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Pulsar NS400Z – CHALA APNI

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Executive bling

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Bunny Punia plays judge as Honda’s new Dazzler proves its point in front of the TVS Apache RTR RD and the Yamaha FZ16
Photography Sawan S Hembram

After years of criticizing the Japanese giant for its ignorance towards churning out an upgrade for the 150cc Unicorn, it seems Honda heard us, finally! The Unicorn was always a great product. In fact, it surpassed the expectations of the folks at Honda by doing great numbers on a continuous basis every month. But at the same time, it seemed to lack in a few essential areas, which kept most youngsters away from their showrooms. Better late than never as Honda seems to have taken feedback from prospective buyers as well as the automotive media in a positive manner in the form of the new CB Unicorn Dazzler. It’s sleeker, punchier, loaded with more features and seems all set to snip a major chunk of the market share in the premium 150cc segment. We decided to pit it against the TVS Apache RTR RD (rear disc) and the Yamaha FZ16, two of its direct rivals to see if this new Honda is dazzling enough to challenge and probably beat its competition. Let the sparks fly then…

DESIGN AND LOOKS
I hate to start a segmented review by picking out a winner instantly, but the FZ is so far ahead of its peers here that there is simply no doubt about the Yamaha’s fashionable good looks. Its naked street bike design inspired from its international 1000cc sibling, the FZ1, makes it one of most attractive deals on two wheels in India currently. The minimal front along with a beefy tank spells aggression while the 140mm section rear tyre along with the short and stubby exhaust add heavy doses of sportiness to the FZ’s design. Speak to any owner on the road and eight out of ten will acknowledge its looks as the main factor behind their purchase decision.

The RTR 160, on the other hand, is a pure track inspired tool in the way it looks. Running racing stripes, dual petal discs and rear set footpegs are some of the highlights of the bike’s design angles. We also particularly love the red stripe on the circumference of the alloy wheel, the sharp tank scoops and the small engine fairing. The RTR looks smashing in a quite a few colours including yellow.

The Dazzler doesn’t really set your heart racing when you see it for the first time. However, typical to lot of international Hondas like the Fireblade and the VFR1200, this one too takes time getting used to. Spend a few days with the bike and you will start loving the way it looks. No doubt it is aesthetically better than the Unicorn with changes like wider tyres, a rear disc, a semi digital console, huge floating tank scoops, et al. Worthy of a mention here is the rear half portion of the bike. It looks elevated and adds a touch of sportiness.

COMFORT AND ERGONOMICS
The Unicorn has already won many hearts with its superior monoshock rear suspension. There is simply no denying the fact that even the Dazzler scores supremely high here when it comes to comfort level. Though we would have preferred slightly rear set footpegs, the bike’s riding posture is spot on for the city. This combined with a perfectly well set-up suspension means that the bike soaks up undulations unlike the other two bikes. Honda is known for its smooth engines and this one too goes about performing its duties ably and without any vibrations or harshness. That said, above 5000rpm, there is a pronounced vibration from the knee recesses of the tank. While coming back from our shoot location, a good 65km from Pune, Ramnath and I also felt the Dazzler to be slightly uncomfortable for long stints.

We found ourselves fighting to get hold of the FZ’s keys. The Yamaha might have an upright seating posture, but the soft seat and a wide almost flat handlebar give you a comfortable riding stance even during long stints. The FZ also feels at home in city traffic, being super nimble and easy to manoeuvre through traffic. In fact, the riding posture pesters you into riding the bike in a spirited manner. However, the FZ’s monoshock rear cannot match up to the Dazzler’s, especially when the roads are anything less than smooth. The engine surprisingly remains quite smooth even at high revs while the vibrations are well damped and are hardly noticeable through the bars or the pegs.

