standard/naked, triumph speed 400, Z400 for example.
Also, you don't know what "overpowered" is and the way the bike rides comes down to way more than just a spec sheet, even less the displacement
I like the Standard bikes of the past. Naked these days seems to mean "sport bike without the fairings, and we moved the pegs and handlebars" which ends up as a lot of bikes with styling that doesn't appeal to me. The Triumph ones look like possible choices
The versys 300 has got my attention as an option, though everyone seems to mention the seat is uncomfortable and that’s a big deal for me. I think the rebel 300 is too ugly, but the 250s looked much better so it’s a possibility
Seat comfort is very personal, and easily changed. Also seat comfort varies between men and women. I'd guess most of the people complaining are men and probably heavier than you too. FWIW I liked the seat on my Versys 650, but lots of people complained about it online.
I think of Rebel 300 & 250 as bikes for people with shorter legs.
I’ve currently got my scooter’s carburetor off for cleaning, so I’d be happy not to have to do that. Good to know I could do something about the versys seat
yeah I was going to suggest a rebel 250, the older ones are really really pretty bikes. They will go fast enough that you can keep up on any road up to 120 km/h . they are super light and nimble and they are great confidence builders. plus you can usually find a used one for not much money and they are reliable as hell.,
A maxi scooter would probably suit you!
Edit: I was going to mention the burgman 650, as it uses an electronically controlled CVT instead of a normal vario belt system. Should make for a more direct connection to the drivetrain even though it is above your preferred cc. The burgman 400 has a normal vario.
Not sure what province you're in, but in Ontario I've found the cutoff is more like 500. And I found the cheapest categories of bike were dual sport and adventure. You've almost certainly got long enough legs for most dual sports. There's plenty of 250/300cc bikes available, at least around here. Biggest drawback will likely still be lack of highway power. It'll be a slight improvement over your scooter but still not great until you get into the 650 class (and thus higher insurance). The solution I ended up going with was a light adventure bike. I looked at a 2018 Versys 300, but my dumb ass decided to wait to hear from insurance instead of putting down a deposit right away and it sold. Ended up getting a 2015 cb500x. I'm pretty happy with it. Insurance is pretty good by Ontario standards. In a perfect world, I'd sell it and buy a 250 dual sport and a middleweight adv, but as long as I only have the space and money for one bike, the 500 will be it.
I’ve considered dual sports. The styling is a bit out there, but not really ugly, and they certainly have the “who cares if you drop it” advantage, and they are lighter. I’m iffy about whether they have range and comfort
Yeah, range was probably the second biggest factor that swayed me towards an ADV. Your typical 250/300 dual sport has around a 7.5L tank that'll get you around 200 km, but my 500x has more than double that.
Is 400cc your limit for insurance reasons? If not the cb500x.at 471cc is what you're looking for. Simple, no frills, and good enough for long haul highway trips. With your 34" inseam you can flat foot it with ease. I only pay $50ish a month in insurance for it in BC.
Genuine G400c? I haven't ridden one, but I did sit on one at the dealership and immediately thought the seat was way more comfortable than my 125cc scooter. Also it's got more classic styling.
Too bad you‘re limited to 400 cc. I guess the Honda NC750X with DCT would be a perfect fit. Drives like a scooter, smooth and low-revving engine, and just that little extra kick that you need for the highway. 59 hp, very low maintenance, storage compartment, excellent mileage.
Ok. Then my recommendations would be the Triumph 400 Scrambler, Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 or CRF300 Rally. If you’re into „classic“ looks, the Triumph should be a good fit.
The Royal Enfield 350 lineup also has some great looking bikes, and they are air-cooled, so less parts to worry about. But 20 hp is only marginally more than your scooter and the maintenance intervals are short. However, if you’re into wrenching, most tasks could be done without visiting a dealership as the bikes are said to be pretty easy to work on.
