[Samba]

Well in your scenario i will suggest you the Honda Unicorn. I owned one for 5 years and covered above 50,000kms before selling it. Now my observations on it -
It has got decent pickup.
Stability is excellent due to mono shock.
Head light is decently powerful.
Brakes are really good and feels stable under hard braking too.
Honda service charges are on the lower side plus you get a lot of Honda service centers too.
The engine can take abuses with out any complaints.
The bike is reliable.
I have ridden over 500kms in a single day and can vouch for its comfort.
It returned me a constant 50km/ltr fuel efficiency through out its life unless its been revved too hard.
At the end when you decide to sell it, the bike fetches good resale value too.

[petrolhead_chn]

If the situation demands your guys to be 'on the road with the bike' most of the time it is advisable to give them an interesting ride. If not they lose interest. However, if it involves some boxes to be carried and all that, then the famous Bajaj Boxer/CT 100 would suffice wherein the rear could be modified by attaching a carrier to it. If the situation is otherwise, then a Honda Shine or even a Passion or Splendor would be a great hit. It has alloy wheels and electronic gauges with sporty looks. You may want to think about it or probably give your guys 3 choices and do a polling.

[Octane_Power]

Originally Posted by sen2009

Please suggest a few good options for this kind of usage.

Sen first of all, you need to rationalize with your staff.

You can't be giving a couple of 150 cc bikes like the Unicorn or GS150r between them.

IMO these bikes will only shift their attention from their primary job to the bikes.
They might even use them for their personal use(come on who wouldn't, given a 150 cc bike free of cost).

Also I think, you should ask them not to be part time "V.Rossi''s on the highways because our Indian highways are not at all safe for such thrill seeking rides(and the areas you mentioned are quite infamous for accidents).

And if they will be riding these bikes hard then don't expect a fuel efficiency of more than 35-38 kmpl.(and not to forget the added wear and tear of parts, tires, dis brake pads and every other part you can think of which will turn into long service bills).
They also do not have a concept of " Engine Break in" so they will be giving quite a beating to the bikes right from the moment they lay their hands on the machines.

Don't expect the new CB Unicorn to be as fuel efficient as the older Unicorns(I own the new one and i have experienced it).

To cut a long story short - "Rule out the 150cc options"

So I advise you to stick to a 110-125 cc bike from Bajaj or Hero or TVS (these companies will be affordable to you on the service cost front too).

-Bhargav

[sagarpadaki]

Also invest in a good helmet with cheaper and easily replaceable visors! No amount of bright head lamps of the bike will be sufficient if the visor of the helmet is scratched/dirty!You must consider this point with high importance!Teach them the maintenance of the helmet and the visors so as not to scratch them and tell them the importance of riding with a clean visor. Since you said that they will be riding in dusty conditions, the visor must be closed when riding. And a clean visor is very much essential when you do that!

[abhinav.s]

2 choices immediately spring to mind. Honda CB Twister (as already suggested by a few) since they are youngsters and would like the funky looking bike & TVS Star City (again already suggested). The points mentioned by Bhargav are very valid. Personal use aside, the 150cc bikes will be abused and will be heavier on the pocket to maintain compared to the pure commuter bikes. CB Twister has good low down torque to get out of sticky situations with good acceleration. It is not very heavy and has tubeless tyres. This will ensure there are no punctures at inopportune times in the night. Or even if there is one, they can either fill air or ride as is to a nearby safe place.

Coming to the current crop of Splendors, what your contacts have informed you is true. My colleague owns the yesteryear CD Dawn and a current gen 1 year old Splendor. He is totally unhappy with the Splendor as it lacks pick up, refinement and returns around 48-50kmpl. His 6 or 7 year old (not very sure of the age of the vehicle) CD Dawn is still giving him 70kmpl and has good pick up/refinement. So best you stick to Honda commuters if you are going that route. Dream Yuga from Honda which is nothing but Twister in plain clothes is also a choice but then the youth might not like the plain looks and prefer the Twister.

