Despite a weakening consumer demand for long and low motorcycles, cruiser bikes are still the most preferred street bikes for traversing through highways for a long ride in India. With the advent of numerous models from manufacturers in the past few years and some new launches in 2021 by top companies such as Royal Enfield, Triumph, Honda, etc., we have curated a list of cruiser bikes that you may consider upgrading this year.
Royal Enfield Meteor 350
Launched last year in November, the 350cc cruiser is RE’s first bike under the all-new J platform. It is one of the most feature-packed motorcycles you can ever imagine. The list includes a smartphone-compatible instrument cluster with turn-by-turn navigation, a handlebar-mounted USB port for better convenience, a new 349cc single-cylinder, 4-stroke, air-cooled fuel-injected motor that produces power at 20.48PS and 27Nm with a standard 5-speed constant mesh gearbox. The RE Meteor 350 comes with a 19-inch alloy wheel having a tubeless tyre with a 300mm disc at the front and a twin-piston floating caliper, and a 17-inch alloy wheel with a tubeless tyre with a 270mm disc at the rear along with a single-piston floating caliper. The company has finally added Dual-channel ABS. With seven colour options and giving tough competition to the Jawa Perak, Benelli Imperiale 400 and Honda H’ness CB350, the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 is available from Rs 1.75 lakh (ex-showroom) onwards.
Jawa 42
Powered by a 293cc BS6 engine mated to a 6-speed gearbox, the Jawa 42 produces a power of 27.33 ps and a torque of 27.02 nm. With the new look, this is a modern classic roadster. It maintains the retro look with contemporary visual styling cues, making it a retro-modern motorcycle. As the 42 comes with a 334cc newly developed BS6 engine, it produces power at 27 BHP and torque at 28 Nm with a constant mesh of 6-speed maual gearbox. With a fuel tank capacity of 14 litres, it offers a mileage of around 40 kmpl and picks the top-speed of about 135 km/hr. The starting price of Jawa 42 is Rs 1.69 lakh (ex-showroom).
Triumph Speed Twin 2021
Not launched yet but the new and upgraded Speed Twin is already creating a buzz. With the same Bonneville 1,200 cc high power engine, the 2021 Speed Twin has been added with 3 bhp peak power, reducing inertia by 17%. This means with 500 more rotations per minute (rpm), the engine makes 99 bhp at 7,250 rpm and 112 Nm peak torque at 4,250 rpm. It now comes with 43 mm Marzocchi forks with cartridge damping, adjustable preload with 120 mm travel, Brembo four-piston M50 radial monobloc calipers gripping twin 320 mm discs (at the front), a Nissin two-piston caliper with 220 mm disc (at the rear), a half-degree sharper rake and 2 mm shorter trail. It also gets a fuel tank of 14.5 litres. With a price tag of around Rs 10 lakh (ex-showroom), the updated Speed Twin will be launched on August 31, 2021.
Jawa Perak
The bobber is a single-seater cruiser. It is powered by a 334 cc DOHC liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine, the BS6 variant produces around 30.22 bhp and a peak torque of 32.74 Nm. The engine has additional power and utilises the same 293 cc mill. The Jawa Perak comes with a 6-speed manual gearbox. With the bullet shell-shaped headlight, long forks, and a 1485 mm wheelbase, Perak offers an average mileage of 35 km/l. It comes with a fuel tank capacity of 14.0 litre and a price tag starting at Rs 2.08 lakh. If you like to go on solo motorcycle rides, Perak is the perfect companion for you.
Honda H’ness CB350
The Honda H’ness CB350 is powered by a 348.36 cc air-cooled engine that makes 21 PS of power and a torque of 30 Nm @3000 rpm. It offers a 5-speed manual gearbox. With a fuel tank of 15 litre, this cruiser gives a mileage of 42.17 km/l on highways. With dual-channel ABS, it gets Disc brakes in the front and rear with Tubeless Tyre and Alloy Wheels. The starting price of Honda H’ness CB350 is Rs 1.86 lakh.
