Original Source: Yamaha FZ16 Ownership Review by Rahul from BikeAdvice.in

The RX100 and RD350 ruled the roost during the golden age of two-strokes in our country. There was no doubt that Yamaha was top dog – but somewhere, somehow, they floundered with the four-strokes. However, they have now taken the decision to go back to their roots with the FZ series & R15 being the first step in that sporty direction.

Here is my review of Yamaha FZ-16. Got this bike on 27th October 2010 from Paras Yamaha, Chennai. Now crossed just over 1280kms.I chose this bike trusting yamaha, with milege not being on my priority, and handling, breaking & comfort being the top priorities.

The Design

No doubt, grabbing attention is something the FZ-16 does with ease. It’s impossible to lose focus when you’re looking at the new Yamaha — it is both shapely and arresting.

The Indian FZ borrows design cues from its gorgeous-looking big brother, the FZ-1, and is a similarly smashing-looking street bike. Minimal body cladding is the norm on the FZ-16, with its engine and cycle parts boldly visible as essential elements of the bike’s overall style. Designed to show minimal gaps and following a compact theme, the FZ-16 has been sculpted by longstanding Yamaha partner, GK Dynamics of Japan.

The new bike uses delectable slim-spoke alloy rims in black and the same colour scheme for its engine, swing arm and silencer.

Massive section tires add to its allure, while a broad, conical front headlight with a piercing beam and small city light peer from below the FZ’s petite Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) instrument bay. The instruments — including a rev counter; speedometer and fuel gauge — offer everything in a sporty-looking digital format.

Cons: the LCD Bay is not as impressive as the one found in Apache RTR 160FI, which has data logger etc. The fuel gauge is a misleading one in FZ-16. For instance, since the last bar started blinking I rode 53kms before I filled petrol that too without changing the fuel knob to Reserve!

The new FZ-16 deploys a city-friendly, wide and slightly low-set handlebar, and uses grips with a great feel, terrific levers, nice mirrors and adequate switchgear.

A handy engine-kill switch is part of the package, as is a handlebar-mounted choke lever on the left. There’s a massive and fabulously sculpted dummy resin fuel tank as commonly found on superbikes, a brushed finish alloy fuel-filler that unfortunately lacks a hinge and snug knee recesses that perfectly tuck away a rider’s thighs.

The tank is bisected by a bold secondary colour stripe down its centre, while the actual 12-litre fuel-storage bay sits tucked just below, purposely closer to the bike’s centre of gravity. The FZ-16 comes with a chic engine cowl, constructed with vents to direct and shovel air-flow straight to the engine and spark plug.

Other arresting details include alloy footrests for both rider and pillion, an exposed O’ring sealed drive-chain, smartly executed split grab-bar and a nifty rear tyre hugger. Look closely and you’ll see that the new Yamaha uses a compact sheared silencer which routes itself midship, beneath the bike’s swingarm and frame, in the region of its rear tyre hugger. This is constructed with 1.5 metres of exhaust pipe that coils like a snake in a box just aft of the engine. The FZ-16’s flanks and tail are drop-dead gorgeous, while its attractive tail light is housed within the rear mudguard.

Cons:

1. Take care of the bike. Especially don’t put it down, avoid accidents. As the body is fiber, it involves huge amount to replace the parts!
2. Even if it rains a little, driving FZ16 during rainy season, it throws lot of dirt to get accumulated at the engines and rear portions. To say in short – FZ16 is a dirt bike during rainy season. But at the same time it’s easy to clean.
3. The seat became little loose, so there is a little shake in it. When asked the service centre guys, they said it’s a common problem in all FZ16. Have to check it with some other service centre.

The Engine

The Yamaha FZ-16 uses an all-new, four-stroke, single-cylinder and CV carburetor-fed engine that displaces 153cc. The air-cooled power plant uses large size fins on its cylinder, as well as cooling fins in the lower sump region of the power plant.

Tuned primarily in the interests of easy city riding, the FZ puts out a healthy 14bhp on tap at 7500rpm, and offers a purposely torque-laden and linear spread of power, unlike the peaky R15.

Ignition mapping is three-dimensional and takes throttle inputs into consideration via a Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) located on its Mikuni-make carburetor. This thumb-started (with no kick-lever) engine uses an auto de-compressor for ease of starting, as well as a single-axis balancer that works to cancel out all vibes at source. Friction-slaying essentials like bearings on the rocker arms are incorporated.

The FZ-16 uses a five-speed gearbox that shifts via a toe-shift lever in the universally accepted one-down and four-up pattern. I found the FZ enjoys a perfectly weighted clutch, and precise, smooth-shifting gearbox with perfectly-spaced gear ratios that leave little room for improvement.

Twist the throttle, and the engine responds with a sporty note that makes other road users sit up and take notice of you. The engine is extremely smooth and vibe-free, and pulls strongly and achieves 0-60 around 5.5seconds. The bike moves briskly, especially when you factor in that the intuitive 5-speed gearbox needs just a nudge on its gearshift lever to swap ratios. Finding neutral is never a problem, either. The clutch is soft, with smooth engagement. Handling is exceedingly nimble.

Performance is sprightly enough, comfortably at par with most of its 150cc rivals. The highlight of this Yamaha engine is its punchy, smooth and user-friendly wide power band. Also the bike doesn’t vibrate even at top speed. I managed to reach only 90km owing to heavy traffic couldn’t go beyond that. I realized that 0-90km the bike reaches quickly. After that it may take some time to go further.

The FZ-16 uses a conventional diamond-type, single down tube tubular frame that bolts in its engine as a stressed member. A clear advantage over its rivals is the FZ-16’s rigid 41mm front forks, which are able to compress 130mm. This pair works in unison with a seven-step adjustable single rear shock absorber that does not use linkage. It gives the best suspension on uneven roads with lot of potholes.

