Old vs New

Survival of the fittest has been the name of the game. Always says OverDrive (June ’09). It believes that the Indian motorcycle market is on the brink of a major change. There is now a more distinct divide between recreational motorcycles and commuter machines. So this is the perfect time for a quick reflection on how some of the popular motorcycles were born and how their replacements have fared.

Hero Honda CBZ/CBZ X-Treme
Remember the CBZ? Of course you do. It represented a milestone for the Indian motorcycle market. It was the ‘bike’ then, the one motorcycle that had enthusiasts drooling and the competition sweating. But, unfortunately, for the CBZ, Hero Honda enjoyed the success without actively stoking the fires that the CBZ lit. It ran for almost a decade without any changes at all – except for a stickering and calling it the ‘CBZ Star’.

By the time Hero Honda responded with the CBZ X-Treme, the market had moved too far forward and the X-Treme has not changed enough to regain glory. The latter motorcycle was quicker, but it was never going to be as iconic as the path-breaking CBZ. It neither aimed for a new position nor offered new thrills. The CBZ has several firsts such as the 240mm disc up front, 100 section rear tyre, box section swingarm and rear set pegs. It was the first bike with a stylized bikini headlamp fairing and it’s svelte looks has boy racers drooling from Kanyakumari all the way to Khardung La says OverDrive (June ’09).

The X-Treme’s styling on the contrary was a hard pill to swallow even though it felt much larger and comfortable than the outgoing model. Its performance however was class average and it lacked the focus shown by the competition and thus simply didn’t rise to the top of the 150cc charts as much as we would have liked to see that ascent.

	Hero Honda CBZ	Hero Honda CBZ X-Treme
Type:	156.8cc 4-stroke single cylinder	149.2cc 4-stroke single cylinder
Max Power:	12.7PS@8000rpm	14.4PS@8500rpm
Max Torque:	12.3Nm@6500rpm	12.8Nm@6500rpm
LxWxH:	2090x755x1115mm	2080x765x1145mm
0-60kmph:	5.4s	5.77s
Top Speed:	102.4kmph	111.9kmph
Price (OTR, Pune):	Rs. 61,648	Rs. 64,775

TVS Fiero/Apache RTR Fi

The Fiero was the first ever 4-stroke 150cc motorcycle from the Hosur stables. Perhaps the first real competition for the CBZ, it went down its path from the off, and along the way generated a cult following. The biggest USP of this bike was its silk smooth engine. The engine had torque and then more torque. Its peculiar rear weight bias transformed two-up rides into one-wheel only joyrides. It was not long before able riders discovered the Fiero’s off-road DNA and it saw unprecedented success at MX and dirt events. And then TVS and Suzuki split up. This was followed by a quick iteration of the Fiero, namely the Fiero F2. This bike looked par for the class and the engine ran more or less unchanged.

This unfortunately did not help the sales barometer climb much and the F2 turned out to be a rather lame effort. Then serious work showed up in the form of the Apache. It looked good but had odd ergonomics – making it look like a wannabe sporty motorcycle. A year later it transformed into the RTR aka ‘Racing Throttle Response’. The USPs of this iteration were crazy acceleration, track-bred instincts coupled with ultra modern gadgetry and class leading performance. The stylish looks, the brawny engine, the sizzling performance and gung-ho feel were distinctly at odds with the sober, refined Fiero.

Today the only similarity between the Fiero and the RTR is the tenuous but discernible link between their engines. The RTR is one of the few bikes to have moved away from its predecessor yet has managed to attain glory by reaching out to a new focused group of riders bred around circuit racing. And for that it currently reigns supreme as the flagship of the TVS stables.

