rohitabstract

Hi All,

I learn't biking 6 months back on a Pulsar 220 cc in Mumbai & then practiced quite a bit on a TVS Victor in Bangalore
All the practice was on relatively empty roads off course. But now its time for the real thing....will be buying a new bike within the next 2 weeks.

Age : 27
Weight : 70 kg (fairly well built)
Height : 5 feet 8 "
Budget : Max of Rs 1 Lakh.

Requirement :

• Comfortable bike which should be easy to handle.
• Main usage would probably be traveling to different parts of Bangalore...over the weekend to visit people (20 km?). Office is 2.5km from home....I walk it off. So don't see any daily usage unless I am really late.
• Looks > mileage since for me the bike would be an extension of myself.
• Preferably light in weight since that should translate to easier handling for a newbie like me. Unfortunately that rules out cruiser bikes for me

About a month ago, I didn't know anything about bikes...started doing some research cause I really wanted to learn to ride on my own bike cause I felt its something one has to learn in life.


All my research can be found Here . Currently the 2011 version of Yamaha FZ16 (with kickstart) is the favoured one.


Please find flaws in my points or suggest some good alternatives. Am all ears !

sunilg

Query approved.

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sayank10

you have done quite a bit of homework,that shows as a person you are well organized.
back to the topic>from your query you are more of a city rider,want a streetfighter.
i guess you have already seen newly unveiled p200 ns.powerful,fuel-efficient[clamied by bajaj],contemporary styling,cutting-edge technology.ex-showroom price is expected to be kept under 1 lakh.but if are keen on getting a bike with in 2 weeks this one is out of question.
coming to 220f.over all good bike,considerable road presence,projector headlight,good mid range punch,you can get a bit disappointed on mileage front,although i wouldn't suggest it if you are strictly city-rider.
fz/fazer good torquey bike,mascular built,underpowered[according to me],not so good mileage for a 150cc[although gives better mileage than the previous gen],a bit overpriced.but very good handler ,and a safe bet for city riding.
dazzler is over all good package but bit conservative in style.
ktm is way out of your budget,worthy replacement p200ns.
now for me this one is best suited for you,mind-boggling pick-up,sharp handler,good styling,mileage is good considering the raw power it offers,ABS>now that is something you want man.although you may not intially like the forward-biased riding posture,you will eventually get used to it.a slight vibes creeps in after 4500 rpm range but for me that can be neglected if you thoroughly enjoy the fun ride during zapping through traffic.for me apache is india's TRUE LIGHT SPORT[not p135 ls].
now it's upto you what do you choose as your first ride.good luck.

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raghu123

choose FZ 16 fo style and looks ( if u like more off the mono suspensin ) and a yamaha brand

choose a pulsar 220 for speed , aggresive looks , youth type , and buy only when you use the extent of 220 cc , quick overtakes (only if required ), pick up accleration

you said you have learnt through driving a P220 so you must know its style comfort and performance ......

try and test drive all other bikes in your list for comfot and other matters .....

kartikpai

First of all , good homework buddy

Secondly, you can also look at the CB unicorn if you are not percieved with the styling of dazzler. Its easy to handle, a good touring companion , good mileage too . About the looks, for me I can say it doesn't have the X factor as other bikes . But the comfort and the level of satisfaction for me on this machine is satisfactory. Lastly , it fits your budget too

Cheers & All the best,
Pai

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vineshp

@rohit: nice research! shows you are determined to get the best

Among the Bikes short-listed, leave aside KTM as it is above 1 lac. Dazzler is a good all-rounder but doesn't excel in any. Personally, I think it will come last on 'looks' parameter in your list. P220, I fear will be phased out following the new Pulsar launch.

Regarding A180-ABS, I got it in Sep'11.

About your concerns on it:
The vibrations are there in 4.5-6.5K RPM range but ask any Apache owner and he'll say it is NOT a deal breaker. You'll get used to it.

The riding position, I bet you'll like it within 2-3 days and it is not at all painful. Also, the ABS does it duty-really well.

So, you have FZ-16 (also consider Fazer since 'Looks' are a top priority for you) and Apache 180-ABS. Take a test-ride and decide.

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rohitabstract

@ All
Thanks for the compliments on my research paper. Lots of data & opinions out there...organizing it into this format was the only way I could understand & analyze it. Helps me to understand some of the points given by experienced people like you

At the end of my research, I had decided on TVS Apache RTR 180 ABS. The ABS was the main reason since it adds a lot to the safety factor since skidding is usually experienced by inexperienced people who aren't used to the correct technique of braking.

