[abhinav.s]

Originally Posted by Asish_VK

Hey you are a college going guy and as per you, a safe rider, why not something stylish ? I would suggest you to avoid the commuter-ish unicorn/hunk/GS150R etc..

Totally agree to this comment!! Top of the list should be the R15v2. But if like you have mentioned you dont want to burden your parents more than a lakh, your next best bet is the RTR200. If you are willing to pay 82k for the RTR160 which is again a carb bike and feel it is VFM, you should definitely consider the RTR200 carb version. It makes 6bhp more, has an all digital console, and the major fact to consider (based on initial ride reports) is that they have ironed out the annoying vibrations in the 4000-5000rpm range in the RTR200. Why would you worry if it is a fully faired bike or a naked if you are getting your share of fun for the price you pay! Happy choosing..

[sathya.bhat]

Hello there,

I own a naked Suzuki Gixxer and have driven more than 5000KM now. Compared to Honda bikes it has a sweet sounding engine. It still turns heads as few bikes are on road. The grip and handling is very good. The gearing and breaks are just ok though. After sales is a hit or miss.
I have not had any issues with the bike till now *touch wood*. For a college-goer, I feels it is a perfect bike. Just enough power, street styling, pillion seat where friends can sit, practical, decent milage are its main points. I have written a reviewof it on TeamBHP. Have a look. Also you can ping me if you have any specific question.

Ride safe.

[Rohit_Quad]

If i were you, I would go for the fared Gixxer or the CB Hornet. The performance of bikes is very good. But I feel, if you need a complete bike for all round usage, you should definitely look at the 200AS. Has a KTM bottom end, oodles of performance on tap, 6 gears (trust me, it will be a huge + on high way trips) and the quality is decent. Also the low beam projector is a boon. The only fly in the ointment is that it costs upwards of 1L. The 220 is a torque monster and has power every where in the rev band and is a delight to drive as well, but it is a bit old now and the worthy replacement for that is the 200AS.

[meetzap]

Hi,

I own a TVS Apache 180 RTR ABS version and boy let me tell you, ABS works wonders, be it slippery wet roads during rains or under maintenance/dug up roads with gravel all around.

It's been a year now and I have done 10K on ODO. I got it for 99,700 on Road, including 0 dep insurance. I've driven Honda Unicorn prior to Apache and really miss the smooth and silent engine that it offered. Apache being RTR has quick acceleration but is vibrant and noisy, but given the safety feature of ABS that it offers, its the best of the lot.

I get a decent mileage of around 40 in City.

Hope this helps you.

[swift_guy]

Thanks for the great response people. I am overwhelmed. Nice to hear from so many bikers here. Instead of individually replying to every post, I would list down some information in points to avoid clutter.

1. Even I am against commuter-ish designs like Unicorn, etc. and want some flair. I checked out Hornet at the showroom today and didn't like the styling at all. Instead the CBR twins were stunning, though understated and out of budget.

2. Regarding ABS, I do not intend to ride much in monsoons. I have the Swift idle for that purpose. Bike is more of a want than a need in the current scenario. If ABS helps in gravel/sand layers on the road, I will consider it. Otherwise I don't feel that I would encounter this falling-hurting scenario. One can not have all things on a budget.

In my ABS equipped Swift the wheel locks in 3 out of 5 scenarios where light gravel/sand is involved. If the bike behaves similarly, I don't find any problem in going for a non ABS bike. All depends on my riding, and viewing it positively, lack of ABS would make me more attentive on road I think.

3. I am not sure if R15 is really worth the price, especially for one who isn't a fast rider or one who redlines in every gear. I stay under 3k RPM for my car mostly, so I would hardly go beyond 7k RPM on the bike. Spending 1 Lac+ on a Royal Enfield is mainly because that is the minimum one has to spend to enter into the brand. We are considering only the lowest version of RE with electric start (as kick start in a Bullet is not for the slim people like me!).

4. Owning and maintaining is not a problem as I am a DIY loving guy. I love to get my hands dirty, working on a machine, stripping it down, joining it back and so on with ultimate precision.

5. A used bike like Karizma (old) is also a good option. I do not know any passionate riders here and finding a less abused piece is very difficult. I have an offer of 50k for a 2013 Pulsar 200NS with 10k on the odo, but these performance machines would have a had a very rough life in these 10k kms. That is the sole reason holding me back. What are some reliable used bikes I can consider? Budget around 50k, as used bikes are pretty cheap here.

