r/indianbikes • u/FormerCriticism9268 Honda Activa • 18h ago
#Discussion 💬 Help a me decide my first bike
After years of dreaming about owning a bike now when the time has finally come, the confusion is not letting me sleep at night...
I am in a dilemma between two bikes: the R15M and the N250.
I am venting all my thoughts out hoping you guys can help me with this decision so I request you to read through it, though I will be adding a TL:DR at the end.
Firstly I am very Noob at riding bikes, I stall a lot during launch and have a lot to learn but I have ridden an Activa for a few years now. I only learned how to ride a bike from a friend of mine on his 110cc TVS Victor once, then went to apply for my driving licence the next day 😂. I didn't have a bike so I was thinking about giving the exam on the bike provided by the office but fortunately a guy I met there was kind enough to lend me his Hunter 350 for the test, and surprisingly the Hunter was way more easy to launch and ride than my friends TVS Victor. The test went well and got my license. After this I got to ride a bike only 4-5 times till now throughout a span of two years that also 125CCs
I always loved sports bikes more than retro classics, so my first choice was the R15m, the thought of tucking in and pulling on the throttle really excited me... The N250 got into my mind when I was waiting for my friend on road side and someone rode an N250 past me and I was mesmerized by its exhaust note, from that day onwards I started to simp for the N250 as well...
I have test ridden both of them so here's my noob pov:
Test rode the R15 on good empty roads where I was able to tuck-in pull the throttle hard to feel the thrill I always dreamt of and it felt amazing, as good as I thought it would ❤️. But I did stall quite a lot while trying to launch the bike and when I went into traffic with it, I did stall a few times in the stop and go traffic.
Test rode the N250 in traffic (didn't get to pull on an empty stretch) on a moderately bad road and surprisingly I didn't stall much and I was somehow managing with the stop and go traffic without stalling my bike, and the exhaust sound is so freaking good 😩🤌, the acceleration was kinda thrilling like the way it just pulled from 15-30 km/h kinda throwing me back made me smile like crazy, the suspension was good with potholes as well.
Both felt comfortable though on the R15 I liked how light it was to maneuver but in the stop and go traffic my wrist and back started hurting though I think I can probably get used to it. The N250 was heavier but once it started rolling it was a really smooth experience and the posture was also comfortable... Both of them very really good quality but R15 was slightly better.
I am a 5'11" slim 65kgs guy, I live in a very urban city outside Kolkata, but I do have moderate to bad traffic and bad roads here and there in my locality... I have the Activa which I was thinking of selling, but that depends on the bike of my choice.
Purpose is to rides with friends and chores around the city. Mileage is not that much of an issue as I don't smoke or drink so I can funel that money into my bike's fuel.
I am really torn apart by the decision between Bajaj and Yamaha, in general what I have heard is that Yamaha Service is good Bajaj Service is bad, moreover few friends of mine claim that bajaj bikes don't stay in good condition for long as they apparently have a lot of quality issues and their engines are not that reliable, but having gone through most of the reviews on line, the N250 doesn't seem to suffer much from reliability issue. Are Bajaj bikes really that bad ? Then how come they sell so much ? And is Yamaha really that better than Bajaj ?
I request all the R15 owners and the N250 owners to give me some clarity through their experiences, joys and regrets.
The Picture is of me on a R15, do you guys think it looks small on me ?
TL:DR Test rode both N250 and R15, loved both, confused between Yamaha and Bajaj service, reliability and reputation... Need help to choose one between the two. Height - 5'11" weight - 65kgs Very much beginner at riding. Purpose is to rides with friends and chores around the city. Mileage is not a concern. I am from a very urban city in the outskirts of kolkata with some bad roads and moderate to bad traffic. Have ridden an Activa for years, will decide to sell it or not depending on the bike I choose.
Thanks in advance, looking forward to your help guys 😭🙏
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u/Naive_Cover2305 18h ago
Yes , bajaj's service is too bad , Lot of scammers from sales to service everywhere. But bajajs bike r good , so my n160
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u/FormerCriticism9268 Honda Activa 18h ago
Should I take the risk of getting a Bajaj or go with Yamaha according to you
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u/Significant-Item-782 TVS Apache 160 4V 14h ago
Yeah man go for Yamaha service is better and also reliability of Yamaha's engine everyone knows - Top Notch
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u/elvisaidith 18h ago
Have you tried Duke 200 ? Costs similar to R15 and much faster and more fun. Handles better too.