However my recent trip to the various showrooms @ Rajaji Nagar, Bangalore with my friend changed me a lot.

Summary :

TVS Showroom (TVS Apache RTR 180 ABS)
-> Similar to a Government Office. Looks old & jaded.
-> People not very interested in selling the bike since noone approached me to mention the finer points of the bike.
-> Ladies from the Admin department manage people here.
-> Single ABS bike here on stage. Same was used for testing (this showroom wasn't well provisioned I think).
-> Bike can't be ridden with a straight posture. Guess bigger people will be more comfortable here.
-> Experienced biker friend had a test ride. Mentioned that the engine & the gear system wasn't smooth (he is used to Honda bikes I guess)

Bajaj Showroom
-> Prompt service.
-> Pulsar 220 & Avenger have more comfortable posture compared to Apache.
-> Heaviest bikes from all others though.

Honda Showroom (Unicorn Dazzler)
-> Crowded place thanks to the presence of CBR 250 on a weekend ?
-> The bike given for test riding looked really worn out..had some broken buttons on its handle.
-> Excellent engine which accelerated smoothly. Even gear system was smooth.
-> Bike doesn't look as good as the others though.

Yamaha Showroom (Yamaha FZ 16 & FZ S)
-> Promptly met by a salesman.
-> Friend had usual test ride. Then Salesman said he wanted to show him the true potential of the bike. He drove the bike with friend behind. Then my turn. Sat behind the salesman. Accelerated like hell. Revolutions @ 9k & speed @ 90 kmph. Then applied sudden brake. Brakes(Disc+Drum) worked well (helped additionally by the good gripping fat MRF tyres here?) & shock absorbers worked well since I didn't feel anything. Did this trice. Then carried out number of low turning in circular direction (<30 deg) to show bike handling & agility. Truly action speaks louder than words.
-> Besides being a practical pro biker, salesman had great knowledge too on it. He mentioned all the points I had collected on the net for the last 2 weeks + had extra info like - "Tank has 3 fiber parts covering it. That way if any part gets badly scratched or damaged, we only have to replace 1 of the 3 damaged parts ie 500 rs expense compared to say 4000 rs expense of full tank replacement in normal bike. ". Not sure if this is a true case but this was a good detail to know.
-> Really comfortable driving posture. Felt almost as comfortable as the Avenger. Centralized & lower seat for driver. Great stats console.
-> Friend confirmed that engine & gear shifting were very smooth.
-> Easily the best (in looks) of all the bikes seen !
-> Cheapest of all the bikes considered.

After this Yamaha & Honda topped the list. I hated missing out on the ABS system of Apache...but the engine & gear system are the mainstay of the bike...while ABS is a add-on.
So I felt that I should pursue a bike with the the most comfortable & smoothest riding experience.

rohitabstract

@sayank10

• Yes I did read abt the Pulsar 200 NS when it came out. Looks great. But heard it will be coming out only in April. + It will be quite some some months after which the true test of the bike will be held ie reviews taken over a period of time.
• Since I am a first time biker, speed isn't much of a criteria. So an underpowered FZ & a great pickup of Apache don't matter to me as much as comfort & ease of handling.
• At times I wish I was an experienced biker rather than a newbie....wouldn't have minded spending more for the speedy powerful KTM Duke 200

@raghu123

• I found the Pulsar 220 comfortable but a little heavy. The TVS was damn light & easier to handle

@kartikpai

• All true & Thanks !

@vineshp

• Forgive me....but I don't like fazer ! Somehow I dislike all bikes with big fairings...dunno why....prefer naked muscled bikes :-/

vrugonnab

I just wish everyone is as clear in their mind just like you and follow it up with proper research & testrides just the way you did. Guess, FZ is good enough as you are not concerned with mileage.

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Go-cool

Good research done there Rohit, hats off

In that case, since you have mentioned style is important for you than mileage, FZ is your best bet. Good street fighter and scores good in the styling department..

But my vote - Apache any day. Apache RTR 160 was my first bike, actually I bought a new one and learnt riding on it Great acceleration, handling, mileage and a VFM. The usual vibes and rough gearbox - trust me, it makes me feel like I am riding a bike, rather than being a turn OFF.

I own a CBR250R ABS now, but my good old RTR is the best. No offence, my opinion...

Keep us posted on which bike u choose.