Hero Honda CBZ Xtreme or Pulsar 150 UG3

Nikhilb2008 · 27th December 2006, 18:48

he meant the Pulsar's capacity has been increased from 143 c to 149.xx cc....

Rajeev29 · 27th December 2006, 22:47

sorry to disturb u guys. but in opinion cbz extreme would be a better option.
becoz we can see pulsar each and every second, where cbz will be a unique one.handling of cbz is suparb. and i have also heard that bajaj bikes have some gear problem.i dont know whats the fact.

Nikhilb2008 · 27th December 2006, 23:06

The old pulsars had a clunky gearbox. Nowhere as smooth as Hero Hondas....

And the old Pulsar 150 also had an all down pattern.

But now, they have changed the pattern and the transmission is so smooth, you will be hard pressed to find the difference between that and Hero Honda bikes.... I could feel the difference from my 2004 Pulsar 180 DTSi.

iamkapilb · 29th December 2006, 10:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

I think you have forgtten the increased engine capacity and hence increased performance. Plus there are a lot of other upgrades too.

Hi!
I am not discounting the increased engine capacity of pulsie, but the Xtreme too has same power output on paper. How these bikes put it on road is the question.
My review and the way i see these 2 bikes:
Seating: CBZ is better. P150/180 still doesnt have those link activated gear shifter and rearset footpegs which features in P200 and P220. Xtreme also had W I D E seats! P150/180 loses out big time here!
Gearshift: P150/180 still has notchy gearbox. I say there is no improvement in gearbox from my P150 UG. Anyone having doubts can take a test ride and confirm.
Chassis & Swingarm: Pulsar always were and still are bad at taking highspeed corners. I own one, have pushed it and confirm this! Absolutely no debating here.
So u see, functionally there is absolutely no upgrade. and it is the functional part which matters at the end, all other things fade off with time.

Now the looks. Its purely subjective and my vote goes for the Xtreme here too. The only thing which fascinates buyers(it fascinated me too) is the Digital speedometer, Switchgear with backlight, auto cancelling turn indicators which pulsar sports. But like i found out, all these things look good only in the showroom.
Heres why.. The turn indicators are a real pain. They dont have a press-to-cancel system now, which means to cancel them we need to push the switch to the other side. who remembers which side indicators are blinking? Atleast i dont! I just push the cancel button to switch it off!
This is especially painful if you have overtaken a few vehicles from left and right. I just keep giving turn signals, but after 2-3 direction changes, i lose account which indicators are blinking. Have to take eyes off the road to see if they are blinking and pointing where?
Switchgear backlight is a distraction(i feel), even if it wasnt i dont think that will be a deciding factor
Speedometer console is good with big speed readings, but whats with the extra small trip meter readout?? Riding at 80-90 with the normal vibrations its almost impossible to read them by just glancing!
And the finally tachometer. Its readings are so spaced out that you just cant say what RPM you are doing! Wheres 6.5K RPM or 8.5K RPM?
Not that pulsar has got no improvement at all! Its got more accurate speed reading, Electric starter makes less noise now and that LED tail light is good. But hasnt CBZ already got all this?

askids · 7th January 2007, 17:41

i too am in the same boat..looking to buy a 150cc bike in the next 7 to 10 days..i may be one of the few who like the all down pattern..but now all the 3 bikes in contention(P150-UG3/Apache/Xtreme) have 1 up 4 down..so i am starting neutral on this front..

i would like to have the bike with the wider seating, lesser weight, lesser vibration at higher speeds(80 to 100kmph). I will be doing long drives (~ 350 km up/down included) every weekend. Most of the times, my travel is during night, good headlights is also a major factor.

In the overdrive shootout, it was mentioned that Apache headlight's coverage is just a stone throw away? Is it true?

men_in_jean · 18th January 2007, 19:13

I will say go for the new Pulsar. You will not see so many bikes running in the country if it was not better than the others.. yes CBZ was good bike and the first of its type in our country.. but gone in haze with just some more new models came to compete it.. After that we got n number of 150 cc bikes, graptor, unicorn, fiero, etc.. etc.. but still the largest selling(150cc) bike in the country is Pulsar.. so think of it and then decide.. Pulsar is always a killer...

srasania · 18th January 2007, 20:30

wait for the Pulsar 200 cc dude...which should be out within maybe a few days/weeks..
And if I had to select among the 2 bikes which you've mentioned in this thread,definitely the Pulsar for me.

-sr

CrAzY dRiVeR · 18th January 2007, 23:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by srasania

wait for the Pulsar 200 cc dude...which should be out within maybe a few days/weeks..
And if I had to select among the 2 bikes which you've mentioned in this thread,definitely the Pulsar for me.

-sr

Mileage will be really compromised in the 200... also, price shall be head on with the ZMA...

benbsb29 · 22nd January 2007, 14:55

I've had the Pulsar for like more than 3 years now (June 2003), covered more than 53000 kms on it. On the whole the bike has been extremely reliable, and spares do not come at a premium. This version being the Classic version as its fondly referred to, does not enjoy the best of seating positions. On the other hand the CBZ (not the Xtreme) offered a suberb seating position, in addition to being more composed over bumps and so on. Pulsar did tend to bottom out on bumps with the previous suspension springs.

With respect to the new Pulsar and the Extreme, i would any day prefer the Pulsar, somehow i hate the look of the new Xtreme. Gimme the old CBZ anyday, and i wud reconsider. It had character.

CrAzY dRiVeR · 22nd January 2007, 20:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by benbsb29

With respect to the new Pulsar and the Extreme, i would any day prefer the Pulsar, somehow i hate the look of the new Xtreme. Gimme the old CBZ anyday, and i wud reconsider. It had character.

