There is nowhere on earth quite like the Indian subcontinent for motorcycle travel. The roads range from six-lane expressways to high-altitude tracks that barely qualify as paths. The landscapes move from the Thar Desert to the Himalayas to tropical coastlines within a few days of riding. The cultures, cuisines, and languages change every few hundred kilometres. And the retro motorcycle has been central to this part of the world's riding identity for longer than anywhere else — the Royal Enfield has been manufactured in Chennai since 1955, making India the spiritual home of the retro bike movement whether the rest of the world acknowledges it or not.
This post is for the rider who wants the real subcontinent. Not the tourist trail. The road that goes where it wants to go, through places that are not on any itinerary, on a machine that belongs to a different and better pace of life.
16 Retro Bikes Available in the Indian Subcontinent
1. Royal Enfield Meteor 350 — ₹1.95–2.22 lakh (India)
The most accessible retro cruiser on the market. 349cc single-cylinder, relaxed ergonomics, smooth enough for highway runs and characterful enough for mountain detours. The Meteor is where most Indian riders begin their retro journey — and many never feel the need to go further.
2. Royal Enfield Classic 350 — ₹1.93–2.26 lakh (India)
The most iconic retro motorcycle in Asia. The Classic 350 has been the gateway into motorcycling for an entire generation of Indian riders. Simple, dependable, and carrying a visual language that has remained essentially unchanged for decades. The Himalayan passes and the old city lanes were made for this bike.
3. Honda CB350 H'ness — ₹2.10–2.15 lakh (India)
Honda's reentry into the mid-size retro segment. 348cc, refined engine, excellent build quality, and a classicism that feels authentic rather than performed. The CB350 has rapidly built a passionate following among riders who want Japanese reliability with a vintage soul.
4. Royal Enfield Hunter 350 — ₹1.50–1.69 lakh (India)
The lightest and most flickable bike in the RE range. The Hunter 350 is the urban retro — nimble in traffic, fun on twisty roads, and wearing a roadster aesthetic that suits every context from city coffee shops to mountain cafes. The most affordable entry into the RE twin-downtube frame.
5. Royal Enfield Bullet 350 — ₹1.73–2.11 lakh (India)
The oldest continuously produced motorcycle model in the world. The Bullet 350 carries a mythology that no other bike on this list can match — it was the preferred transport of the Indian Army in the Himalayas, of Sikhs on the GT Road, of travellers who needed something that could be fixed anywhere. It still can be.
6. Jawa 42 — ₹1.99–2.17 lakh (India)
Jawa's comeback bike is a love letter to the 1960s café racer aesthetic translated into modern mechanicals. 334cc single, good mid-range torque, and a retro silhouette that turns heads in a market dominated by Royal Enfield. For the rider who wants something slightly different.
7. Yezdi Roadster — ₹2.09–2.29 lakh (India)
A revived Indian brand with genuine retro credentials. The Roadster's 334cc liquid-cooled engine is more refined than it looks, and the 1970s-inspired styling — wide bars, round headlight, teardrop tank — is executed with conviction. A strong alternative to the RE Classic for riders who want something less ubiquitous.
8. TVS Ronin — ₹1.49–1.69 lakh (India)
TVS's bold entry into the retro-modern segment. The Ronin's 225cc single-cylinder engine punches above its displacement with a torquey, confident character that suits both city riding and open highway cruising. The styling is distinctive — a mix of scrambler, café racer, and roadster cues that TVS calls 'multi-surface cruiser.' Dual-channel ABS, USB charging, and a Bluetooth-connected instrument cluster make it one of the most feature-loaded retro bikes at its price point. For younger riders stepping up from commuters who want character with their practicality, the Ronin is a genuine statement machine.
9. Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350X — discontinued but widely available used, ₹1.20–1.60 lakh (India)
The cruiser that defined long-distance riding for a generation of Indian motorcyclists. Still one of the best long-haul retro machines available in the used market, with enormous aftermarket support and a community of riders who know every kilometre of the NH highways on this bike.
10. Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 — ₹3.35–3.60 lakh (India)
RE's most refined machine. The 648cc parallel-twin is a revelation — smooth, torquey, and confident at highway speeds in a way the singles never quite managed. The Super Meteor is a genuine long-distance retro cruiser that does not ask you to suffer for the aesthetic.
11. Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 — ₹3.22–3.35 lakh (India)
The café racer of the RE 650 family. Clip-ons, rearsets, and the 648cc parallel-twin in a sporting orientation. For the Indian rider who wants a retro machine that can also be ridden hard through the Ghats or the foothills — this is the one.
12. Kawasaki W175 — PKR ~5.5 lakh / available in select Pakistan dealers
Kawasaki's entry-level retro roadster, widely available in Pakistan. 177cc single, classic round headlight, spoke wheels, and a riding experience that is simple and rewarding. The W175 has a strong following in South and Southeast Asian markets and is the retro gateway for Pakistani riders.
13. Kawasaki Z650RS — ₹7.99 lakh (India)
The smaller of Kawasaki's RS retro twins. 649cc parallel-twin, sharp handling, and a 1970s Z-series aesthetic that is genuinely faithful to the original. Lighter and more flickable than the Z900RS, excellent for the mountain roads of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
14. Triumph Street Twin — ₹8.65 lakh (India)
The entry point into Triumph's Modern Classics range. 900cc parallel-twin, smooth power delivery, and the Bonneville heritage without the premium of the T120. Comfortable enough for long days in the saddle on the Konkan coast, engaging enough that you want them.
15. Triumph Bonneville T120 — ₹12.45 lakh (India)
The platonic ideal of the British retro motorcycle. 1200cc parallel-twin, torquey and characterful, and carrying six decades of cultural weight that somehow feels entirely appropriate on a Ladakhi pass or a Kerala backwater road. The T120 is not the fastest bike on this list. It may be the most satisfying.
16. BMW R nineT — ₹20.45 lakh (India)
BMW's heritage roadster. The 1170cc air-cooled boxer twin is unmistakably Munich, but it rides the subcontinent's great roads with a fluency that surprises. The R nineT is the bike that serious retro riders aspire to on this part of the world — and it rewards the aspiration fully.
30 Roads and Destinations Across the Indian Subcontinent
India — The Himalayan North
1. Manali to Leh Highway, Himachal Pradesh / Ladakh
The definitive Indian motorcycle road. Rohtang Pass, Baralacha La, Lachulung La, Tanglang La — four of the highest motorable passes in the world on a single route. This is the road that built the Royal Enfield community and continues to draw riders from every corner of the country. Best done June to September.
2. Spiti Valley Circuit, Himachal Pradesh
The cold desert valley between Manali and Shimla via Kaza. Ancient monasteries perched on impossible ridges, river valleys carved by glaciers, and roads that are sometimes merely suggestions. Key Pin Bhaba pass crossing is one of the most dramatic in the Himalaya. Best on a rugged single — the Classic 350 or Bullet is ideal.
3. Zanskar Valley, Ladakh
Beyond Leh, through Kargil and down to Padum. One of the most remote motorcycle destinations on earth. The road quality is variable but the landscape — turquoise rivers cutting through ochre canyons — is without comparison. For serious adventure riders only.
4. Turtuk and the Shyok Valley, Ladakh
The northernmost village accessible to civilians in India, close to the Pakistan border. The road along the Shyok River through apricot orchards and Balti villages is unlike anything else in Ladakh. Quiet, beautiful, and rarely crowded.
5. Khardung La and Nubra Valley, Ladakh
Khardung La sits at 5,359 metres — one of the highest motorable roads in the world. The descent into the Nubra Valley, with its sand dunes and double-humped Bactrian camels against a Himalayan backdrop, is surreal in the most literal sense.
6. Rohtang Pass to Sissu, Himachal Pradesh
The road over Rohtang (3,978m) into the Lahaul valley via the Atal Tunnel. The contrast between the crowded tourist circus at the top of Rohtang and the vast, empty stillness of Lahaul on the other side is one of the great motorcycle moments in India.
