Questions & Answers – Round 9 (General)

Here we bring another fresh round of questionnaire. We thank you for your overwhelming response and urge you to keep writing to us. However, we have one request to make. Please mention your priorities and preferences along with all the other mandatory details. Understand, this way we only have a better understanding of the whole scenario and the fix you are caught into. And, this in turn would lead us to better suggestions and advices to your queries.

1 a) What is the average per kilometer of new Pulsar 135 cc. – SIDHU
b) How is the new pulsar 135 LS? Is it really good? – LAKZMAN

BikeAdvice: Hi Lakzman/ Sidhu, we are yet to test the bike thoroughly so would keep our comments reserved for the time being! But looking at the specs and the overall package, the bike sure looks a seller. We will soon come up with a detailed road test report for our readers. Fuel efficiency figures, as we expect them, might be upwards of 60-62 kmpl.

2 a) What is the mileage of cbz xtreme ? what is the cost in nagercoil show room. – BRIGHT
b) I am looking to buy Hero Honda CBZ Extreme. Is it worth to buy that bike? i like that bike due its look & pickup of the vehicle.
please tell me about this bike i want full details about that with latest photos. – BISINEERBHARATH

BikeAdvice: Hi Bharath & Bright, CBZ Extreme, is a lovely bike and has all the ingredients to be called as one of the best engineered bikes in India. It sports the same 150cc engine borrowed from Honda Unicorn with a little better tuning for more power. The pickup of the bike is fantastic and the power/torque distribution towards the low and mid-range is phenomenal which makes it an awesome city bike. Seating posture is also relaxed and expect the bike to return fuel efficiency figures close to 50 kmpl under typical Indian city conditions. For more info and pics you can check out various articles related to the bike on our site.

3) when is Yamaha launching the YZF R125 in India? – ZAIB

BikeAdvice: We have told this time and again! According to our reports and understanding Yamaha might not launch the R125 in India in the near future and they have a good reason not do so. Anyway, if they change their strategy anytime in the future, we will surely get you updated about the bike.

4) My question is regarding on the mileage of the new bajaj 135 cc xcd and the new bajaj pulsar 135.i would like to know the price of both and which one would be a better choice with less maintenance required. i am short so which among the two is shorter in seat height and would not make me look short when I sit on it.pls help. – DUANE ALMEIDA

BikeAdvice: Hi Duane, Both the bikes are a little different in character. While the XCD is targetted at city commuters, the new Pulsar is more of a sports commuter which carries the hooliganism and legacy of the Pulsar brand for the masses. Both the bikes sport a 135cc engine with the Pulsar extracting a whooping 13.5 ps in comparison to XCDs 10.2. However, torque figures are in similar lines with both the bikes extracting close to 11.5Nm. With a plethora of new goodies offered on the Pulsar along with the latest 4 valve technology, we feel a Pulsar might be a better option for you, owing to the fact that it is also lower on saddle height. Weight difference is around 7-8kgs with the Pulsar weighing more. However, the price difference is what differentiates both the bikes a little. You would get the fully loaded XCD at an all inclusive price of around 50-51k on road, however, for the Pulsar you would have to extract around 6ks more! Cutting it short, we would encourage you to go for the Pulsar!

5) I want to buy bike range from 55000 – 70000. I will ride bike max 6km per day. I just want to enjoy bike riding. I also want bike for long term purpose. Which bike is good for me ? – BHAUMIK DARJI

BikeAdvice: Hi Bhaumik, we would have appreciated if you would have been a little clearer about your query. How do you want to “enjoy” your biking? There are people who “enjoy” on Royal Enfields and then there are people who “enjoy” on the current avaible sports bikes in the country. Anyways, as your frequency and riding is not very high and you want to enjoy your ride at the same time, we feel the most enjoyable bike under this price range is the Apache RTR 180. It’s a pocket rocket, bloody fast and extremely fun to ride under any sort of road conditions. Sporty seating posture, the menacing look of the bike all make a treat for the rider to ride on this bike. Talking about reliability (long terms use), than we are always of the opinion that you service and love your bike regularly, it would never ditch you!

6) I want to buy a bike so i am not getting understand which bike is best for me. i have option 150cc bike eg- CBZ Extreme, Apache-RTR, honda unicorn and pulsar. so plz give me answer which one is better. – NARENDRA

BikeAdvice: Hi Narendra, We would have been in a better position to help you, had you mentioned your priorities and preferences as well! Considering the mentioned bikes
1) CBZ Extreme: A silent killer, fun to ride, lovely low and mid range performance, decent fuel efficiency figures (~ 50kmpl)
2) Apache RTR: The best performing machine of the lot and by far. Extremely fun to ride, lovely sporty seating posture, vibrations above 4-5k rpm are a letdown though, low on mileage (understandably so)
3) Honda Unicorn: The most dated and underpowered bike of the lot, looks staid and plain, but sports countries most frugal and refined engine. Power delivery is linear but there is a hint of lesser power almost everywhere.
4) Pulsar 150: Probably the most balanced package of all the mentioned bikes. Typical youth like hooliganism associated, fantastic combination of power and mileage and comes loaded with all typical Bajaj digital goodies and gadgets.
Take a pick!

