Valentine’s Special: Bikes Which We Love The Most

Valentine’s day is all about celebrating love and we here at ZigWheels love motorcycles endlessly. Here are the love of our lives which we have owned, currently own or we wish to own one day!

Priyadarshan Bawikar - 2013 KTM 390 Duke (Gen 1)

I remember the day like it was yesterday - 25th June 2013. KTM officially launched the 390 Duke in India. I had already heard great things about it from my then colleague, Varad More, who had recently ridden the bike in Austria. But seeing it in the flesh for the first time, really sent chills down my spine. Granted it looked almost exactly like the KTM 200 Duke, a bike which was launched a couple of years prior and I had ridden extensively as well. But something about this white-paneled 390, with its orange frame and wheels, and its slightly larger Power Parts windshield just hit different. It was love at first sight. Then came the price - just 1.86 lakh (ex-showroom). I was blown away! Then, cut to a few weeks later. I rode it. I was sold! It took me another few months to scrape together the 2.05 lakh rupees (on-road price in Pune) on my measly journalist salary, and then in January 2014, I walked into a KTM showroom, cheque in hand. Two days later, I had my own 390 Duke, and another two days after that, I was at the service centre getting my 1000km first service done.

The Gen 1 390 Duke was a very simple machine at heart - a super potent motor, an extremely capable chassis and grippy tyres. No fancy electronic nannies to spoil the fun, apart from ABS. It was compact and light, easy to throw around corners, and the W-rated Metzeler tyres ensured it never ran out of grip. And when I opened the throttle coming out of corners, the front wheel would ever so slightly claw its way into the air, and a ridiculous grin would crack inside my helmet. This was exactly the kind of madness I had been looking for in a motorcycle. As long as you treated it right, it would reward you enormously. But do something stupid, and it wouldn’t shy away from trying to kill you. And 11 years on, it still gives me the exact same feeling. Sure, a few of its ponies have fled the stable by now, but for what it’s worth, I still think this is the best bike I’ve ever ridden, and I’ll never stop loving it for that.

Praveen M - Triumph Bonneville Bobber 

It was 2016 when I was but a young intern. Triumph had just unveiled the Bonneville Bobber and it was love at first sight for me! I feel it's relatively challenging to make a motorcycle without fairing beautiful because you have comparatively lesser elements to play with. For me, the Bobber evoked a sense of longing no other bike did. The evocative lines and painstaking attention to detail - all packaged in one sweet retro-modern guise, it is simply a beauty to behold. 

The Bobber appealed to me so much that if I have the money, I'll probably buy two of them: one to keep in a glass box in my house, and the other one to ride. Who said you can't have your cake and eat it too?

Azaman Chothia - BMW S 1000 RR

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So many types of bikes to choose from these days but ultimately, it was sportsbikes that made me fall in love with motorcycles. So I had to include the best ever sportbike that I've got a chance to ride - the 2023 BMW S 1000 RR. Inline four, litre-class machines are all badass motorcycles but this one is really unique. It has a gruffer sound and character opposed to a Japanese inline four and the ShiftCam tech makes it extremely usable. Revving out first gear takes you to 160kmph, that is of course if you have the courage to keep that throttle pinned. And the handling is like nothing I've ever experienced. Telepathic and feels so lightweight, also thanks to the electronically adjustable suspension and carbon wheels. 

It's crazy how we live in a time where 210PS is made to feel so usable and fun with all of the electronics smoothly doing their job. But you also have the option of switching it all off and unlocking a whole different beast. I think every motorcycle enthusiast needs to experience a litre-class machine at least once in their lives to know just what these machines are capable of. And finally, it's a beautiful motorcycle no doubt but I wish BMW stuck with the design of the older-gen models with the asymmetrical headlight setup. Those models were surely menacing to look at with their sharp, shark-inspired design and in my books, still holds the place of the most characterful sportsbike design. 

Nishaad Joshi - Yamaha Tenere 700

The day I save up Rs 30 lakh, it really is over for all the other bikes out there. Why Rs 30 lakh? Well, the Yamaha Tenere 700 costs around GBP 11,000 (approximately Rs 11.83 lakh). So factoring in import duties + other costs, I think saving about Rs 30 lakh for what is arguably the most legendary modern-day ADV sounds like a safe choice. How did I come here though? Like most, Pol Tarres is to blame but it truly was love at first sight for me, the moment I saw the Tenere 700 for the first time.   