This gets us to the third bike, the RTR. Sadly, its racetrack genes mean it is the least comfortable of the lot. In the city, the sporty riding posture puts a lot of weight onto your arms which can be a bother on a daily basis. Further, with a pillion, the RTR becomes quite a handful in congested start-stop traffic conditions. The suspension too is a huge departure from the monos of the other two bikes. Take the bike for a highway ride and the moment you cross 8000 revs, the presence of vibrations from the pegs is alarming.

 

 SUSPENSION AND HANDLING
Pune is blessed with some amazing set of roads with enough curves and short straights to push a new bike to its limits. While we knew the Dazzler would fare very well due to its suspension set-up and a shortened wheelbase as compared to the Unicorn, the FZ wasn’t far behind. Its flat handlebar, upright posture with an amazing grip from the MRFs meant it easily kept up with the Dazzler and even surpassed it on a few occasions. However, as soon as we encountered a few mid-corner bumps, the Dazzler showed its prowess – this is the still the bike to have if you want to scrape the pegs around bends no matter how smooth or undulated they are. The monoshock suspension easily swallows small bumps and potholes even with the bike leaned into a corner at extreme angles.

Meanwhile the FZ’s suspension feels great on smooth roads, but on anything other than that, its feels a little harsh and stiff. The RTR, with its suspension on the stiffer side, is a fantastic bike around the hills too but the competition is simply miles ahead. The RTR’s forward seating stance also means that within a few kilometres, your forearms start aching. However, with its extra punch and a fantastic midrange, you can outdo the Dazzler and the FZ around the bends easily – more on this later.

PERFORMANCE AND EFFICIENCY
If the Yamaha FZ16 is all about looks and the Honda CB Unicorn Dazzler is about engine refinement and a superior suspension, it’s the TVS Apache RTR that redefines performance in this segment. The way TVS boffins have managed to extract that extra power and punch from the 159.7cc engine is impressive. At 15.4PS of power, the RTR manages to smoke the other two bikes in all areas: a 5.04 second 0-60km/h dash, a 118.69km/h top speed and class beating roll-on figures.

It isn’t the torquiest of the lot but at 136kg, it has the best power-to-weight ratio. Ride this bike back-to-back with the other two and you can’t help but get a grin on your face each time. The RTR’s shortcoming in terms of handling is easily made up for by its extra performance. The icing on the cake comes in the form of its incredible fuel economy. What more can you expect from a bike that boasts of smoking performance?

Next up is the Dazzler. With more power and less weight than the Unicorn, we did expect an increase in performance. It manages to shed the 0-60km/h acceleration timing by over half a second, but most importantly registers an impressive top whack of 118km/h. The Dazzler’s engine is also tuned for a better top end as compared to the Unicorn. This is apparent by an extended redline and power and torque figures that are now generated at higher revs. While the Dazzler takes 5.45 seconds to 60km/h, just 0.06 seconds less than the FZ, the gap builds up as speeds increase. For instance, the Dazzler dismisses the quarter mile mark in 19.72 seconds, 0.68 seconds quicker than the FZ. What impresses further is the efficient nature of the engine. Even with this kind of incredible performance on tap, the Dazzler still manages to outdo the RTR by a huge margin when it comes to fuel economy.

The FZ sadly has to be content with the third spot here but just about. Even with a wide 140mm section rear tyre, it still manages to churn out some impressive numbers. However, at highway speeds, you easily feel the lack of power. Cruising at a 100 kays, the other two bikes have enough in reserve for overtaking fast moving vehicles, but the FZ struggles. A gush of opposite wind and a slight incline is all it takes to bog down the bike. That said, its roll-on figures are just a second or two off the RTR’s mark. However, the engine is not particularly efficient with an overall fuel economy of just 43.5kmpl. 

