As far as I have experimented, nothing can replace a good fountain pen for me. Being able to use one for decades and use a bottle of ink for 4-5 years is also a great plus for sustainability in my book.
If I can't use a fountain pen, I fallback to a Uniball Elite or Uniball Signo 0.7/0.38.
On the ballpoint department, you can't get my CdA 149 from my dead, cold hands.
If you really want to use a smooth Bic, try Cristal Soft. If you want something flies, try Uniball JetStream.
> I feel the same way but with cheaper Japanese ball pens, my favorite being.
Torture for a pen enthusiast! Your favorite being what? Is it the Sarasa Clip you mention later?
Personally I'm partial to the Zebra Sarasa Clip [0].
[0] https://www.zebrapen.com/pages/discover-sarasa-clip