The comments that I had made in my reviews of the Test Rides of the 150 C.C bikes seem to match with what "Overdrive" has to say in its Test Rides of three of the latest 150 C.C bikes..
The three 150 C.C bikes used in the review are
- Bajaj Pulsar 150 DTSi
- Hero Honda CBZ Xtreme
- TVS Apache
One remarkable thing (for me and my blog) is that Overdrive have made IDENTICAL COMMENTS about these bikes in its review; which matches the comments which I had made in the last 4 posts (150 C.C Test Ride Series)...!!
Get a copy of the this months Overdrive Issue and check it out yourself..!! BTW this particular issue is Overdrive's 100'th Issue..!! Congrats on your century Overdrive.
Comments made by Overdrive which matches with my comments on the three 150 C.C models...
- Bajaj Pulsar: The bike looks gr8 (Duh..!! any TDH will have that opinion)
- CBZ Xtreme: Excellent Pick Up, Great Handling, Very Comfortable Riding Position
- TVS Apache: Hard Gearbox, Uncomfortable Riding Position, Small Bike Feel
I though don't agree with a couple of those riders that the CBZ Xtreme looks beautiful... In my opinion the styling of this otherwise excellent bike a major sore point and might affect its sales (It'll be a pity if that happens).
But then, everyone can have his/her opinion can't they..?? Well I think I can chuck my MBA and be an Auto Journalist instead... Whaddaya Say..??
And Oh Yeah.. I almost forgot to tell you.. The CBZ Xtreme is the Winner in the 24 Hr. Test Ride..!!
But Pulsar fans (including me) need not worry much coz.. till 100 Kmph the Pulsar is the fastest of the three (according to Overdrive test data)..!! Its just after 100 Kmph where the CBZ scores over the Pulsar. Now that should not bother a normal biker because unless its a drag racing event, very rarely would the user cross 100 kmph..!!
After 100 Kmph..?? Well Big Brother 180 will just be lurking around the corner...
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Disclaimer:
This is to remind that the Views or Opinions in the blog are entirely mine unless explicitly stated. The Views and Opinions published in this blog should in no way be related to any other person or organization associated -- directly or indirectly -- with me.
17 Comments:
hey thats good to know.. u did make pretty interesting comments not just abt the bike but also knowing about your showroom experience was cool.
hey, being a "power hungry" biker i would have loved to see you take the bikes to the limits, understandably its not always possible with showroom bikes, but hey - it would have been damn neat!
i hope u get ur hands on a new pulsar 150 soon..!! and write abt its ride as well..!!
Sure Aditya...
I would like to take the Pulsar 150 for a ride too.. count on me..
BTW if u r interested u can also sumbit a "Guest Article" on my blog... u can mail it to "spayeng@gmail.com"...
If I enjoy it.. I would love to publish it on my blog.. along with due credits to you..
What do you think..??
???
Big brothers [P180 and P200, p220?] lurking around the corner...!
well,the maximum speed being 120kmph on P150.so if it leads the race till 100kmph,that shoulbe fine,as you mentioned correctly,it very tough cross the 100kmph mark on the city roads,or even outskirts.very rarely i find a deserted road near city,where you can test your bike's speed limits.however nice article on the test drives...cheers!
Thanks Kamal...
Yes you are right about how rarely we get to cross 100 kmph..
I have done that on a very very few occassions... anyway my GF certainly won't approve of me riding that fast.. till 80-90 seems fine to me...
[In overdrive it was quoted that the pulsar 150 is reluctant to go beyond 105-106 kmph... while the CBZ Xtreme reached around 120 kmph]
i have the earlier version (i guess 3rd version)of p150,and i can ride with ease at 110-120 kmph.on the deserted road ofcourse:)but neverbeen able to go above 120kmph sofar.
i believe the new pulsar can reach 120 mark easily.
@ kamal.. well u should consider speedo error - the newest pulsars and their contact free speedos will show the "real" speed @ which u r going.. of course noone mentions about the cbz's speedo error too which is gonna b there for sure.
hey payeng sure i would write something - i have a classic pulsar and i love the beast! soon, pucca.
I agree with Aditya..
The recent Pulsars are touted to have on the emost accurrate speedos in the country..
Well, i find dis a bit tricky...
Starting to wonder how much did Hero honda pay Overdrive to write that shit..
> Top speed 110, but can cross 120 ?
> why uncorn wasnt there..? Isnt its Shocks debatable on sucha trip, wont it give a better drive..?
> N yea, Apart frm Xtreme; de oder bike were in their running period(see odometer reading). Dat of xtreme was above 1400kms n of pulsar n apache was below 500kms..
Unfair comparison..
Dis would make overdrive wealthy, 100th issue 75 bucks..for a shit like this..
Maltesh..
# I have taken test ride of the CBZ Xtreme.. and believe me.. the engine and the handling of the bike is worth of a praise...
# Its also not proper to make remarks of Overdrive being sold out to HH.. Lets be fair to Overdrive and HH..
# But I still can't comprehend how a few riders from Overdrive found the styling of the CBZ Xtreme as good looking (!!??!!)
# the CBZ Xtreme does dissappoint in Styling.. But if one can digest looks the looks, its a good piece of Engg.
Ya Payeng is right...