Verdict
So far, it seems that both the FZ and the Dazzler are neck and neck with the RTR following close behind. However, these bikes are mostly targeted towards the youth and enthusiasts in the 22-30 age bracket. Hence it goes without saying that pricing plays an important role. The RTR RD at Rs 69,782 is the least expensive of the lot. If you are looking for cheap thrills and performance is what you seek, read no further and head to the nearest TVS showroom. But it has its own little flaws. For instance, it isn’t very comfortable for long rides and with the engine spinning hard, vibrations can be bothersome. It is also overshadowed by the other two contenders when it comes to ease of riding in city traffic.

The FZ has secured itself a soft corner in our hearts for the way it looks and the way it rides. How we wish it had some extra punch (Yamaha, are you going to make us happy soon?) and a more efficient engine. What also goes in favour of the FZ are the additional variants on avail, the FZ-S and the Fazer, but of course for some extra dough. The FZ would have been as recommended a bike as the Dazzler if it had an equally appealing sticker price. At Rs 72,649, it is almost three grand more than the RTR RD and Rs 1500 more than the Dazzler. Add to it, the extra running cost over the years due to its lower fuel efficiency and suddenly our focus shifts to the new kid in town, the Dazzler.

For an additional Rs 4000 over the Unicorn, the extra goodies, features and performance you get in the Dazzler are simply put, worthwhile. It looks snazzier, comes with wider tyres, a rear disc and a semi-digital speedometer console. All this without losing out on the essential fuel economy part. It might not be the best looking or the one with the best performance, but like its sibling, the Unicorn, the Dazzler proves to be a perfect all-rounder, capable of playing various roles depending on a customer’s preference. Not really dazzling, but versatile and appealing enough to win this shootout by a whisker.

Tale of two scooters

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Mahindra adds two new scooters to its portfolio. Ajay Joyson brings you an exclusive first impression

 

If you ask a common biker about Mahindra, he might have heard of the brand but in all probability, he would have no clue about its qualities or value. He may have read the name a zillion times in his rear view mirror, but would not be acquainted with the brand or its heritage. However, that is all set to change. After acquiring the erstwhile ailing Kinetic Motors, Mahindra two-wheelers has certainly gained momentum by launching two new models in the market called the Rodeo and the Duro.

If you are looking to flaunt you ride, then the Rodeo is the obvious choice. Though largely based on the Flyte, the new scooter has some interesting styling cues that make it stand apart. A front mudguard, a slightly revised front end and new turn indicators differentiate the Rodeo from the Flyte. Apart from this, the rear grab handle, the colour scheme and snazzy decals are also new. However, what really makes the Rodeo unique is its fantastic digital instrumentation display. Apart from the usual speedo and fuel gauges, it also offers a tachometer (the only production scooter in India to have this), a trip meter, an acceleration indicator and a clock. What bemused us is the option to change the colour of the scoot’s LCD backlight – green, blue, orange, red – you name it and at the press of a button the backlight can be changed to match the colour of your shoes, fingernails or hair. Mahindra has also given the Rodeo a 12 Volt power socket for charging your mobile phone or other electric devices on the go. Features don’t end just there as the scooter also gets a side stand warning buzzer as well as an illuminated underseat storage area.

The Rodeo has the Flyte’s novel front fuelling system which has indeed found quite a following. It retains the smart mirrors that fold inwards in the event of an impact resulting in almost no damage – a feature earlier seen on the Flyte. The four-in-one antitheft key by which one can start the engine, open the fuel filler cover, engage the handle lock and secure the keyhole with a magnetic key lock also finds its way into the Rodeo. This scooter is powered by the same 125cc engine that does its duty on the Flyte. The engine feels silky smooth to rev and the power and torque figures at 8bhp and 9Nm are quite respectable for its class. The rest of the underpinnings remain identical to the Flyte and the new model is quite able-bodied in the ride and handling department, if not exceptional. The ergonomics, fit-finish and overall quality are also satisfactory.