The CBZ extrme has charecter too...

It makes me remember the charecters from kathakali artform...

extreme_torque · 22nd January 2007, 21:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

The CBZ extrme has charecter too...

It makes me remember the charecters from kathakali artform...

Nice Compro dude.... ROTFLMAO

Mistakenguy · 22nd January 2007, 21:59

Nice comparison crazy !!!! This similarity is what I've been thinking ever since the bike is out . Now got it !!!

men_in_jean · 22nd January 2007, 22:47

Ha ha ha.. for somwhere i read it look like cyclops because of its eye in the forehead.. but this was a great comparison..

)

benbsb29 · 23rd January 2007, 11:49

@Crazy_Driver : That was one excellent snap.., rather a pair.
I dont knw how the guys at HH seem to have lost their sense of style when it comes to designing. After the smooth n stylish CBZ, they brought the Karizma, named it after some damned actress and head-on it looked like some UFO or something..!! They repeat this with the Xtreme now !!

Technocrat · 23rd January 2007, 11:55

Whats wrong with Karizma's looks?? I agree it has the worst name any bike could have got but looks ?

27th December 2006, 18:48	#31
Nikhilb2008 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 5,196 Thanked: 10,138 Times	he meant the Pulsar's capacity has been increased from 143 c to 149.xx cc....
	() Thanks

27th December 2006, 22:47	#32
Rajeev29 BHPian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Bhubaneswar Posts: 35 Thanked: Once	sorry to disturb u guys. but in opinion cbz extreme would be a better option. becoz we can see pulsar each and every second, where cbz will be a unique one.handling of cbz is suparb. and i have also heard that bajaj bikes have some gear problem.i dont know whats the fact.
	() Thanks

27th December 2006, 23:06	#33
Nikhilb2008 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 5,196 Thanked: 10,138 Times	The old pulsars had a clunky gearbox. Nowhere as smooth as Hero Hondas.... And the old Pulsar 150 also had an all down pattern. But now, they have changed the pattern and the transmission is so smooth, you will be hard pressed to find the difference between that and Hero Honda bikes.... I could feel the difference from my 2004 Pulsar 180 DTSi.
	() Thanks

7th January 2007, 17:41	#35
askids BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Mysore Posts: 73 Thanked: 3 Times	i too am in the same boat..looking to buy a 150cc bike in the next 7 to 10 days..i may be one of the few who like the all down pattern..but now all the 3 bikes in contention(P150-UG3/Apache/Xtreme) have 1 up 4 down..so i am starting neutral on this front.. i would like to have the bike with the wider seating, lesser weight, lesser vibration at higher speeds(80 to 100kmph). I will be doing long drives (~ 350 km up/down included) every weekend. Most of the times, my travel is during night, good headlights is also a major factor. In the overdrive shootout, it was mentioned that Apache headlight's coverage is just a stone throw away? Is it true?
	() Thanks

18th January 2007, 19:13	#36
men_in_jean BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Chennai Posts: 68 Thanked: 0 Times	I will say go for the new Pulsar. You will not see so many bikes running in the country if it was not better than the others.. yes CBZ was good bike and the first of its type in our country.. but gone in haze with just some more new models came to compete it.. After that we got n number of 150 cc bikes, graptor, unicorn, fiero, etc.. etc.. but still the largest selling(150cc) bike in the country is Pulsar.. so think of it and then decide.. Pulsar is always a killer...
	() Thanks

18th January 2007, 20:30	#37
srasania BHPian Join Date: May 2005 Location: Orlando, FL, USA Posts: 321 Thanked: 8 Times View My Garage	wait for the Pulsar 200 cc dude...which should be out within maybe a few days/weeks.. And if I had to select among the 2 bikes which you've mentioned in this thread,definitely the Pulsar for me. -sr
	() Thanks

22nd January 2007, 14:55	#39
benbsb29 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Brisbane Posts: 9,968 Thanked: 13,209 Times View My Garage	I've had the Pulsar for like more than 3 years now (June 2003), covered more than 53000 kms on it. On the whole the bike has been extremely reliable, and spares do not come at a premium. This version being the Classic version as its fondly referred to, does not enjoy the best of seating positions. On the other hand the CBZ (not the Xtreme) offered a suberb seating position, in addition to being more composed over bumps and so on. Pulsar did tend to bottom out on bumps with the previous suspension springs. With respect to the new Pulsar and the Extreme, i would any day prefer the Pulsar, somehow i hate the look of the new Xtreme. Gimme the old CBZ anyday, and i wud reconsider. It had character.
	() Thanks

22nd January 2007, 21:59	#42
Mistakenguy BHPian Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 188 Thanked: 84 Times	Nice comparison crazy !!!! This similarity is what I've been thinking ever since the bike is out . Now got it !!!
	() Thanks

22nd January 2007, 22:47	#43
men_in_jean BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Chennai Posts: 68 Thanked: 0 Times	Ha ha ha.. for somwhere i read it look like cyclops because of its eye in the forehead.. but this was a great comparison.. )
	() Thanks

23rd January 2007, 11:49	#44
benbsb29 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Brisbane Posts: 9,968 Thanked: 13,209 Times View My Garage	@Crazy_Driver : That was one excellent snap.., rather a pair. I dont knw how the guys at HH seem to have lost their sense of style when it comes to designing. After the smooth n stylish CBZ, they brought the Karizma, named it after some damned actress and head-on it looked like some UFO or something..!! They repeat this with the Xtreme now !!
	() Thanks

23rd January 2007, 11:55	#45
Technocrat Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: GTA Posts: 14,813 Thanked: 2,700 Times	Whats wrong with Karizma's looks?? I agree it has the worst name any bike could have got but looks ?
	() Thanks