The FZ 16 clearly proves itself a capable motorcycle, with 17-inch rims, a comfortably upright riding posture, well-padded as well as ample seat space and wide handlebar all coming together to make this Yamaha ideally suited for stress-free city carving and faster highway riding. It enjoys a near-perfect ride quality that is more firm than soft, with a sound handling character included in the package.

Cons: Long drive won’t be a comfortable one for the Pillion.

Tyres – The Stability Factor

The FZ-16 also offers exemplary straight line stability and fine high-speed cornering manners at all times. This is a motorcycle that no good rider will want to dismount. My ride included several fast-twisting sections of road, where the Yamaha instilled confidence, allowing itself to be flicked from side to side with an easy, controlled feel, which continued even when the rains gods caught up with the FZ party, drenching me with a particularly nasty downpour.

The FZ comes with a 267mm front disc-brake and rear drum unit that works in tandem to haul the bike down safely from speed with an ever-present, progressive feel.

Its meaty, tailor-made radial, tubeless and special compound 100/80x 17 inches and 140/60×17 inch section MRF tyres work magic to provide enormous traction and a stable, planted feel at all times. No question of falling off, unless some vehicle hits us!

Suggestion: Fill it with nitrogen for much smoother performance.

Brakes

The thing which I liked in FZ-16 is its breaking system. Even when I applied just the front disc brakes at 90kmph the bike didn’t skid! One can confidently use the front disc brake.

CONS: No Disc brake for rear wheel. Though the current one drum brake is not bad. Disc brake would have been much better.

Fuel Efficiency

The Bike gives between 38 – 40kmpl in cities. Didn’t test it on highways.

Verdict

Choose FZ—16 only on following grounds

If You

• Need a smooth, good pickup, lightweight(135kgs), good breaking, Great cornering ability & vibe free bike
• Don’t expect more than 40kmpl
• Don’t drive a pillion who is fat & for long drives
• Need a bike to drive majorly only in city
• Don’t mind spending 74,000 for a 150cc bike.

Then FZ-16 is the ideal bike for you.

It’s not at all lean but it’s mean to the core. It’s got the looks that evoke sinful passion. It’s all new street smart FZ-16. So manipulative; it turns every obstacle into a piece of cake. So powerful; it makes every other machine feel worthless. Such a charmer, it uses its good look…s to get all the attention it could ever ask for.

And to top it all, it comes with such advanced technologies that it rules every bit of the street it treads upon. So make way for India’s first street smart machine, make way for the lord – Yamaha FZ-16.

Have a happy & safe riding

- Rahul

P.S. What do you think about my review? Please leave your comments!

Original Source: Me & My Yamaha R15 from BikeAdvice.in

It was only during my 10th standard in the pearl city I developed a interest towards bikes. One such model which really impressed me much was the Hero honda Karizma, it used to be parked in a mechanic shed near my home. It was a black beauty which attracted nearly everyone’s eyes who pass through the busy V.V.D road.

After school I used to walk near the shed to and fro just to gaze upon the vehicle. The 1st time I saw that vehicle I decided to buy just that after my board exams. And after my exams where over I had to move to Chennai to pursue my higher studies and that too I had to stay in a hostel so that dream was halted, but after my school started I saw a vehicle just like a sports bike in the roads.

And that machine was none other than the Yamaha YZF R 15. The Machine looked just like a race bike and it really erased my memories of Karizma for ever. I always wanted to have a ride in that bike .The bikes front view really attracted me much as it really uplifted the personality of the driver. Even in the dark the powerful LED lamps really made people turn their heads.

The first person in my area to buy the machine was my elder friend. He bought a Ferrari red coated machine. I used to stand with him and my friends in the tea shop after my school. He is a rash driver that he made 3 accidents before his 3rd service. Me and most of my Chennai friends were die hard racers so they began to buy the vehicle one by one. And in a short time nearly 60% of them had the vehicle.

Everyone used to practice in the tracks located in the outskirts of the city and we used to do different kinds of stunts. We also used to have weekly road trips from Chennai to Pondicherry in our bikes. One of my friend is a super bike rider and he is currently representing India in the 600 cc championships which is being held in Malaysia and Singapore and even he had a black coated R-15 to use in the Indian roads.

We also used to go to the beach early morning to practise. The bike has really scintillating features like linked type mono cross suspension, liquid cooling delta frame and a 4 valve combustion chamber which captures the hearts of the youth. It was during my 12th that I first drove the machine, I could never forget that day as it was really a dream come true for me.

Now after finishing 12th I am again in Chennai for my college and I am driving my close friends blue coated R 15 nearly everyday and it is really a comfortable Experience. My top speed with the machine was 130 km/hr. My parents have agreed to buy the machine after my 1st year in college and I am waiting just for that.

It has really created a revolution among the indian riders and I bet what ever model comes in the future this one will always be a tough contendor. Even a hayabusa is worth a wait, Just kidding!

Thanks for this wonderful opportunity

- Anirudh Ani

Original Source: How I got my Royal Enfield Thunderbird from BikeAdvice.in

I think that a Bike is one’s own personal choice. What I can like, somebody might dislike it. This is because the parameters that you set are your own. And you have to satisfactorily answer the questions to arrive at a right conclusion. eg., comfort of riding, mileage, amount of travel involved everyday, price, are you alone or are you going to carry your GF/ spouse/ Kids/ parents,

To give an example, I’ve been wanting to buy a bullet for many years now. However, someone might not see it the way I see a Bullet. Just the sheer thought of 350CC machine under you sets the adrenalin pumping.