7) a)I want to buy a new vehicle, it should give more mileage which is the best one Honda activa, hero pleasure, mahindra rodeo, duro & flyte or tvs scooty. Pls adivse me. – SRIDHAR
b) I would like to purchase Honda Activa, so can u suggest about the model and other related details. – RAMU P
C) I want to buy a scooter but confused between activa, aviator and access. Please advise which is the best. -JSRAM
D) Hi, this is mark.i own a computer shop & i want to buy a gearless scooter.it should have enough footboard space to accommodate a pc cabinet or a monitor. good underseat storage is welcome. i’ll be driving it equally on highways & streets.i’m about 6 foot 1 inch tall. which one should i buy? – MARK

BikeAdvice:Hi Ramu, Jsram and Mark, Taking them one at a time.
1) Honda Activa : The scooter which single handedly changed the fate of HMSI in India. Recently revamped with an even better 109cc engine which is more powerful and a little more frugal than its earlier 102cc counterpart. Engine is super smooth and the lower and mid range pulling power of the scooter is also even more impressive now. With a lower seat height and a combination of all the goodies, no wonder this is a hot favorite among all age groups.
2) Honda Aviator: Powered by the same 109cc engine with similar tune, along with telescopic shock absorbers, optional disc brakes, bigger tyres and plethora of other goodies this scooter is more inclined towards the premium segment. Downside however is the taller saddle height (at 790mm) and higher pricing.
3) Suzuki Access: The most powerful scooter in India has got a fantastic torque laden engine which makes it a breeze to carry heavier loads through the congested traffics of our country. Comes with the much needed telescopic shock absorbers for ease of ride and a higher 160mm ground clearance.
4) Mahindra Rodeo/Duro: The recently launched 125cc scooters from Mahindra have left us spell bound by their efficiency. Both the scooters are fantastic and sport the most responsive engines. Both the scooters come loaded with some fantastic practicality enhancing features and the best part is their very competitive pricing. Downside is the fact that Mahindra is still in its growing stage and sales, spares and service might be an issue.

Jsram, if you are confined between only those 3 scooters, the best among them is the Suzuki Access. Mark, we would advice Suzuki Access to you as well majorly because you travel on the highways and added to that, the fact that you love carrying heavy stuff along with you. Underseat storage for all the scoots is almost similar at 20 liters barring the Rodeo which boasts off 22 liters of boot space. However, we would still urge every one of you to ride the Rodeo and Duro from the Mahindra’s and we are sure you would like them as much as we did. They are a lovely packaged deals, comes at pretty competitive prices as well! Sridhar, though Scooty is the most fuel efficient scoot here because of a smaller engine, but we would advice you the second best, Honda Activa ?

8. Hi this is Harish from Hyderabad i want to take TVS apapce rtr 160 but in two days bajaj launched 135cc pulsar and honda launched twister i am confused please suggest me the right bike i will travel around 35 kms daily i want fast picap please give me better suggestion. – HARISH

BikeAdvice:Hi Harish, Both Bajaj Pulsar 135 and Honda Twister have no competition with the bike you are considering. While these two are more or less commuters, Apache is more of a premium bike and since you want performance as your main priority, go ahead and book an Apache ?

9) A)i have confused about two bike which one is best. hondashine125cc and hero honda passion pro. – RANJAN
B)which is the best bike to buy Honda Shine or Passion Pro? – PANKAJ

BikeAdvice:Hi Pankaj & Ranjan, we need more information about your riding style, habits and preferences/priorities. Comparing these two, Passion is a smaller 100cc lower powered engine, whereas Shine is a much more responsive 125cc engine. Mileage, however, would be more with Passion and expect a difference of around 5-10 kmpls between these two bikes. Ironically, price difference is also not very much between these two bikes and Shine also comes with an option of front disc brakes. Passion Pro is steeply priced for the package it offers and we recommend Honda Shine over it. Even if you want to go for the Passion Pro, go for the Splendor instead which is the same engine with a reasonable price tag.

10) A) which is the better bike hero honda hunk or hero honda cbz exterme (new once)? – STEVE SINGH
B) I am confused whether to buy CBZ Extreme or Hunk or Karizma R. Which one should I go for? Mileage is a little bit of concern. – KULBHUSHAN SINGHAL
C) I just want to know that should i go for Hero honda new CBZ xtreme or for Hunk.
Please advice me on this and also let me know which one’s performance is better. – PAWAN SINGH

BikeAdvice: Hi Pawan & Kulbhushan, both the bikes (Hunk & CBZ Extreme) share exactly the same engine with similar tune under different clothes. It’s the better tuned engine of the Honda Unicorn and differ only in their appearance (Broadly speaking!). Choose one which you feel looks better to you as performance and fuel efficiency of both the bikes are similar in nature. Kulbhushan, since mileage is a bigger concern for you drop the idea of Karizma, as it’s a big bike and will consume fuel alike. Choose between the two 150ccs and expect fuel efficiency figures between 48-50 kmpl under typical city drives.

