[bhaskar.guru]

Hello all,

After more than ten years, I am planning to buy a bike for myself.

Requirements :
Something in commuter segment
Touch sporty
Riding comfort is needed
99% will be city riding only
in a week, may be used for ~25 kms daily and an additional 50 kms on days I go to office

I have owned a Pulsar 150 cc(2007-11), Avenger 220(2011-11, got stolen :( ), and a Suzuki GS-150R(2012-19).

Options I have seen so far and considering in the crowded segment are as below :
1. Honda Unicorn 160 -
Pros : Beautiful no nonsense engine, absolute comforting ride, decent performance and great mileage
Cons : No upgrades whatsoever since the shift to alloy wheels, you can see it as the same bike which it was 16-17 years ago when it was launched. Only the engine got upgraded to 160 and addition of ABS due to it becoming a norm.

2. TVS Apache RTR 160 4V(pheww... what a long name)
Pros : Upgraded tech, digital display, connected experience, good performance, feels advanced like a spaceship when compared to the Unicorn
Cons : Higher maintenance cost and lower mileage apparently from the reviews, not very sure of the reliability of the parts(would need your help here), Seating is a little on the sporty side with foot pegs right below the seat and as a 6 foot tall guy, it is difficult to bend and put the legs... It is not impossible but a tad difficult than the Unicorn


Others being considered :
Pulsar 150 : Have owned it already, will go for it as a last option
Pulsar P150 : Doesn't look and feel like a Pulsar, will still check it out having heard decent reviews of the same
Pulsar N150 : Need to check it out

Avenger 160/ 220 : Loved the Avengers, but hate the new Cruise styling and also the fact that they haven't touched anything on this bike except for mandatory updates in the last so many years... Even the switch gear was old(Pre-2006 upgrade to Pulsar switches) last time I checked...


Confusions I have are :

1. Should I go for the no nonsense Unicorn and just be content with riding a very comfortable and good motorcycle which looks and feels(features wise) like a bike from 20 years ago or should I go for the modern tech and get the TVS or any other.

2. Should I go for Apache, is it okay to go for the 160 or should I stretch till the 200 as that gives the addition of Slipper clutch (heard it is a good feature especially for city commute, would be helpful if one of the Knowledgeable folks from here can help explain the feature) and Dual channel ABS considering safety.

3. What other options could I consider?

I am from Hyderabad btw!

Thank you in advance!

Regards,
Bhaskara

[SaurAswale]

Originally Posted by bhaskar.guru

1. Should I go for the no nonsense Unicorn and just be content with riding a very comfortable and good motorcycle which looks and feels(features wise) like a bike from 20 years ago or should I go for the modern tech and get the TVS or any other.
2. Should I go for Apache, is it okay to go for the 160 or should I stretch till the 200 as that gives the addition of Slipper clutch (heard it is a good feature especially for city commute, would be helpful if one of the Knowledgeable folks from here can help explain the feature) and Dual channel ABS considering safety.
3. What other options could I consider

Hello,
If I was in your position, I would completely ignore the Unicorn, it "feels" heavy for a 160cc bike, doesn't like to turn. It's a very old motorcycle and feels like bigger CB Shine, not a bad thing but very boring in my opinion. There are better options available. But do take a test ride.

If you want that Honda reliability, consider the the Hornet instead.

Apache 160 RTR is the best option you have. It has very smooth engine and good suspension. It is simply king of the segment. If you are concern about the mileage, it will not be wise decision to go for RTR200.

One wildcard entry from my side,
Check out MT15. It has that beautiful 155cc VVA engine which punches above its weight. There is light assist and slipper clutch which makes life easy in traffic. Plus, people are claiming great FE numbers, and I can confirm as I have recently bought R15v3 myself.
There should not be any reliability issue either (otherwise I'm doomed ).
Cons- It is very expensive (worth the price IMO), you might need to check used market to keep it in your budget. Spare parts are also expensive than all other 160cc rivals but as I said, don't compare it with any 160cc bike.

[amit_purohit20]

Let me clear your doubts first - TVS vehicles are well engineered and I would rate their reliability only a tad below the Honda that too only in terms of engine reliability. I have seen honda unicorns with engine problem too. I would rate TVS higher than honda from my own experience for rest of the cycle and plastic parts in the 150 to 200 cc range.
Ps:- I have owned TVS Victor and Apache RTR 180 (took it to Ladakh) in last 20 years.