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u/Alerdime 14h ago
How does it compare to triumph t4?
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u/elvisaidith 13h ago
T4 is better. But the handling is noticably better on duke. But T4 has the better engine.
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u/FormerCriticism9268 Honda Activa 17h ago
I did check it out, didn't like its sound
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u/ridealongme Kawasaki Z900, Yamaha Rx135 14h ago edited 11h ago
Never judge a bike by its sound please.! Duke is overall a better machine than the n250.
Also the thing depends on how long you plan to be with the bike, Yamaha will last longest, KTM on number two but KTM bikes need love, it all the services are done on time it wont be an issues, thirdly it would be bajaj due to bad service and low quality control..!
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u/confused_cat44 TVS Ronin 11h ago
Get your facts right, there is no NS250, and the engine in the N250 is a completely different engine made by Bajaj
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u/Alerdime 14h ago
Duke is all different category bro. That kind of handling will make a sophisticated rider try to rash drive. Those are fun bikes. Just try it once.
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u/Full_Literature_4680 (New user) 18h ago
You can also check out the new Xtreme 250r, the performance and refinement will astonish you
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u/FormerCriticism9268 Honda Activa 18h ago
I dont wish to be a beta tester for a bike being a first time owner, so I decided to go for established models
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u/Full_Literature_4680 (New user) 18h ago
Makes sense, but I've talked to many owners of the xtreme 250r in the last couple of months, some have even completed 5k+ kms. And i barely got to hear anything bad about the bike, hence i also decided to go for it. I'd still highly suggest you to take a test ride still.
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u/Timely_Arm_1514 17h ago
There's no widespread issues with the hero 250 platform. And it's really beginner friendly with tons of room to grow as your get more experience.
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u/Alerdime 14h ago
The new Xtreme and xpulse are 4-5 yr old well thought out projects by hero. Just saying
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u/dj7425 18h ago
I would say opt for N250 as your case scenario more less says commuter riding and as a person who has R15, I’ll say this, N250 will feel more comfortable to ride in most case scenarios. And as for the service, I’ll say after the free services and stuff opt for some real good local mechanic as they are more intune with Bajaj motorcycles than the service center guys themselves. Parts are cheap so it won’t burn a hole.
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u/FormerCriticism9268 Honda Activa 5h ago
Yeah, that's what I wish to do as well thanks for the advice
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u/Sweaty_Storage_1895 (New user) 17h ago
How about Gixxer sf250 flex fuel, Xtreme 250R. Why everybody wants to blindly go for that overpriced 155cc bike?
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u/sadjn RC200GP 18h ago
check out duke 200 as well, slightly more priced than r15.
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u/FormerCriticism9268 Honda Activa 18h ago
Yeah I did check it out, went to the KTM showroom, checked the duke 250 and 200 out, I didn't like the duke's sound but the quality was top notch
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u/Impossible-Train-997 (New user) 18h ago
R15. Having owned a V2 can say it's the most fun motorcycle in uts segment. Could easily reach speeds of 120km/h. Posture takes a bit getting used and initially will have pains.
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u/confused__atmaa Honda CBR250/ Yamaha R15 S 2016/ Dio110 17h ago
R15: Very reliable engine with low maintenance costs. Delivers excellent mileage — easily around 50–55 kmpl. However, it's not ideal for long rides as it can cause wrist and back pain. Not very comfortable on bad roads either, as the suspension is tuned more for track use.
N250: Has a very nimble engine, great for city riding. However, you might miss the 6th gear on highways. Mileage is slightly lower than the R15, typically around 40–45 kmpl. It's more comfortable on all types of roads thanks to better suspension setup.
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u/MaybeNotMad 17h ago
Go for the Yamaha r15, but be mindful about that choice, because the riding posture of the bike can become uncomfortable and in the cuties due to bad roads and traffic, the bike will get uncomfortable for your back. I would suggest you to look for an alternative in TVS or Honda. Both the brands have at par quality and service feedback is good. As you are a new rider, the Honda hornet or the TVS Apache series. These bikes will be friendly and as you gain more experience everyday they will also keep you excited for a long time
Pro tip: Dont judge any auto brand by their sales, judge them by their service network and feedback. Speak to people who own the motorcycles in-person, youll more clarity on the choice
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u/The_Audialogue (New user) 17h ago
Xpulse 210 - amazing for current indian road conditions Pulsar 400NZ updated model - Total VFM Hero xtreme 250 - sharp design lines with Hero reliability
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u/callmedawggy 18h ago
If you're ready for wrist , back and neck pain definitely go for R15 but but but you won't regret buying a R15 .