[MDED]

Originally Posted by swift_guy

Hello folks. I am in the market for a 2 wheeler with a budget of Rs. 1 Lac tops. Have a look at my situation and give your suggestions and views on the bikes I have considered.

Hello there,
During my MBA days in 2007-2009 I had borrowed the bike of my cousin who was away in dubai and rode it till 2009. The bike was passion plus. I was placed in a leading Public Sector Bank in 2009 at an average salary. I wanted to have a bike and during those days I knew about only Pulsar 150 and Karizma. Since, dad was financing my requirement he said if you will buy Hero Honda Splendor or Passion, he will chip in or else not. I didn't had any other option, took 50,000 from dad and bought passion pro in 2009 and drove it till June of 2012. At 35000 kms ODO sold it to a nice guy. Reasons for selling : Non availability of ride comfort and poor mileage. Bought Unicorn and rest as they say is history.

Originally Posted by Viju

I will probably be termed a kill-joy for doing this, but here goes. Since you are still a student, I am assuming your parents are paying for the bike. On top of it, they want you to use it for the next 7 - 8 years. It is your first bike. You may have two Hondas in your stable, but I would still advise you to buy a plain vanilla Unicorn 150 and enjoy the ride.

No Viju, you ain't killing it. Your advice is worth every dime. Parent money, healthy budget till 1 lakh. He can buy Unicorn and save Rs 20000 for other expenses. This money probably can be used for buying a lappy.

Hope this helps.

[johannskaria]

A used 2014 RE Thunderbird would be my suggestion.
It was part of the new age models from RE with better quality of components and less maintenance. A good entry to the RE ecosystem.

[VW2010]

ABS is not useful in Gravel. In fact it wrecks safety while using a bike with ABS on gravel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JhenlQlWuA

This probably summarizes the gravel situation to an extent. ABS overall is a plus. In fact as a new timer in bikes you may actually end up using the ABS more effectively than those getting ABS bikes from old school non abs ones they owned earlier. Reason, ABS breaking requires some training and skill where traditionally you are inclined to avoid harsh breaking knowing you will skid. In ABS bikes its pretty much opposite where you break hard and let ABS take control.

I am not a fan of pulsar. Their tank design and the way it basically breaks ones balls makes it my last choice and those bikes to me has no character. I mean even between a karizma and Pulsar, i will enjoy riding the Karizma more. They are absolutely brilliant machines but just not a character machines for me.

[Sheel]

I rode the Hornet and if it had EFI, I would have traded my CBR 250R happily for it. The handling, short wheelbase and brakes do make sure that you are going to have a lot of fun below 90.

You may also check out the Yamaha FZ or a used KTM 200. I would go for a naked bike as you are basically commuting in it, heck, you can tour on a naked too and it is very practical for our everyday usage.

Don't ruke out the FI, for less usage, you won't have to put it in choke and kick the bike till glory. FI works.

If buying a Unicorn, makes sense to buy the Unicorn 160, it is much improved than the earlier iteration and is built as good.

[scorpian]

Swift Guy,

Karizma essentially is a great bike engine wise, am talking of the old one in specific, my one bike has crossed 78k kilometers and till date I have just had regular oil/air filter and once the cam tensioner replaced. My other two bikes have clocked 40k and 53k and are dong great, why do I own three same bikes? I got them from my close friends who sold them to me. A red/black/and silver adorn my garage.
Besides that there have been no expenses, you need to be careful with the plastic parts but there is work around with same and once you do that you would not need to replace them ever.

The handling etc is spot on and in my humble opinion it still looks classy till date.

I would suggest you ride a few karizmas on sale and put up your doubts regarding the same, we can then guide you.

Karizma like 2004 model etc are sold for like 20k-25k and trust me at that price, using the best oil and service you can have a reliable no nonsense bike in max 35k including new tyres.

[swift_guy]

johannskaria - A close friend has a Thunderbird 350, and I totally agree that it is a modern iteration, with less niggles (not one problem since 1 year) and more features (digi odometer, fuel gauge, hazard light, projector, LED taillight, rear disc and what not). I have rode it a few times and it felt good, though a bit heavy at low speeds. Other friends said that it looks HUGE for my size. I will search for used ones, but RE machines do not depreciate much and finding a 2014 one below a lakh would be a problem. Still thanks for suggesting.