It looks rugged, minimalistic and old-school. None of the sharp, edgy modern-day styling, it looks like every part is made for a reason. Heck, it looks like it could participate in a gruelling 10-day rally bone stock and probably win it. So yeah, the day I save up the remaining Rs 30 lakh, India will finally get its own Polesh Tarkar.  

Irfan Kabeer - Ducati 996 Matrix Green

I was probably in 6th or 7th standard when I first watched ‘The Matrix Reloaded’. I was already a fan of the franchise after being blown away by ‘The Matrix’, and also a budding car and bike enthusiast by then. So, the chase scene on the highway where Trinity is running away from the Agents on a motorcycle was the perfect recipe for a memory etched forever in my brain. And the sauce that made it all the more delicious was a Ducati 996 in a glistening, dark green paint scheme. 

Now, till that moment, I had seen Ducatis in several magazines and movies, and they were (and will always be) associated with the colour red. But to see a Ducati 996 in a paint scheme so unexpected and looking so gorgeous at the same time was just bonkers for my 11-12 year-old self. The way the motorcycle weaved through traffic gracefully cemented my love for it right then and there. The thought did pop into my head back then that I’ll buy that bike in that exact same colour when I'm all grown up. By the time the movie came out in 2003, the 996 was replaced by the 998 in Ducati’s lineup and the manufacturer did make some 100-150 Matrix versions of the 998 with the same dark green paint scheme. And looking at the prices of those motorcycles on various websites, my adult brain knows that it doesn’t make sense to fantasize about buying one now.

When Amey Deolalikar asked me to share a few thoughts about my dream/favourite bike, the first image that popped into my mind was the Ducati 996 from 18 years ago. But, why did I think of THAT motorcycle? Was it because I actually find the 996 to be a fascinating bike in itself? Or because of how well the action sequence was shot? I can’t seem to pinpoint a singular reason for that. It could be a combination of all the above-mentioned factors and more as well. The only conclusion I can draw right now is that the 996 is like that beautiful girl you saw in your teenage years, got fascinated by her beauty and the happy memories are now locked away in your brain, serving the sole purpose of bringing a smile to your face when you revisit them from time to time.

Amey Deolalikar - MV Agusta F4 Claudio

MV Agusta has been making breathtaking motorcycles ever since its inception way back in 1945. The company launched the F4 litre-class superbike and the world went insane over its looks. The single headlight, aggressive fairing, a monstrous engine and the sexy rear end captivated the hearts of all motorcycle enthusiasts. After a few years, to pay tribute to Claudio Castiglioni, the former CEO of MV Agusta, they launched the limited edition F4 Claudio. 

The MV Agusta F4 Claudio was a love at first sight for me. The F4 Claudio is just the F4 but taken to a whole another level. For instance, it gets two-tone carbon fibre body panels with real gold paint to accentuate the sporty lines of the motorcycle. Titanium and carbon fibre is used extensively instead of steel, it gets aircraft-quality alloys and a bespoke SC-project exhaust to allow the screaming 1078cc inline-four engine to breathe better. The track version makes 212PS which is just insane for a bike that weighs 175kg! 

The F4 Claudio might just be the company’s fastest and greatest bike they ever produce. With just 100 pieces in the whole world, it is a true collector’s item which I wish to have one day in my living room. 

Sahil Siddqui- 2024 Ducati Panigale V4

It's not that easy for me to name one bike that I love as there are so many bikes out there to admire, and not just bike scooters as well. From the Activa 4G on which I made countless memories in my school days to my current Gixxer SF 250 and of course, the superbikes I daydream about. I absolutely love my current Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 and preach that the best bike in the world is the one you own. But apart from my current bike, if I look into my dreams and think about it, the final possession that I want, my endgame in the world of bikes, the ultimate achievement for which I dream day and night would be the – Ducati Panigale V4.

