Re: Please help me choose my first steed

All the options you have selected are unique in their own way. Ultimately it comes down how do 'you' feel in the saddle. If possible, arrange for these bikes from friends, relatives, rentals to get a fair idea. Because, that is how your bike is going to be like after a year or two. The showrooms always maintain the bikes. You most probably will not get a good idea from the short test rides as well.
Give a try to Saluto and SS125. Both are smooth and capable machines. Saluto is oriented towards a better low-end torque and mileage. SS125 is for a better top end and highway riding pleasure. From my personal experience, I'd suggest, include SS125 in your list.

Re: Please help me choose my first steed

Why haven't you considered Suzuki Slingshot. If you have a good svc nearby, you could give it a try. One of my friend was in a similar situation and bought slingshot an year ago and has already clocked 23k kms. It returns a healthy milage of 63-67 in Bangalore city traffic and very easy on maintenance, I haven't seen him spend anything apart from the regular service.

I own a YAMAHA Fz v1 and I would also suggest you the Saluto and ss125 as these bikes are extremely reliable, excellent build quality, smooth engines and comparatively good looking (perspective)

So, go on and take test drives and take a call. Good luck

Sent from my C5302 using xBhp Connect mobile app

Re: Please help me choose my first steed

Well, I didnt like the looks of the slingshot. And yeah I will consider the yamahas, the ss125 does look nice.

Sent from my D2202 using xBhp Connect mobile app

Re: Please help me choose my first steed

Guys there has been a change of plans, today i sat down with my dad and talked about the bikes I shortlisted and my plan about taking a duke 200 later ,he told me to still go for a 150cc bike as when I change to a duke 200, he wants to use my 150cc bike and he doesnt like underpowered 125cc bikes. So I guess, from now on I need a 150cc bike with minimum maintenance and good fe.

So I'm gonna update my first post now.

Sent from my D2202 using xBhp Connect mobile app

Re: Please help me choose my first steed

You have a wide range of options in the 150cc segment. It would depend upon how much you are willing to spend.

Since your dad will be using it later, you could look at something like Honda unicorn 160. It ticks almost all your requirements.

And again, you will have to settle for a lower mileage. Bikes in this segment usually return 45-55 kmpl. What all options do you have in mind?


Sent from my C5302 using xBhp Connect mobile app

Re: Please help me choose my first steed

Well sachin, my maximum budget is going to be a shy of 90k nothing above that. I read in xbhp that the Honda unicorn 160 uses poor quality plastics and the switch gear too is from the lower models.

Sent from my D2202 using xBhp Connect mobile app

Re: Please help me choose my first steed



This is a similar thread. Take a look. Almost all the options available for you are discussed briefly there. Hopefully this would help you choose one.

Sent from my C5302 using xBhp Connect mobile app

Re: Please help me choose my first steed

With the Unicorn 160, I feel what you are paying for is the surefire quality of the engine. I understand that Honda has made a very bad choice about what kind of peripherals the bike will have. It was a very big turn off for me when I was looking at upgrading from my 100cc Twister. I was so sure of buying the CBR150R. When I went for a test drive, I was so shocked to see that the switch gear was the exact same as my Twister. It turned me off so much that I decided to go for an RTR 180 ABS.

Do not get me wrong on this - but now, after 3 years with my RTR I still think about life with a CBR150R. I miss a fairing on my RTR. I miss the refined engine. I have to deal with vibrations that are close to non-existent on the CBR. The switch gear on my RTR looks great but it doesn't give the greatest performance any more. The light switches are faulty. The engine kill switch needs coaxing to kill the engine. But the switch gear on my twister, though they look half the quality of my RTR's switch gear, still do their job without complaint. And my Twister is almost 5 years going now.

Hope this experience helps.

As far as bike advice goes, I think the Unicorn 160 answers all your needs. I have not felt a smoother engine in the class that this. I am totally mesmerized by the engine's refinement. Your dad will love the power and how smooth the engine feels.

Re: Please help me choose my first steed

Thank you very very much for sharing this experience. I was weighing the yamaha fz fi, gixxer and the unicorn 160 and was about to drop the unicorn 160 due to the low quality plastics and fz fi due to fi maintenance cost being high and inability of local mechanics to fix if any issue occur . Now I will give the unicorn 160 a really serious thought.

Sent from my D2202 using xBhp Connect mobile app

Re: Please help me choose my first steed

Thank you sachin, now I'm confused between gixxer and uni 160. I guess a test drive will be the final judge.

Sent from my D2202 using xBhp Connect mobile app

Re: Please help me choose my first steed

Remember to take your dad on the TD too. After all, he is the one who has to live with the bike in long term!

Re: Please help me choose my first steed

Yeah of course, he likes the gixxer better in looks. We'll go for td soon.

Sent from my D2202 using xBhp Connect mobile app

Re: Please help me choose my first steed

Me and my rode my friend's unicorn 160 last day and really liked it, there is a lot of power and torque, the switch gear does suck though, and he said the bike was automatically shifting down from 5th gear to 4th sometimes.

I test rode the apache rtr 160 and got the quotation. Switch gear quality was okay okay, there were gaps in the switches and while riding i could feel some irregularities in the fueling and the gears were very hard. The seating position was okay but I didnt like the apache, maybe i should try riding a more used bike.

Sent from my D2202 using xBhp Connect mobile app

Re: Please help me choose my first steed

The auto downshift is a matter of simple clutch tuning. The ASC guys should be able to fix that without an issue and also in minimal time.

The gears being hard is understandable with a test bike. Try asking them to give you a fresh test bike. Something that has been recently serviced/newly acquired for test rides. Test ride bikes are often neglected and the people test riding usually treat the bike very harshly - I've done it myself(and I'm not proud of it). So you might not like the way the bike is. As far as the gaps in fueling goes, I can vouch for the RTR160. It has good power and torque delivery. Very uniform and well engineered. But people generally do not like the unrefined nature of the bike - which was never an issue with me. Seating is something a lot of people find awkward - I agree. After riding some bikes with better ergonomics I find my RTR's ergonomics questionable to some extent. But its a matter of getting used to it.

Re: Please help me choose my first steed

The apache they gave me was one which was on display, when i asked for testdrive he took that display bike down , gave it to me, looked fresh, with the plastic sheets still on and all. Is the apaches rawness like the duke 200s urgency n hooligan nature?

Sent from my D2202 using xBhp Connect mobile app