Cruising Along

Summer has always been a tough season for motorcycle enthusiasts in this country. Sweltering heat, excessive humidity, and general dirt and grime on the road are enough to drive most riders away from their dreams of exploring the open highway. Some try to circumvent this issue by hosting rides at the break of dawn, which not only ruins the fun of sleeping in on the weekend but also makes logistics a nightmare, as making sure that people are on time becomes a bigger task than the ride itself. Thankfully, now that the heat is finally dying down and winter still hasn’t fully arrived; makes this the perfect time for motorcycle enthusiasts to hop on their rides and have fun, even during the day.

For those people who want to live this life but don’t have a machine to match their ambitions, we are here with a list of cruiser bikes that have proven their might on all types of roads around the country. These bikes are designed specifically to suffer through the burden of travelling at high-speeds for long stretches, while still providing the most comfortable riding experience possible. This can be seen in their design language itself, which features a laid back stance that lets you stretch your legs out and sit low to the ground. Even the engines are tuned to offer smooth power delivery that is all about maximising efficiency while maintaining superior performance. Let us take a look at some of the best options available at different price ranges.

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Bajaj Avenger 220

This has been one of the cheapest cruiser bikes in the Indian market for more than a decade now, and now in its third avatar, the bike is as formidable as ever. It carries forward the iconic design language from its first avatar with minimal changes directed towards refining the look rather than changing it. This is also true for the ride quality, which has been tweaking to remove unnecessary vibrations. Even the engines have been smoothened out over the years, with the top model featuring a 220cc, oil-cooled, DTSi engine that makes 19PS power, and 17.5Nm of torque. While these figures don’t mean much when compared to the competition, they are still more than enough for a motorcycle that has a starting cost of around `1,20,000 only. At the same time, simpler machinery also means cheaper service costs that lead to further savings.

UM Renegade Commando

This American manufacturer keeps true to the tradition of American cruiser design, even though their offerings seem like direct competition to the lower-end, underpowered offerings from Bajaj and Royal Enfield. UM Renegade Commando is a perfect example of this, as the bike features a striking low slung design that is generally seen on bikes with much bigger engines. Unlike those bikes though, this model only gets a 280cc, single-cylinder engine that is liquid-cooled and produces only 25.15PS power, and 23 NM of torque. This is a bit more power than the Avenger, but the bike is nowhere as refined on Indian roads, resulting in frequent back pains due to the stiff suspension. One huge negative point is that there isn’t even an option to get ABS, which is something that consumers deserve when they are paying around `1,80,000 for the bike.

Kawasaki Vulcan S

Kawasaki is a huge name in the motorcycle industry, with offerings in nearly every segment possible, whether it is consumer or racing. So it was no wonder that they would rise to the challenge and create an amazing cruiser bike as well, even though it still features the heart of a racing motorcycle. We are talking about the Vulcan S, which features the 649cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine from the Ninja 650. The power curve has been modified to match the performance requirements of the cruiser design, which has resulted in a healthy power output of 61PS, and 63Nm of torque. Even in this detuned state, this is one of the more powerful cruiser bikes on the market, with a still affordable price tag of `5,50,000.

Indian Scout Bobber

Even before Harley Davidson brought in the golden era of cruiser bikes, Indian was a reputed brand involved with making exceptional machines that were nothing short of a work of art. That legacy carries forward with the Scout Bobber, which features a compact design in a massive body. The tyres, the fuel tank, the exhaust; everything about this bike is big, including the massive 1,133cc, liquid-cooled, V-twin engine of the Indian Scout, and it puts out an impressive 94PS power, and 97Nm of torque. Despite the power and size, the bike is easy to manoeuvre and delivers power effortlessly. The only sad thing is that it isn’t able to maintain its composure on rough Indian roads, despite being a namesake. Still, you can get this otherwise amazing bike at a steep cost of around `13,00,000.

From the November-December 2019 issue of FHM India.