Challenger's suspension good on straights but unstable in turns.

Yamaha Crux's seat is somewhat uncomfortable for long rides.

Hero Honda's Passion oldest of the lot but keeps up with the pack.

LML Freedom's low handlebar feels comfortable once familiarised.

TVS Victor best of the lot with superb engine and handling to match.

All five bikes feature near-about identical suspension systems, with hydraulic telescopic forks in the front and a rear swingarm with coil over shocks on either side. There isn't much difference when it comes to the wheels or the tyres either, but there is a bit of difference when it comes to the seats. Leaving aside the different shapes, what is significant is the comfort level, and this is where the Passion and the Crux lose out. While the Passion rider will find himself continuously sliding forward every time he brakes, the hard seat of the Crux, though great for parking your rear, becomes painful after half-an-hour of riding. On the other hand, the seats of the Victor, Freedom and the Challenger, aided by the suspension set-up, provide a reasonably comfortable ride, though the seat on the Freedom felt a little on the harder side. One common complaint with the Victor, though, is that though the suspension is able to cushion out small bumps effortlessly, the rear tends to bounce around for a couple of seconds thereafter.

Handling on all five bikes is predictable, with each of them featuring conventional chassis - either single or double downtube cradles. None of them throw up any surprises when cornering, though the Crux has a tendency to lean a bit more than asked to. The Passion and the Victor are the most fun to throw around as also to manoeuvre in slow-moving traffic. The low-set handlebar of the Freedom takes some getting used to, but is fun thereafter with the stiff chassis able to take almost anything thrown at it in its stride.

The Challenger, on the other hand, does not like to be flicked and feels heavy when it does so. This trade-off, however, gives it fantastic straight-line stability at high speeds.

Braking on all five is via drums in front and rear, with all of them having 130mm units in the front and only the Freedom and the Crux having 130mm units at the rear as well, the rest making do with 110mm units in the rear. There is a lot of debate on whether equal size brakes are required at both ends, or whether front brakes should be bigger. But in all practicality, whatever the set-up on paper, one can only gauge the effectiveness of the brakes by actually riding these bikes. While the rear brakes of the Freedom and the Challenger are effective, there isn't enough bite in the front. This has been a complaint of the LML Energy FX user as well, and is something that LML should look into. The brake grips of the Crux are nice and chunky, and are not let down by the Performance of its drums. Same is the case with the Passion and the Victor, though the Victor front brake tends to fade quite a bit with age and use. It's a case of the mechanicals of the TVS bike not being able to match up to its fabulous engine, which requires service after huge intervals, thus putting strain on the mechnicals. A perfect case for a front disc brake.