So 2 weeks back, I went to the Royal Enfield Showroom get one and guess what – they asked me to have to wait for 6 months. So I checked the web for used bikes and I happen to come across a lot of bullets. And for some reason I preffered the std bullet.

So any other was out of question. One guy was offering a Royal Enfield Thunderbird. I wasn’t so keen on this model. But I decided to check it out anyhow. So I met him and took a test ride and oh boy it was so very comfortable. I was sold on the idea right away. However, now it wasa question of the correct price. How to get it right? As you know there is no right price for a used vehicle. If you like it, you buy it for a whatever little negotiated price.

I bought the vehicle. So now as a proud owner of this Thunderbird, I kind of rule the road. So what was it that changed my outlook from a”NO” for a thunderbird to a “YES” after just one test ride. Well, for one thing – the comfort of sitting (Posture) is so awesome for my height, plus Ihave been weight training for quite a few years and hence it is very easy for me to ride this monster.

Secondly, the price – well, its ofcourse secondary, once you’ve found the comfort of riding. Thirdly, the easy availability of the vehicle against a wait of 6 months. Fourth, the thump (sound) of the engine idlying is something only a true bullet fan can appreciate.

After buying the Thunderbird, I visited a Royal Enfield showroom just to get a feel of the bikes and boy let me tell you, I had made the right choice. The new bikes have an engine made out of Aluminium – ofcourse they give you more power and mileage, but the sound is compromised and is nowhere close to the old ones.

As there is no sure shot answer as to which bike is the right one for you. There are so many variables to be able to take care of all of them. My suggestion would be to make a list of the items that are most dear or the most wanted in a bike and then prioritise them and then You have your answer.

Regards,
Sam

Original Source: Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTSi Ownership review by Vishnu from BikeAdvice.in

Hi guys, my name is Vishnu and a proud owner of Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTSi, the naked street version. Purchased the bike on October 21st, 2010 and have done 524 kms on the ODO as of now. The maximum speed that i’ve attained effortlessly is 122Kmph and here goes my review.

My Views on my Pulsar 220: Engine feels very smooth. Engine feel is similar to Zma. The 21bhp figure although doesn’t ‘feel’ so much initially, its real power is felt above the 80’s. Thanks to the 19nm Torque. Not saying its initial power is bad, just emphasizing about the high end power. Just compared it to RTR and felt it doesn’t ‘jump’ initially like that. The reason behind it is the bikes weight. Mileage of ~40 is a blessing and pretty sure to get 45-50 on highways. I couldn’t say a single complaint to the service personal while going in for 1st Service! That was a huge plus bcoz my first Pulsar 150 wasn’t quite like that. Headlights have been very impressive till now. You put on the high beam and without doubt a ‘hesitant’ driver coming in your opposite direction will dim his lights! I ride in what you call the “bumper-to-bumper” traffic atleast 60% of my daily drive, so I guess the alternator and charging system are perfect with the all new DC system. Horn is a semi-let down. On highways at high speeds while overtaking trucks this horn could be a let down but for the city use its just fine.

Riding posture: very similar to Hero Honda Karizma again. No back ache, no wrist or fore arm pain. I said this because I had that bitter experience with R15 when I took test drive for a mere 8kms. Pulsar 220 stance is sporty and we feel very confident while braking.

Suspension: The suspensions are better than normal Pulsars. Does reasonably well over minors potholes and bumps. The swing arm is brilliant. But once u dive into a conventionally large pothole in the road, your back could take a beating. I’ve also heard that Yamaha R15 is better in this regard. Pulsar 220 lands into huge potholes with a thud sound.

Tyres: The stock tyre and the grip it offers are amazing. Wide and softcompound combination is really wonderful. Had to undergo harsh braking for a couple of times, everything was perfect and actually the performance was quite unlike the older pulsars. No vibes felt till now. Nor from the body neither from the fairings or anywhere. Some say build quality is bad, which i just wonder why.

Brakes: Rear disc brakes have improved the overall braking feature. I used to often envy the Dazzler’s rear brakes. But now with the rear disc that problem is solved! Both disc brakes work reall well. Being heavy has an advantage. Has in fact more advantages than drawbacks.

Pulsar 220 at 152 kgs is cool which makes the bike feel planted in the road always. On highways a 120kg R15 in comparison looks funny, although its design makes up for it. But any day Bullet owners will agree that weight is a big factor for handling. It handles quite well in city too with this weight though but may be not as much as our old Pulsar 180 or the new RTR. But straight line stability of P220 DTSi is simply unbeatable. Gearbox has been very slick. No false neutrals or slips. Everything slots in well.

Cons:

• The design of the REAR mudguard/ tyre has somewhere gone bad. While riding on wet roads, the dirt comes directly onto the riders legs!!! Not to mention the legs of the pillion. It just ‘sprays’ dirt all over the place. Bajaj should do something about that.
• Obviously the rear view mirrors are just 25% useful. Rest 75% is covered by your arms. And mind you Iam just 65kgs. I wonder what ll happen if a 90kg man sits on it. It would be 100% useless.
• I have noticed a few P200 with some disturbing noise from the engine. Yest after a continuous 25km – 80-100kmph drive I reached back home. Noticed a slight sound from the engine. But it was some noise like a pump rotating, not exactly a sound from the engine. I guess it’s the oil pump which is on work. Nothing to worry. Iam a person who really gets down into minor things while driving a vehicle be it a car or bike. So don’t mistake it to be a huge sound! But in short, these new Bajaj performance bikes will make some noise from the engine and the initial ‘super’ refinement will be lost after riding for a while. That’s the base problem with Bajaj engines in comparison with Honda engines like the ones on Unicorn or even the Honda engine used in Hero Honda Karizma.

