Picking the best machines of the year isn’t just about numbers, specs, or lap times. It’s about the ones that stayed with us long after the ride ended — the two wheelers that made mundane commutes better, pushed boundaries, or made us grin inside our helmets. From everyday commuters to fire-breathing superbikes, from clever EVs to genre-bending machines, 2025 had a bit of everything. These are the ones we’d happily take home.
COMMUTER: HONDA CB125 HORNET
The 125cc space isn’t what it used to be. What was once purely about mileage and affordability is now packed with bikes trying to be fun, stylish, and a little bit aspirational. Right in the middle of all that, the CB125 Hornet makes a strong case for itself. It grabs your attention early. The sharp styling, bright colours, and gold USD forks make it look like more than just another commuter. Spend some time with it, though, and you realise the appeal runs deeper. The engine is smooth, predictable, and easy to ride, but with just enough punch to keep things interesting in traffic. It’s light, nimble, and happy dealing with everyday chaos. The suspension is on the firmer side, sure, but it adds a sense of control that makes it feel more involving than most. In a crowded segment full of strong options, the CB125 Hornet stands out by getting the basics right and then adding just enough spark to make you care.
PREMIUM MOTORCYCLE: HERO XTREME 250R
Hero aimed high with the Xtreme 250R and got most of it right. This isn’t just a bigger Xtreme — it’s a proper step into the premium space, and it shows from the moment you set eyes on it. The design feels tight, well thought-out, and desirable. It doesn’t look like it’s trying too hard, which is rare at this price point. The real story begins once you start riding. The 249cc motor is easy-going at low speeds, happy to potter around without fuss. Open it up, and it delivers the kind of performance that feels quick for the segment. It builds speed, holds it confidently, and doesn’t feel strained doing it. The chassis keeps up as well: stable, predictable, and encouraging you to push harder. The suspension strikes a usable balance for Indian roads, and the braking — especially with the more aggressive ABS setting — adds to the sense of control. The Xtreme 250R feels like a big leap forward, and one that finally puts Hero firmly in the premium conversation.
CRUISER: INDIAN SPORT SCOUT SIXTY
Cruisers come with baggage. Long, low, heavy, and happiest doing nothing in a straight line. The Sport Scout Sixty doesn’t care for any of that. Yes, it looks the part. The stance is pure American V-twin; the proportions are classic, and that low seat immediately puts you in cruiser mode. But the illusion lasts only until you get moving. The weight disappears; the balance just clicks, and suddenly you’re not managing a big cruiser, you’re just riding it. Then there’s the motor. The 999cc V-twin has all the character you’d expect, but it’s the way it delivers that changes things. It’s eager, responsive, and far more willing than a cruiser has any right to be. There’s always torque on tap, always a reason to twist the throttle a little more. The suspension deals with real-world roads; the chassis stays composed; and the whole bike encourages you to ride it, not just pose with it. The Sport Scout Sixty doesn’t try to redefine the cruiser. It just quietly ignores the rules, and that’s why it wins.
DESIGN: ULTRAVIOLETTE X-47
Some bikes look different. The X-47 feels like it comes from a different brief entirely. At a glance, you can tell it’s an Ultraviolette — the sharp face, the compact headlight — but everything around it has been rethought. There’s an ADV beak where you don’t expect one, a flyscreen that works with the design, and a beautifully exposed cast-aluminium subframe that doesn’t try to hide anything. Purpose drives the design throughout. This isn’t just an F77 with rugged bits thrown on. The stance, the proportions, the long-travel suspension — they all come together to make it look ready for more than just smooth roads. Even the details — the tyres and the upright riding position — feel like they belong. This is an electric motorcycle that steps out of the urban commuter role and leans into the adventure space. It creates a category, and looks entirely at home doing it.