My love for the Ducati Panigale V4 is like an old-school, one-sided romance—endless devotion, unwavering dreams, and a heart that never stops chasing its muse, hoping one day, desire turns into destiny. While the Ducati Panigale V4 is one of the fastest bikes out there, I have always adored the way it looks, with the perfect balance of curves and sharpness in the design. I was in awe of its beauty since the day I saw it in the collection of bike wallpaper when I got my first laptop back in 2014. Never got a chance to ride the Panigale V4 myself, I was only able to actually go up close to the Ducati Panigale V4 years later in early-2023, when one of friends from my riding group bought the bike and invited me to see it up close. It was for the first time I saw the Panigale V4 so close and I couldn’t stop admiring this beauty. That was the day when I had my ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ moment. That day, I promised myself to get a Panigale V4 in my garage one day. And when I achieve my dream, I would love to inspire another kid like me by letting him admire my bike up close, hoping it fuels his dream too.

Now, Ducati has updated the Panigale’s design that makes it look more aggressive, but the bike has lost its iconic headlight and the single-sided swingarm. Let’s see if the new Panigale V4 also gives me that ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ feel.

Govind Menon - Triumph Daytona 675R

Thinking of the one bike which I love the most was not easy, there were many which came to my mind and all for very different reasons. But when I think about the bike which left a real mark on me, the only one which stood out was the Triumph Daytona 675R.

There’s just something about this bike, which is not easy to put in words. The aggressive looks were what caught my attention at first. But they say, real beauty is what lies within, and in the Daytona’s case the engine is surely something that is beyond beautiful. The 675cc, inline triple’s symphony was something I just fell in love with the first time I heard it.

The bike being replaced with the Daytona 660 was a disappointment. When I got the chance to ride the Daytona 660, I wasn’t really impressed or awestruck. It was very clear that it just doesn’t live up to the benchmark that was once set by the Daytona 675R, both in terms of looks and performance.

Tanmay Kulkarni - Honda NR Series

The Honda NR is my favourite bike mainly due to its tedious and intricate development history. I find it more interesting than most others, given my background in mechanical engineering. The name 'NR' is short for 'New Racing' and this is evident in the design of the bike. The roots of the NR series can be pointed back to the time when Honda re-joined Grand Prix motorcycle racing in the late 1970s after a lengthy hiatus, marked by their successful racing run in the 1960s. When Honda returned to racing, two-stroke engines had become dominant and could produce power that was better than that of a four-stroke engine. However, Honda, who had decided to concentrate on four-stroke development solely, set out to design a machine that could give their competitors a run for their money. Instead of trying to achieve this through the use of more cylinders, a strategy that could have been used and implemented more easily, the Grand Prix rules at the time allowed for engines with a maximum of four combustion chambers.

Honda countered this by designing a four cylinder 'V8' engine, which used Oval! pistons to accommodate 8 valves and two connecting rods per piston. This configuration was never seen before, or even afterwards ever for that matter. It was a 32 valve and eight con-rod four-cylinder! This was true ingenuity of Honda’s racing division and their at that time out of this world thinking engineers, which made it a real engineering marvel, not only for its time, but way ahead of it as well. Another part of its charm is that only 300 units were ever produced, making it not only a bike, but an item of passion, technology, exclusivity, and human creativity.

Pranav Singh Rawat - BMW S 1000 XR

It was love at first sight when I first saw her, looking absolutely gorgeous in black. No, I’m not talking about my girlfriend, but a BMW S1000 XR in the Storm Metallic Black paint scheme.

For someone like me, who loves to tour and enjoy every inch of a perfectly made road, the S 1000 XR offers the perfect balance between a comfortable and a very fast motorcycle. It gets the same engine as the now-legendary S1000RR, a 999cc inline-four motor producing 167 PS and 114 Nm. To be honest, a motorcycle with this much power is all you’ll ever need.

But setting performance aside, for me it’s all about the looks. The perfectly sized front visor, “symmetrical” twin headlights, front fairing and sleek tail section make it an absolute beauty.

As of now, I’m just waiting for the day when there’s almost Rs 30 lakh in my bank account. That’s when I’ll finally get this dream machine and set out to explore in style!

Samarth Kudale - Yamaha R15 V2

February 14th—The day people celebrate love! For many people, it's the flowers, gifts and dates, but my heart races not for a person but for my two-wheeled companion–Lady Eri, a pearl white and blue Yamaha R15 V2.
I remember it vividly, the day I brought home Lady Eri. It had been a long time coming. I have always admired the R15, a dream bike for many in my college days. The shiny white fairings, the curvy body lines, and the perfect stance—all of it was just too much of an eye candy for me.