[hellmet]

I would have suggested the TVS Star City given that it is just a minor UI (ok, design) changes over the TVS Victor - which I've owned for 9 years now driven over highways and in city. I've yet to ever hear the spare parts guy say they've run out of spares. If they do, they just procure it from another service center within minutes. The bike also has 130mm front brakes and a large rear tire (just compare it with Splendor's). TVS bikes also have excellent headlights. Their bikes, however, are vibration kings. Not sure how they're now.

However, I like the Passion Pro on paper, because it has disc brakes and slightly larger tires than the Splendor (not sure if larger than Star City. sorry I'm poor with reading tire dimensions).

The good thing about a 100CC is that it has its limitations when it comes to speed, and the disc brake on Passion will give it sufficient safety on highways.

[sen2009]

Looking at the general opinion, I am feeling more inclined towards Shine - Twister - Unicorn in that order.
Shine seems to be a good balance and my boys are also very enthusiastic about it. Unicorn is my preference, but the extra power of 150 and the price is worrying me.
Will update this thread once I take a proper test ride on these three bikes.

Thanks everyone for the overwhelming response.

[dkaile]

Originally Posted by sen2009

I need to buy a few bikes for our service guys.

I was in a similar situation with my personnel. I got them Honda's CB Twister. Going strong since last 3 years with least headaches for me.

PS - BTW why have you given your topic a Thumbs Down? This is nothing to feel ashamed or bad about.

[phamilyman]

Firstly, very interesting. I appreciate the thought - most other businessmen never put that thought. That said, please ignore the well meaning but terrible feedback below which seems to think that more powerful vehicle is much worse, which is specious at best. I have responded in bold.

Originally Posted by Octane_Power

Sen first of all, you need to rationalize with your staff.

You can't be giving a couple of 150 cc bikes like the Unicorn or GS150r between them.

IMO these bikes will only shift their attention from their primary job to the bikes.
Why? Can anyone guarantee a 110cc may not? There are zillion villagers who ride like rowdies even on splendors.
They might even use them for their personal use(come on who wouldn't, given a 150 cc bike free of cost).
Why would this logic not apply for 110cc?

Also I think, you should ask them not to be part time "V.Rossi''s on the highways because our Indian highways are not at all safe for such thrill seeking rides(and the areas you mentioned are quite infamous for accidents).
he is being realistic, not asking them to be Rossis. He is accounting for user behavior pragmatically.

And if they will be riding these bikes hard then don't expect a fuel efficiency of more than 35-38 kmpl.(and not to forget the added wear and tear of parts, tires, dis brake pads and every other part you can think of which will turn into long service bills).
How will a 110cc prevent any of this bike abuse?
They also do not have a concept of " Engine Break in" so they will be giving quite a beating to the bikes right from the moment they lay their hands on the machines.
Modern bikes do perfectly fine with a mototune, btw.

Don't expect the new CB Unicorn to be as fuel efficient as the older Unicorns(I own the new one and i have experienced it).

To cut a long story short - "Rule out the 150cc options"

So I advise you to stick to a 110-125 cc bike from Bajaj or Hero or TVS (these companies will be affordable to you on the service cost front too).

-Bhargav

Avoid a 110cc option like the plague. It is simply out of touch with the reality that your primary usage is fast, safe travel at odd hours to odd locations around Mumbai. hence you need the equivalent of a tourer. I have toured for four years on a 110cc caliber and I can tell you that the day i upgraded to the pulsar 180 - I was kicking myself for having waited that long.

A tourer should be capable of doing good speeds, brake or accelerate out of trouble, have a good headlight. Basically have excellent midrange and brakes to not become a liability on the highways.