My verdict: Pulsar 220 DTSi was a value for money for me. The goodies Bajaj offers are just amazing. Bajaj is constantly improving the needs of the customers and applying it in their bikes. Bajaj engine some say might be a let down later, who cares?Who wants to ride a two wheeler for more than 5 yrs or 40000kms? My mindset is to change a bike every 5yrs bcoz designs change, technology changes then why not change the bike?

So if you say Honda engine can run for 1 lakh kms, who wants so much? About maintenance, Bajaj has been troublesome for a few. But there are indeed quite a few who have found Pulsars to be very solid and maintenance free. I have used P150 for 5yrs and I have spent 4k per year on an avg which incl 3 accident repairs.

I was happy with it otherwise why would I again invest my hard earned money again on a Bajaj bike? and remember in between I did take a new Standard Bullet and had to sell it off in 3 months for this new Pulsar 220. But thank god better late than never, I took a new P220 DTSi.

Yamaha’s also claims of beating Pulsar 220, Fastest Indian I think it is false because any bike can be modified to improve performance. The way the bike behaves in stock condition is what should be taken for the sake of general comparison. and that too their kit is around Rs.30,000. Pulsar 220 is designed to be powerful as well as fuel efficient. Once you don’t want fuel efficiency do something on the engine and Iam sure it can take on a modded R15 and make it eat dust.

– Vishnu

Original Source: Bajaj Pulsar 135LS User Review by Gaurav Jain from BikeAdvice.in

Hello friends. I am Gaurav Jain & its my pleasure to present the ownership review of my Bajaj Pulsar 135LS here.

Looks & Styling: Bajaj Pulsar 135LS looks are most importantly distinct from other Pulsars which are almost identical to each other. It’s a new member of the pulsar family without having the same monotonous looks. The LED tail lamps, split seats, alloy wheels, twin pilot lamps & a good shaped fuel tank add to its grace. Bajaj has showed some serious concern for its looks by changing its rear mudguard which looked not so good in the earlier version of Pulsar135 LS. Overall Pulsar 135LS has an aggressive & sporty look.

Engine & Performance: One of the greatest strength of this bike is its world’s first Four Valve 135cc DTS-i engine which gives wonderful pick up with brilliant fuel efficiency. I was amazed on opening the throttle & seeing the bike leaving behind all the vehicles on road.

This was actually the first time I rode the bike aggressively to test its real performance and in-spite of that the bike delivers an amazing acceleration of 0-60 kmph in just 5.1 secs as claimed by Bajaj. The bike has a five speed gearbox that cruises in top gear with smooth acceleration.

Fuel efficiency: The bikes unique engine & technology are enough to assure a good mileage of about 55-65kmpl. But the mileage I guess also depends on the riding habits of the rider (you cannot expect such a mileage from any bike by riding it on 100kmph very frequently, just like my friend got a mileage of just 35kmpl on his Stunner with his harsh riding habits). But it gives the above mentioned average with normal riding habits which I guess I have like driving the bike normally between 40-50kmph and don’t mind being aggressive sometimes in the traffic.

Comparison: A product in today’s market is bound to face competition. So I’ve found my Pulsar135 to be the king of the bikes in 125-150cc segment in respect of its performance. Some of the good points that i found in my bike are;

• Power of 13.5bhp in a 135cc engine which is on the higher side than all the bikes in 125-135cc segment and is almost equal to the power delivered by many powerful 150cc engines.
• Light weight bike of about 122 kg gives it an acceleration of 0-60 kmph in just 5.1 secs which can beat almost all the bikes in the 150cc segment in this respect including Stunner, YamahaFZ & Fazer which are a bit better in looks but the performance of Pulsar135 compensates it all.
• A top speed of 115kmph which is similar to the bikes in 150cc segment.

So, comparing all the listed points above, its even better than many of the bikes in 150cc segment in terms of its performance.

PROS

Some of the convenient features I found in the bike are:

• Kick and Electric start with auto choke: No starting problem in cold weather.
• Digital Speedo Meter: A unique feature of Bajaj’s bikes in this segment.
• Pass Switch: Giving easy dipper & flash to the vehicles while overtaking.
• Engine Kill Switch: Easy turning off the engine for short intervals at the signals.
• Battery charge status indicator: Tells when the battery comes to a low charged condition.
• Trip meter: Can be used to check the mileage of the bike or distance between two places easily.

CONS

I’ve said a lot about the cool features of this bike but now is the time to tell about some difficulties I faced with my Pulsar 135LS:

• Colour choice: I didn’t have much choice of colour while selecting a color for it as its available in just 2 colors. But I am happy with the midnight black which looks good.
• Fuel tank capacity: Its fuel tank capacity is 8ltrs in which 2.5ltrs is reserve. So the fuel tank capacity is low as compared to other bikes. But I guess the good mileage it gives compensates for that.
• Engine Vibrations: Its engine starts vibrating at the speed of about 50kmph. But I’ve heard its normal for an engine to vibrate when its stressed. So its not actually a bad thing about the bike.
• Fuel meter: Its fuel meter sometimes shows a slightly wrong fuel information. The reserve sign sometimes appear even when the bike can go about 25km without using the reserve.
• Gear shifting: I initially faced some problems with its downshifting & the gearbox sometimes seemed to be hard. But everything was resolved after the first service & the gearbox is really smooth now.
• Pillion seat: Some people found its pillion seat to be a bit uncomfortable .

Final Verdict: I think it to be a great bike in the 125- 150cc segment for those looking for beauty with the brains. It’s a stylish, sporty and economical bike in the long run & has an on-road-price of about Rs. 58,000. No doubt its ever increasing sales figures are an epitome of its excellent performance. Just test drive it to have an idea of its performance.

