Know how buying a two-wheeler can be of great help during daily commute

Buying and riding a two-wheeler in India is more about economy and convenience rather than a means of lifestyle. And despite more people buying cars than ever, the two-wheelers are still preferable, when it comes to daily commutes.

• A two-wheeler is more affordable to buy, run and maintain than a four-wheeler.
• For Indian road conditions full of potholes, hurdles and traffic, two-wheelers are easier to handle and ride.
• Parking and riding a two-wheeler in congested places is a breeze, which is not the same for cars and SUVs.

In recent years, the increased purchasing capacity, more exposure to a comfortable lifestyle and the need to commute safely has made people buy more cars than ever before. The sales of new cars and SUVs are at an all-time high. 

But even after this change in customer preferences, the consistently increasing sales of two-wheelers prove that the need and benefits of buying a two-wheeler in India are still unignorable. Here, we have listed some reasons which prove that owning a two-wheeler in India is still a wiser and more beneficial decision for daily commuting.

Two-wheelers are economical to run and maintain

In India, there is a reason why entry-level motorcycles and scooters are purchased the most. Fuel efficiency and low maintenance costs are two aspects which are considered high on the priority list of many prospective owners of two-wheelers. 

Considering the alarming increase in prices of fuel, it is more affordable to run and maintain a two-wheeler daily, which offers much higher fuel efficiency compared to cars and SUVs. With the advent of electric two-wheelers, the running and maintenance costs have fallen even more drastically.

Two-wheelers handle Indian road conditions

In India, the suspension and tyre setups of two-wheelers are engineered primarily to handle rugged and broken road conditions, which are a common sight even in metropolitan cities. While the road infrastructure is still unfavourable in many places in the country, the two-wheelers in India offer a durable build and ride quality over bad roads. Compared to cars, the wear and tear of two-wheelers are much lower, and so are the repairing costs, which can emerge due to bad road conditions.

Two-wheeler offer quicker commuting solutions

Apart from inconsistencies in the condition of the tarmac, Indian roads also suffer from congested and unorganized traffic in many parts, especially in larger-sized and more populated cities. In many cases, bad traffic conditions emerge due to the irresponsible riding behaviour of commuters.

 However, compared to cars, two-wheelers cover much lesser contact patches, which makes them easily manoeuvrable amidst the gap between two vehicles stuck in tight traffic scenarios. Due to less commuting time from point A to point B, a two-wheeler is a better commuting solution for everyday traffic.

Two-wheelers are now much safer and designed better than before

In recent years, the serious measures and norms introduced by the government to enhance road safety levels have made the two-wheelers much better engineered and safer than ever. A couple of years ago, compulsory features like a combined braking system (for vehicles with engines below 150cc) and an anti-lock braking system (for vehicles with engines above 150cc) made two-wheelers safer than before, even for everyday riding. 

Also, nowadays, many two-wheelers are now designed to comply with international standards, given that India is now a big export hub of two-wheelers.

Two-wheelers are easier to park in congested places

Many commuters will agree that a two-wheeler is much easier to park than a larger car or SUV. Since two-wheelers require much lesser surface area to park, they can be easily parked in tight spaces, especially in heavily-congested areas usually suffering from dense traffic. 

Finding an empty parking space for a car can be tiring and troublesome, and in some cases, it can even lead to increased anxiety levels among drivers. Such a problem doesn't exist while parking a two-wheeler.

Two-wheelers are much more affordable to buy

The initial cost of buying a two-wheeler has increased in recent years due to stricter emission norms, rising production costs and more advanced technologies. However, this increase in initial buying cost is effective even among passenger cars and SUVs, thus making two-wheelers still more affordable to buy. 

Buying a two-wheeler for general commuting purposes is still the most preferred choice among middle-class people or people with lower income levels. With the much more affordable pricing of two-wheelers over a car or an SUV, they offer a much lesser burden on your pocket during purchasing a new vehicle.

Two-wheelers can be easily financed

Compared to the experience of buying a four-wheeler, a two-wheeler requires much lesser formalities and conditions when it comes to financing. Since two-wheelers are more looked upon by low-income groups, who usually buy two-wheelers out of necessity, many financial institutions like banks and credit givers offer easy and flexible loan options. 

For two-wheelers, the conditions for availing of a loan are much more convenient than when buying a new car or an SUV. Though the interest rates of new two-wheeler finance are generally higher than that offered for a new car, the fact that the monthly EMIs are more flexible for two-wheelers makes them an easier deal to buy.