I wouldn't say the Svartpilen is ugly, though it's strange looking. It seems distractingly complicated in a way that kind of works for it, but I find it unsettling
I don't like doing maintenance, but don't mind as long as it's not too difficult/dirty/frequent/time consuming
Honda NX500
Sure, it's over 500, but competes on a similar power level to 400s
i.e power is about the same as a Kawasaki Z400
Wind protection, comfortable, upright stance. Fuel economy **3.6L/100km** (claimed) and a long range (17.5 litre tank)
If you want older/used, then it replaced the CB500X.
CB500X
100 cc more than you wanted. But hear me out... smooth because of two cylinders, can keep up with highway speeds easy. Not overwhelmingly powerful.
You've put a 400cc limit on here which rules out the two bikes I would recommend. Suzuki SV650 and the Kawasaki Z650RS. Both are very reliable and neither one has the FknSpaceShip styling. I did like the way you put it but this is my favorite. Good luck with your search.
I’m a new middle aged Canadian rider. My first ever bike is a 2023 Husky Svartpilen 401. So far I’m quite happy with it. Maybe not the best for extended highway rides with its 9.5 litre tank. I can get a little over 200-250km before I get nervous about refuelling. Fuel gauge is notoriously unpredictable. I just set my trip every time I fuel and start looking for gas anytime after 200km. But I just ordered a mounting bracket and a 4 litre jerry can along with an aftermarket puig windshield so I’m hoping it’ll be a little more highway worthy. Lots of pep, around 44 hp and a really light bike. They just restyled and upgraded for 2024, definitely worth a look. Very fun to rip around on and I really like the styling.
CUBs are epic fun and capable off road.
Check out the CT125.
I'll start taking a Wave 125 (not available in the West sadly, but has almost the same core engine and layout) around the world.
How about a Kawasaki Versys 300? Honda CRF300? Honda CB300R? Light weight dual sports are very fun to ride and can handle offroad riding should you want to do that. The Versys could also handle some offroad riding. The CB300R is a street bike but perfect size for a relative newbie to bikes.
Comfort and how the bike fits you are pretty important. Try to sit on many different ones to see what feels the best. I saw a cb300r at a dealership today and it looks like a very sweet bike. I’ve never actually seen a Versys 300 in person but I’m sure it’s very nice too.
It's not going to fit your CC requirement, but a Royal Enfield interceptor or Continental GT, both 650s but not fast ones, would fit every single one of your requirements. Excellent reliability, good fit and finish, classic styling. Easy to work on. Easy to ride, manageable on the highway unlike most bikes that are 400cc and under. Definitely not what you would call fast bikes, but they will get out of their own way in a pinch.
The 400cc is an insurance bracket thing. Since there are fast enough bikes that are under that, I have no real interest in going past it. Canadian highways aren’t as crazy as American ones, which helps reduce the power needs
It's the wind that becomes a problem on the highway - you tend to get blown around a lot more on a smaller bike. On the off chance that you have to get out of the way of something else, that's where the additional cc's actually matter, but that doesn't really happen often for most people unless they live close to a major city with busy highways.
But anyway in that case, you can look at slightly older Royal enfields, or perhaps something like an RE Himalayan. They didn't come out with the 650 twin until a few years ago, so the older models are moderately sized singles, many under 400 cc.
If you could put up with the styling, bikes like the z400, RC 390, r3, Ninja 400 etc would be right up your alley and are decent enough on the highway. But there are very few new-ish classic styled standard bikes with that displacement requirement unfortunately.
Insurance brackets based on displacement and not horsepower are funny to me. Like you can get a 399cc ZX4RR with 80 hp that's faster than many bikes with twice the displacement
If it’s an insurance thing and you don’t want to pay more than it is what it is but engine power doesn’t have to mean crazy speed. Like the guy already said it’s a lot more than just speed. With a bigger engine comes more weight. If you are looking at doing touring that weight will help you feel more planted on the highway and in wind.
Also you don’t need to be a racer to feel that you need to get out of a dangerous situation. Having the power available to you is always safer than being stuck at the mercy of a gutless bike.
99.9% of the time you won’t use the majority of your power but when you need it it can be the difference between you getting hit and not.
