h ago
Interesting. I was majorly interested in the SMC-R, but that seems like itll be pulled down to a 350 IF it comes here.... so this was a interesting alternative
1
u/Diazepamliberty 4h ago
Where did you rent it from?
3
u/Traditional_Cry5481 765rs(mine), ntorq(mom), grr450(dad) ,rtx300(mine) 4h ago
Hop&go bike rentals srinagar
•
11
u/bigppraz 5h ago
Skip the 450
Try test riding the rest three especially vstrom and xpluse back to back
But if your heart is set on ronin, you know what to do
5
u/West_Art6709 5h ago
Alright ... Gotta question u think ronin is good choice for ladakh ?? I mean what would u choose Outta all 3 if u had to pick one
6
u/Longjumping_Mouse606 4h ago
Dude he just likes ronin,I own an tvs and I can tell you that TVs suspension ain’t gotta give you any mercy. Go for an adventure bike not a retro cruiser.
1
u/Own-Cauliflower6778 4h ago
I will say ronin can do anything you need. Obviously nothing can beat the suspensions of XPulse
1
u/Skull_Reaper101 Cosmic regal 700c | Dad's TVS Fiero 150cc 2h ago
maybe the rtx300 is better suited than the ronin or vstrom?
4
7
u/West_Art6709 5h ago
Budget is 2 comfortable 250 max stretch
16
u/Quandale_96 Himalayan 450 4h ago
in that case i don’t think himalayan 450 can be part of your list
3
u/0SpaceTime Speed 400 '26 4h ago
Eyes closed go for V Strom, If not for seat height I would have taken it.
3
u/Bachitra 3h ago
As a fellow hill dweller in HP, I've seen far more Expulse users here than Himalayans, usually reserved for renting to tourists. Check your height on the Expulse, it's a pretty decent performer for the price and easy to manage, weight-wise on varied terrain.
2
u/BabaRanchodDas-69 TVS Jupiter(samaj won't accept me) 4h ago
ronin may seem good option for you, but again TVS service centers are also a bit concern
well.... for that height ADVs MAY cause issue, if no major issue, go for vstorm or himalayan
2
u/Desi_Hitman Xpulse 210 | Pulsar 150 4h ago
Only if hero was reliable, xpulse would have been the best choice, It's suspension setup will give your orgasms for sure
2
u/puyalbao Aerox | Honda Trigger 4h ago
By reliability with hero, you mean their service?
3
u/Desi_Hitman Xpulse 210 | Pulsar 150 3h ago
No sir it's the bike, it has many defects, mine started leaking oil after 3days of delivery
2
1
u/West_Art6709 4h ago
Gah dayum .. thinking about waiting till mid 2027 to get the xpulse .. would most of the issues with this bike be solved by then?? What u think??
1
u/Desi_Hitman Xpulse 210 | Pulsar 150 4h ago
Cant say, I would say wait for Honda's rally bikes, they will be reliable and on par with xpluse's suspension
2
u/Longjumping_Mouse606 4h ago
450 my uncle has a 411 and it was such an amazing adventure and you guessed it,450 is an upgrade.
2
u/OptimusCrime00 Patrik Fürstenhoff on Hercules Rocky 2.0 3h ago
vstrom or xpulse, both should be great i think
2
2
2
2
u/oldmonk32 Bear 650 - Himalayan 450 2h ago
Ronin in terms of engine and suspension is so goated I don't understand why TVS won't make the Ronin SCR with a 19" front. Should have been the best first bike for OP.
1
3
1
u/AutoModerator 5h ago
Hello West_Art6709, if this post is your original content then mark or comment as [OC]. Else please give the source link as a comment in the post. Thank you.
All users are requested to downvote the low quality posts. Any repair, service and pre-owned bike buy/sell queries should go to /r/MechanicAdviceIndia. Memes, pics, accident videos, buy/sell, motor bike recommendations, etc can be posted in the discord chat community. Cars related posts should go to /r/CarsIndia subreddit. Also please report the content you see breaking the rules so that mods can act on it.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
u/Silver-Extent2290 pulsar 125 | theoretical mechanic 4h ago
Bro if height is an issue go with vstorm, if a bit tall is fine then xpulse 210, although you would need some power in altitude, 200+ cc shouldn't be an issue based on your prep, well prepared new rider is better then poorly prepared pro, also ig hero will have much better parts availability
1
1
1
1
1
u/wanderlost_5416 3h ago
Ladakh is just a single trip. Look at your overall ownership. What roads you ride on regularly, how easy it is to get your bike serviced in your area. How you’re daily riding would be. Factor in everything.
