Unofficial booing open for the XR 300 rally/l. Expected delivery in December/Jan price 2.4 EX. Showroom.
Booing amount 5k.
Confirmed with Honda bowing dealer in Gurugram. He said he already has 3 bookings.

After years of riding, I'm finally looking for one motorcycle that I can happily own for the next 8–10 years. My budget is around ₹5 lakh on-road, and I'd rather buy the bike that best suits my riding than the one with the best spec sheet.

For context, I'm 38 years old, 183 cm (6 ft), and 85 kg, so comfort and ergonomics matter just as much as performance on long days in the saddle.

Bikes I've owned

• Bajaj Pulsar
• Royal Enfield Bullet Electra
• KTM Duke 200 (Gen 1)
• Royal Enfield Himalayan 411
• KTM 390 Adventure (Gen 1, first batch)

The Gen 1 390 Adventure was easily my worst ownership experience. That bike had almost no grunt down low, spent far too much time with issues, and honestly made me fall out of love with riding for a while. now i have two helmets , full set of riding gear and no bike.

How I ride

• 90% touring on tarmac
• Highways, mountain roads and broken Indian roads
• Occasional gravel, but no serious off-roading
• Comfortable cruising at 90–100 km/h

I don't need a fast bike. I just want enough performance in reserve to overtake trucks and buses without feeling like I'm asking everything from the engine.

My Himalayan 411 always felt like it was running out of breath above 90 km/h. Every overtake required planning, and in the mountains it often meant multiple downshifts and revving the bike hard.

NOTE: I have absolutely no interest in technical off-roading or hard enduro riding. If I can avoid difficult trails, I will.

The bike just needs enough capability that I don't have to turn around when the road becomes bad.

Single or twin?

I'm not obsessed with buying a twin.

I recently rode the Bear 650 and the Himalayan 450 back-to-back. The Bear's engine felt incredibly smooth and refined, while the Himalayan felt noticeably more vibey. However the suspension on that 450 is awesome. That said, I'm perfectly happy to buy a single if it genuinely makes more sense for my use.

What matters most

• Reliability/service network
• Comfortable ergonomics
• Smooth, relaxed engine
• Strong low and mid-range for mountain overtakes
• Highway stability
• Wind protection (nice to have, not essential)
• Decent fuel range
• Luggage compatibility (not a top priority)

Current shortlist

• Honda NX500 (used) — Seems to tick almost every box but nothing exciting and pricing is a concern. also looks like dad bike.
• Royal Enfield Bear 650 (New)— Absolutely loved the engine. Rented one for a day and later test rode it again. looks like a million bucks. damn so sexay!! but there is no option for a tubeless rim.
• Royal Enfield Himalayan 450(New) — Very capable, but noticeably more vibey than the Bear. looks decent (Mana Black)
• KTM 390 Adventure (new generation) (New)— Test rode it. didn't have any stalling issues and was easy in traffic too ,Looks fantastic, but I'm still sceptical because of my experience with the first generation. that tower sexay sexay.
• Anything else you think deserves a place on this list.

For those who've owned or toured extensively on these bikes, which would you choose and why?

I'd especially like to hear from Himalayan 450 owners who regularly ride in the mountains. Does it have enough usable mid-range for relaxed overtakes when loaded with luggage, or are you still working the gearbox most of the time?