MDED - I completely respect your opinion. Being a college goer in this age, I am not sure I would end up with a Unicorn instead of an Apache, or FZ or Pulsar. Times and trends were different in 2009-12 and trust me, even my dream bikes used to be Passion (old one), Discover (new one) and so on. I froze on seeing a black Karizma.

If I would have felt a *need* for a bike, I would have got these reliable trusted legends eyes closed but since I *want* a bike now, I am looking for something more modern, with more appeal, designed for youth. Being in a decent financial condition, I don't think even my family members would consider my decision for a commuter-ish bike.

VW2010 - Thanks for sharing that video on ABS. I will consider it since 180 ABS is just under my budget. I agree Pulsar tank design (esp the new AS/NS series) looks really dangerous for the balls even in case of a minor shunt or hard braking. A deal-breaker? I'm not sure.

Sheel - Looks are totally subjective, and I didn't like the Honda range of bikes. They look sharp, edgy but lack the muscle or sportiness that I am looking for. I prefer faired (semi is alright) bikes as it gives a sense of riding a bigger (displacement as well as dimensions) bike. I have not ruled out FI, just that options in fuel injected bikes are very less (FZ, Fazer, AS200 and I think ZMR also).

scorpian - Do you mean to say that new Karizmas (2014 ones) have less reliable engines than old ones? I have rode a friend's Karizma R (2010 or 11 I guess) many times and liked it. It does look more classy and ages well. I will easily manage a 2010/2011 model in 35k, rates are low in NCR. How is ZMR in comparison to R, in terms of reliability? Practically speaking, I had no problems with old Karizma R, not a single issue. Just that the mileage was a bit less at 35 kmpl. It is an ideal bike even today.

So now the options are like -

1. Yamaha FZ16 v1.0 @ 84k (or v2.0 @ 92k)
2. Suzuki Gixxer @85k
3. TVS Apache RTR160 @ 82k (or 180ABS @ 1 Lac)
4. Bajaj Avenger Street 150 @ 85k
5. Bajaj Pulsar 220F @ 1 Lac
6. Used Karizma R @ 30-35k (or ZMR @ 40-45k)
7. Used Fazer v1.0 @ 40-45k
8. Used Avenger 220 (old) @ 35-40k

Ruled out Honda due to styling, AS series because of seat height and used Duke/R15/P200NS due to their aggressive nature (more chances of being thrashed).

[sam_sant2005]

Here are my thoughts on your list.

1. Hero Karizma R - Karizma is beyond its age and they did a super flop with the design. It is such an utter flop that it is dangerous to go for that bike. Simply it isn't a wise decision.

2. Honda - Yes agree their only flick was Unicorn 150 and the CBR twins. However recently I test drove the Hornet and it looked decent. Yes but there is a risk of flop like the Dazzler. Unicorn 160 sale also has come down.

3. Yamaha FZ - This is my bike for you. You can go for V1. It is a no non-sense bike. Easy to use, flickable, sturdy and best for short rides.

4. TVS Apache RTR 160 - (Apache sells 20000 per month. Not bad when you consider 5-7k sales for Gixxer, FZ sells ~20k) Generally I have heard bad things about TVS engines as such. They have niggles too and service is not the best. However my point is in case you want to take TVS, it should be for the ABS. Apache RTR 180 ABS. My friend recently took it based on my advice, however the reason for him to reject all the other bikes was because his built was small and wife wanted a comfy seating in the rear. FZ and Gixxer were near but he went old school. His only concern with the bike is vibes above 5k rpm and also the engine life say after 3-4 years.
Note: Don't go gaga over rear disc brake. Those are for professionals who need precise braking for drifts and all. Normal users dont need disc brake in rear. Rear brake is only for slight balancing. The whole focus should be on front brakes.