OPow above applies the Dominos delivery boy logic to your staff, who are potentially some sort of repairmen. They need to do "head grinding work". They don't need to just give the pizza like Dominos boys do. Dominos guys drive 10-15 min, but your guys will drive 2 hours to land up and START work. The ride should be pleasant and not torturous.

Please remember the cc in a bike has nothing to do with the safety of the driver. Proper selection (and monitoring!) of staff will go a long way.

I would vote for the Unicorn. It is a less rowdier bike than say the FZ or R15 or CBZ extreme. The tuning is of a high speed commuter, with significant power in reserve.

PS: do they still sell the disco 150 or pulsar 135? that was good too.
PPS: Ask around in your area, find a good service station from the biker community.

[sen2009]

Originally Posted by dkaile

I was in a similar situation with my personnel. I got them Honda's CB Twister. Going strong since last 3 years with least headaches for me.

PS - BTW why have you given your topic a Thumbs Down? This is nothing to feel ashamed or bad about.

That is very reassuring.
If you wouldn't mind saying - can I ask what kind of service do you deliver? And the general travel distances?

The thumbs down must have been an accidental click I guess. :-)

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Firstly, very interesting. I appreciate the thought - most other businessmen never put that thought. That said, please ignore the well meaning but terrible feedback below which seems to think that more powerful vehicle is much worse, which is specious at best. I have responded in bold.



Avoid a 110cc option like the plague. It is simply out of touch with the reality that your primary usage is fast, safe travel at odd hours to odd locations around Mumbai. hence you need the equivalent of a tourer. I have toured for four years on a 110cc caliber and I can tell you that the day i upgraded to the pulsar 180 - I was kicking myself for having waited that long.

A tourer should be capable of doing good speeds, brake or accelerate out of trouble, have a good headlight. Basically have excellent midrange and brakes to not become a liability on the highways.

OPow above applies the Dominos delivery boy logic to your staff, who are potentially some sort of repairmen. They need to do "head grinding work". They don't need to just give the pizza like Dominos boys do. Dominos guys drive 10-15 min, but your guys will drive 2 hours to land up and START work. The ride should be pleasant and not torturous.

Please remember the cc in a bike has nothing to do with the safety of the driver. Proper selection (and monitoring!) of staff will go a long way.

I would vote for the Unicorn. It is a less rowdier bike than say the FZ or R15 or CBZ extreme. The tuning is of a high speed commuter, with significant power in reserve.

PS: do they still sell the disco 150 or pulsar 135? that was good too.
PPS: Ask around in your area, find a good service station from the biker community.

I am more inclined towards Honda for two reasons.
One, the honda service centre is just 5-6 minutes walk from my office. So, it wouldn't waste my day if I have to go there and shout.

Secondly, one of my guys rides a Honda Hunk. The maintenance is a bit expensive, but very effective and proper. That bike has done about 45,000 kilometers in last 8-9 months and the bike feels totally smooth to ride.


And the most important factor is that almost everyone recommends Unicorn. Owner feedback is the most reliable thing and that is very much in favor of Honda Bikes.



Lastly, I am kind of nervous on Bajaj as many people express concern about their longevity. These bikes will not be ridden by me, and I won't check their well being very frequently. And also different guys will ride them at different times. This will cause greater damage which probably won't be rectified in time.

So, if I can cough the dough then I will get Unicorn, else Shine or Twister. Or maybe I can get one this month and maybe the second and third by next month. That would spread out the cost and let me afford a costlier bike.

[dkaile]

Originally Posted by sen2009

can I ask what kind of service do you deliver? And the general travel distances?

Sure mate. That's for my medicine wholesale wing. These guys travel and distribute mnedicines and collect payments. Daily ride is average about 50-60kms and sometimes on bad upcountry roads.

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by sen2009

Secondly, one of my guys rides a Honda Hunk. The maintenance is a bit expensive, but very effective and proper. That bike has done about 45,000 kilometers in last 8-9 months and the bike feels totally smooth to ride.

