Best Sports Bikes in India: Comparison of Design, and Features
Motorcycles are a necessity for the majority of Indians. However, some riders dream of owning a sports bike. A true-bred sports bike is pretty expensive. Furthermore, riding a sports bike is no small feat. One has to have previous riding experience with a sportsbike. If one wants to upgrade from their commuter bike to a sports bike, they should buy a compact sports bike.
Why?
Well, for starters, compact sports bikes are relatively cheaper than true-bred sports bikes. Furthermore, compact sports bikes come with limited power and are easy to ride.
Which brand should one choose when they are planning to buy a compact sports bike?
Well, Bajaj Auto and KTM are two of the leading bike brands in India. Bajaj has one compact sports bike in its portfolio, the Pulsar RS 200. KTM on the other hand has multiple compact sports bikes. This post in the following sections will shine a light on some of them.
Here goes.
Bajaj Pulsar RS 200
The RS 200 is undoubtedly one of the best sports bikes in India. The reason is simple. The bike is reasonably priced and its ownership costs are low. The bike entails a single trim and it costs Rs. 2, 00,676 in India. Bajaj offers the bike with three colour schemes. The engine is the same that one can find in the NS 200. Since the RS 200 is a compact sports bike, the engine has been remapped. This is the reason why the engine on the RS 200 produces more power and torque than the NS 200’s engine. The engine of the RS 200 produces 24.1 bhp of peak power. The peak torque produced by this engine is 18.7 Nm. Bajaj offers the bike with dual disc brakes and dual-channel ABS.
KTM RC 390
Next on this list is the KTM RC 390. This is currently the most powerful bike in KTM India’s RC line-up. The bike is offered in two trims. The base trim of the bike costs Rs. 3, 63,298. The top trim of the bike costs Rs. 3, 69,468. The engine of the bike is the same that one can find in the Adventure 390 and the Duke 390. The peak power and torque outputs of the engine are 42.9bhp and 35Nm respectively. The engine is BS6-compliant and has a displacement of 373cc. The engine gets liquid cooling, a fuel injection system and comes with a single cylinder. The engine is equipped with DOHC (or dual overhead camshafts) that control four valves. The engine is paired with a large air intake which enables the engine to produce more torque at the low RPMs. The latest iteration of the bike comes with a single-pod LED headlight. An updated seat, revised bodywork and a 13.7-litre fuel tank are also part of the package. The bike is also equipped with an LED brake lamp + turn indicators, Bluetooth-enabled centre console, and MTC Motorcycle Traction Control. Lean-sensitive ABS, quick-shifter and a slipper clutch are also OEM standard options.
KTM RC 200
The RC 200 is one of the best bikes in India. The bike was kept electromechanically and cosmetically unchanged for several years until KTM decided to overhaul the bike.
The latest iteration of the bike is rider friendly. The overall design of the bike is more mature that its predecessor. The latest iteration of the bike gets a new LED headlamp unit. The centre console is the same as that one can get in the new Duke 250. The front turn indicators are mounted on the front fairing of the bike. The 9.5-litre fuel tank is replaced with a 13.7-litre unit. The bike is built on a split-type Trellis frame that supports a bolted-on sub-frame. The wheels and brakes of the bike are now lighter than the previous year’s model. The bike gets WP Apex suspensions and a fully adjustable handlebar. The engine remains the same 199.5cc, liquid-cooled unit which is paired with a larger air intake. The radiator of the bike has been revised as well to ensure that it keeps the bike cool in heavy traffic.
For the best results, one must test-ride the bikes mentioned in this post. A test ride will reveal whether the bike one wants is what one needs. It is as simple as that!
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