5. Bajaj - I am a Bajaj fan because no Bajaj has ever let me down, not even for a starter problem. I have used bikes ranging from 4S Champion, 1st Gen 150, 150 DTSi, 220 DTSi and now NS200. One thing I can vouch though is that NS200 is by far the best product from Bajaj stable. 220 is good but slightly heavy and not that flickable. NS200, engine is awesome, yes some vibes when compared to Duke, however Bajaj has come a long way. Even gears are close to perfect even compared to Honda. Only problem though is the rear brake. You need to be careful not to skid. Otherwise the NS200 is a 5 star. It is 85% as good as Duke 200 and 40% cheaper. So to me, it is a stellar bike. However I must admit that the quality (spare parts especially) of the other Bajaj bikes i.e the one below 90k are pathetic to say the least.

6. Suzuki Gixxer - I felt the refinement was good. Yes as you said it is definitely overhyped. But Suzuki engines are good. Nothing wrong in going for this one.

7. RE - I have used a CI350 in the past. I know 24000 whopping Bullets get on Indian roads every month. However, leave aside the weight, here are some of my quick tips on Bullets (Bullet owners excuse me) :-
- Bullets were designed for low speed heavy luggage transportation way back in 40's
- without major design changes even today same bikes are on road with much better engines
- due to the above two changes, handling and braking is a problem with Bullets. I have experienced severe skidding on bullets, especially with their punny rear tyres.
- There are niggles and as somebody precisely said, Bullet are durable for a longer period in terms of engine life probably, however they are not reliable. I have experienced cable breaks etc which are rare in Japanese or Bajaj bikes
- even today i see some bullet owners using the kick starter instead of electric start (may be they are cautious). I dont even remember using kick start for my other bikes in the past 10 years.
- some breakdowns here and there i have seen even for brand new bullets
- now, suppose it brokedown, dont ever think you can push a bullet. it is very hard. And don't bother pushing if it is a puncture. On the contrary, other new gen bikes, see with the tubeless tyres and even if they are fully flat you could ride them or atleast push them to a service center. I have driven P220 on a punctured flat wheel for a couple of kms without damage.
- Bullet sells on cult, nothing else. If you have cult following, go for it, but keep in mind the above points. I am a bullet fan though but don't want to own one.

EDITED since you added new bikes to the list :-

1. Bajaj Avenger Street 150 @ 85k - I think the 150 engine was popped up on the Avenger recently. I suggest to go for 220cc.
6. Used Karizma R @ 30-35k (or ZMR @ 40-45k) - I had a terrible experience with ZMR recently with a fuel pump issue which was posted on team-bhp. Karizma R is a better choice, however it is hard to get less used and good condition bikes. If ever you get a sparingly used "Hero Honda" Karizma R, go for it. It is a champion bike. Benz for me in bikes, excellent comfort.
7. Used Fazer v1.0 @ 40-45k - Not bad.
8. Used Avenger 220 (old) @ 35-40k - Bajaj bikes engine should be closely checked while buying used ones. Bajaj engines hold good when maintained properly, read ONLY when maintained properly.

[scorpian]

The last version of karizma with the buell design is not so great due to terrible vibrations and engine roughness.Rode a batch of five bikes all felt terrible.

The original karizma with the monogram and the second with the sticker on tank were in my opinion the best,then came the R series which had a few changes with cdi etc.

The zmr is essentially the same bike with fuel injection and fully faired.In my opinion extra weight to chug around.Fuel pump failure on few bikes has been seen.I believe there's some company/dealer in pune that makes replacement fuel pumps at a cheaper price.

Just buy the normal karizma its a easy bike with carb, thats quite easy to tune and DIY.

[Swapnil4585]

If I were you, I'd have gone in for the Suzuki GS150R, eyes closed. Yes, there are issues with the timely availability of parts and scarce service centres of Suzuki, to buy them. But then the main benefit of this bike is that it is a 6 speed. You can use it as a long distance tourer, as well as a commuter. It gives a decent fuel economy, has tall seating and enough highway weight. It has a disc brake at front and drum at rear. You'd miss the ABS on this one though. You may survey spare parts dealer for this one in advance, and stock on consumables.

Apart from the GS150R, I'd suggest the re-launched Unicorn 150. It's a quiet and staid workhorse from the Honda stable. Both these bikes shall serve the purpose of a commuter as well as a tourer.

While considering the Apache & Co., the Yamaha family, do consider the driving position these bikes offer, and the effects on your neck and shoulders in the long run.

[Gansan]

I don't think the GS 150R is available any more. Was stopped at least six months back. If still available, please let me know, I will buy one immediately.