Re: Bajaj Avenger 220 DTSi Ownership review - Finally I get to feel like God Quote:
Originally Posted by vibbs Its my pleasure.
I would suggest you to expect a mileage around 35. 40-42 is a bit on the higher side not that it is not possible, it very much is but, borrowing words from an avid biker and a very senior member of this forum, "It is always better to have lower expectations and match them or even surpass them rather than having high expectations and being disappointed later."
Carrying a pillion for 50% of time defenitely has its effect on mileage. That and some further improvement after servicing should give an average biker a mileage of around 37 Kmpl if riden sanely. This is a pretty safe estimate as per me and as said before it can go upto 40-42 too. |
Thanks for that info! I was a bit puzzled over what mileage the Avenger could possibly give. Btw, what is the reserve tank capacity? Quote:
Originally Posted by vibbs I was never a bike guy, always preferring to drive my car. Biking on the Avy has been a revelation to me. When I used to ride the Laser I was nowhere as satisfied as I m on this. That said, it is a fact that riding in bumper to bumper traffic may not be as easy as it is on other bikes, more so because of the longer wheelbase that makes getting into tight spots that much more difficult. But not too cumbersome to be a deal breaker either. The low height gives you pretty decent control on the bike. |
Same here. I was more of a car guy too. It was the RE Classic 500 that kindled my biking spirit though I ended up buying a CBR. The Avenger is a likable bike. I like its exhaust note- it's not too wussy compared to the other mills. Another surprising thing is that its midrange power is quite good.
Our commute is an hour long ride through traffic hell and it's not too hard to ride the Avenger through that mess. Treat it more like how one drives a car does the trick. Limit squeezing through tight spots and darting around the traffic and it does okay. It has decent low end torque and can pull away cleanly at low speeds. Quote:
Originally Posted by vibbs Braking has to be a tad different compared to other bikes. Normally bikes with a sportier riding position have more weight on the front wheels than on bikes like avenger. As a result during braking the weight transfer to the front wheels is faster. In case of avenger, the front wheel as I said before is not loaded much so applying front brakes straight away tends to lock the front wheels. Best would be to apply the rear brakes first and then the front. Takes some getting used to and dont be surprised if you find your front wheel skidding on application of front brakes alone even at speeds as low as 10 Kmph. Another thing is the position and angle of legs which is different from other bikes and may alter the way you apply your rear brakes.
But all these are minor issues nothing that cant be taken care of. Suggest you to head to the nearest Dealer and try the bike. Head to a lonely road and check the rear brakes at very low speeds and see the seating position etc. Will give you a good idea as to what to expect. |
Very well said and an extremely important point. The brakes are a bit different kind of breed on the Avenger. My brother had a front wheel lockup yesterday at crawling speeds while applying the front brake alone. As you had said, the trick lies in using both brakes judiciously- the rear for slowing down the bike and the front to stop it completely. Nothing one cannot get used to over a short period of time. Quote:
Originally Posted by vibbs If we stay within the limitations, avenger does give us a good time out on the road, but we also need to realise this bike is not suited for sudden acceleration and then braking and darting inside small gaps etc. Laid back riding is what rewards us the most on this thing. |
Sudden acceleration and then braking and darting inside small gaps etc...You mean like riding a commuter bike as most folks do, right? 
The Avenger would have felt laidback if it had a sixth gear. Bajaj has tuned the Pulsar's mill well for doing duty in the Avenger anyways.
I feel that the Avenger's a really versatile machine. It's one of the rare ones that can do well as a street bike as well as perform well on the highway. Solid vfm niche bike that serves up most of the thrills of a bigger cruiser at a fraction of the cost.
Last edited by evilmessiah : 20th July 2012 at 22:52.
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