Need a Sturdy and Comfortable Two Wheeler


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Experts, I am looking to buy a two wheeler for my wife, and I am confused which one to go for.

Background :
We currently own a Kinetic Nova. Actually my wife was using it since before our marriage, so I would date its origins to the turn of the century. At approximately 67,000 kms, the odometer stopped working, so I am guessing it has about 80k KMs on it. Its a pain to use and maintain , but somehow the neighbourhood garage has kept it going. Its slow, unergonomic, and tiring to ride. The riding position is also not ideal in our opinion. My wife's workplace is 22kms from our residence. Though she has the option of using the bus, she prefers taking the Kinetic because it helps her manage the flexibility required with our daughter's school schedule.
The roads on her route are 60% highway , 40% in-town, mostly potholed.

Question is, which vehicle should we buy to replaced the tired old thing ?
Our requirements are :
1. Comfortable to ride over long distances for my wife. If you combine the daily school run, and our mostly regular ([embarass]) gym run, the daily expected run is in the region of 50kms.
2. Infallible reliability.
3. Good power to run effortlessly on the highway.
3. Comfortable to be ridden two up.
4. Easy and cheap to service, and shouldnt fall apart after the warranty expires.


Hah! You will say. Go buy the Activa. And so we did. Take it out for a spin that is. And..Immediately felt this was a case of "more of the same". Yes, the examples we rode were from within the family, but we didnt find them to be particularly impressive.
For me personally, both the Access 125 and the Honda Activa didnt simply produce that tingle of excitement. The one which you feel when you set your eyes on a vehicle and are possessed by the desire to own it.

My budget is in the region of 70k, although lower is better. What options do you guys suggest?
 
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Re: Need a Sturdy, comfortable two wheeler

Sir,I can suggest you the TVS Brothers : TVS Wego with Disc Brakes and TVS Jupiter.Both these Scooters must come Under Rs.70,000 On-Road.Both are Superb Scooters and Their Ride Quality espicially over Very Bad Roads and Stability over High Speeds and Bad Roads,Is Simply Unmatched.It is because of It's Telescopic Forks and Their Unique Rear Suspension and Frame Design.The Seat Cushioning is also Top Notch.They 2 look much better than the Activa and the Access 125.Both are also very Convenient.TVS Spares are Good Quality and are Cheaper than Yamaha and the Cost-Bomb Honda ! You can touch 60 Km/h in No-time in both these Scooters.Their Top Speed is also well over 90 Km/h.Both will give you a Healthy 50-60 Kmpl in City.Remember the Old Bike Samurai ? No Problem Bike ? [:)] These 2 scooters are made with that same Promise and DNA ! If you ask me Wego or Jupiter,Well,It would be Wego at the End of the Day for me just For it's Disc Braking Performance,Body Balance Tech (Very Stable on Bad Roads and High Speeds) and Awesome Looks espicially Stickering Work done by TVS.

There is one big Problem with These Scooters : That is Dealership and the Salespersons

They have almost NO Knowledge about these scooters and They sell the Apache RTR 180 ABS and the TVS XL HD Side by Side.Not to forget,Their Annoyance with Many Customers.Well,It didn't happen to me when I and My Mom was at Ramkay TVS to replace our Old 10 Year Old Dio.The Salesman Knew Nothing about these Scooters.They will never have a Wego with Disc Brake for Test-Drive so You have to Test-drive a Wego without Disc Brakes.Anyway We dropped the Plan because Mom Serviced the Dio and Rebuilded the Engine and That thing started to Run like Charm

Thank you
 
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Re: Need a Sturdy, comfortable two wheeler

Yes TVS Jupiter and Wego are two best scooter. Both have 12" alloys and good suspension.
Petrol tank access is outside the luggage space for better refueling and luggage safety.

Suzuki Access125 and Swiss125 is also a better choice in terms engine refinement.

Honda's are good on overall features, also the market leader in this segment.

Yamaha need to improve on seating posture and bring some elegant design to suit older age crowd.

Mahindra scooter lack in terms of built quality like the plastics, paint and steel material finish.


My Choice : TVS Jupiter
 
Thread Starter #4
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Thank you for the replies people.
Will a TVS be as long lasting as our intended usage ? I did an internet search and it seems to throw up a lot of results of Wego problems.

Another question, when I get a new vehicle, should I get rid of the Nova for a pittance or keep it with me as a backup vehicle.
 
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Sir,Keep the Nova for Backup.There are 2 Owners of the Wego near my House and I know 'em Both.One is the Old model and the another one is The Facelift (Current Model).The Facelift is Dual tone red and it looked awesome and I spoke with the owners regarding Maintainence and they say it is Reliable and dosn't have any issues yet.Both have completed the Run-in Period.
 
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Thank you for the replies people.
Will a TVS be as long lasting as our intended usage ? I did an internet search and it seems to throw up a lot of results of Wego problems.
It totally depends on how you use and care. TVS Wego/Jupiter both are easy to maintain.