The Duro, on the other hand, is strikingly similar in looks to the old Kinetic Nova. But that’s where the familiarity ends because underneath the innovative body is a completely new engine. Additionally, unlike general comprehension, the basic frame of the Duro also differs from the older Nova. The new scooter gets the same 125cc SYM engine found in both, the Flyte as well as the Rodeo, producing 8bhp and 9Nm of torque. At 1290mm, the Duro has one of the longest wheelbases among Indian scooters. This along with wide 3.5inch rubbers gives the scoot good stability and road holding capabilities. The saddle is also comfortable for two average sized adults. Although the legroom is ample, on our short first ride, we found the riding position to be a little bit of a concern for tall riders as the handle tends to come in contact with the rider’s knee especially when negotiating U-turns. Compared to the Rodeo, the Duro has fewer goodies up its sleeve since it is conceived as a no-nonsense scooter for the masses. Although it comes with a conventional underseat fuel tank, the storage space is very generous and even large helmets fit in easily with space to spare! The rest of the scoot is pretty basic. The instrument cluster that houses a speedo, a fuel gauge and the standard array of telltale lights is simple and legible.
The manufacturer has played the pricing game competitively for both the scooters thus ensuring that they have mass appeal. The Duro is priced at Rs 38,299 (ex-showroom, Pune) which is very compelling for a 125cc scooter. The swankier Rodeo retails for Rs 41,299 (ex-showroom, Pune) which is also quite appealing. Mahindra vehicles have always been applauded for their robustness and vigour and these traits find their way into their newest offerings as well.

Karizma ZMR~The King Returns!

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A heavy dose of cosmetic as well as engine updates mark the birth of the new Karizma ZMR. Bunny Punia gives it the stick to see if the bike has been worth the wait
Bunny Punia, Photography Sanjay Raikar

The previous night had been very interesting with a live band and an open bar taking care of a select few journalists who had been flown in for an exclusive first ride of the new Karizma. No matter how much I pestered the Hero Honda guys to divulge some dope on the new bike, it was futile. It was half past six in the morning the next day when I was about to finish my second cup of hot tea in order to awaken my half sleepy brain that I happened to hear a rather familiar exhaust note. Minutes later, the first look of one of the most awaited upgrade in the Indian two-wheeler industry more than livened up the lazy bum in me. A full body kit, exciting graphics and tweaks here and there – the wait for the new Karizma, or the ZMR as the company puts it, seemed worth it.

The sharply designed front headlamp looks great and seems to have been inspired by the Suzuki GSX-R and the Triumph Sprint. The slot for the pilot lamps is swept back giving a sporty look. The black visor is probably the biggest on any Indian bike and the fairing mounted rear view mirrors not only look good, but as I found out on the ride, serve their purpose well. The same air-intakes on either side of the lamp and the “oil-cooled” stickers hinted at a more powerful engine. Side on, the indicators are integrated into the panels like the current bike and the fairing ends near the brake lever like commonly seen aftermarket jobs. The difference here, however, is the quality – the plastics seem durable with an up market fit and finish. The side panels are the same with a slight bulging rear and the new split grab rail along with the striking LED tail lamp assembly give the rear a pleasing look.

 

The spoilsport here is the skinny rear tyre. This will be the first modification most owners will end up doing, I reckon. With a rather muscular and big fairing, fitting a wider, say 120mm rear tyre would have added more muscle to the overall look in my opinion. You can’t help but notice the rear disc brake and the GRS equipped rear shock absorbers. The changes don’t stop here. Swing a leg over the bike and once seated in the comfortable well padded seat, you will notice the forged aluminum clip-ons. As with Hero Honda, the execution is superb but what really strikes you is the complete digital display unit. A la Hunk styled chromed counter in the middle serves as a tachometer with a display for speed (ourtesy the contact less magnetic sensor, the speedometer is very accurate) on the left, fuel in the middle and trip meter and a real time fuel economy display on the right. There is also a programmable welcome display which can be altered as per the owner’s requirement. Want to impress your girl? You can get her name to be displayed each time the ignition is switched on!