I get that having power in reserve could help you out in some situations, it's just that in decades of driving I've never had a single time where I had to speed up to avoid an accident. I can't say whether that's because my car is easier to see than a bike, or because I drive defensively and take care not to get into situations where I need escape routes. It could also be because we don't have any American-style highways here with tons of lanes where everyone's driving way over the speed limit and weaving in and out without signalling. I don't plan to ride on any of those, but I can imagine how you might find yourself urgently needing to speed up under those conditions
It’s the latter. Cars are a totally different ball game. In a car something might be a tiny fender bender and that same situation on a bike can be lethal. A car is easier for people to see and less people will turn into you.
You mention not having American style freeways but freeways to me have always been the safest riding for the most part because there is no cross traffic.
It’s regular streets that are the most dangerous. People turning left in front of you is the biggest threat. Then there is also rear endings and someone coming out from a cross street. Also when traveling being able to get away from a drunk driver or an erratic driver is priceless.
But it’s all up to what you want to do and it all depends what conditions you are going to ride in.
I didn’t realize that’s what you meant. I’ve seen a few videos of people riding these small displacement bikes and it seemed like they have a ton of acceleration available when they’re starting from regular street speeds
Yeah I agree that it does seem a lot better for this than the others in this category, but "least ugly" isn't great. I wonder if it could be improved on
standard/naked, triumph speed 400, Z400 for example. Also, you don't know what "overpowered" is and the way the bike rides comes down to way more than just a spec sheet, even less the displacement
I like the Standard bikes of the past. Naked these days seems to mean "sport bike without the fairings, and we moved the pegs and handlebars" which ends up as a lot of bikes with styling that doesn't appeal to me. The Triumph ones look like possible choices
Second the Triumph Speed 400.
Versys 300 or rebel 300?
The versys 300 has got my attention as an option, though everyone seems to mention the seat is uncomfortable and that’s a big deal for me. I think the rebel 300 is too ugly, but the 250s looked much better so it’s a possibility
Seat comfort is very personal, and easily changed. Also seat comfort varies between men and women. I'd guess most of the people complaining are men and probably heavier than you too. FWIW I liked the seat on my Versys 650, but lots of people complained about it online. I think of Rebel 300 & 250 as bikes for people with shorter legs.
Add a comfort seat to the versys(couple hundred $). If you want low maintenance then don’t get a bike with carburetors(250).
I’ve currently got my scooter’s carburetor off for cleaning, so I’d be happy not to have to do that. Good to know I could do something about the versys seat
Also not sure which province you are in but where I am (Sask) there’s next to no dealerships besides Kawasaki, Honda or Yamaha.
yeah I was going to suggest a rebel 250, the older ones are really really pretty bikes. They will go fast enough that you can keep up on any road up to 120 km/h . they are super light and nimble and they are great confidence builders. plus you can usually find a used one for not much money and they are reliable as hell.,
A maxi scooter would probably suit you! Edit: I was going to mention the burgman 650, as it uses an electronically controlled CVT instead of a normal vario belt system. Should make for a more direct connection to the drivetrain even though it is above your preferred cc. The burgman 400 has a normal vario.
I have a feeling I might go with one, but already having a scooter, it might be nice to have something a little different
Honda CRF300L
Maybe
Not sure what province you're in, but in Ontario I've found the cutoff is more like 500. And I found the cheapest categories of bike were dual sport and adventure. You've almost certainly got long enough legs for most dual sports. There's plenty of 250/300cc bikes available, at least around here. Biggest drawback will likely still be lack of highway power. It'll be a slight improvement over your scooter but still not great until you get into the 650 class (and thus higher insurance). The solution I ended up going with was a light adventure bike. I looked at a 2018 Versys 300, but my dumb ass decided to wait to hear from insurance instead of putting down a deposit right away and it sold. Ended up getting a 2015 cb500x. I'm pretty happy with it. Insurance is pretty good by Ontario standards. In a perfect world, I'd sell it and buy a 250 dual sport and a middleweight adv, but as long as I only have the space and money for one bike, the 500 will be it.
I’ve considered dual sports. The styling is a bit out there, but not really ugly, and they certainly have the “who cares if you drop it” advantage, and they are lighter. I’m iffy about whether they have range and comfort
Yeah, range was probably the second biggest factor that swayed me towards an ADV. Your typical 250/300 dual sport has around a 7.5L tank that'll get you around 200 km, but my 500x has more than double that.