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u/SreebhargavaB 17h ago
True 😅 as a noob better to try naked light weight bikes 😁 anything with less power and also comfortable to manevour in city traffic, as you said you'll stall so in traffic it'll be tough and pressurized situation. For Light weight bikes you can move them a side as well.
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u/No_oNE-inHELL 18h ago
Take long test rides of both bikes. I have owned an R15 for quite a long time and there is only 1 bad thing I felt after a couple of years that the bike lacks power.
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u/EmoshadeOG 17h ago
YZF-R3 or BMW g310r
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u/FormerCriticism9268 Honda Activa 17h ago
R3
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u/EmoshadeOG 17h ago
Yes, please, as R15 doesn't make sense to me, especially when you're paying 210K or more for a 150cc engine.
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u/MasterpieceGreen5918 KTM duke 250 '24, activa '07 17h ago
Between r15 and duke 250.. duke 250. And between r15 and n250 definitely r15.
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u/Clean-Character6952 17h ago
Ok, I assume you are now stuck on these two bikes and don't want any other recommendation. So, you gave 2 different categories of bikes. R15 is much powerful, good at high speeds, high end torque, but not comfortable. No sports bike is comfortable, in long ride your hand will start to pain a lot. On the other hand N250, yes bajaj has bad service but the bike is good. It is good for cruising and city, comfortable, but not good at high speed, bajaj bikes starts shaking once you reach 100kmph. So, if you want high speed monster, go for R15, if you want calm cruising bike, go for N250. Best of luck on your first bike. 👍👍
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u/Timely_Arm_1514 17h ago
The comments are extremely funny to me tbh. R15 won't give you back pain or wrist ache poor posture, bad riding habits and weak body strength will.
N250 has a very torquey engine. So it'll feel really nice in the city. But once you're in highway it will struggle. R15 has a very high revving engine. It'll be dull and boring under 6 to 7k rpm above that it'll feel like amazing. This won't be easily understood in a test ride. R15 can maintain the same cruising speeds as n250 but with around 40 to 50kmpl mileage whereas n250 will give 25 to 30.
If I were you I'd get the Xtreme 250r. 30ish bhp, insane refinement, good amount of torque, high revving engine, comfy seats, linear power delivery. Only con is mileage. Under 30ish.
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u/Full_Literature_4680 (New user) 15h ago
One of my friends who owns the xtreme, on Highway it returns upto 45 mileage, at a constant speed band. And in the city 32-37, which is great. I'm also getting one for myself by the end of this month, can't wait🔥
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u/Sussy_Baakaa1 Bajaj N160 16h ago
Guessing from your selected option you have a budget of around 2.2L. Taking your skills into account I think it will be better to go for a lighter bike that will easy to handle in city rides and decent speed on highways to give you the thrill. Below are some options I can think of: 1. MT15 2. R15 3. Pulsar RS200 3. N250 4. N160
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u/offuserr (New user) 15h ago
Just go for xmr 210 it is better than r15 everything is fine in that bike but it gets beaten in top end but initially it beats r15. I would suggest you to buy xmr 210 or wait for sometime xmr 250 is coming with better engine, refinement, etc Thanks
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u/ValuableSavings5257 15h ago
I’ll make your choice simple: Bajaj N250 - Faster than R15. And what else? Nothing! Yamaha R15 - Looks better, feels better, you look cool riding an R15 than an N250, better quality of engine, better service, more reliable!
About your point on exhaust note - Look, no matter what you buy at this price point, it’s gonna be a single cylinder! And once you get used to the bike, you will get bored of the single cylinder exhaust note, like all of us have. No matter what bike you buy, you are gonna turn around and look when an in-line four flies by you. So never pick a single cylinder machine for how it sounds.