Thumb the starter and the engine fires into life. The Karizma has always been a smooth operator and with Honda’s famed PGM-FI finding its way in here, the 223cc engine feels a touch more refined. Yes the engine capacity remains the same, however, there are a lot of changes to the motor. The idle air control valve ensures automatic stabilization of rpm over all terrain (a boost for tourers), the FI unit eliminates the need for a choke and the twelve Orific injector nozzles ensure a highly atomized air-fuel mixture for better combustion and efficiency. All this along with other high tech features in addition to a slight retuning sees the maximum power go up marginally to 17.6bhp or 17.84PS at the same rpm. The maximum torque remains the same though. These figures might be disappointing for those seeking more juice from the Karizma. The ECU unit also has six sensors for various functions including intake air temperature, oxygen sensor, etc.

The Karizma’s motor has always been in a relatively soft state of tune. This one too feels the same. The throttle response isn’t very sharp or jerky, the way it gains speeds in any gear is seamless and the engine seems to be barely bothered even when pushed near the redline. The slight increase in power can hardly be felt and this is reflected in the performance figures that I managed. A 4.9 second 0-60km/h timing with me on board is more or less the same as the previous bike’s 4.7 second timing with a 70kg rider. What has changed though is the way the bike reaches high speeds and its ability to maintain the same for prolonged distances. The icing on the cake comes in the form of better efficiency and we won’t be surprised if the ZMR manages 45kmpl in the city with ease. This bike remains a stunter’s delight – wheelies, stoppies and rolling burnouts – it delivers when given the stick as is evident from the pictures on these pages.

The handling remains as sweet as ever, though in the wake of increased competition, the front seems a tad too soft for serious riding around the twisties or on the track. However, the suspension shines when ridden on broken roads and the bike’s ability to dismiss such patches with ease is hard to match by the competition even today. The rear now gets the GRS suspension from the Hunk and is a step in the right direction. The rear disc brake, a Nissin unit, works well and the feedback is great. The front tyre has been made slightly wider (80mm against the older 70mm) and the ZMR runs on tubeless tyres. The bike now sports a louder dual horn for keeping away heavy traffic on the highway.

With all these changes in place, we expect a premium of around Rs 15,000 to Rs 18,000 over the current Karizma that will continue to sell alongside the ZMR. This will make the bike close to a lakh on the road. Perhaps the enthusiasts who have been waiting for something powerful might not feel the price tag to be well justified. Nonetheless, visually and technologically, the ZMR is a huge step forward. The list of standard features is impressive too.

Watch out for an exhaustive road test in our next issue. Visit www.youtube.com/bikeindia for videos of the ZMR.

A day out with the Falcon

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Bunny Punia takes the Suzuki Hayabusa on a date with eighteen other superbikes in New Delhi

 

Having grown up spending weekends chasing superbike groups in Delhi, it was always a dream for me to ride along with them someday. Being good friends with the founder of one of India’s biggest superbike groups also meant that it wasn’t long before I would be riding neck to neck with the finest superbikes that grace our Indian roads.

I was visiting my hometown Delhi for a weekend last month when suddenly the idea of realizing my childhood dream popped up. I have ridden various superbikes (both the legal as well as the grey market ones) but I have never had the opportunity to ride in a group of big bikes. All it took was a call to Suzuki and they were more than happy to arrange the big momma of all bikes – the Suzuki Hayabusa GSX-R1300 for me.

After a quick photo-op, we all started back for Delhi but the group soon broke up which also allowed me to spend more time with the big ‘Busa, appreciate its finer points and indulge in high speed touring whenever the road allowed. I also took a detour to meet a few more biking fellows of xBhp with a Yamaha MT-01, Kawasaki 636 Ninja and Honda 954RR for company. But as expected, the mighty Suzuki stood out. The world’s fastest production machine has an aura that none of the other bikes can match. The two days I spent with this legendary bike have to be one of the most enjoyable biking moments of my life.