11) i m thinking to buy yamaha fz16 but i found it does not have kicks and i m also concerned about the mileage which i will get from it exactly on road. what should i do but i must say i m dying to get it. – PRAKARSH MALVIYA

BikeAdvice:Hi Prakarsh, Answer these questions to yourself, how many cars in India have a kick starter? Isn’t (tow) starting a lighter bike easier than a (much) heavier car? So don’t be apprehensive about the lack of a kicker, it has got a dependable battery and if you take care of your battery, you will never face problems. Fuel efficiency of the bike is a little low (expect 40kmpl) from the competition but the overall package and the road presence of the bike overshadows these little shortcomings and since you have a craving for this bike, go ahead, a sparkling new FZ is waiting for you ?

12) i want to buy a bike, so please tell me which bike is best splendor+ or yamaha libero g5? – ASHOK BHARDWAJ

BikeAdvice:Hi Ashok, Splendor is a traditionally dependent old mill from the Hondas and has been doing duty for a long time now. Liberos is a newer engine which is more responsive and a better pick up. Mileage is a tad lesser with the Libero, though. Expect Splendor to return Fuel Efficiency of 65-70 kmpl and G5 to be 62-67 kmpl. G5 is a better looker out of the two with a better suspension and handling as well. Our recommendation: the Yamaha Libero G5.

13) i am looking for a 200+ cc bike. Could you please tell me which is having value of money in between karizma R and P220 2009 edition. Which would be the best bike between these 2 bikes. Please let me know as soon as possible b’coz i want to buy in next 1 week. – HIMANSHU KESWANI

BikeAdvice: Hi Himanshu, Well, if this “Value for money” term comes somewhere in between than nothing can take away the glory from the Pulsar 220 DTSi which comes at a shattering price tag! It has got loads and loads of power, very good fuel efficiency and comes loaded with typical Bajaj digital gadgets and gizmos. On the other Hand, Karizma is a proven engine for years is hasslefree and can take anything thrown at it. But, with age, competition has taken over and Pulsar 220 definitely seems to be a better overall package than Karizma R.

14) what’s the different between r15 and bajaj ninja250.witch the best bike among r15& bajaj ninja250. – SUBHRAJIT

BikeAdvice: Hi Subhrajeet, “100ccs, 16 bhp, 1 cylinder, 2 lakhs” is the difference between the Yamaha YZF R15 and Kawasaki Ninja 250R. And going in the same tune, you must have understood it doesn’t make minutest of sense to even compare these two bikes. Putting it simple for you, go for the Kawasaki Ninja 250R if you have the money (3 lakhs) with you, you would be taken to a new world altogether. And if you want a sportsbike in true Indian sense, pay 1 lakh and own the Yamaha R15!

15) Hi, i plan to purchase a bike in the next few days. I would use for mostly commuting within my town. I need a bike which is good at power as well as average. I am confused between pulsar 150 and suzuki gs150r. Pulsar’s on road price is 70290 and gs’s is 72500. suzuki does not have a dealer in our place. It has a sub dealer and therefore charges commission along with other charges. The nearest dealer is 450 kms away. Although i liked the reviews of the suzuki i am not sure if i should go for it because of the price. The road condition around here is not very good and therefore i need a bike which is comfortable while dealing with potholes and bad roads. Please advice. Thanks. Raj. – RAJ

BikeAdvice: Hi Raj, Both the bikes you have mentioned represent the optimum mix of mileage & power with the Suzuki slightly better at pulling loads and slight better fuel efficiency. However, with the kind of fix you are in, we would definitely recommend you the Pulsar as sales, service and spares is a big concern which should not be neglected. With the Pulsar you would get almost everything and that too at Rs 2000 less. You can also consider Hunk or Unicorn in your list which are a little better than Pulsar on Bad roads.

16) Hi Experts,I am planning to buy a Bike, May be zeroed to Unicorn. I would like to know, if this is a suitable for a family of three. Myself, wife and a son of 7 years old, who generally sits on the tank. I have a Yamaha Crux R which had a flat tank to sit on. I am looking for a change. I generally use my bikes for office 40K.m. and very occasionally for going out with my Family. Please advice. Let me know a suitable bike in 150 CC for a family of 3 persons. – MURALI KASURU

BikeAdvice: Hi Murali, Have you tried your kid on the Unicorn? Another option you might consider is the Hero Honda Achiever which is a slight better tuned version of the same Unicorn engine. Though it looks plain and staid, we feel it would be a better option over Unicorn. Moreover, it’s a little cheaper as well compared to the Unicorn and the service of Hero Honda is substantially better and more widespread than HMSI (Honda India). However, if you do not like the bike (Achiever), you can safely go for Unicorn which is a fantastic bike in all regards! However, we would also advice you not to seat your child on the tank as it is a little hazardous for both, the rider and the child. You can always seat him between yourself and the pillion.

– Answers by Saad Khan