–  Gaurav Jain

Original Source: Bajaj Pulsar 180 UG4 Ownership Review by Piyush from BikeAdvice.in

Hi! I am Piyush from Bangalore. I am college student doing engineering. I am a great passionate lover of bikes with 7 years driving experience. In this duration, I have used 3 bikes cd-dawn, pulsar 150 and finally pulsar 180UG4 on which I am going to write a review .I have been using this bike from last 15 months and I drove it for about 20,000 kilometers with a daily up-down of 40 kilometers and it includes many long drives with my friends.

Coming to pulsar 180 which is a real vengeance to others and which has brought a renaissance in Indian biking, also a complete “Value For Money” bike. The first thing which I and mostly ‘we’ see while buying a bike is our economy then usage and finally power and my bike fulfill all these 3 with great ease.

I would also like to say that this is the most suited bike for Indian roads from my experience. Starting from pricing, pulsar cost me Rs. 74k approximately Rs. 20,000 more than any 100-160cc bike. But what you get in this bike is really unmatchable. Listing it point wise-

• Its wider MRF zapper tubeless tyres provide an excellent road grip.
• Front disk brakes for proper braking without skidding even at high speeds.
• Superb aerodynamic design and sporty headlight reduces air friction.
• Unconquerable power and torque best till 180cc segment.i.e-power-17.02@8500rpm and torque-14.22n-m@6000 rpm.
• Style factor with sporty tank with front cowls, 3D decals and tank scoops.
• Thick alloy wheels provide stability.
• Suspensions are simply superb with thicker front telescopic forks and twin shock absorbers rear suspension which provides jerk free riding even in long drives.
• Clip on handlebars which provide great handling.
• Split seats for eye-catching looks and comfort.
• Silencer with muffler for proper cooling and safety.
• Side stand indicator, self start and ignition off switch for safety, easy start and safety.

These were something which you may have to sacrifice in other 100-160cc bikes mostly. Not only it leads from 100-160cc bikes but also is best in its class. Let me tell you how?

• Best power and torque.
• Best design and looks with definitely male tag.
• 0-60kmph in about 5 seconds which is best till its class.
• No engine heating problems.
• First to launch digital odometer and many other features.
• Many metallic parts with less fiber stucture.
• Re-sprocket bike with 14/39 teeth -something unique.
• Least or almost no vibration at high speeds up to 105km/hr while other bikes like Apache, Hunk and even FZ vibrates-tested personally.
• Great mileage up to 45 km/l. I normally get 37-40.
• Best top speed in its segment. 132kmph highest observed by me.
• LED taillight makes it distinct and good looking.

These all specifications make this bike as the KING. And, I personally feel that there is absolutely no use of wasting another Rs. 30,000 for getting more capacity bikes and then drowning it to petrol pump frequently and also if you are looking for normal 100-150cc bikes then just pull up another Rs. 20,000r and get all these high features. After all you never know your usage or power requirement may increase or decrease.

Driving conditions:

To be very frank I love speed and thus I do drive my bike at an average speed of 70-80 kmph as I get free traffic lanes and also airport road is in my way to college. I always felt that the driving is very smooth in this bike.

Maintenance:

• I love my bike and hence maintain it a lot. I never accelerate heavily unless I drive for at least 5 kilometers for oil regulation in the engine.
• I get it serviced after each 3000-4000 kilometers only.
• Gear shifting at proper speed is another issue for maintenance also don’t take the clutch and drive at slopes or even normally.
• I normally change my bike engine oil after 2000-2500 kilometers only. The engine oil which I use is Shell Helix 20w50 or Castrol Active 4T Extra 20w50 which are the best for pulsars, try it. Also whenever I go for long drives, I get engine oil replaced after 1200-1700 kilometers only as in long drives oil gets heated fast and loses its viscosity and stickiness property. You can also change your engine oil if it gets black and opaque (new is semi-transparent and brown red). Also never let your engine oil to get less than 400-500 ml as engine has adverse affect. And if your engine oil gets over, your engine will get seized and then you have to spend a lot nearly Rs. 5000-8000
• I always use unleaded petrol for my bike as it enhances engine life and mileage.
  A small tip: Never experiment with your pulsar. Mine is a pulsar and I am proud to have it as company’s make only, so why destroy its status. Also you and your mechanic can’t be brainier than company’s engineers for, which they perform various tests on designs, performance and its looks. Common experimenting like change in re-sprocket, changing headlights, putting filters will affect your bike badly.

Servicing:

• Greasing clutch wire and brake wire in each service.
• Cleaning chain-not only in service but  once in a week as open chain catches dirt easily which can cut the teethes of gears. Also apply grease or oil after cleaning.
• Cleaning air filter and also replacing oil filters after 1 or 2 services.
• Waxing or polishing the bike prevents it from rusting. Also keeps dirt away and adds shine.
• Getting suspension oil change after 2-3 service before it gets leaked.
• Checking spark plug functionality and removing carbon deposit.

Concluding it with some pros and cons:

PROS:

• No large investment or major parts replacement required in my bike.
• Very low maintenance cost.

CONS:

• Handle could be made of stronger material as it bends or cracks if it falls accidentally.
• I would like to have 2 changes for pulsar 180 i.e. putting pulsar 220 headlight in 180 and getting more colour configurations.

I hope you find my bike review useful and may it be useful for buying it. I would whole-heartedly like any queries, suggestions and advice. So bye guys and don’t forget to give your expert comments on my review.

- Piyush

Original Source: Honda Shine Ownership Review by Motilal from BikeAdvice.in

Hi! I am Motilal from Chennai, here to share my Honda Shine (which I purchased during Jan 2007) ownership experience with you all. My speedometer has crossed last week 33,333 Km. Hope my review will help some of the prospective buyers who want to select a bike among 125ccs. I am going to summarize my own experience with this bike and not to give technical details which any one can find thro number of web sites.

