Zontes 350T mileage and running cost

350T's claimed mileage is 30 kmpl, and unusually, owners and our own riding land right on it: expect 28–31 kmpl in everyday use. Few bikes get this close to their brochure figure.

Among the 27 adventure bikes we have reviewed it ranks 7th for mileage, 5 kmpl above the group average of 25 kmpl.

At Delhi's petrol price of ₹94.80 a litre and a real-world 29.5 kmpl, the 350T costs about ₹3.21 per km in fuel. Ride 30 km a day and that is roughly ₹2,507 a month, or ₹30,079 a year, before servicing.

The 19-litre tank gives a realistic range of about 561 km, so a 30 km commute means a fill-up every 3 weeks.

Spread over five years and 46,800 km, the 350T works out to about ₹11.0 per km all-in, of which 29% is fuel and 61% is the purchase price itself. Resale value is not counted; expect roughly 50–60% of ex-showroom after five years for a well-kept example.

Tyres and luggage set the 350T's mileage. Block-pattern off-road tyres and a pair of loaded panniers can each cost 3–5 kmpl on the highway; run road-biased rubber and pack light for the daily ride and save the knobbies for the trip.

Filling only to the first click and keeping the 19-litre tank above a quarter helps in two ways: fuel that sloshes out of a brimmed tank is wasted, and a near-empty tank on a hot day loses more to vapour. Realistic range is about 561 km, so on a 30 km commute you will fill up roughly every 3 weeks.

At 196 kg the 350T feels a pillion more than a lighter bike does. Two-up in the city, budget for 4–6 kmpl less than the solo figure.