Tweet
My first bike was a Hero Honda Splendor which was followed by a Honda Unicorn. Being Honda it was butter smooth and frankly, there was no problem with the bike. I had ridden it almost 42,000 km and had gotten bored with it. It lasted very long and I sold it to another person who is still happily riding it.
After Unicorn, I started looking for a new bike that would be more powerful. The budget was around 1.5 lakhs. I had a cruiser bike in mind because of the low seating position and relaxed riding style. I found the Royal Enfield bike quite heavy and high on vibrations.
I had rented Bajaj Avenger Cruise once in Mysore and my wife also accompanied me as a pillion and she liked the seating position. She was finding it tough to sit on other streetfighter model bikes because of the sloping seating position and the height. This helped me shortlist this bike. Within my budget, I could not find a powerful, pillion friendly, and easy to maintain bike.
I found the Avenger cruise too shiny for my taste and decided on the 220 Street Model. Delivery was fast. I purchased this bike in October 2019
What I like the most about the bike is how it makes me feel while riding. It’s very smooth and effortless to ride. The bike can easily cruise at 70-80 km/h all day. I have ridden it at 120 km/h during my trip from Chennai to Kerala which is almost a 700 km ride.
The entire bike vibrates a lot especially at the footrest and handlebar at triple-digit speeds. At 153 kg and the long wheelbase and low centre of gravity means it’s very stable on highways. It does not shake when a truck or bus passes by. The bike is good for long highway rides at a cruising speed of less than 90 km/h.
I did not get any back pain during my ride. The long seat means there is a lot of space for pillion and rider. The black colour, with black alloys and the blacked-out engine is surely an attention grabber. The switch quality feels good but not premium. The alloy wheels in the street model have tubeless tyres and puncture repair is a breeze. I like this the most.
I also got the seat changed as the rear seat was quite narrow. The bike is easy to maintain and the service from Bajaj is quite affordable. I get around 35-37 km/l mileage which I feel is good for a 220cc engine. The headlight though a halogen unit is quite bright and is enough to ride in the city and lights the road very well.
The tail lamp looks unique and is visible from a distance. Another pro is, it’s customizable and a lot of accessories can be added. I have added fog lamps and hazard lights and also changed the handlebar recently to suit my height. I am 5’10”.
If I count the cons, the rear brakes are useless and don’t offer any bite. Rear disc brakes would have helped. Emergency braking makes the rear slide and is quite dangerous. The cruiser seating position also means that when the roads are bad I have to slow down else it hurts my back. I can’t stand up a bit to pass the bad road.
With a pillion, if I cross a speed breaker without slowing down, the bottom gets scrapped off. The fuel meter is useless, and the reading is inaccurate. The rear shock absorbers are also not very effective. It has a long turning radius but is manageable in the city. There is no place to store any documents on the bike that is easily accessible.
Here is the picture of my bike. Now I am looking for another bike for longer rides and have shortlisted Dominar 250 and RE Himalayan. I may not buy it immediately but I am on the lookout.
After Unicorn, I started looking for a new bike that would be more powerful. The budget was around 1.5 lakhs. I had a cruiser bike in mind because of the low seating position and relaxed riding style. I found the Royal Enfield bike quite heavy and high on vibrations.
I had rented Bajaj Avenger Cruise once in Mysore and my wife also accompanied me as a pillion and she liked the seating position. She was finding it tough to sit on other streetfighter model bikes because of the sloping seating position and the height. This helped me shortlist this bike. Within my budget, I could not find a powerful, pillion friendly, and easy to maintain bike.
I found the Avenger cruise too shiny for my taste and decided on the 220 Street Model. Delivery was fast. I purchased this bike in October 2019
What I like the most about the bike is how it makes me feel while riding. It’s very smooth and effortless to ride. The bike can easily cruise at 70-80 km/h all day. I have ridden it at 120 km/h during my trip from Chennai to Kerala which is almost a 700 km ride.
The entire bike vibrates a lot especially at the footrest and handlebar at triple-digit speeds. At 153 kg and the long wheelbase and low centre of gravity means it’s very stable on highways. It does not shake when a truck or bus passes by. The bike is good for long highway rides at a cruising speed of less than 90 km/h.
I did not get any back pain during my ride. The long seat means there is a lot of space for pillion and rider. The black colour, with black alloys and the blacked-out engine is surely an attention grabber. The switch quality feels good but not premium. The alloy wheels in the street model have tubeless tyres and puncture repair is a breeze. I like this the most.
I also got the seat changed as the rear seat was quite narrow. The bike is easy to maintain and the service from Bajaj is quite affordable. I get around 35-37 km/l mileage which I feel is good for a 220cc engine. The headlight though a halogen unit is quite bright and is enough to ride in the city and lights the road very well.
The tail lamp looks unique and is visible from a distance. Another pro is, it’s customizable and a lot of accessories can be added. I have added fog lamps and hazard lights and also changed the handlebar recently to suit my height. I am 5’10”.
If I count the cons, the rear brakes are useless and don’t offer any bite. Rear disc brakes would have helped. Emergency braking makes the rear slide and is quite dangerous. The cruiser seating position also means that when the roads are bad I have to slow down else it hurts my back. I can’t stand up a bit to pass the bad road.
With a pillion, if I cross a speed breaker without slowing down, the bottom gets scrapped off. The fuel meter is useless, and the reading is inaccurate. The rear shock absorbers are also not very effective. It has a long turning radius but is manageable in the city. There is no place to store any documents on the bike that is easily accessible.
Here is the picture of my bike. Now I am looking for another bike for longer rides and have shortlisted Dominar 250 and RE Himalayan. I may not buy it immediately but I am on the lookout.
Comment