How to tackle bad roads in India?

[srdigit16]

I currently ride 2013 TVS Wego. I find it difficult to ride in bad road conditions. Even in main road there are occasional potholes. Should I buy a new scooter or bike better designed for Indian roads? Or is it possible to modify my scooter for better ride quality?

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[Zangetsu]

There is no bike/scooter which is specially designed for pot holes. It all depends on the quality of Shock Absorbers.

 

[SaiyanGoku]

Should I buy a new scooter or bike better designed for Indian roads?

Indian roads are not designed with public in mind, but only the contractor and saving the local govt's face.

 

[rockfella]

I currently ride 2013 TVS Wego. I find it difficult to ride in bad road conditions. Even in main road there are occasional potholes. Should I buy a new scooter or bike better designed for Indian roads? Or is it possible to modify my scooter for better ride quality?

Sent from my Redmi Note 9 Pro using Tapatalk

Get a very thick comfy seat??? cover?

 

[Cool Buddy]

what is the tyre pressure you're using? This is one oft neglected aspect by two-wheeler riders. The right tyre pressure can make your ride more comfortable and will also reduce wear and tear on the bike. Check this for the ideal pressure: Tyre Pressure for TVS Wego (24-32psi), Tyre Air Pressure . This is what I used to keep on my TVS Jupiter as well, which has the same size tyres.

Additionally, scooters like Wego, due to their smaller tyres (12"), tend to respond more to potholes. Bikes have bigger tyres which tend to be more comfortable. For instance, Honda Shine has 18" tyres. Of course, driving them is slightly more strenuous, at least initially. So take your pick.

You might also want to familiarise yourself with your regular route. When I drove to work regularly, I knew every pothole that I would encounter and had learnt to avoid them. If you have to drive on unfamiliar roads often, you might want to drive a bit slower and avoid overtaking to reduce the chances of encountering potholes.

 

[khalil1210]

If you expect pot holes, drive slow. Does your vehicle has front telescopic suspension? TVS Jupiter has front suspension and it is easier on you.

 

[srdigit16]

what is the tyre pressure you're using? This is one oft neglected aspect by two-wheeler riders. The right tyre pressure can make your ride more comfortable and will also reduce wear and tear on the bike. Check this for the ideal pressure: Tyre Pressure for TVS Wego (24-32psi), Tyre Air Pressure . This is what I used to keep on my TVS Jupiter as well, which has the same size tyres.

Additionally, scooters like Wego, due to their smaller tyres (12"), tend to respond more to potholes. Bikes have bigger tyres which tend to be more comfortable. For instance, Honda Shine has 18" tyres. Of course, driving them is slightly more strenuous, at least initially. So take your pick.

You might also want to familiarise yourself with your regular route. When I drove to work regularly, I knew every pothole that I would encounter and had learnt to avoid them. If you have to drive on unfamiliar roads often, you might want to drive a bit slower and avoid overtaking to reduce the chances of encountering potholes.

What about scooters like Aprilia SR, Yamaha aerox or even tvs xl100 which have 14 inch wheels? I think companies should launch more scooters with bigger tyres. In countries like Indonesia, even normal scooters have bigger wheels while in India a maxi scooter like Burgman have 10 Inch rear tyres.

 

[Cool Buddy]

What about scooters like Aprilia SR, Yamaha aerox or even tvs xl100 which have 14 inch wheels? I think companies should launch more scooters with bigger tyres. In countries like Indonesia, even normal scooters have bigger wheels while in India a maxi scooter like Burgman have 10 Inch rear tyres.

Even Activa has 10" rear tyres and they do pretty well. Basically bigger the tyres, lesser will be the impact of potholes. However, bigger wheels also mean less space in front.

When I had a TVS Jupiter, I could easily buy a good amount of groceries, put it on the front and carry it home. That becomes difficult with a motorbike since there's no space to keep stuff. So it depends a lot on the usage pattern. If it is exclusively for commute, bike is good. If you also need some household usage (i.e., you don't have a car), a scooter actually works quite well.