With a plethora of options now available at lower price points from various brands, the dream of owning a litre-class motorcycle is more attainable than ever. Here’s a look at the five most affordable motorcycles with engine capacities of 1000cc and above on sale in India today.
Suzuki Katana
Rs 13.61 lakh
The Suzuki Katana is the brand’s retro-styled motorcycle that shares its engine with the older GSX-R1000. It offers good value for a 999cc four-cylinder machine producing 152hp and 106Nm, but remains relatively basic in terms of electronics and hardware compared to similarly sized rivals. Priced at 13.61 lakh, the Katana is also the most expensive bike on this list.
Kawasaki Ninja 1100SX
Rs 13.49 lakh
The Ninja 1100SX is the only fully-faired motorcycle on this list. Priced at Rs 13.49 lakh, it offers a 1099cc engine that produces 136hp and 113Nm. The Ninja 1100SX is loaded with features such as cruise control, TFT display, traction control and a bi-directional quickshifter.
Kawasaki Versys 1100
Rs 12.90 lakh
The Versys 1100 is a comfort-biased sport tourer, featuring a taller stance, upright ergonomics, and enhanced wind protection. Designed for long-distance touring and pillion comfort, it remains strictly road-focused due to its relatively heavy 257kg kerb weight and 17-inch wheels at both ends. It shares its engine with the Ninja 1100SX but misses out on a TFT display and bidirectional quickshifter. However, at Rs 12.90 lakh, the Versys 1100 is Rs 59,000 more affordable than the Ninja 1100.
Honda CB1000 Hornet SP
Rs 12.36 lakh
The Honda CB1000 Hornet SP is the latest entrant on this list, and India gets the higher-spec SP variant right from launch—yet Honda has managed to price it competitively. It’s powered by a 999cc, inline-four, liquid-cooled engine that produces 157hp and 107Nm. Priced at 12.36 lakh, it is not only the most affordable inline-four motorcycle on this list, but also the most powerful.
Triumph Bonneville T120
Rs 11.09 lakh
The Bonneville T120 is powered by a 1200cc, liquid-cooled parallel-twin engine producing 80hp and 105Nm, featuring a 270-degree crank that delivers a raspy exhaust note. This same engine also powers the Scrambler 1200 XC in Triumph’s lineup. While the T120 looks properly retro, it comes equipped with modern features like ride-by-wire, traction control, and cruise control, all wrapped in classic styling.
There are other models in Triumph’s lineup with this same engine but having cruiser, roadster or scrambler form factors which you can also go for if that’s more up your alley, although do bear in mind they all cost quite a bit more than the Bonnie.
There’s also the Brixton Cromwell 1200 that sits in a similar class as the Bonneville T120 but is offered at a lower price point. However, Brixton’s presence is still too niche, with minimal deliveries and barely any visible points of sale — which is why it hasn’t been included here.
Then there is also the fact that the Cromwell 1200 (Rs 7.84 lakh) is an unproven model in our country from an unknown Chinese manufacturer, which is why we have elected to omit it from this list.
All prices ex-showroom, DelhI
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