The CBZ XTreme is a very good bike by Hero Honda. My friends bought one of them and I took it from him for 3 days. And believe my, it was the best biking experience ever. I have a daily up and down of 50kms, and didnt feel a slight of ache in my body after the long ride. The seating position, gear shifts and throttle response is da best of 150s. Even the styling isnt bad, back side is gorgeous but front is Chic Reflector(no one would like to see those large indicators coming out of the neck of visor).
So as Payeng said it depends on the person who is buying the bike.
If he's a regular commuter and can compromise on styling then CBZ Xtreme is the best choice.
But we buy 150s mainly for style and power, so we cant neglect the new Pulsar 150 DTSi.
No one can resist buying the new Pulsar with all those new features
like Digital meters, Self cancelling indicators, Contact free
switches, and the new sharp attractive back unit(with LEDs).
But the handling and ride quality is still the same which isnt better than the CBZ X. The gears have been revised but still isnt up to the mark. In my test ride I had problem with the 5th gear. I might get allright after some frequent use.
So those Bikers who want to buy a 150cc bike now then I recommend to go for the New Pulsar which is just Rs2000 odd bucks more than older one.
And for those who wanna wait then I'm sure HH will think revising the style of CBZ X after all these comments. Even a newer Apache might hit the stands. So dont be impatient. But I must say the I felt much better on CBZX than on my old Pulsar and CBZ Star.(A very worthy successor)
Hope Hero Honda does something with the styling.. because unlike a few people I will never be able to look beyond its looks..
I know it a good bike but for me a bike has to look nothing sort of GORGEOUS. something which the Pulsar has in plenty.
Do something and something fast. I'll soon make a post which would show which direction Hero Honda should move...
N yea TVS is getting a 185 cc Apache oil cooled DOHC..
ryt now they have made some 4 their racing arm, they are going to make it commercial
Hi Maltesh,
Hope TVS does it soon.. after the Pulsar 200 comes into the fray and challenges the Karizma, the Pulsar 180 will have no competition.. a 185 C.C from TVS would certainly hot up the market..
Anyway could you reveal the source of your information..?? Or is it just speculation..??
Hero Honda sales zoom 12% in Feb
(Indian Express Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) In a reversal of fortunes of sorts, two-wheeler market leader Hero Honda, spurred by the success of the refurbished 150cc bike CBZ Extreme, has zoomed ahead of competition, reining in the hectic pace of growth of archrival Bajaj Auto. The market leader posted growth higher than the industry in the first two months this year. Posting sales of 280,515 bikes in February, the company saw a 12 per cent growth even as the industry grew 5 per cent. Importantly, Bajaj Auto, which was eating into Honda's market share not long ago saw a slump in February as sales dropped by 2 per cent to 171,780 units. Just over six months ago the scenario was starkly different. With the market shifting to the executive segment and the Pulsar and Discover twins ruling the roost, Hero Honda was on slippery ground steadily losing market share as the gap between the two nose-dived to just 37,000 units in September. The festive season, however, witnessed the beginning of a turnaround that continues till this day. With Bajaj struggling with capacity constraints, Hero Honda opened up the gap to over 100,000 units. With CBZ entering the market in October, the market leader has managed to maintain the gap while surging ahead of the competition. "The overall market has not changed much between September and January but what we are seeing today is Hero Honda getting aggressive in the 150cc segment. While Bajaj has lost some ground there, Hero Honda has made inroads while retaining its lead in the voluminous 100-125cc segments," said an industry analyst. SIAM figures for Sept-January show that in the 125-250cc segment considered to be Bajaj's forte, the sales have come down from 83,728 to 72,947 units while Hero Honda has grown from 4,759 to 17,072 units. This growth mirrors CBZ's number, which have gone up from 6,500 in November to around 16,000 in February. While cutting down the deficit in 150cc segment, Hero Honda has held its own in the entry level segment while Bajaj has lost a lot of ground there (See table). "We have gained market share in each of the last three months and CBZ has played a part in that. It has lifted our portfolio and we are now facing supply constraints on the model which has the potential to clock 20,000 units every month. We have done well in the entry level segment as well courtesy the new Glamour," said Anil Dua, vice-president, marketing and sales, Hero Honda. While the official press-statement of Bajaj says that the performance in February was hampered due to supply constraints, an official admitted that it was competition more than supply that led to the decline. "Hero Honda's product mix is no longer what it used to be a year ago and they appear to be much stronger now. After that low in the middle of last year they have made a strong comeback," the official said. Bajaj is already gambling with a totally new game plan of exiting the entry-level segment and elevating further up. With Hero Honda still strong in that segment, Bajaj wants to make its own rules as the battle for the top slot intensifies.
N yea TVS is getting a 185 cc Apache oil cooled DOHC..
ryt now they have made some 4 their racing arm, they are going to make it commercial
hey thats good to know.. u did make pretty interesting comments not just abt the bike but also knowing about your showroom experience was cool.
hey, being a "power hungry" biker i would have loved to see you take the bikes to the limits, understandably its not always possible with showroom bikes, but hey - it would have been damn neat!
i hope u get ur hands on a new pulsar 150 soon..!! and write abt its ride as well..!!
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