I feel really annoyed when someone says that there are a lot of cruisers available in the country. At some point, I stop becoming annoyed and start getting angry, at the pathetic situation in which India’s cruiser market is. People say “Buy a Royal Enfield and explore India", well I don’t have the patience to ride Indian highways at the speed of 80 km/h. It may be surprising to a lot of people, but cruisers don’t mean a slow bike. The only thing I can get my hands on every now and then is a Harley Street 750, and it is impossible to ride for a good 7 months, during summer, in our country. It’s not that we don’t have good engines or a good platform to make new cruisers. It’s just that there hasn’t been a proper representation of the cruiser crowd in our country. This has to change, and starting today, we will have to put our demand in front of the manufacturers. That’s why here are 3 motorcycles, which we need from them.
1: Bajaj Avenger 400
It goes without saying but the 373 cc engine on the Dominar would have been way more appreciated if it was on an Avenger 400. Bajaj is hell-bent on only using the perimeter frame for their build, which in my opinion is fine, but on a cruiser, it might feel a bit stretched thin. So the company should innovate and deliver on a proper full-fledged cruiser because their current avenger is not the sharpest tool in the shed. It is popular, it feels good to ride but the top model of the Avenger producing just 19 HP. At least 30 HP, should be the base point for a small touring bike, isn't?2: Royal Enfield with a proper engine
I say this all the time, that Royal Enfield is a good bike, but its 349 ccs Long stroke engine is just plain jane. It feels better to operate a lawn mover than to ride a Royal Enfield Classic. It may just be my opinion but I for one like bikes that at least run without vibrating themselves to pieces. The platform of the bike is great, the seating position is comfortable, the seat itself is very good but the engine is just so disappointing that almost every good point about the bike becomes of no value. I love the way RE bikes look, I love their paint job and their classic styling, my only wish is if they were at least half decent, to ride.3: TVS Zeppelin
The concept of the cruiser which TVS showcased at the Auto Expo 2018, was the best attraction in their whole stall. It was a cruiser, with a "Harley-Roadster" kind of styling complete with spoked wheels, USD, a belt drive and a 20-litre fuel tank. The bike was a heart robber and she had me at “hello”. Now, TVS is a company which makes their bike not as aggressively as the KTM but still, their bikes perform almost 80% of their intended function. For example, the TVS Apache RR 310. The bike is a sports bike which can be used every day and is a handy tool on the track as well. So with TVS Zeppelin, I am expecting the company to deliver an everyday cruiser which can tackle highways and city roads, with nothing but ease.These are all the manufacturers which I think can deliver on a great cruiser. The only thing stopping them from doing so is the market demand. Get the word out that there are a lot of us who want motorcycles that are fast as well as comfortable.
By: Yetnesh Dubey