I previously owned Hero Honda Passion which I purchased in 2002. When I wanted to buy a new bike of 125cc in 2007 for the exchange of my passion bike, I considered the following bikes: Bajaj Discover, TVS Victor GLX, Yamaha Gladiator, Hero Honda Super Splendour, Suzuki Heat/Zeus and Honda Shine.

I went through reviews/user feedback through auto magazines and had test drive of all the above bikes. Based on the reviews/user feedback and test ride, I eliminated the following from the initial list:

• Suzuki Heat/Zeus for its low BHP and pick up.
• TVS Victor/Bajaj Discover for its poor reliability, resale value and inferior parts quality.
• HH Super splendour for its bland look, low BHP and odd exhaust note.

And I finally narrowed down between Yamaha Gladiator Vs Honda Shine. I preferred to buy Gladiator for its majestic and sturdy look, five gears, more horse power, more kerb weight, wider rear tyre and positive reviews and user feedbacks. But the exchange price what Yamaha dealer offered for my 5 year old HH Passion was Rs 3,000 less than what Honda dealer offered. So I had to compromise and finally settle down with Honda Shine.

It is almost more than 45 months after I owned my Purple colour Honda Shine, with electric start, disc brake and spokes wheel. I need to say about the way I ride and maintain the bike. I am a normal rider with rarely exceeding 60 KM/hour, most of the time riding without pillion. However at time I also tried in highways at 90 Km/hour. I spend more on maintenance, with regular engine oil changing (every 2000 KM) and routine service at every 2500 km with expert road side mechanics. I also serviced my bike once with Castrol Bike Zone who did a good job.

Design & Ergonomics: I am of 172 cm tall and 73 Kg weight. The seating and handle bar position is excellent and does not create any fatigue for long ride. The seat design is comfortable for both rider and pillion and petrol tank design (recess) perfectly fits the knee. Grab rail is sturdy. The front and back mudguard protects the rider and follower from throwing water during rainy seasons. Speedometer console is ordinary. However no trip meter is available. Exhaust design is good. Small box is provided underneath the seat to keep tool kits and Xerox copies of vehicle documents. Head and tail lamp design is good.

Design & Ergonomics: 8/10

Engine, Ride and Handling: The riding is good up to 40 Km/hour, that when ridden solo. Up to this speed, when ridden as solo, it is joy to ride. The pick up from to 40 km is amazing and engine runs very smooth. In heavy city traffic conditions like Chennai, where one will need frequent acceleration (overtake), this bike will do the job effectively. Another positive factor is front and rear suspension. It causes no back/hip pain, even after continuous riding. After 40 Km speed, the pick up is not commendable.

And the comfort level goes off when the road condition is bad with lot of potholes and bumps and of course when tyre pressure is not maintained properly. The presence of thin rear tyre also aid in reducing the bike stability.  After 50 km/hour engine noise starts to build up and at above 60Km, noise increases further and vibration also starts to set. At above 60 Km / hour, riding becomes uncomfortable and unstable. The comfort level goes off when ridden with Pillion.

Engine: 8 /10

Ride and handling: 7/10

Mileage: This is the important aspect based on which I purchased Shine. 90% of time I do solo riding. The mileage I get from my bike is around 55-58 Km/liter. At times for months when I repeatedly measured mileage reserve to reserve, I got around 63 Km/liter. I am using selected petrol pump outlets in city where I have experienced good fuel quality consistently.

Mileage 9/10

Quality of parts: In this 45 months, I changed battery, switch for engine starting, rear bulbs, air filters, apart from front and rear brake pads/shoes. To my knowledge, the quality of parts is typical Honda quality – that is excellent. The quality of Paint finish is good. After water service and cleaning, the bike looks like a new bike. No holes/cracks appeared in petrol tank or exhaust. I have not changed the indicator lamps so far. After owning the bike for 45 months, after doing regular service and water service, the bike looks and runs like a new bike. I have seen similar old other 125cc bikes on road and the looks/conditions are not satisfactory.

Quality of parts: 9/10.

For the benefit of the readers, I list out the Pros and cons of the bike.

Pros

• Smooth riding up to 40 Km
• Good acceleration and pick up up to 40 KM per hour
• Build quality is excellent
• Seating position is good
• Suspension is good. No back/hip pain
• Indicator, head light on/off, horn switch is good.
• Gear shifting is fine
• Electric starting is good. Creates less induction noise
• Quality of parts/paint is good
• Closed chain guard ensures lesser maintenance and longer life
• Front fairing design and tank size is adequate and appealing

Cons

• Engine noise increases after 50 Km and vibration felt.
• Riding with Pillion is uncomfortable
• Braking is not good after 40 Km/hour
• Tends to slip in wet surfaces
• Head light beam is not OK.
• Cold starting trouble exists
• No trip meter.
• Speedo meter and fuel indicating meter is conventional type

Overall Conclusion:

In spite of the above cons, I don’t regret having owned Shine. I am much satisfied with my Shine because of the above mentioned Pros.

Overall Satisfaction rating: 8/10

And in my opinion this bike will be suitable for those one:

• Who rides without pillion most of the time
• Who would like to ride between 30 to 50 Km speed most of the time
• Who will be roaming in congested city most of the time
• Who would need to make frequent overtaking in heavy city traffic.
• Who would like to have good resale value.
• Who does not want to spend more on maintenance.
• Who wants to get mileage of 55 to 60 km/liter in city riding conditions with more bhp than 100 cc vehicle.
• Who is not interested in odd vehicle looks and appearance.
• Who wants to have comfortable seating space for rider and pillion.

