This is an article by Hussain who has taken a ride in all the three 150cc segment bikes namely Honda Unicorn, Yamaha FZ16 and Suzuki GS150R and has shared his thoughts with us. (Thanks Hussain!)
Honda Unicorn is the most balanced bike from the stable of Honda. The Handling is superb. The monoshock handles the potholes very well and provides excellent cornering and leaning ability. It feels heavy on the standstill and handles like a feather while moving. It glides where you want it to be in a straight line stability. If you are skinny you may feel the weight of the bike when standstill. Regarding the pickup it has got less initial pickup compared to other bikes in the same category but it becomes really fast once you cross 40kmph. If a bike has rapid initial pickup it sucks in top end performance resulting in vibrations or the engine not responding. That is the reason why Honda, Yamaha and even Suzuki lacks rapid initial pickup. In Unicorn, no vibrations or sound changes even after 100kmph. It is suitable for city riding as well as on highways. It has got ultra refined engine and the comfort level is top notch.
Yamaha FZ16 has got the best pickup in the 150CC category. The power increases in a smooth fashion as the power is distributed in the lower and mid torque range. It does not have the raw power like that of pulsar or Apache to give jerks or jolts of acceleration as mentioned by Amod. This bike too handles superbly due to large handlebar which makes it more flickable in the traffic and monoshock adds to better cornering and leaning ability. For the city riding it is the best bike. It is not suitable for highway due to very low top end performance and uncomfortable ride.
Suzuki GS150R is typical Unicorn with some extra weight. The engine seems to be very smooth but less than unicorn. It feels heavy at lower speeds and yes there are no vibrations at a speed of 80kmph but the engine sound began to change. The engine is not as refined as Unicorn but has digital instrumentation and gear change indicator. The instrument panels looks very good. It does’nt have a monoshock but handles the potholes easily. The initial pickup is more than unicorn and less than FZ16. While turning the bike it feels slighty heavy and the leaning angle is less due to the absence of monoshock. The comfort level is really good due to broader seat. The gear shifting is smooth. I ride the bike in the power mode. Overall it seems to be a good package.