Do you need a superbike to have fun? Or are small bikes the solution for big adventures? Shaun P rides both to tell us…

I remember eagerly waiting to upgrade to a ‘big-ish’ motorcycle. Moving from a small 200cc Pulsar to a middleweight Ninja seemed like the most exquisite move – at the time. More power, a nice sounding engine and superbike-esque styling – what more could 23-year-old Shaun want?

Fast forward six years and I think large-capacity motorcycles are overrated, especially in a country like India. And it’s not the motorcycle’s fault as much as the environments that cater to them. I know a lot of people will disagree with this but I’m steadfast when I say – the joys of riding a small bike fast definitely outweigh riding a big bike slowly with uncertainty. Yep, read that again.

Small Bikes v/s Big Bikes

Still don’t get it? Let me give you an example. Put the average Indian motorcyclist on a big Yamaha R1 and watch how they’re overwhelmed. The motorcycle’s sharp ergonomics combined with the slightest of throttle blips will frighten them silly. And if that wasn’t enough, the fear of dropping this Rs 25 lakh-odd motorcycle is so prominent that they’ll never end up learning how to become a better rider.

Swap this hardcore R1 for the petite Yamaha R15 and it’s a completely different story. The 18PS of power would be a lot more controllable compared to the R1’s 195PS. This lighter motorcycle would also be more forgiving and fun, teaching the rider about his limits. And if and when those limits were exceeded, resulting in an accident, the cost of fixing the motorcycle wouldn’t bankrupt the rider/ owner.

The crazy part though, take away all financial factors – let’s assume that both motorcycles cost the same amount of money for purchase and upkeep. Practicality, comfort and useability are the only factors at play. And still, it would be extremely unusual to find someone who would choose a humble R15 instead of the mighty R1.

That’s the sheer lure of a big bike, especially in a commuter-dominated nation like ours.

And the only way to get past that appeal is maturity that comes with having ridden and lived with big motorcycles. Don’t get me wrong, large-capacity motorcycles are really great to look at and hear. The hum of an inline, four-engine at high revs will have me craning my neck any time of day. But if the end goal is to have maximum fun on two wheels, I do believe that smaller motorcycles have the upper hand.

The Sweet Spot

And by smaller, I primarily mean lighter. But more agile and with adequate performance. A motorcycle that makes around 40 PS and weighs under 200 kgs on paper for me is where the sweet spot usually lies. A motorcycle that skips the intimidation of big bikes and offers the practicality of a smaller bike – the perfect balance.

And it’s really commendable how the Bajaj group of motorcycles has cracked this formula. The success of the first-generation Duke in 2013 gave them enough data to invest more in this platform. Today, they dominate the 400cc space with their engines now powering 8+ different motorcycles. The best part? They all cater to different audiences.

Are you a city rider? The new Duke 390 is for you.

Track day? Get yourself the sharp RC390.

Scramblers are your type? Choose between the futuristic Husqvarna Vitpilen and the more traditional Triumph Scrambler 400 X.

Touring? The Dominar has aged but still has takers.

Headed for some Ladakh adventure? Just pick one of the four variants of the KTM ADV 390.

Want something premium and classy? Get the Triumph Street 400.

Money is tight? The newly launched Pulsar NS400z comes in at shockingly reasonable pricing.

While Bajaj and their extended fleet have versatility, there have been positives from Royal Enfield, TVS and Aprilia too. 

I rode the all-new 450cc Himalayan for almost a thousand kilometres in the wintry Spiti desert and came back with only love and admiration for it. The TVS Apache 310 twins are excellent to ride and still grab eyeballs at traffic lights. The icing on the cake is the Aprilia RS 457 – a motorcycle that looks good, rides great and is priced so well that I’m constantly trying to figure ways of adding it to my garage. It gives the proper big bike feel without too many of their problems.

Big Bike Headaches

And it’s not spoken about enough, but big bikes come with their own set of issues – even if the motorcyclists are evolved. Firstly, they’re priced on par with established sedans like the Volkswagen Virtus. Then there’s the spare part and tyre availability dilemma. Even if you can afford the eye-watering service and tyre costs, there’s quite often a lengthy waiting period for them to be shipped from their manufacturing country which means that your beautiful motorcycle gathers dust in the garage. Then, never forget that we live in India where streetlights are few but potholes are plenty. So 200PS sounds great but where do you use it? We have maybe three proper race tracks across the entire country and none are remotely close to Mumbai. And before someone adds big adventure bikes to the conversation, ask yourself this question: At the end of a long 2000 km ride, would you wish your motorcycle had 30PS more power or was 30 kgs lighter? I’ve ridden to the Himalayas at least six times and it’s always been the latter for me.

Finally, what’s the point of buying a motorcycle so capable that it becomes less usable? Electronic suspensions are great, ride modes are convenient and that massive TFT screen is amazing. But God forbid you have a breakdown and that’s it, the ride is over.

That’s why I believe that your average Xpulse owner may just have better travel tales to tell than the average Multistrada guy.

I do believe that everyone should own a big bike at some point. There’s a certain ego boost and charm that comes with it. But if you can get over this shiny layer of frosting, the ‘fun’ value from a smaller motorcycle is significantly more.

Ride On

So I think it’s fair to say that size doesn’t matter if used well. Does this mean that I’ll be trading in my Versys 650 for a 400 anytime soon? Probably not. But does it mean that I desperately want to add a very focused motorcycle to my garage? We’ll just have to wait and watch…