Don't worry book TVS Jupiter/Wego, you will love the ride quality of both.
 
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Yes,Mr.Amit.Well Said.It's how you TLC your Ride.But in Normal Conditions,Both TVS Brothers are Reliable and Yes,Ride Quality is Definitly Unmatched and Really Great !
 
Thread Starter #9
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I am thinking, just thinking... maybe a lightweight motorcycle like the Discover or Passion or Splendor might suit me ? Will also be something different and interesting as we have never owned a motorcycle before.
 
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Well,Sir,Scooters are easier to Drive in the City.One thing is ,They are Gearless so You don't have the Hassle of Finding the Gears and especially Neautral :biggrin: so Just twist the throttle and Off you go ! and also Maintainence is lesser than Motorcycles.They are a bit lighter than Motorcycles.They are more safer than Motorcycles and also feel less strained at higher apeeds (60-80 Km/h) than MotorcyclesSo my opinion will be Scooters,And that would be the TVS Wego or the Jupiter.If you still want a Motorcycle,I would say Bajaj Discover 125 ST or the TVS Phoenix 125.Phoenix is better in Build Quality,Ride Quality,Convinience and Engine NVH,Cheaper Spare parts Price,Lesser Maintainence,More Mileage.The Discover 125 ST is better in Everything else.So,It's up to you,Sir.Thank you
 
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Well,Sir,Scooters are easier to Drive in the City.One thing is ,They are Gearless so You don't have the Hassle of Finding the Gears and especially Neautral :biggrin: so Just twist the throttle and Off you go ! and also Maintainence is lesser than Motorcycles.They are a bit lighter than Motorcycles.They are more safer than Motorcycles and also feel less strained at higher apeeds (60-80 Km/h) than MotorcyclesSo my opinion will be Scooters,And that would be the TVS Wego or the Jupiter.If you still want a Motorcycle,I would say Bajaj Discover 125 ST or the TVS Phoenix 125.Phoenix is better in Build Quality,Ride Quality,Convinience and Engine NVH,Cheaper Spare parts Price,Lesser Maintainence,More Mileage.The Discover 125 ST is better in Everything else.So,It's up to you,Sir.Thank you
Though i too support buying a scooter instead of motorcycle because it is useful for thread starter and his wife, the comments marked in bold above is wrong.

- M/cycle is more safer than scooter due to their bigger wheels and better design & brakes.
- scooters are more strained on higher speeds due to small tires and higher RPM.
- Scooters are more costlier to maintain, also they have less milage too. Due to smaller tires, tires(10-12k km) and brake pads need replacement.belts require replacement at 25k km. But mostly scooter usuage is less compared to bikes. So they feel less expensive.
 
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Thread Starter #13
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Thank you for your responses guys. And apologies for the confusion.

The idea popped into my head when I was discussing the purchase of a new two wheeler with my parents, and my father said, "Why dont you get a motorcycle, if not a car, her strenuous journey calls for it..".
That set me thinking I am beginning to believe that usage pattern calls for a motorcycle,maybe I am just old school.
As of now, the wife is fine and is okay with whatever we decide to get, even if it means a little learning and practice.

So here is my plan , to be executed before Diwali :
- Buy a good used Splendor.
- Utilise the vacation time to teach my wife to ride it.
- If the learning doesnt work out, keep the bike anyway for use by me or my dad, go back to square one.
- If it does work out, Nova will be backup vehicle anyway.

If all goes well, I will surely pen down this strange and adventurous saga of ours. [:D]
 
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Why not go for a Nano?

- its more safe for her
- A car for the family
- less expensive.
- dont worry about rains.

atleast an old M 800?

If not check out TVS still producing 'Jive' - motorcycle without clutch. may be easy for her and give better milage.
 
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Why not go for An Old Matiz with Power Steering ? The spare parts are not so hard to find and It ain't for another 3 years,It's Much more Safer (5 Star Safety Rating back in 1999),Has a More powerful 3-cylinder 5 speed MPFI TPS 16 Bit Engine,It's very cheap to get one and Maintain (Rs.40K for a good one and Maintainence Rs.2K per Year),Has much better Interior Space (Can seat in 5 People with ease),Has much better boot space (120L) and More Importantly,Drivability (Has Power Steering-Parking is Easy as a Tin can),Looks (Still looks cute after all these 15 Years -Ladies will love it :biggrin:) So what im telling is

Matiz -

Car - 40k
Restoration - 40K on Exterior,Interior,Components,Electricals
3M Care - 10k on Anti-rust,Corrosion,Teflon coating,Paint protection,Wash,Packages.etc
Other accesesorries - 10K on K&N Air filter,New engine and Gear oil,Seat covers.etc

That's it ! You will spend a Lakh on the Matiz and It is all set to roar ! It will be a Headturner.

Most importantly,I feel this is a much better way for a Lakh than Nano.
 

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