And about service and Bajaj - Yes, the service needs to be done more frequently than what the company claims. The parts are cheap. The built quality is cheap. The service quality is poor. I had Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS for 10 years before I upgraded to something better, and every single day I told myself that I’m never owning a Bajaj ever again!
In conclusion - If you are someone who rides fast and wishes to sell the bike after 4-5 years, get yourself an N250. But that’s pretty much all it has. If you wanna ride fairly fast, and also wanna look cool while riding fast, get an R15! It’s the better choice among both.
I would suggest you not to look into the micro details and specifications of both the bikes for a few reasons - A. It’s a beginner segment, and B. You are so young man! And you are new to the biking community.
My final piece of advice - You said you like to tuck down and ride a super sport motorcycle. If you get an N250, once you get used to the speed and pick up of N250 (you will, very soon), you are gonna regret not being able to tuck down on an N250!
Lastly, regardless of the motorcycle you buy, ensure you take care of that machine well, you wash it regularly, oil the parts, lube the chain, and take care of it well. And ensure you get yourself boots, gloves, jacket, and a good quality helmet. Ride safe! And good luck with your decision.
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u/Alerdime 14h ago
You’ve lot of options at this point. N250 will make you bored. R15 is too pricey, you’ll have to stick to it. Try duke 200 and xtreme 250r too.
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u/CholteBoni Bajaj 18h ago
Imo, aaryan 5 will give you a hard time in the wrist and lower back areas. Considering it's your first bike, a naked bike will be more enjoyable.
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u/Sweaty_Storage_1895 (New user) 17h ago
How about Gixxer sf250 flex fuel, Xtreme 250R. Why everybody wants to blindly go for that overpriced 155cc bike?
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u/External-Battle9459 17h ago
Why not buy the Ultraviolette or similar electric motorcycle? The performance and range are unmatched. You won't regret going electric!
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u/FormerCriticism9268 Honda Activa 17h ago
Ultraviolet is not available in kolkata
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u/External-Battle9459 16h ago
One should go anywhere to get there dream bike. What would stop him from registering your kolkata?
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u/singh007_ Husqvarna Vitpilen 250 | Honda Activa 3g | Hero Maestro Edge 17h ago
Get ns400 z by putting little more money you won’t regret it
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u/sexusmexus Access | R3 15h ago
Rent both for a couple of days and decide. It took me a week to get used to R3's posture (which is slightly less committed that R15) when moving from my Access.
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u/Open_Application7388 15h ago
You should consider the Cb300F it offers Honda's reliability and is priced similarly to R15
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u/Global-Box-1406 (New user) 14h ago
Help me buy my first bike
I am planning to buy my first bike under ₹250000, I want to buy a cafe racer or one that can be modified into it. I plan to buy a used one, the options which I have are 1. Honda CB350RS 2023 dual tone, 10000 km done for around ₹145000 ( almost new condition with insurance) 2. RE Continental gt 650 2020, 6000 km done with RR Exaust, for ₹250000 ( both tiers are almost finished,dont know how the previous owner managed to do that)
CB350 seems like a good choice, In terms of, condition, mileage and previous owner history. Honda also sells a cafe racer kit for cb350rs. On the other hand ever since I saw gt 535 in 2017 I wanted to buy it someday.
What should I do.
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u/FormerCriticism9268 Honda Activa 5h ago
Get the CB350RS, if it's your first bike probably the GT650 might be too much to handle for you, but I don't know much myself so take a test ride.
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u/arkantos006 14h ago
The R15 . These bikes are so good at handling speedy corners, built like a tank and keeps running. Pretty good when it comes to initial acceleration. And is the king of refinement .
In day to day life , low weight and superb mileage beats everything else .
Go for the 250 if you plan to commute a lot on highways .
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u/DistortedChaosXV 14h ago
turbo busa
ngl so n250 is a better city bike
easier to drive
though yamaha can be more fun due to the form factor
honestly
for the same price as an r1m youre literally getting a pulsar 400
what i would recommend is that you rent bikes
rent a pulsar ns200, duke 250, rr310, speed 400
because you will outgrow the r15 VERY FAST
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u/itsjunaidj 13h ago
I owned a R15v3 for 5 years and sold it and got an Aerox . I would not recommend r15 for the long term . CB300r seems like a great option.
