5 bikes I would buy instead of spending ₹20 lakh on an SUV
- These five bikes offer a thrilling alternative to spending ₹20 lakh on an SUV, from the Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono to the Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS.
Spending ₹20 lakh on an SUV is the sensible choice. You get space for the family, a comfortable cabin, plenty of luggage room and the convenience of being able to drive through almost anything the Indian road network throws at you.
But then again, not every ₹20 lakh purchase needs to be sensible.
For the same kind of money, there are motorcycles that offer a very different kind of experience. Some are built to demolish corners, some are designed to cross continents, while others are simply machines that make you want to take the long way home.
And unlike a premium SUV, these bikes are not trying to do everything. They are each built around a particular kind of experience, and that is precisely what makes them tempting.
So, if I had ₹20 lakh to spend and had to choose a motorcycle instead of an SUV, these are the five bikes I would be looking at.
Starting at ₹17.99 lakh, the Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono is perhaps the most unusual motorcycle on this list. It uses a 659 cc single-cylinder engine producing 77.4 PS and 63 Nm, while weighing just 151 kg dry. It also gets a 904 mm seat height and a 12-litre fuel tank.
The numbers alone do not tell the full story. This is a lightweight supermoto-style motorcycle with a single-cylinder engine that is designed to make even an ordinary stretch of road feel entertaining. It is not the obvious choice for a ₹20 lakh budget, which is exactly why I would consider it.
At ₹16 lakh, the BMW F 900 GS leaves a fair amount of change from a ₹20 lakh budget while offering a very different kind of capability. It gets an 895 cc parallel-twin engine producing 104.6 PS and 93 Nm, along with a 226 kg kerb weight.
This is the bike I would pick for someone who wants to escape the city rather than simply commute through it. The F 900 GS is built for long-distance touring and off-road riding, giving it the sort of versatility that makes an SUV appealing in the first place, just with considerably less bodywork and considerably more adventure.
The Triumph Speed Twin 1200 is the retro choice here, but there is nothing old-fashioned about its performance. It starts at ₹13.83 lakh and uses a 1,200 cc parallel-twin engine producing 105 PS and 112 Nm. It weighs 216 kg and has a 14.5-litre fuel tank.
What makes it appealing is its simplicity compared with some of the more extreme machines on this list. It has the classic proportions and character of a modern roadster, but enough performance to make it properly entertaining. It is the motorcycle I would choose when I wanted something that looks special parked outside a cafe.
Starting at ₹17.86 lakh, the Ducati Streetfighter V2 is the obvious choice for anyone who wants performance without going all the way to a full-blown superbike. Its 890 cc V-twin produces 155.12 PS and 93.3 Nm, with a claimed top speed of 270 kmph. It also gets a 5-inch TFT, multiple riding modes, cornering ABS, traction control, wheelie control, engine brake control and cruise control.
This is the bike for the person who thinks a ₹20 lakh SUV is simply too slow and too sensible. The Streetfighter V2 has the performance, electronics and aggressive styling to make every ride feel like an event, while its naked-bike format makes it a little less extreme than a fully faired sports bike.
And then there is the Triumph Street Triple 1200. At ₹12.92 lakh, the motorcycle packs a 1,160 cc triple-cylinder engine producing 130 PS and 80Nm.
This is one of the most outrageous choices on the list. It has the performance of a proper superbike but retains the upright riding position and stripped-back character of a naked motorcycle. The result is a machine that can feel perfectly at home on a fast weekend blast while still being more approachable when compared to fully faired motorcycles.
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