 Try
this. Stand and watch all three bikes go by. Without doubt,
the Pulsar, with style and oodles of street presence, is the
motorcycle your eyes will linger on the most. It’s also
risen to become one of India’s most iconic bikes. Don’t
agree? Well, what’s less debatable is that it surely is
India’s best-looking motorcycle.
The changes it received last year—a longer-lower stance
and tantalising six-spoke alloys, along with a thicker rear
tyre—have served to further enhance its catwalk potential.
Meanwhile, Honda’s only counter has been a recent cosmetic
makeover, slightly better ground clearance, louder horn and
all flat disc brake rotor.
The Achiever too fails to match the spec levels the Pulsar—alloy
rims and thick rear tyre—has had for quite some time.
It also looks exactly like an Ambition, with a different front
fairing, decals and dummy scoops added under the petrol tank.
Paint lustre, build quality and fit-finish are to high standards
on all these bikes. They all share adjustable headlight beams
and these perform brightly at night.
 The Unicorn retains its numero-uno status in terms of the best
instruments fascia, while the Achiever clocks are the least
appealing of the trio. A trip gauge and parking lamp are missed
on the Honda, while the Bajaj scores brownies over both rivals
with twin-horns, alloy-triple clamp section, an aircraft-type
fuel-filler and better switchgear quality. Levers, mirrors and
grips are fairly evenly matched, with quality parts common across
all three bikes. 
Knee indents on the three fuel tanks are as similar as chalk
and cheese. The Unicorn is perfect with a meaty feel and inner
thighs easily tucked away. The Achiever does offer functional
knee indents, but feels rather narrow and could do with added
tank width. And the Pulsar offers a muscular tank, but has knee
indents that could be more functional. The Unicorn uses painstakingly
machined alloy for its rear footrest sub-frame, and this does
add a dash of flair.
If style and presence were all that mattered on a bike, the
Pulsar rules over the pleasant-looking Unicorn and rather bland
Achiever. |
December 2005