For commuter you want:-
1) Comfort
2) Light bike
3) Flickability or bike should be easy to change directions

From comfort POV :- Unicorn, Yamaha Fz, Yamaha FzX, Honda CB200x
From light weight POV:- TVS Apache, Yamaha FZ and FZx
From flickability POV:- TVS Apache series.

I would strongly suggest you go for a Dual Channel ABS bike. I would have lost my life in the city when I braked on wet road and realised no compromise on Dual Channel ABS.

I think it makes lot of sense to upgrade to 200 cc Apache RTR 4V.

If you are not comfortable with the driving position of Apache then I suggest to go for Unicorn or Yamaha FZ. Check all bikes which give Dual Channel ABS.

Regards
Amit

[Nikhildrao]

I would recommend the newly launched Honda SP160 for the option of buying Honda's new 10 year warranty program if you want a fuss free ownership experience. Highly recommend the Apache rtr 160 and the disc variant of pulsar p150. Buy the FZ if you want a no nonsense commuter with decent looks(buy the FZ not the FZ-S)

[windrider]

Please do check out the SP160 by Honda. It has the same engine that the Unicorn has, plus a lot of added features like LED headlight, rear disc brake, digital console and the extended warranty.

[IshaanIan]

Any chance you could try taking a test ride of the Yamaha MT-15? It is the perfect tool for the city; lightweight, excellent chassis, powerful smooth non-excessive motor with just enough go juice to bring a smile on your face and oh so poised at all times.

[antz.bin]

You seem to have missed the best Pulsar in the 150-160cc range. The Pulsar N160. That's one of the least priced ones to come with Dual Channel ABS.

This series should help you decide:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL...dnEenwgUZuo6bB

It is the best finished of the Pulsars and with its long stroke engine, should have a lot of torque low down to traverse the urban jungle.

If you are open to the RTR200, check out the 250cc Pulsars as well. They aren't very far in terms of pricing as well. Don't take a decision based on the specs. Test ride everything in your price range and pick the one that talks to the heart.

[ajay0612]

Buy Honda Hornet 2.0 https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motor...1-39-lakh.html (2023 Honda Hornet 2.0 launched at Rs 1.39 lakh)

[roamer]

You can consider Pulsar N160, has great reviews and comes with dual Channel ABS

[shancz]

My experience with TVS has been good, in reliability, quality and service and across motorcycles and cities.
Service is dependent a lot on the area so hat varies a lot and is true for most manufacturers.
I don't think in the 100-200cc range there's any motorcycle you need to worry about in terms of reliability.

Coming to your requirements, I would say for someone 6 feet tall, the RTR 160/200 might not be the best suited in terms of comfort.
I would also suggest to try out some of the newer platforms and bikes like the Unicorn should be allowed to rest and retire

I would suggest to test ride the following and find what syncs with your riding style :

- Bajaj : Pulsar P150/N160/N250 : check for comfort and FE.
- TVS : RTR 160/200 : On the 200, the slipper makes the clutch feel lighter but more importantly TVS's Glide Through Tech helps in crawling traffic. But if the clutch is light enough then it doesn't matter. If getting the 200 try the one with adjustable suspension for that added option for comfort or just to play around.
- Hero : Xtreme 160/Karizma XMR: Do check for ride and seating comfort. Also try the just launched Karizma XMR, it might suit your frame better along with the liquid cooling but its built more like a sports tourer.

[bhaskar.guru]

Hello all,

Been doing some research in the last few days and here are my observations.

1. Bajaj -

Pulsar P150 - Didn't feel like a Pulsar with its somewhat lean frame. 1.3 Lacs on road at Hyderabad after some 10k discount offer. Only Standard model on offer as the dealer says that the model didn't click and Bajaj is not making it anymore.

Pulsar N160 and 250 - Checked out two dealerships, while 160 was available in stock but not on display, one guy told me 250 production has been stopped where as the second guy said that it can be ordered and will be delivered in ten days as it doesn't get sold very often and he doesn't want to block his investment or real estate which would make sense for a low selling product. 1.6 Lacs for 160 on road after discount and 1.67 for 250 after discount.

No option to see the bike or test ride it, will check one more dealership for N160 as it is one of the few bikes to have the dual channel ABS. But one miss is the Bluetooth connectivity.

NS160 - Test rode this as this was the only one available in the bikes I was checking, legs not comfortable, so dropped the plan.