What do you think about my review? Leave your comment below… I am expecting your comments

- Motilal

Original Source: TVS Apache RTR 160 Review by Bhanu from BikeAdvice.in

Hello every one! This is Bhanu (Bunny). At last I am here to write review report of mine – one and only TVS Apache RTR 160 (Black Beauty). Definitely it is now or never. I had bought my bike two and half years ago after careful examination and comparison between Pulsar 150 & 180, unicorn and Cbz xtreme. Today I am a proud owner of Apache RTR and I say it by beating my chest. I pity my friends who had taken a wrong step of choosing pulsar, because now they compare my bike with their pulsars keeps on complaining about the performance and sounds from their bike.

Coming to the details first of all I would like to talk about the Styling. Comparatively a little bit large and wide head lamp but negotiable comparing on all. For the first time in the Indian history to introduce the rotor petal disc brake for the front, this created sensation. Excellent sportive design and seating as well! I love it, and coming to the back a brilliant looking led tail lamps with a partition in the middle looks great.

Style and Design 4.5/5

Engine and performance: A beautiful and well muscled black engine looks awesome. It has159.7cc powerful engine which releases15.4bhp power. As the name itself indicates “racing throttle response” the bike dances according to our response to trottle. Trust me, I am shocked with its performance, the bike jumps forward on giving a little throttle justifying the term “RTR”. I came to know by some bike magazines that the Apache RTR had won in a drag circuit on competing with pulsar, unicorn and Cbz.

Coming to the complaints session, everybody says that engine gives a lot of vibrations. For all those who say the above line. First of all the bike’s idle speed is minimum 60kmph or above. You can go over 110kmph without any vibrations if you have guts, as I had experienced myself by going to a top speed of 114 kmph. Smoothly, riding below the optimum speeds with such a powerful bike normally gives a little bit vibrations and treating this as a problem is a nonsense.

Engine and Performance 4.4 / 5

Handling: Well balanced chassis and very sharp and powerful brakes, adjustable handle bars overall gives a dam good handling to the bike. It is very nimble in traffic and you can cut through any small passage you have on the road compare to the ride on broken (off) road. Ride quality is not the best on broken roads which is negotiable.

Handling 4.5 / 5

At last, I love my bike and I will perform periodic maintenance to my bike. In these two and half years with 30000 kilometers I had to change following things.

• Engine oil filters (Thrice)
• Front disc brake pads (Once)
• Disc Brake fluid (Twice)

That’s it.

Now for all those who has doubts on buying a brand new Apache RTR, leave all the stupid doubts and go for it if at all you are looking for a 150 to 180cc bike.

- Bhanu

Original Source: Bajaj Pulsar 200cc DTSi Ownership Review by Vikrant from BikeAdvice.in

Hi guys! My name is Vikrant Singh. I am crazy Lover of My Pulsar 200 DTSi. I learnt how to ride on this bike so I am deeply attached with my bike. I have named her “VIK3″. If I speak about VIK3, there is a lot to talk and I won’t stop. But I realized that this is not a place for stories, its review so let me get down to the important points that I looked when I planned to purchase a bike.

Looks: I guess looks of this bike was one good reason for the rising sales of the pulsar in high segment category. It’s not a secret that the sales for P220 were somewhere affected because of this naked street fighter looking bike.

The main attraction is the Silencer that matches with the bike perfectly. Split seats and the front small faring covering the tank just enhances the looks of this bike which makes it look meaner and sexier.

Handling, Highways: You will simply love this bike when you ride it on the highways. You may feel that it’s just made for it till you take a steep corner and you hear the middle stand screech against the ground (If you have a Pillion with you). Its lighter and faster, overtaking on the straights is the best, cornering I guess could have been better (you may feel the cornering is not so good only if you’ve been riding extremely good bikes like R15 which is the best for cornering and moving out of the corners swiftly) otherwise this will feel like the perfect bike for you.

Handling, City: City handling is good but I have felt that the front fork could have been a bit better to make handling better in city. The braking is simply good considering the drum brake for the rear. If you ride in the city a lot, keep a close check on your clutch plates for replacement on time as they wear sooner than expected.

Handling, Off Roads: Simply Awesome! I don’t know why but I feel it performs outstandingly well on off roads too. The engine doesn’t heat so quickly and that’s a very good plus point for off road riding.

Overall Performance: When you want her to be smooth and easy for cruiser feel, she will behave like a cruiser and the next moment if you become a monster she will be your shadow. Amazing pick up! Amazing mid and top Range! Excellent mileage if taken good care and Good Braking too! What else can you ask for.

Comfort: It gives you a race riding posture after you are on it, so yes I agree due to its seating arrangement it may not be the most comfortable bike and if, you are on a long riding trip then you sure gonna have a sore butt. Well for me i don’t care about that much, but if you do then you might want to test ride one of your friends bike to see how comfortable it feels for you.

Electronically Speaking: The main point to focus on this point is that the bike does not come with a Kick Start. Only electric start and yes if you maintain your battery good then you should have no problems with that. Few things are observed that the engine heat side stand, oil and air filter blockage indicators on the digital console tend to act weird after sometime. One or few of them may keep blinking or remain switched on(Side stand Indicator). Other than that if you give your bike for a wash at a washing center then please instruct him not to spray a lot near the CDI device which is under your seat that may damage it.

Service: Please do not expect a lot form the Bajaj service centers and be alert and smart while dealing with them they try to con a lot and please cross check if your work is done as mentioned in the manual.

Watch Out For:

• Rear disc and heavy front fork can help a lot.
• Headlights not so good on the Highway but that can be fixed.
• Replace your Coil with an avenger 180′s coil that will give you a better power output and good beam intensity.
• Engine noise is a bit noisier than a Honda engine.
• Regularly servicing the bike will help with good performance for a long time.Hope This info helps you a bit if not a lot.