	TVS Fiero	TVS Apache RTR Fi
Type:	150cc 4-stroke single cylinder	159.7cc 4-stroke single cylinder
Max Power:	12.1PS@7500rpm	15.9PS@8500rpm
Max Torque:	10.5Nm@6000rpm	13.1Nm@6500rpm
LxWxH:	1900x745x1090mm	1960x730x1105mm
0-60kmph:	7.8s	4.73s
Top Speed:	103.7kmph	114.4kmph
Price (OTR, Pune):	Rs. 55,555	Rs. 73,967

Bajaj Pulsar 150/Pulsar 150DTS-i

The CBZ was the bike with all the panache for its time but priced at more than sixty grand it was expensive. Enter the Bajaj Pulsar. When launched in 2001, the Pulsar was all rippling muscle, brandishing a sword of raw performance, out to conquer one and all coming in its path. Bajaj launched not one but two motorcycles that captured the performance of motorcycling. The Pulsar 180 rode straight into the hearts of those looking for absolute performance but it was the 150 that struck gold. It was fast, well-equipped and didn’t require a fat wallet to take home. In record time the bike catapulted to where it aspired to be. The Pulsar was not flawless though. The gearbox was notchy and build quality became an issue. Bajaj addressed the issues and upped the ante with a makeover, refining the mechanicals and updating the styling. With the second generation came twin spark ignition which raised power and economy at the same time. Bajaj eventually also introduced 17-inch alloy wheels and a resonance chamber on the next generation. Finally, there were gas-charged dampers as well.

Eight years later, the Pulsar must fend off the attention of a slew of well-equipped competitiors and yet keep public attention glued to it which is a big ask. Today the Pulsar isn’t the best 150 in the class any more. It might yet be the sales leader thanks to a strong price point. We suspect that the latest 150s tank flanks and decals are only going to slow the erosion of sales and Bajaj will have to launch a far more comprehensive upgraded 150 to reignite the sales curve again soon. So until a comprehensively stronger 150 comes out, the Pulsar’s legend is taking a breather. Its fans are keeping fingers crossed.

	Bajaj Pulsar 150	Bajaj Pulsar 150 DTS-i
Type:	143.91cc 4-stroke single cylinder	149.01cc 4-stroke single cylinder
Max Power:	11.09PS@8500rpm	14.09PS@8500rpm
Max Torque:	10.08Nm@7000rpm	12.28Nm@6500rpm
LxWxH:	1960x790x1065mm	1990x750x1035mm
0-60kmph:	6.5s	5.59s
Top Speed:	108kmph	111kmph
Price (OTR, Pune):	Rs. 53,095	Rs. 64,155

Royal Enfield thunderbird/Thunderbird Twinspark

When launched nearly a decade ago, the Thunderbird virtually broke the hearts of typical Bullet enthusiast. Thumpers cried foul saying this is not a ‘real’ bullet – owing to its styling typical of cruisers and a left foot gear shift. But it was also the motorcycle from Royal Enfield that was vying for the attention of a new group of enthusiasts – those looking for an easy to ride, true-blue cruiser.

Purists couldn’t digest it, but the Harley-Davidson fan club hailed it. This debate continues endlessly. But more to the point, the Thunderbird represented a fundamental change to Royal Enfield. The company wanted to tap into a market outside the traditional Bullet community and expand sales and the Thunderbird was then the right choice. Today the Twinspark version feels the same to sit on and perhaps it is really hard to decipher the difference between the two bikes at first look. But the moment you start the engine you know that the bike is far better than the original, albeit in the same performance ballpark. The new clutch and UCE (Unit Construction Engine) with integrated gearbox have really helped improve matters as far as shift quality and feel are concerned. The new engine layout has also helped make the Thunderbird a much more eager and fuel efficient motorcycle compared to anything in the entire Bullet line-up. Reliability is up from the previous mill, which should make ardent fans heave a sign of relief. But the only thing missing is perhaps something that matters a lot to any die-hard Bullet fan – the characteristic thump.

This is one motorcycle that you can appreciate or despise says OverDrive (June ’09) and this new generation T’bird has been consistent in taking its admirers on cross-country rides or to work reliably, every morning.

	Thunderbird	Thunderbird Twinspark
Type:	346cc 4-stroke single cylinder	346cc 4-stroke single cylinder
Max Power:	18.1PS@5500rpm	19.9PS@5250rpm
Max Torque:	26.9Nm@5000rpm	28Nm@4000rpm
LxWxH:	2120x750xNAmm	2120x780x1080mm
0-60kmph:	7.7s	5.8s
Top Speed:	108kmph	109.6kmph
Price (OTR, Pune):	Rs. 71,590	Rs. 1, 09,290