India — The Himalayan Foothills and Northeast
7. Jim Corbett to Ranikhet, Uttarakhand
The foothills road from Corbett through Ramnagar and up to Ranikhet in the Kumaon hills. Jungle, river crossings, and hill station cool. Less dramatic than Ladakh, more gentle and green, and perfectly suited to a weekend escape on a Meteor or Classic.
8. Rishikesh to Chopta to Tungnath, Uttarakhand
The road from Rishikesh through Devprayag and the Alaknanda valley up to the Chopta meadows. Tungnath temple at 3,680m is the highest Shiva temple in the world and the final kilometres of this road, through rhododendron forest and alpine meadow, are among the most beautiful in the Indian Himalaya.
9. Tawang Circuit, Arunachal Pradesh
The road from Guwahati through Bhalukpong, Bomdila, and Sela Pass to Tawang. Sela at 4,170m is one of the highest motorable passes in the world, and the Tawang Monastery — the largest in India — is worth every kilometre of the approach. Permits required. Absolutely worth the paperwork.
10. Dzukou Valley, Nagaland / Manipur
The road into Kohima and the approach to Dzukou — one of the most beautiful hidden valleys in India. The northeast is chronically underexplored by motorcycle travellers and rewards those who make the effort with landscapes, cultures, and roads found nowhere else in the country.
India — The Western Ghats and Coastal Routes
11. Coastal Karnataka — Goa Route (NH66)
NH66 through Udupi, Mangalore, and the Konkan coast into Goa. Monsoon-green scenery, empty beaches, and the smell of the Arabian Sea. Best ridden October to February when the weather is clear and the roads are dry. The aesthetic contrast between a retro bike and the coastal landscape is exceptional.
12. Chikmagalur to Coorg, Karnataka
The coffee estate roads of the Western Ghats interior. Narrow roads through dense canopy, the smell of coffee and cardamom, mist in the mornings, and a pace of life that belongs to an earlier era. The roads between estates are some of the best twisty riding in South India.
13. Ooty and the Nilgiri Hills, Tamil Nadu
The road up to Ooty via the 36 hairpin bends from Mettupalayam is one of the great motorcycling ascents in India. Tea estates, eucalyptus forests, and cool air at 2,240 metres. The connecting road to Kodaikanal through the Palani Hills extends the experience into a proper multi-day Ghats loop.
14. Munnar to Thekkady, Kerala
The high-altitude tea estate roads of Kerala. The route between Munnar and Thekkady crosses the Kannan Devan hills through some of the most beautiful cultivated landscape in India. Slow, green, and deeply satisfying on a retro single.
15. Goa Hinterland — Ponda to Mollem
The interior of Goa beyond the beach strip. Spice plantations, jungle roads, the Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary, and the Dudhsagar waterfalls accessible by a road that is genuinely dramatic. The contrast between beach Goa and jungle Goa is one of the subcontinent's most surprising revelations.
India — The Rajasthan and Desert Routes
16. Jaisalmer to Sam Sand Dunes, Rajasthan
The road out of Jaisalmer into the Thar Desert. Flat, straight, and absolutely vast. The Sam Sand Dunes at sunset with a retro bike in the foreground is one of those images that makes the entire trip worth it. The road to Tanot via Longewala (site of the 1971 battle) adds historical weight to the aesthetic.
17. Jodhpur to Mount Abu via Pali, Rajasthan
The road from the Blue City through the Aravalli foothills to Mount Abu — Rajasthan's only hill station. The route passes through small Rajasthani towns and villages that tourism has not yet reached, and Mount Abu's forested plateau is a revelation after the desert.
18. Pushkar to Ajmer and Beyond, Rajasthan
Pushkar's sacred lake and the surrounding hills, then the descent to Ajmer and the Dargah. The road between Pushkar and Ajmer through the Nag Pahar pass is short but dramatic — and the cultural contrast between Hindu Pushkar and Muslim Ajmer, separated by a single mountain ridge, is one of the subcontinent's defining paradoxes.
Pakistan
19. Karakoram Highway — Islamabad to Khunjerab Pass
One of the highest paved roads in the world, running from Islamabad north through the Hunza Valley to the Khunjerab Pass at 4,693m on the Chinese border. The Hunza Valley section — with Rakaposhi and Ultar Sar visible from the road — is among the most spectacular motorcycle riding on earth. The road passes through Gilgit, Karimabad, and Passu before the final climb to the pass.