Getting home Eri wasn’t a very rational or thoroughly thought-out decision but was purely an emotion of my heart. The bike was owned by a colleague of mine, and just like that, it popped up in a conversation of ours. The next day, I was riding the bike, cruising, pulling the life out of it, and boy, it did not disappoint. The bike was literally screaming at me with every throttle input, and what took away my heart was the instant connection she made with me, and that's when I decided she was coming home with me.

A few days later, I took Eri out on a trip, and mind me when I say—she cuts corners like nothing else; the sheer feeling of control is like a dance with her, in tune with me, carrying me through the corners and just letting me ride without a worry, a feeling very few bikes give their rider. There are times when the outrageous power of some motorcycles can cover-up your skill issues, but not with Eri; she makes you work for the reward. To go faster on Eri meant that you had to master your skills, perfect your lines, and when you did all of this, Eri rewarded you in a way not many bikes can.

Eri may not have the biggest engine, the craziest top speed, or any outrageous features, but what she does have is a soul. And that’s why, no matter what comes next, Lady Eri will always have a special place in my heart.

Deepanshi Chaudhary - Indian FTR 1200

I remember it well, in 2018 I was scrolling through instagram and I saw a bike, the body was tinier than other bikes, wheels were fat, and the negative space around suspension, it might not sound like a good looking bike but this is how it looked, and it left an impression. I instantly started surfing the web and found out it was called Indian FTR 1200! There it was, the most perfect looking bike, its lines are in symphony, the design is like musical notes played by the orchestra of little elements and directed by Mozart himself. I mean I cannot be the only one falling for this bike when a famous Canadian youtuber made a dedicated video about the beauty of this bike, it is made to be loved and admired. 

The drawback of living in tier 2 city is that we only had 1 person who actually owned this bike and no showroom to ride or even see it in person. So I ended up going to Delhi to just have a glimpse of it; this is the extent one-sided love can go…And there I finally saw it, the FTR, my beloved FTR, and I was in awe with my mouth open and a spark in my heart to make it mine. I wish I had a better paying job or India had lower import duties. But it is what it is. It's been 7 years and I have yet to come across a better looking bike, not to forget I work around bikes but yet…

Looking forward to making her mine one day…

Arun S - Honda CBR650F

Mika, I called her. Nope, not some fire-breathing supersport, this was a rather sombre Honda CBR650F. My first ‘big’ bike, and for the foreseeable future — possibly my last. I’d picked it out of a sea of middleweight options purely because it felt like the bike understood me. 

Mostly timid, often scared, rarely ham-fisted: that’s me on two wheels. Naturally, I loved that it never overwhelmed me, almost looked after me on the off-chance I was silly with the throttle or overzealous entering a corner. That smooth four-cylinder motor that seemingly had no issues if I switched to sixth gear at 30kmph (yes, I tried) will be missed. That it never shouted for attention, but very silently commanded respect when left parked amongst other motorcycles always amused me. 

In its own way, that motorcycle taught me the importance of taking it easy. Not everything has to be frantic, it almost always said. It also taught me I value dependability more than I thought I did. It firing up in a split second after being left unattended for nearly 3 months almost tore me up. When it was time for it to leave, it reminded me it’s okay to let go of things you love deeply. It not only lets you reflect on your time with them, but also opens up space for something new. We ought to love something that teaches us a lesson or two, don’t we?

Tirth Pandya - Royal Enfield Interceptor 650

No, I’ve never been one for two wheels. Self-preservation, they call it. I’d much rather stay cocooned in four-wheeled metal fortresses with airbags and crumple zones. But if there ever was a machine that made me rethink my stance, it was the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650. Not because it was the fastest, sharpest, or the most technologically advanced (LoL). But because it had a soul.

Usually scared but mostly reckless, that’s how I was with motorcycles and maybe that’s why I loved the idea of flirting with death as I rode on two wheels. And the Interceptor? It never mocked me for being, well, me. That lovely parallel twin, equal parts butter and burble, never hurried me along. It had torque to spare but never insisted I use all of it. And when I did, it felt as if she was smiling rather than screaming.

Maybe as a reminder that not all things need to be practical to have a place in your heart. Or maybe because, deep down, I knew that if I ever did give in to the call of the open road, I’d want it to be on something like her. Dependable, charming, and just the right amount of wild.

They say you never forget your first love. While she wasn’t my first, she left a mark on my heart just as deeply.