Both showrooms were empty and looked like a store front of a service center rather than a proper showroom.

2. Honda -

Unicorn - As mentioned before, no upgrades, 1.41 Lacs OTR Hyd, with a 2k discount.
SP160 - Not available yet, will be available only near the festive season it seems.
Hornet - Only has a single channel ABS and not even on display, so dropped it

Checked out two showrooms but not very satisfied with their customer service approach.

3. Yamaha -
FZ-S V4.0 - Checked the new bike out, disliked the headlight and the DRLs design along with the golden alloys, only grey color with blue wheels looked a little palatable. Costs almost the cost of Apache 160 RTR 4v. Comes with single channel ABS with traction control, LED speedometer with Bluetooth connectivity but no navigation support. Had one good thing as the service interval is every 4000 kms or 120 days, which was a good thing to see in a departure to what I have been used to in my past with the Pulsar or GS150R where I had to get it serviced every 60 days. 1.6k OTR.

4. TVS -
Apache RTR 160 4V - Good bike, only lack of a feature is dual channel ABS. If that was there, I would have just taken it directly. 1.61k OTR for Bluetooth version and 1.63k for the Deluxe edition after discount of 3k. Foot pegs are little sporty but manageable.

Apache RTR 200 4V - Haven't test rode it, but considering it for the fact of Dual Channel ABS.


Tomorrow will go to Bajaj and TVS showrooms, will check N160 for a test ride. If it is available, it will be easy to make that decision. If not, will have to go for the Apache 200.

One thing I miss that I had in my Suzuki GS150R itself was a 6 speed gearbox which is very useful for cruising and all these powerful bikes should've had that.

[Proxima]

As a no-nonsense commuter, nothing beats the Unicorn in my opinion. The engine, suspension, resale, near-zero maintenance, mileage are all strong points.

2 of my relatives have it and every time I ride it, I'm shocked at how silent and smooth it is.

The only con I can think of is it's omnipresent!

[shancz]

Originally Posted by bhaskar.guru

Been doing some research in the last few days and here are my observations.

Based on this post, I would prioritise your taller frame and suggest to wait for the Karizma to hit the showrooms too.

Bajaj's situation doesn't look very encouraging in your area, try other dealers if feasible.

Try the Yamaha FZ-25 if you haven't, although that looks old now and unsure future. It's a good option though. What about the Gixxers ?

[HTC]

Hero karizma is launched yesterday. 1.73 lac. You can check it out aswell.

[bhaskar.guru]

Originally Posted by bhaskar.guru

Hello all,

Been doing some research in the last few days and here are my observations.

1. Bajaj -

Pulsar N160 and 250 -

Update from another Dealer, 250 is not in stock and will take a month to be delivered once order is placed.

N160 is available but no test drives as only limited stock available, SA is trying to see if there is any existing vehicle which has come for service which he can offer to me for TD after checking with the owner.

This guy is quoting 1.64 for N160, no discounts.

I want to TD this bike before I finalize anything because I can save at least 20k on a fun 160 bike rather than going for Apache 200.

Originally Posted by Proxima

As a no-nonsense commuter, nothing beats the Unicorn in my opinion.

I know and if you saw my first post, I did go and check it out. But the issue is that except for the regulatory mandatory changes, nothing and I mean nothing has changed on that bike after they upgraded the wheels from Spoke wheels to Alloys. And hence, I dropped the plan of time travelling back to 2006.

Originally Posted by shancz

Based on this post, I would prioritise your taller frame and suggest to wait for the Karizma to hit the showrooms too.

Bajaj's situation doesn't look very encouraging in your area, try other dealers if feasible.

Try the Yamaha FZ-25 if you haven't, although that looks old now and unsure future. It's a good option though. What about the Gixxers ?

Yamaha Designs are not my cup of tea, hated the new FZ-S V4.0. Will give them a second chance.

Suzukis are the same, having used Suzuki(GS150R and the Access), I know the niggling issues that come and the compromises we need to make. Another major reason is lack of showroom / SC near my place, or even within a radius of 10-15 kms. Besides, I have read in many places that it is overpriced and not upto the mark with the newer rival.

Originally Posted by HTC

Hero karizma is launched yesterday. 1.73 lac. You can check it out aswell.

Karizma would be 2 lac+ on road which is way more than my budget. Also, not a fan of fully faired bikes.