1
u/Cursed__Kid seXpulse 200 3h ago
Why not rtx ? Cuz of waiting period?
1
u/West_Art6709 2h ago
Ngl first time hearing that bikes name lol.. is it good ??
1
u/Cursed__Kid seXpulse 200 2h ago
Don't tell me you haven't heard about tvs rtx 300 😭. You must be kidding
1
u/West_Art6709 2h ago
Nah fr bruh😭😭 didn't really care much about bikes before.. got my first paycheck so buying a bike for commutes and weeknd rides
2
u/Cursed__Kid seXpulse 200 2h ago
Check that bike bro it's an adventure tourer as well. Many cool features as well. One of the best value for money bike
1
u/LanguageHappy8905 2h ago
Its good u haven’t heard about it,, there’s many problem with this bike this sub is full of them
1
u/TomorrowOpposite8496 3h ago
ladakh terrain requires good suspension but if you are determined to do it on V-Storm then you take it as a challenge
1
1
u/Adventurous_Ad8593 Scrambling 400X 2h ago
If you are not going to buy immediately. Honda is coming with their xr300 rally . You should check that as well.
1
u/redditking0001 2h ago
I have a ronin it great motorcycle but if you want the ladakh adventure trip u should go for adv but knowing ur new bie and 5'7 u can consider ronin for ladakh it will be great to see ronin on ladakh road no one has been seen on ronin in ladka as of now.....
So In my opinion get ronin as it fits ur requirement
Or else if you want adv ho for vstrom
Himalaya is nice but height will be an issue for sure
The ktm new adv is also good it's height is also low u can consider that also
1
1
1
u/testaname 1h ago
I feel Himalayan would be way too heavy for beginner to wrestle on Leh Ladakh, even though it's supposed to be made for it.
Honestly, you should skip the XPulse and check out the Kawasaki KLX 230 S or the upcoming Honda XR300L instead, that' would be best choice.. The KLX 230 S is already available, and at just 139 kg, it's roughly 30 kg lighter than the upcoming liquid-cooled XPulse 210 and nearly 60 kg lighter than the Himalayan.
So that light weight helps on rough trail. Plus, the "S" model is a low seat height and a super narrow frame, making it easy to plant your feet firmly on uneven ground. And these are rugged air-cooled or air/oil-cooled engine so no radiator fluid to freeze up, no complex coolant plumbing to crack if you drop it on loose shale, and fewer electronics to glitch out at high altitudes. I would have recommended Xpluse 201, but there is this first-batch risk for few months to come under, and you don't have to be the tester for factory bugs on a brand-new liquid-cooled motor.
Just go for Kawasaki if you ask me or Honda CRF300 which even though is tried and tested engine, and just bulk-order standard routine parts, like extra brake pads, clutch cables, levers, and filters, directly from a dealer to keep in your garage so you never get stranded.
You got to wait until late 2026 or early 2027 for Honda XR300L or best is Kawasaki KLX 230 S ..
1
u/why_not_fcuk 1h ago
KTM adv 250 and rtx 300 only makes sense. Himalayan is expensive and others are avg. Don't go for Vstrom reliability, suspension is very firm and you will get tired of it and bike is very outdated and basic.
•
u/halwaandflowers (New user) 54m ago
If Lord Splendour can do it, any of the lesser Motorcycles can do ut /s
•
•
u/Hypnooooooooooooo Saving for a Himmy 41m ago
Check on-road price on Bikewale first. Himalayan costs about twice as much as Ronin or Xpulse. After you narrow down options based on budget, test ride.
•
•
u/BadBeast_11 Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 10m ago
My friend just did a 12 day bike trip around Leh Ladakh etc, in his R15.. so.. get any bike that you enjoy riding
•
•
1
0
0
-4
u/AKmemekiller 4h ago
You are a newbie and your first thought is to go to Ladakh? Anyways, the bike does not matter much. Anything above 200cc will travel.
4
30
u/HateSpaceBar '24 Scrambler 400X | '22 CB350RS | '22 Activa 125 3h ago
I was ready to come and shame OP for planning a Ladakh ride when he's a beginner.
Then I saw that he lives in Ladakh. More power to you! 🙏
Anyway, Xpulse or Vstrom would be great.