5 Best Cruisers In The Indian Market In 2021 – Meteor To H’ness

2020 Royal Enfield Meteor -1

The cruiser bike segment in India is gradually catching up, with manufacturers introducing new mass-market cruiser motorcycles from time to time

Cruiser bikes are undoubtedly the biggest part of the motorcycle culture in the United States of America, however, the trend seems to be catching up in the Indian market as well. The relaxed riding position, forward set footpegs, low seat, chunky rear tyre, all seems to work well in attracting buyers.

While cruiser motorcycles in the US are generally big, bulky and expensive, the Indian market has a range of market-specific affordable cruiser bikes that cater to a wider group of audience. We have put together a list of the top 5 mass-market cruiser motorcycles available in the Indian market in 2021, take a look –

1. Royal Enfield Meteor 350

The Thunderbird was discontinued from Royal Enfield’s portfolio, and replaced with an all-new motorcycle called the Meteor 350 late last year. Built on an entirely new J platform, the Meteor 350 has set new standards for all future Royal Enfield motorcycles to come.

Royal Enfield Meteor 350

Its 349 cc air-oil cooled SOHC 4-stroke single-cylinder engine makes 20.48 PS and 27 Nm and comes mated to a 5-speed gearbox. The Meteor 350 comes with a semi-digital instrument cluster, along with a turn-by-turn navigation system that RE likes to call the ‘tripper navigation’, a feature that will soon be seen on other RE bikes as well. Royal Enfield currently retails the Meteor at a starting price of Rs 1.79 lakh, going up to Rs 1.94 lakh (both prices, ex-showroom New Delhi)

2. Honda H’ness CB350

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India entered the sub-400 cc modern-classic segment with the H’ness CB350 that was launched in the country in October last year. The H’ness is currently the most affordable bike to be retailed through Honda’s premium Big Wing dealerships.

honda highness cb350-1-7

Powering the H’ness is a 348.36 single-cylinder air-cooled motor that belts out 21 PS of maximum power, along with 30 Nm of peak torque, mated to a 5-speed gearbox. It gets features like all-LED lighting, alloy wheels, a semi-digital instrument cluster, smartphone connectivity, turn-by-turn navigation, and a slipper clutch.

3. Suzuki Intruder

The Suzuki Intruder is one of the most affordable cruiser motorcycles in the Indian market, with a starting price of Rs 1,22,327 (ex-showroom, New Delhi). The bike comes equipped with a 155 cc single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that generates 13.6 PS of max power at 8000 rpm and 13.8 Nm of peak torque at 6000 rpm. The transmission duties are handled by a 5-speed gearbox.

2019-Suzuki-Intruder-launched-in-India

The styling of the Intruder has been inspired from the Intruder M800, and the bike gets features like a digital LCD instrument cluster, a premium backrest, an LED taillight, a twin exhaust, a single-channel ABS.

4. Bajaj Avenger

The Bajaj Avenger is one of the most beloved cruiser bike ranges in the Indian market, and is currently offered in two variants – Street 160 and Cruise 220, priced at Rs 1.03 lakh and Rs 1.25 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi) respectively. The low and long profile, as well as the wide rear tyre ensure a comfortable ride on all terrains.

Bajaj Avenger Street 160 ABS Launched

The Street 160, as the name suggests, gets a 160 cc single-cylinder engine that produces 15 PS of power at 8,500 rpm, along with 13.5 Nm torque at 6,500 rpm. On the other hand, the Cruise 220 is powered by a 220 cc 4-stroke oil-cooled single-cylindermotor that puts out 19 PS of power at 8,400 rpm, and 17.5 Nm of torque at 7,000 rpm.

5. Benelli Imperiale 400

The Imperiale 400 is currently the most affordable Benelli motorcycle on sale in India, and the bike was updated to comply with the BS6 emission norms in July last year. The Benelli Imperiale 400 is priced from Rs 1.99 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi) onwards, and rivals the likes of the Jawa 42, Royal Enfield Classic 350, Honda H’ness CB350 in the country.

Benelli Imperiale-2

The bike gets a 374 cc, four-stroke, air-cooled, SOHC, fuel-injected, single-cylinder engine that belts out 21 PS at 6,000 rpm, along with 29 Nm at 3,500 rpm. The transmission duties are handled by a 5-speed gearbox.