Happy World Motorcycle Day to all of you. We at BikeWale are always grateful for the opportunity to test and experience motorcycles of all shapes and sizes, across segments. And while we absolutely love motorcycles from the bottom of our hearts and may not need a special day to celebrate the greatest invention known to mankind, there have been a few examples that have left indelible memories. Here are the team’s most memorable motorcycle experiences.
Triumph Daytona 675 (Vikrant Singh)
It's not in production anymore - and I don't like Triumph for it - but the Daytona 675R is one of the sweetest motorcycles I have ridden on track. I never owned one, but it was my coach bike in the days I was coaching at the California Superbike School. When setup right - which it always was for me - it's like a mind reader. It goes where you think and it tells you exactly what it is doing. Sweet and fast. Too easy to fall in love with.
Ducati Multistrada 1200 S (Pratheek Kunder)
The first time I laid my eyes on the Ducati Multistrada 1200S was at the BikeWale Track day a few years ago. That was also the time I rode it for the first time and it blew my mind. In fact, the Multistrada 1200S changed the way I perceived big motorcycles. The combination of excellent performance, great comfort and top class features made me fall in love with it. This is the ride I'll remember for life.
Ducati Multistrada V4 (Rishabh Bhaskar)
There are motorcycles and then there is the Ducati Multistrada V4. I’m hopelessly in love with the bike and I will profess it from the rooftops for everyone to know. I mean where do I even begin to tell you why the bike has my heart?
The engine is a gem, its performance is properly thrilling, and the stellar handling left me standing by the side of the road in disbelief after going through a set of corners. There was never a single second where I wasn’t smiling under my helmet while riding the bike. Every moment spent away from it felt like an eternity and for all the time that we had the bike with us, I grabbed every opportunity to spend more time with it.
I even took a few colleagues for a spin on the Multistrada V4 and it gave them an experience of a lifetime. There are very few motorcycles that have evoked such strong emotions within me. I was the happiest man in the world when I was riding the bike and I’m possibly the saddest person after returning the bike back to Ducati. I miss it. I miss it a lot.
Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R (Anuj Mishra)
The memory of riding the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R has been etched in my memory and won't fade anytime soon. While it was painfully demanding in terms of seating ergos, it was equally rewarding with a visceral inline-four sound even when not ridden at life-threatening speeds. And every time I gathered the courage to invade into the exciting side of revs, it felt deceptively fast for a 636cc motorcycle. Cornering was another area where it made me feel like a much better rider than I am with its sheer precision. What a sweet, sweet motorcycle!
2023 KTM 390 Duke (Ajinkya Lad)
Just thinking about the new KTM 390 Duke evokes a lot of memories from last year when I tested the bike. It is menacingly fast and extremely fun, and it feels almost telepathic in the way it handles. In fact, it brings out the hooligan in you and makes you do things that you’d otherwise not do on any other motorcycle. It is one of those mass-market bikes that makes you feel as if you are the most skilled rider out there, whereas, in hindsight, it’s the motorcycle that is working its magic to make you feel like a hero. And I bet you’ll be grinning from ear to ear once you ride it, I know I did.
2015 KTM 390 Duke (Pratik Bhanushali)
My favourite motorcycle has to be the KTM 390 Duke. It is just what the doctor ordered -- a fast, frantic, extremely precise, and full-of-character motorcycle. The way it rides, handles, and slices through the traffic is incredible and can surely put some middleweight motorcycles to shame. More importantly, it does well in a majority of the aspects -- has a good engine, rides well, brakes reliably, and packs a bunch of features too!