You just found your answer. 5000km/month is going to be really painful on a slower bike, esp since they travel "on call" with some time frame in mind.

That's a Hero Honda Hunk btw. Do check how their quality etc (ideally should not be an issue) is, after the honda exit. Their service is definitely a bit expensive but can be managed with sensible shortcuts (quality after market brake pads for ZMA cuts the pad cost from ~ 1500 to 200 bucks or such).

Secondly, at that mileage, you want the most unstressed bike that lasts a couple of lakh km (3 years usage). Most bikes barely make it past the 50-70k mark before some or the other issue. Please look up the place I pmed you - you should get some long term owners and go by their perspective.

You need the equivalent of a taxi on two wheels - most owners never ride as much!

[antz.bin]

Well, reading the entire thread and relooking at your requirements, I kinda agree with Mr. Phamilyman. What you really need is a cheap 150cc bike. Now let me justify why.

Most of the usage areas are highways, higher HP than 100cc bikes is if upmost importance. They need to ride at the speed of traffic to be safe on such roads.

Travel in rainy season will need extra grip. For extra grip, you need fatter tyres(crude analogy). A bike like CB TWISTER which has tyres barely as wide as those of MTBs, what kind of grip can you expect even at 60kmph. Most air cooled 150s offer 100-110 section rear tyres. Twister, I guess has an 80 section rear.

Now coming to night riding, the point about Helmet Visors is the most important one. The other point is, if you are planning on upgrading the bulbs on all bikes(to say 55w), picking a bike with DC electricals will be prudent.

Looking at all these points, a bike like a Discover 150 is a perfect fit. It is more fuel efficient than a Unicorn (almost as fuel efficient as most 125s) has DC electricals, Has front Disc brake standard, it doesn't look too flashy( since it looks identical to the 100cc Discover) so your guys won't be using them to impress girls, Bajaj offers some of the least expensive maintenance and the seat and suspension also offer a plaint and comfy ride.

Coming to the price, the Discover 150 is priced lower than many 125s, including its own sibling, the Discover 125ST. Should be yours for just about 62-63k. It just happens to be the cheapest 150 on the market.

[apachelongbow]

if you are looking at a price band of 55k or there abouts, you must look at the Hero Impulse. It seems to cross all your boxes, priced right, has a 150cc engine, good GC and is quite strongly built.

[Octane_Power]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Firstly, very interesting. I appreciate the thought - most other businessmen never put that thought. That said, please ignore the well meaning but terrible feedback below which seems to think that more powerful vehicle is much worse, which is specious at best. I have responded in bold.

Replying to the answers to my post in "BOLD":

Answer to 1 & 2)
My point here was that if you give them a 110 cc bike they will not be as excited or pepped up as when riding a 150cc bike.
And here the primary purpose is just to reach from point A to B. Not reach point A from B "in style" !!
My advice to you : Please never dream of owning a supercar or please don't buy one even if you can. Because for you, one can have an equally fun ride in a Maruti 800 as in an r8!

Answer 3)
I asked him to rationalize with his personnel that it isn't safe to ride fast and undertake risky maneuvers on the highways which he has mentioned.
I never said "Sen you are asking your personnel to be Rossi's , please stop it!"
I just asked him to ask his personnel to be safe while riding.

Answer 4)
The point here was about fuel efficiency. So you mean to say an r15 and a Splendor give the same average ?
And I am surprised looking at your "kiddy-pool" shallow knowledge that you think the spare part costs of a 110 cc bike and a 150 cc bike are the same!
I think the people at my Honda service center are quite dumb that they have kept seperate service sections for 150cc bikes, 110cc bikes and the CBR250r! Need to talk to them and ask them to have a uniform spare part cost for all the models and if needed talk to you for some tips..

Answer 5)
I don't know what you are saying here.. So can't comment.

Finally !! Calm Down!! Why so much hostility in the answers ?
Did I say anything wrong to you ever?

-Bhargav