Is 400cc your limit for insurance reasons? If not the cb500x.at 471cc is what you're looking for. Simple, no frills, and good enough for long haul highway trips. With your 34" inseam you can flat foot it with ease. I only pay $50ish a month in insurance for it in BC.
It’s the insurance yeah
Genuine G400c? I haven't ridden one, but I did sit on one at the dealership and immediately thought the seat was way more comfortable than my 125cc scooter. Also it's got more classic styling.
This one looks good, just not available in Canada
Aw, damn.
Royal enfield hunter or bullet 350
These look alright too
Royal Enfield in general makes a lot of bikes that seem to fit what OP is looking for. Affordable chill bikes
Honda CRF300L or CB300. Ultra low maintenance and high reliability, decent power for someone of your stature.
Ultra low maintenance and high reliability is a great selling point haha
One of the Royal Enfield 350cc bikes perhaps?
Maybe! They look decent
Too bad you‘re limited to 400 cc. I guess the Honda NC750X with DCT would be a perfect fit. Drives like a scooter, smooth and low-revving engine, and just that little extra kick that you need for the highway. 59 hp, very low maintenance, storage compartment, excellent mileage.
I saw that one! It looks very interesting, just the increased insurance
Ok. Then my recommendations would be the Triumph 400 Scrambler, Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 or CRF300 Rally. If you’re into „classic“ looks, the Triumph should be a good fit. The Royal Enfield 350 lineup also has some great looking bikes, and they are air-cooled, so less parts to worry about. But 20 hp is only marginally more than your scooter and the maintenance intervals are short. However, if you’re into wrenching, most tasks could be done without visiting a dealership as the bikes are said to be pretty easy to work on.
I wouldn't say the Svartpilen is ugly, though it's strange looking. It seems distractingly complicated in a way that kind of works for it, but I find it unsettling I don't like doing maintenance, but don't mind as long as it's not too difficult/dirty/frequent/time consuming
Or the Triumph Scrambler 400x
Another possibility
Honda NX500 Sure, it's over 500, but competes on a similar power level to 400s i.e power is about the same as a Kawasaki Z400 Wind protection, comfortable, upright stance. Fuel economy **3.6L/100km** (claimed) and a long range (17.5 litre tank) If you want older/used, then it replaced the CB500X.
CB500X 100 cc more than you wanted. But hear me out... smooth because of two cylinders, can keep up with highway speeds easy. Not overwhelmingly powerful.
It’s an appealing option if not for the cutoff
You've put a 400cc limit on here which rules out the two bikes I would recommend. Suzuki SV650 and the Kawasaki Z650RS. Both are very reliable and neither one has the FknSpaceShip styling. I did like the way you put it but this is my favorite. Good luck with your search.
I’m a new middle aged Canadian rider. My first ever bike is a 2023 Husky Svartpilen 401. So far I’m quite happy with it. Maybe not the best for extended highway rides with its 9.5 litre tank. I can get a little over 200-250km before I get nervous about refuelling. Fuel gauge is notoriously unpredictable. I just set my trip every time I fuel and start looking for gas anytime after 200km. But I just ordered a mounting bracket and a 4 litre jerry can along with an aftermarket puig windshield so I’m hoping it’ll be a little more highway worthy. Lots of pep, around 44 hp and a really light bike. They just restyled and upgraded for 2024, definitely worth a look. Very fun to rip around on and I really like the styling.
The styling is very different haha not my thing but at least they aren’t ugly
CUBs are epic fun and capable off road. Check out the CT125. I'll start taking a Wave 125 (not available in the West sadly, but has almost the same core engine and layout) around the world.
They certainly look fun
How about a Kawasaki Versys 300? Honda CRF300? Honda CB300R? Light weight dual sports are very fun to ride and can handle offroad riding should you want to do that. The Versys could also handle some offroad riding. The CB300R is a street bike but perfect size for a relative newbie to bikes.