If you are in Delhi, you can catch a glimpse of the GODS almost every Sunday at 6 am, next to the Shiv Murti pump on the Gurgaon highway

Fill it shut it forget it

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The world’s second largest two-wheeler market relies solely on fuel efficient bikes – reason enough for a special report by Bunny Punia on the machines that go that extra mile in their respective categories

The Rationale:

Aspi Bhathena, Executive Editor -BIKE India, performed the fuel efficiency tests by turning off the fuel supply and running the bike dry. Then a fuel test bottle is attached to the carburetor and filled with a stipulated amount of fuel every time. The bike is then run on a specified city route, which we take for every bike. Of course, there may be variations in fuel efficiency figures that our readers get but that is obvious, given the varied traffic conditions in different cities at various times. For fuel injected bikes though, apart from the Honda CBF Stunner FI, we have calculated the mileage from a tank full to tank full, running the bike on the same route numerous times.

BAJAJ PULSAR 220 – 220cc and above
The new Pulsar 220 DTS-i delivers impressive fuel efficiency for its size. The new 220 runs 42.5km in the city and close to 50km per litre on open highways. In the overall analysis, the Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-i wins in the 220cc and above segment, closely followed by the Hero Honda Karizma.

TVS APACHE RTR 160 FI – 150 to 220cc

Last year, the inclusion of a fuel injected variant of the 160cc RTR further made it a very potent bike, as the bike goes more than 50km to a litre when ridden sanely in city traffic conditions. This figure further gets bumped to more than 60km on open highways when speed is maintained around the 60-65km/h mark. The overall figure of 55kmpl is more than enough to make the TVS Apache RTR 160 FI the winner in the 160 to 220cc segment, far ahead of the runner-up, the Bajaj Pulsar 180.

HERO HONDA CBZ XTREME – 125 to 150cc

The CBZ Xtreme uses the same 150cc engine that is found in the Honda Unicorn. However, Hero Honda have extracted the best of both the world’s from the 149cc motor by making it give better performance figures and class leading fuel efficiency. 57km to a litre in the city and 70km on the highway are numbers that amaze us to no end. These figures are just shy of what the Discover 135 manages. The tall fifth gear of the CBZ also helps to draw out the best from the machine. Even at cruising speeds of 80-85km/h, this bike can manage over 50km to a litre on the highway. 

HERO HONDA GLAMOUR FI – 100 to 125cc

Even in the 125cc segment, the Glamour has stood out for being a very efficient bike. And, when the fuel injected variant of the Glamour was introduced, even the efficient Honda Shine couldn’t match it. Ride the Glamour FI with a light right wrist and the bike will easily go more than 75km to a litre. On the highway, at speeds of around 45-50km/h, the engine hardly sips any fuel resulting in a figure of 92kmpl!

HERO HONDA SPLENDOR NXG

The NXG comes loaded with goodies for a 100cc bike and at the same time, looks attractive for this segment. The 97.2cc engine has been in the market for donkey’s years and from time to time, it has seen improvements that have made it one of the most reliable and smoothest powerplants in the country. Commuters we spoke to during the photo shoot are easily getting around 70km to a litre in the city, close to our test figures that stand at 74kmpl for the city and 86kmpl for the highway which are almost identical to its sibling, the CD Deluxe.

VERDICT:

Small capacity bikes are not always the most fuel efficient. What matters is how efficiently the fuel is burnt in the engine. Having a fuel injection setup further helps as is evident in the case of the Glamour and the Apache RTR 160. In these bikes, the ECU and its sensors keep adjusting to varying throttle inputs as well as weather conditions and altitude to make sure that the fuel is utilized in the most efficient manner.

It is also quite simple to extract the best from your engine in terms of fuel economy. Correct tyre pressure, lubed chain, a light right wrist and sticking to 40-45km/h in the top gear during city runs will have drastic results. Try for yourself and let us know your feedback.