20. Hunza Valley — Karimabad to Attabad Lake
The Attabad Lake was created by a landslide in 2010 that blocked the Hunza River. The turquoise lake against the barren brown Karakoram mountains is one of the most dramatic landscapes in Pakistan. The tunnel through the landslide adds to the sense of geological drama.
21. Fairy Meadows, Gilgit-Baltistan
The road to Nanga Parbat base camp via Fairy Meadows. The jeep track from the KKH to Tato is not for the faint-hearted, but the view of Nanga Parbat (8,126m — the world's ninth highest mountain) from the meadows is one of those views that changes the scale of everything you thought you knew about landscape.
22. Shandur Pass — Gilgit to Chitral
The road over Shandur Pass (3,700m) — the world's highest polo ground — connecting Gilgit with Chitral. The route passes through the Ghizer Valley along the Ghizer River and crosses terrain that is remote, wild, and profoundly beautiful. The annual Shandur Polo Festival (July) adds cultural spectacle to the riding experience.
23. Kalash Valleys, Chitral District, KPK
The Kalash people — a small indigenous community with pre-Islamic traditions — live in three valleys (Bumburet, Rumbur, Birir) near Chitral. The road into these valleys is accessible by motorcycle and leads to one of the most distinctive cultural encounters available to a traveller in South Asia.
Sri Lanka
24. Ella to Nuwara Eliya, Central Highlands
Tea estate roads through the Sri Lankan highlands. Cooler temperatures, colonial-era road engineering, and a pace of life that makes the riding feel like it belongs to a gentler era. The Nine Arches Bridge near Ella and the views from Horton Plains are the highlights of a region that rewards slow exploration.
25. Kandy to Knuckles Mountain Range
The road from Kandy into the Knuckles — a UNESCO World Heritage wilderness area north of the city. Mist forests, waterfalls, and roads that are genuinely challenging in places. The Knuckles is one of Sri Lanka's most beautiful and least-visited areas and is best explored on a light, manoeuvrable bike.
26. Colombo to Galle — Southern Coastal Road
The coastal road from Colombo south to Galle along the Indian Ocean. Beach towns, fishing villages, the old Dutch fort at Galle, and a coastline that was devastated by the 2004 tsunami and has been entirely rebuilt into something beautiful. The road quality is excellent and the riding is relaxed and scenic.
27. Jaffna Peninsula and the North, Sri Lanka
The road north from Colombo through Vavuniya to Jaffna — the Tamil heartland of Sri Lanka. The peninsula's flat roads, ancient Hindu temples, and Dutch fort are a complete contrast to the highland and coastal routes of the south. The causeway roads across the lagoons to the outer islands are among the most unusual riding experiences in South Asia.
28. Adam's Peak Approach, Ratnapura District, Sri Lanka
The road to Sri Pada (Adam's Peak) from Ratnapura through rubber and tea estates. The mountain is sacred to four religions and the approach road, particularly at dawn, has a quality of pilgrimage that is independent of any particular faith. The surrounding Sinharaja rainforest makes this corner of Sri Lanka one of its most biologically extraordinary.
Cross-Border Classics and Honourable Mentions
29. The Grand Trunk Road — Amritsar to Lahore (concept route)
The GT Road — Sher Shah Suri's 16th-century highway from Bengal to Kabul — passes through some of the most historically significant landscape in South Asia. The Amritsar to Lahore section, now divided by the Wagah border, remains one of the great imagined motorcycle routes of the subcontinent. Riding it in sections, on both sides, is a profound experience.
30. Rann of Kutch, Gujarat, India
The white salt desert of the Rann — flat, vast, and at full moon completely disorienting in the most beautiful way. The road from Bhuj across the Rann to Dhordo during the Rann Utsav festival season (November to February) is unlike any other motorcycle experience in India. The landscape has no reference points — only sky, salt, and the bike beneath you.
Ride in the Right Kit
For the ones who ride to find out what is on the other side of the pass.
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