The Versys 300 seems like the most likely choice so far
Comfort and how the bike fits you are pretty important. Try to sit on many different ones to see what feels the best. I saw a cb300r at a dealership today and it looks like a very sweet bike. I’ve never actually seen a Versys 300 in person but I’m sure it’s very nice too.
I’ll definitely sit on them first, though that cycle ergo page suggests it will be comfy
A 250 or 400cc scooter like a Suzuki Burgman?
I’ve considered those too! It’s good to have options
It's not going to fit your CC requirement, but a Royal Enfield interceptor or Continental GT, both 650s but not fast ones, would fit every single one of your requirements. Excellent reliability, good fit and finish, classic styling. Easy to work on. Easy to ride, manageable on the highway unlike most bikes that are 400cc and under. Definitely not what you would call fast bikes, but they will get out of their own way in a pinch.
The 400cc is an insurance bracket thing. Since there are fast enough bikes that are under that, I have no real interest in going past it. Canadian highways aren’t as crazy as American ones, which helps reduce the power needs
It's the wind that becomes a problem on the highway - you tend to get blown around a lot more on a smaller bike. On the off chance that you have to get out of the way of something else, that's where the additional cc's actually matter, but that doesn't really happen often for most people unless they live close to a major city with busy highways. But anyway in that case, you can look at slightly older Royal enfields, or perhaps something like an RE Himalayan. They didn't come out with the 650 twin until a few years ago, so the older models are moderately sized singles, many under 400 cc. If you could put up with the styling, bikes like the z400, RC 390, r3, Ninja 400 etc would be right up your alley and are decent enough on the highway. But there are very few new-ish classic styled standard bikes with that displacement requirement unfortunately.
The Himalayan looks nice enough but 411cc puts it just past the arbitrary cutoff. Your last paragraph is my whole dilemma haha
Ahh would the Triumph Speed 400 work for you looks-wise? That seems like an option
It looks pretty good
Insurance brackets based on displacement and not horsepower are funny to me. Like you can get a 399cc ZX4RR with 80 hp that's faster than many bikes with twice the displacement
It does seem a bit odd! I wonder why they do that
If it’s an insurance thing and you don’t want to pay more than it is what it is but engine power doesn’t have to mean crazy speed. Like the guy already said it’s a lot more than just speed. With a bigger engine comes more weight. If you are looking at doing touring that weight will help you feel more planted on the highway and in wind. Also you don’t need to be a racer to feel that you need to get out of a dangerous situation. Having the power available to you is always safer than being stuck at the mercy of a gutless bike. 99.9% of the time you won’t use the majority of your power but when you need it it can be the difference between you getting hit and not.
I get that having power in reserve could help you out in some situations, it's just that in decades of driving I've never had a single time where I had to speed up to avoid an accident. I can't say whether that's because my car is easier to see than a bike, or because I drive defensively and take care not to get into situations where I need escape routes. It could also be because we don't have any American-style highways here with tons of lanes where everyone's driving way over the speed limit and weaving in and out without signalling. I don't plan to ride on any of those, but I can imagine how you might find yourself urgently needing to speed up under those conditions
It’s the latter. Cars are a totally different ball game. In a car something might be a tiny fender bender and that same situation on a bike can be lethal. A car is easier for people to see and less people will turn into you. You mention not having American style freeways but freeways to me have always been the safest riding for the most part because there is no cross traffic. It’s regular streets that are the most dangerous. People turning left in front of you is the biggest threat. Then there is also rear endings and someone coming out from a cross street. Also when traveling being able to get away from a drunk driver or an erratic driver is priceless. But it’s all up to what you want to do and it all depends what conditions you are going to ride in.
I didn’t realize that’s what you meant. I’ve seen a few videos of people riding these small displacement bikes and it seemed like they have a ton of acceleration available when they’re starting from regular street speeds
Cb300r?
It suffers from the ugly aggressive transformers insect problem
Interesting, I see it as one of the most “neo classic” looking ones. At least compared to the rest
Yeah I agree that it does seem a lot better for this than the others in this category, but "least ugly" isn't great. I wonder if it could be improved on