ADV: TVS APACHE RTX 300
For a brand with serious off-road credentials, TVS took its own sweet time to enter the ADV space. When it finally did, it didn’t go chasing Dakar dreams — it built something far more usable, and that’s exactly what makes the RTX 300 work. The engine is smooth, predictable, and happiest when you ride it without urgency. It doesn’t demand skill or aggression; it gets on with the job, whether you’re commuting through traffic or cruising out of the city. The WP suspension is the highlight, striking a rare balance between comfort and control. Broken roads, gravel patches, the occasional trail — it takes it all in its stride without ever feeling out of place. Add a comfortable riding position, solid wind protection, and a feature list that earns its keep, and the RTX 300 makes a compelling case. It doesn’t try to be extreme. It focusses on being accessible and versatile, and in the real world, that matters more.
PERFORMANCE BIKE: DUCATI PANIGALE V4 S
A 216-bhp superbike should be intimidating. The kind that keeps you on edge, waiting for it to bite. The Panigale V4 S isn’t that bike, and that’s what makes it
so special. From the moment you get on, it feels far more approachable than something this extreme has any right to be. The riding position, the way the bike
wraps around you, the clarity of feedback, it all works together to make you feel in control, even when the numbers suggest otherwise. And then you open the throttle. The performance is ferocious — it builds speed at a rate that’s hard to process, yet it never feels chaotic. The engine delivers its power with precision, not intimidation. It’s fast, but more importantly, it’s usably fast. The electronics, the chassis, the braking — everything works in the background, giving you the confidence to push harder, brake later, and carry more speed than you thought possible. At this level, that’s what separates a great superbike from a truly brilliant one.
EV: BAJAJ CHETAK 2501
At first glance, the Chetak 2501 looks like a scaled-down version of something familiar. Same silhouette, same clean lines — just tighter. Spend a little time with it, and you realise this isn’t a smaller Chetak. It’s a smarter one. Light on its feet, quick to respond, and perfectly suited to city chaos, the 2501 doesn’t need big numbers to make a point. It weaves through traffic effortlessly, takes tight turns without drama, and never feels out of breath during everyday duties. The motor tuning plays a big role. It’s not chasing outright speed, but the way it delivers what it has makes it feel lively. Solo or with a pillion, it keeps up with traffic, and occasionally sneaks ahead with a bit of cheek. It’s comfortable, practical, and packed with features that actually matter in daily use, and that’s why it wins.
SCOOTER: TVS NTORQ 150
The NTorq 150 doesn’t reinvent the sporty scooter formula — it just builds on something that already worked, and turns the wick up. At its core, it still feels very much like an NTorq. The same attitude, the same playful nature, just with more muscle behind it. The 150cc motor brings a noticeable bump in performance, but it’s the delivery that counts. The acceleration is clean, linear, and always ready, whether you’re darting through gaps or rolling on for a quick overtake. Light, agile, and eager to change direction, it’s the kind of scooter that makes even short rides feel like an excuse to push a little harder, lean a little more. Add a feature list that’s as loaded as ever and a design that still turns heads, and you get a package that feels familiar, but in the best way. It wins because it stays true to its roots, while giving you more of everything that made it popular in the first place.
MANUFACTURER: TVS
Some years are good. And then there are years where a manufacturer just doesn’t miss. 2025 was that year for TVS. It wasn’t just about one big product. It was the spread. The Apache RTX 300 put the brand in the ADV space with a refreshingly sensible approach. The NTorq 150 carried forward an already strong legacy while turning up the performance. And the Orbiter showed that TVS isn’t slowing down on the EV front either. The bigger story was how busy TVS was across the board. The Apache range got a proper refresh, keeping it relevant and competitive. The brand also gave us a glimpse of where its BMW Motorrad partnership could go next, while keeping the Norton Motorcycles revival
firmly on track. TVS isn’t just filling gaps any more; it’s building across segments, experimenting where needed, and refining where it matters. Plenty of manufacturers had strong moments this year. TVS had a strong year.
