Car & Bike Avenger or not.

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zero_cool

Forerunner
Hey guys,

I'm looking forward to getting my first bike. I've always been attracted to the Avenger, but after reading some reviews and suggestions from friends, it seems Avenger is the most comfortable but not the most economical bike around .

But since I don't know anyone who actually owns one, I'm hesistant to make my decision.

I stay in Navi Mumbai and will use the bike for 80 - 100 km (mostly on a highway) in a week. I'll be glad if someone can tell me what's the mileage of the bike and does it make sense to go for one or should I settle for a average bike :confused:

And btw I can't take a test drive of any other bikes you suggest as I'm yet to learn how to ride a bike :bleh:

Thanks in advace.
 
Yet to learn and you want to hop on a heavy cruiser right away? It is a good vehicle, very suitable since you mostly do highways but it is not something a newbie should be 'starting' with. You may wanna consider delaying the purchase.
 
damn said:
Yet to learn and you want to hop on a heavy cruiser right away? It is a good vehicle, very suitable since you mostly do highways but it is not something a newbie should be 'starting' with. You may wanna consider delaying the purchase.
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Thats slightly judgmental. I learned riding a bike on a bullet. All bikes when in motion are very light and easy to maneuver.
And if your feet are planted on both sides when the bike is still, then no need to worry about the weight. And since Avenger is a very low in height, i doubt that the OP will have any problem touching his feet on the ground while riding the bike.
 
I've been travelling in and around Navi Mumbai a lot, the Highway is not as smooth as it used to be and even the traffic has increased quite a bit. In traffic ,i.e, speeds <=35KM/h you'll find it difficult to maneuver a heavy bike like Avenger. Though Avenger is very-very stable at high speeds(>60KM/H), but it's risky going any faster here. You'll find it difficult turning Avenger in small areas as it needs a lot experience to do so smoothly, since you don't even know how to drive a bike currently I recommend you to choose something different(lighter, smaller) else you'll keep on getting howled at in traffic jams :) . Since you plan on using it for < 16KMs / day ,i.e, 8KMs one way, you don't really NEED a cruiser bike. Apart from that Avenger is very high on maintenance build quality is not so good.

There are 3 Major Highways in Navi Mumbai :- Thane-Belapur, Sion-Panvel and Palm Beach. Thane-Belapur is jammed during office hours so avg. speed is ~45KM/h ,Sion-Panvel is riddled with potholes and it's risky going at speeds > 60KM/H and finally Palm Beach Road it is the best highway here where you can open up your bike to full throttle. Wherever you go make sure you wear your helmet to avoid infractions.

Get a bike which you can control with your own strength if there's a need, this will increase your confidence in your bike. To get an idea how much you can control your bike try stopping it without brakes using both your legs (with engine off speed ~ 6KM/H) :D or try lifting the rear wheel with your hands to move the bike around (not true for highway/cruising bikes as they're designed to be heavy for high speed stability).

Have a look at > 150CC bikes that can give you a steady mileage >=50KM/L for a span of 2 years at least. Check out models from Honda > Hero > Bajaj > Yamaha > Suzuki. Honda and Hero have a very good build quality, excellent reliability and require the least amount of servicing. Both Hero and Honda have plenty of servicing centers around Navi-Mumbai, this will be an advantage for a new User.

My recommendation : Honda Unicorn . Best in class Mileage and excellent reliability.
 
rdst_1 said:
Thats slightly judgmental. I learned riding a bike on a bullet. All bikes when in motion are very light and easy to maneuver.
And if your feet are planted on both sides when the bike is still, then no need to worry about the weight. And since Avenger is a very low in height, i doubt that the OP will have any problem touching his feet on the ground while riding the bike.
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Good for you, I'm happy you got a chance to play with a large toy right at the start but that still does not make it something to encourage. Those things are heavy enough to cripple a person's limbs should he ever fall, which for a learner is likely.
 
Thanks for sharing your insights.

@rdst_1 and @damn - The weight part did cross my mind too but going by its size and having briefly rode some other bikes I feel i'll be able to control it.



@aman.pitbull - Thanks for your detailed feedback man, I'll be travelling on the Sion-Panvel highway. The reason I'll be riding less is because I won't be using the bike for longer rides in my learning phase but one can say that with time its use will definitely increase. I might be riding a Unicorn and HH Passion tomorrow to learn how to ride so will attempt the Feet-stop test on the Unicorn :p. As far as the lifting test goes, I've done it several times in the parking lot at the railway station.
The Unicorn is the best bike in the market at the moment but I don't really like its looks so just going through my options here. Unicorn is my last option.


