Indians and their love for motorcycles is a phenomenon that is not surprising to the rest of the world. Car ownership in India is costly. Furthermore, cars often become part of the congestion. On top of this, parking cars is a headache-inducing affair that most Indians prefer to avoid. A motorcycle, on the other hand, costs less to own. A motorcycle can help its rider to reach their destination on time by cutting through traffic. Furthermore, due to the limited dimensions of a motorcycle, they can be parked easily as well.
No, that is not the case.
In India, street motorcycles tend to sell in high numbers. Indian motorcyclists love street motorcycles for a plethora of reasons. Some of those reasons are mentioned below:
Street motorcycles look menacing and have a strong road presence.
The relatively short wheelbase and high-ground clearance make street bikes fun machines.
Street bikes tend to offer the perfect balance of torque, power, and fuel efficiency. These attributes make streetfighter bikes ideal for new and veteran motorcyclists. On top of this, street motorcycles also help riders to keep their fuel expenses low.
Street bikes also offer best-in-class handling, comfort, and manoeuvrability compared to other motorcycle classes.
India’s leading motorcycle brands are Bajaj Auto – the undisputed king among Indian motorcycle manufacturers. KTM, on the other hand, closely follows Bajaj Auto in terms of market share and sales figures. Both motorcycle brands offer quite a few value-for-money and relatively high-performance street bikes.
The following sections will shine a light on the top seven of them!
Additional Read: Best Streetfighter Bikes In India Under 2 Lakhs
The Pulsar NS 125 is one of the best street motorcycles in the INR 1.2 lakh price range. This motorcycle is available in a single trim and currently costs Rs. 1, 23,000 (ex-showroom). The bike comes with front disc and rear drum brakes. The engine powering the bike is a 124.45 cc BS6 unit.
One of the fastest street bikes in the 150CC category is the Pulsar P150. The bike is offered by Bajaj in 2 trims. The base trim currently costs Rs. 1, 44,248 (ex-showroom). The bike is offered with front and rear disc brakes as well as ABS. The engine powering this motorcycle is a brand-new 149.68cc BS6 unit.
The N series is the latest range of Pulsars one can buy from Bajaj. The N 160 is the entry-level N series street bike wearing the Pulsar brand. The motorcycle also happens to be one of the best street bikes in India with a 160 CC engine. The starting price of the N 160 is Rs. 1, 44,766 (ex-showroom). The bike comes with front and rear disc brakes as well as ABS. The engine powering this motorcycle is also a brand-new 164.82cc BS6 unit.
One of the best street bikes from Bajaj Auto is the NS160. It sits above the NS125 and below the fabled NS200. The motorcycle is offered in two trims. The base trim entails the ex-showroom price tag of Rs. 1, 52,717. The bike is offered with front and rear disc brakes as well as ABS. The engine powering this motorcycle is a 160.3cc BS6 unit.
Additional Read: Best Naked Bikes In India 2023 With Prices
The NS 200 is the OG street bike in India. It was introduced back in 2012 and is still available in 2023. The bike is offered in two trims. The base trims cost Rs. 1, 67,083 (ex-showroom). The bike is offered with front and rear disc brakes as well as ABS. The engine powering the bike is a 199.5cc BS6 unit that was developed with the help of KTM engineers back in the day! It means that the NS 200 performs and rides more or less like the KTM Duke 200!
The Pulsar N 250 is one of the most powerful street bikes from Bajaj Auto. The bike is offered by Bajaj in two trims. The base trim currently costs Rs. 1, 69,427 (ex-showroom). The bike is offered with front and rear disc brakes as well as ABS. The engine powering the bike is a brand new 249 cc BS6 unit.
The Duke 125 is an entry-level KTM motorcycle. It is the most powerful street bike in the 125CC category. The bike is offered by KTM in a single trim. The current ex-showroom price of the Duke 125 is Rs. 2, 06,024. The bike is offered by KTM with front and rear disc brakes as well as ABS. The engine powering the bike is a 124.7cc BS6 unit.
For more details about the street motorcycles mentioned above, visiting a Bajaj or KTM dealership is highly recommended.