Final Verdict: If you are convinced that this is the bike you want then go for the better and improvised version Pulsar 220 without the faring it seriously rocks and is a great value for money!!

Ride Safe Guys!!!

- Vikrant Singh

Living Life @ KMPH

Original Source: Suzuki GS150R Ownership Review by Sameer Shiraj from BikeAdvice.in

Hi Guys! I am a proud owner of GS150R. I bought this machine from SMK Suzuki, Porur, Chennai. It cost me Rs. 70K including accessories. I was impressed by some reviews and test drive so I will share my experience and honest analysis of this bike. To describe it in 3 B’s which are Best, Beauty and Beast!

Distance and Speed: I have finished 450kms after 3 weeks from buying date. During this period I did cross 6k rpm mark and went up to 75kmph. I went past 70kmph 4 times. Normally I maintain my bike between 40-50 KMPH except some powerful overtaking (60kmph+). I will summarize it like 80% time at 40-50kmph, 15% less than 40kmph and 5% above 50kmph. I will give the bike for first service in 2 days.

Mileage Calculation: Used R-R (Reserve to Reserve) method 3 time and got mileages 40,47,47

For the last one, once the fuel came to reserve I switched to reserve for a moment and then back to on. By this method I got 54kmpl but don’t know if it is accurate or not since extra fuel might have flowed from reserve.

Comfort and Control: Excellent! Front Discs brake is sharp enough to stop within few meters. Rear drum brake is quite disappointing. It handles potholes easily but bounces a bit on speed breakers.  It’s very flick able and stable too.  Got hit twice by 2 cars (front and back) but did not fall down due to balance and control.

Engine: I felt initial pick up was ok but once you reach 35+kmph your bike overtakes almost all vehicles due to demonic acceleration. The 13.8bhp engine does a pretty good job. The sound of the engine I felt was like a mini bullet (thumping sound… quiet) and its quietness reminds me of Honda Activa. 6th gear is a great boon for highways. In busy roads I drive in 4th or 5th gear.  Still its smooth like none other.

Electricals and Electronics: The horn is amazing, it sounds loud and neat almost like a car so that it is very useful while overtaking. The parking lights are very well designed. The Head light lacks focus but amazing brightness. The indicators on front and rear work like a charm. I love the brightness of tail light, damn amazing.

The Speedometer console rocks which shows big font speed, large tachometer, 2 trip meters, fuel and time. I must say very attractive design and useful console. Added to this it has an under seat space where you can keep documents, cloth and tools, excellent work here.

THE YOUTH FACTOR!

This is the most important segment. What today’s youth want in order of preferences(the factors):

1. Sporty Looks
2. Pick up
3. Affordable Price Range
4. Decent Mileage
5. Comfort

Well! GS150R looks very attractive and stylish but not sporty enough as R15, Fazer and Apache. Though the stylish head and tail with alloy wheels do a great job overall, it could have had more stylish fuel tank, crash guard and naked chain. As far as speedometer is concerned it is very sporty and stylish. Definitely it’s a youth bike but not very sporty. But a few modifications such as snickering, mirror change, removing saree guard and chain case will make the bike much attractive than pulsar and apache.

Youth and Sporty looks (8/10) As far as initial pickup goes its fine for a 150cc bike but once you cross 40 you can accelerate faster than most bikes (Inc FZ) and overtake bus and trucks in 2 seconds. Compared to Apache, FZ it does have less initial pickup. The adrenaline rush is not present. But at top speeds above 110kmph only R15 can beat its acceleration (in 150cc segment).

Pick up (8/10) My GS150R cost me around Rs. 70,000 (on road including accessories). Hats off the price range, more worth than price. With its speedo console, build quality it is competitively priced. Definitely affordable for middle class and upper middle class people.

Affordable Price Range (10/10) Forget the word decent, let’s say great mileage. It gives minimum 50+ kmpl in city riding and 55+ kmpl in high ways. That’s much more for a 150cc, 150kg bike!!!

Decent Mileage (10/10)
Excellent! Smooth gear shifts, no false neutrals, both toe and heel shifter present. The double suspension handles rocky roads and potholes as some tar roads, very nice balance and control. Very much flick able and zap through corners and bends. Braking is excellent overall and control is great. Stability is amazing. I went up to 75kmph (before 1st service). The only sound was the wind in my face, no vibrations, no sounds, absolutely amazing.

Comfort (9/10)

Cons (Youth’s perspective): As every bike this has its minor cons, according to me:

1. Initial pickup could have been better
2. Could have had crash guard, better mirrors and naked chain.
3. Bit heavy for heavy traffic handling but once you are average driver its easy.
4. Colour choices and paint quality could have been better.

Overall a great bike! The best bike that i know which provides excellent  balance between looks, performance and cost. I am blessed enough to have this one. I chose Metallic Flint Grey color since it looks decent and attractive. I congratulate each GS150R owner and thank Suzuki for providing a masterpiece. Waiting for 1st service and will update soon!!!

Conclusion (9/10) Note: In major cities Suzuki Service is Good but limited number of service centers, I feel mine is too good, but it does not advertise its product no wonder many commuters have no clue even after seeing the bike’s name. But the product and Quality is excellent, Low maintenance and great service. Go for it only if you are near major cities. Happy biking -:)

After First Service:

Now completed 620kms. The minor issues I raised on first service was:

• Headlight not focused
• Fuel knob tightening
• Brakes not sharp enough

After first service:

• Headlights focused superbly
• Pickup feels excellent
• Brakes adjusted to my satisfaction
• Bike feels brand new
• Great customer treating and service overall

Now max speed I drove is 88 kmph on airport road. It was superb, the wind in my face with no engine noise! I mean it, damn happy

- Sameer Shiraj