There is also a possibility that I might get to ride the Avenger tomorrow so lets see.
 
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You will come to appreciate a Unicorn only after owning a high maintenance bike. Unicorn has a really refined engine, it also has really good drive aesthetics and yes it does look a little boring. Also have a look at Hero CBZ Extreme , Hunk and Dazzler.

You can also check out Apache RTR , it has aggressive styling and has power too. It'll run nicely for 1 year but after that it may requires steady servicing. It's engine is a bit torquey that may be a bit hard to handle and this bike has a reputation of skidding in unsafe hands.

If you're looking at bikes like Hero Passion Pro and similar 100CC models, then consider one of these : Hero Glamour F1(125CC but excellent torque), Bajaj Discover(125CC) and Honda CB Shine(125CC).
 
Best go for Honda Unicorn its a stable bike with good service support from Honda and even after 3-5 years it will be give you best if you are maintaining it well.
More important is that you are new biker so better buy this as its stable and decent for riders.
You can go for more CC once you are comfortable with the 150 CC riding.
 
damn said:
Yet to learn and you want to hop on a heavy cruiser right away? It is a good vehicle, very suitable since you mostly do highways but it is not something a newbie should be 'starting' with. You may wanna consider delaying the purchase.
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Agree with this advise. I had 2 activas(4 years), a Pulsar(2 years) and then moved onto an Avenger a year back. The difference in a Pulsar 150 and Avenger 220 was so great that i felt that i wasnt riding the bike, it was draggging me along. Many a times, even after being an experienced rider with many long rides and 40000 kms of experience, i found the avenger handling very different from the typical sporty bikes. Firstly the power needs a sound head to control. Secondly the braking is different from other bikes because of the long wheelbase and is prone to skids when not done right. If you feel you have enough experience then this bike will be heaven to ride on.

Consider getting a friend's vehicle or any other second hand vehicle for a couple of months before jumping on an Avenger. Drive safe and drive responsibly!
 
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@OP
I had come up with similar needs and condition as you , i.e even i did not know to ride bikes to have a test ride . After suggestions from many here in TE i ended up buying the Yamaha Fazer,
i learnt riding a geared bike on a fazer . Its super easy to handle as well doesnt skid much . The seating position for the rider also is super comfortable (maybe not so much for the pillion rider). Mileage was not a big concern for me . I would recommend the fazer to you as your first bike , it has just enuf power not too much or too less (i find it less when 2 heavy ppl are sitting , one being me :P). Looks also are awesome (not all find it awesome but i personally find the front part look like the thunderbolt dragon from how to train your dragons movie ;) ).
 
Sorry for the delayed reply guys. I had been busy for the past couple of days so did not get time to give the bike much of a thought.

Over the weekend, I was in Pune and rode Unicorn, Passion and very briefly experienced the Avenger. I found Passion and Unicorn the easiest to ride through narrow roads and in traffic jams while the Avenger not the easiest but was definately the most attractive of the 3. As you all had said, I realised that now is not the time to go for an Avenger. Perhaps, once I get good at riding, I'll consider something on the lines of an Avenger.

Over the next few days, I'll be trying out some 125 and 150 cc bikes and see which one I like the most.

Lastly,
fLUX, slash84, irfanlai, aman.pitbull, damn and rdst_1
thanks a lot for sharing yours inputs and suggestions and helping me understand bikes and biking better :)
 
GS150R is another option you may want to try out. It is quite difficult to maneuver though in city but highway is a breeze. I was a previous unicorn owner but GS150R much better than it IMO.
I rode Avenger too and the ride was just great - smooth and comfort. TBTS is what you should look for for most comfortable bike, 2nd would be avenger. But no sports bike offers so much comfort as like these two.
 
zero_cool said:
Sorry for the delayed reply guys. I had been busy for the past couple of days so did not get time to give the bike much of a thought.

Over the weekend, I was in Pune and rode Unicorn, Passion and very briefly experienced the Avenger. I found Passion and Unicorn the easiest to ride through narrow roads and in traffic jams while the Avenger not the easiest but was definately the most attractive of the 3. As you all had said, I realised that now is not the time to go for an Avenger. Perhaps, once I get good at riding, I'll consider something on the lines of an Avenger.

Over the next few days, I'll be trying out some 125 and 150 cc bikes and see which one I like the most.

Lastly,
fLUX, slash84, irfanlai, aman.pitbull, damn and rdst_1
thanks a lot for sharing yours inputs and suggestions and helping me understand bikes and biking better :)
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Good move! I'm glad to see you doing some planning and research. Wish you a long and safe biking career.
 
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