We recently brought you a list of the most powerful bikes under Rs 2.5 lakh, but this list doubles that budget. All entrants on this list make over 40hp, but none of them breach 47.6hp as they need to comply with the European A2 licence requirements, which caps power at 35kW (47.6hp) – and the bikes sold in India are European-spec ones.

5. Yamaha MT-03, R3

42hp

In this company, Yamaha’s likable 321cc twin-cylinder duo have the misfortune of being the least powerful machines. What the R3 and MT-03 have, though, are a screamer parallel-twin motor. Recently, The Yamaha MT-03 and R3 both received a substantial price cut of up to Rs 1.10 lakh bringing them closer to their competition in terms of pricing. The MT-03 now costs Rs 3.50 lakh and the fully-faired R3 commands Rs 3.60 lakh (both prices ex-showroom, India). This price undercuts similarly powered Aprilia duo’s by Rs 45,000.

Also See: Yamaha R3 review: Capable, simple & sweet

4. Gen 3 KTM 390 Duke

46hp

The Gen 3 KTM 390 Duke is the first of the smaller KTMs to feature the all-new LC4c 399cc engine. While it brings several updates, its wild and energetic character remains unchanged. Another big advantage is its pricing—already competitive, it’s now even more tempting with a recent price cut of Rs 18,000, bringing it down to Rs 2.95 lakh from Rs 3.12 lakh. The KTM 390 Duke remains the most affordable of this list.

With a higher compression ratio the KTM manages to offer similar performance as many parallel twins on this list. This new engine is also featured in the KTM 390 Adventure, 390 Adventure X and the upcoming KTM RC 390.


Also See: 2024 KTM 390 Duke review: still the benchmark

2. Royal Enfield Interceptor 650, Benelli Leoncino 500

47.5hp

The Royal Enfield’s 650 engine is rated for 47.5hp. This engine does duty in a slew of recently launched RE’s such as the Super Meteor 650, Bear 650 and also the upcoming Classic 650. It is in the same state-of-tune in all the motorcycles and for the sake of comparison, we have considered the Continental GT 650 which debuted this parallel twin engine. The Continental GT is more old-school in both look and feel, has a simple air/oil-cooled motor and runs on wire-spoke rims in certain colours.

This simpler engine technology helped Royal Enfield to offer the 650 duos at a tempting price when it was first launched. The prices have increased ever since and the range starts with the Interceptor 650 at Rs 3.03 lakh - Rs 3.31 lakh  (ex-showroom, Chennai). It still remains quite accessible considering the engine it offers.

Also See: 2023 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650, Continental GT 650 review: Retros refreshed

2. Aprilia Tuono 457, RS 457

47.6hp

Aprilia duos hold second place in this list as they produce 0.1hp more than the Royal Enfield 650. Both feature a parallel-twin, liquid cooled, 457cc engine that is rated to produce 47.6hp and 43.5Nm and is paired to a 6-speed gearbox along with a slip-and-assist clutch. It is also the only one in its segment to have a 270-degree firing order (in India, at least).

Other noteworthy features the RS 457  has is an aluminium twin spar frame and styling that bears an uncanny resemblance to the bigger Aprilia RS models. 

Also see: Aprilia RS 457 vs Tuono 457: differences explained

1. Moto Morini Seiemmezzo 650 Retro Street

55hp

The Seiemmezzo 650 Retro Street tops the chart as it produces the most power and torque. Its 649cc, parallel-twin motor produces peak power of 55hp and 54Nm. The Seiemmezzo 650 Retro Street just about made it to the list due to the recent price revision which was announced by the brand bringing the price down to Rs 4.99 lakh. Its sibling the 650 Scrambler did not make the list as it costs Rs 20,000 more than our cut-off mark of Rs 5 lakh. With that said, the Retro Street and Scrambler are identical in terms of it’s engine, underpinnings but differ in terms of styling. The Moto Morini Seiemmezzo is distinct in its styling and they incorporate a more retro design compared to anything on this list barring the Interceptor.

Also see: Moto Morini Seiemmezzo Scrambler review: the other Italian scrambler

Some honourable mentions that couldn’t quite make the cut due to their price, but are sorted bikes in their own right are the Kawasaki Ninja 500 (Rs 5.24 lakh), Kawasaki Eliminator 500 (Rs 5.62 lakh) and the Honda NX500 (Rs 5.90 lakh). 

While it doesn't quite make the cut due to its 40.2hp peak power output, the Ultraviolette F77 Mach 2 Recon must deserve special mention here due to the staggering 100Nm of torque its motor develops. For reference, that's more than a Kawasaki Z900.