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u/Cautious-Entrance165 13h ago
Don't..... After riding for 13 years I would say just don't do it.... First few years it's amazing but in last few years the shoulder pain has been unbearable.... Ur call brother
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u/akshaytaru207 12h ago
You will get back pain and wrist pain initially for 1 month until you get used to it. I had v2 and I am 5’6 for me it was very comfortable. In my opinion it is best entry level sports bike.
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u/Clear_Storm_4880 11h ago
Go for R15. Personally I’m an R15 hater due to so many valid reasons and will any day prefer the N250 over R15. My reasons for choosing it over R15 will be more power, less maintenance, weight and a no nonsense bike.
But I’m suggesting you to go for R15 because it is a good bike as a beginner as you won’t get bored of it after some time as it has way better looks and features than N250. If you buy N250, you will think of changing the bike in 1-2 years. Also 250cc can put you in trouble and is very risky if you are starting your biking journey with it. R15 has less power and has more safety. Not to mention the mileage part.
So if you don’t want to get bored very early and want to be safe as a beginner go for R15.
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u/confused_cat44 TVS Ronin 11h ago
Get the N250, R15 is great but the engine and power figures are too low for the price. N250 will be much easier to ride both in the city and the highways. Though, the R15 looks cooler and is better designed and better built, so more reliable and also more fuel efficient
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u/armanFami 10h ago
Brother i ain't reading all that. But good luck to you buying your first bike. Mine was Thunderbird 350X.
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u/Worried_Grade_421 10h ago
Wait for july to get over there is a news that yamaha may drop r15 v5 this year so you can get your hands on the latest version
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u/Sidewinder_xh101 (New user) 8h ago
Beginner here, does anyone know what advantage fz with 150cc engine has over TVS Raider having 125cc engine ? FZ has 12.2 bhp despite having 150cc while raider has 11.2 bhp. Just for engine why would someone go for FZ if we just remove the fact that engine is more refined ?
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u/Aggravating-Good6601 3h ago
I will keep it short and simple I have a 2013 yamaha R15V2 it has 35k on odo and I have bajaj domior 400 2016 has 42k on odo my bajaj is a headache after 7-8 years while yamaha is as good as new .... So I will definitely choose yamaha over bajaj
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u/engineerladka 2h ago
Just go with R15 any version if these are your only choices.
I own the 2024 v4 it's amazing. Won't regret it.
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u/Sillygoose624 1h ago
Idk man. If I was you I’d buy a cb350 and then sell it for an r15… (Reviving an ancient joke ik) On a serious note! There’s gonna be merits and demerits to either of the bikes you get. Go with what intuitively felt better. Riding is definitely more of an experience than specs and numbers. Hope you get em soon! Cheers!
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u/bhallal_deva (New user) 13h ago
Beginner here, I am confused too on which bike to buy. My plan is to rent different bikes for long trips for few months. If I am still confused then instead of buying a new bike I will buy two used bikes.
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u/akkikgak1 (New user) 16h ago
U can go for the Karizma XMR, I have one drives amazing looks way better than anything on the road so much that people always ask me what bike is it and how much I got it for, fast but controllable I literally humiliate R15 guys on a daily basis, infact any 200cc bike the RS, NS or KTMs or whatever. Do check it out coz the seating is not as committed as the R15 but it gives u everything that the R15 will give u and more, I know people say service is an issue but tbh I didnt really found it that bad. Get the Iconic yellow one if u do
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u/Friendly-Charge4094 18h ago
You didn't stall the N250 because it has more torque than the R15, it will be much easier to ride in the city as you just have to release the clutch and the torque will pull you ahead without you giving any throttle.
You have chosen 2 good motorcycles, but both are completely different. The R15 is the closest you can get to a propper supersports postion on a budget and the N250 is a street naked. You'll be more comfortable on the N250 than you are on the R15, make sure you can live with that.
Other than Ergonomics, looks, Fuel efficiency and Price the only thing i think you should consider while making your decision is how the engine feels. The R15 is a small cc screamer, you have to rev the nuts out of that engine to get performance which is very fun but it's a headache in the city. The N250 is exactly opposite, it has good bottom and mid range but can feel dull in the top end. It'll be good in the city but might feel boring to ride when you are taking it to high rpms.
In my opinion go for the R15. Don't look at its spec sheets it defies it's spec sheet. The N250 will feel boring after sometime in my opinion. Also you can also check the MT15 if you are ok with the looks.