comparison – Page 2 – Mileage Reviews

Hero Hunk Vs. Suzuki GS150R

It’s been a while since we discussed 150cc bikes. So let’s get back to where the heart is. Today we will compare two bikes that have both been around for a good 4-5 years now and are both popular among people seeking 150cc motorcycles.

The Hero Hunk was first launched back in 2007 and is one of the most masculine bikes around. Weighing 146kgs, this is heavier than most bikes in the market. Of course, a reason this is the case is also because the Indian market is full of entry level 100cc+ bikes. The GS150R on the other hand, is more of a traditional variety and focuses on the functionality aspects – it gives you mileage and power at the same time. NDTV conferred the GS150R with the ‘Motorcycle of the year award’ in the year after its launch. So without mnuch ado, let’s look up the tech specs of both the bikes.

Tech Specs Comparison

Both the Hunk and GS150R are known for their power. The Hunk delivers a max power of 14.4PS while the GS150R offers a slightly lower power of 14PS which is nothing to scoff at either. The torque is good to from both bikes. The Hunk delivers 12.8 Nm @6500 rpm while the GS150R can deliver 13.4Nm @6000 rpm. Let’s look at the other specs as well in a side-by-side comparison chart.

Specification	Hero Hunk	Suzuki GS150R
Displacement	149.2cc	149.5cc
Max Power	14.4PS @8500	14PS @8500
Max Torque	12.8Nm @6500	13.4Nm @6000
Wheelbase	1325mm	1335mm
Ground Clearance	145mm	160mm
Kerb mass	146kg	149kg
Fuel tank	12.4 liters	15.5 liters
Price (ex-Delhi)	Rs. 66125	Rs. 72457

Most of the specs are comparable among the two bikes. However, the GS150R has slightly higher power and weighs slightly more than the Hunk. So gut feel tells me that the Hunk could deliver a slightly higher mileage than the GS150R given similar engines. However, like many times in the past, I could be wrong on this. Let’s look compare the mileages from both these bikes to see how it goes.

Fuel Consumption Reviews

The Hero Hunk is built with a low friction core-2 engine and the ignitition system is microprocessor controlled that effectively helps optimize fuel usage. According to the manufacturers, the Hunk will deliver 65.1 kmpl under standard testing conditions. Suzuki does not have similar tall claims on its 150cc bike though. They say the GS150R could offer a mileage of around 55.7kmpl under standard conditions. Do note that standard testing conditions are vastly different from regular city roads and so you should be seeing much lower fuel efficiency in your everyday commute.

The city performance of bikes are pretty different from official claims. So before we conclude the Hunk as the winner in this fuel economy contest, let us look deeper into what the reviewers have got to say about the two bikes in their city road tests.

First up, the Hunk. We looked at seven different sources. Both Wheelmela and IndiaMart report an economy of around 53kmpl on city roads. Three of the reviewers claim a figure of under 50. While IndianDrives claims 47.2kmpl from their test ride, ProdEase report 49.1 kmpl. We looked at the claims from actual customers on the BikeAdvice forum and the reported numbers consistently falls in the 45-50 kmpl range. This is also matched by customer reviews on MouthShut where the reported number falls in the 45-55kmpl range. The best review is offered by MaxAbout who report a city road economy of between 52-58kmpl on the Hero Hunk.

Let’s now look at the Suzuki GS150R. There are again seven sources we looked at. Both IndiAuto and MotorBeam report a fuel consumption of between 45-50 kmpl. The xBHP forum has a much wider base of reported numbers with the figure lying between 40-56 kmpl. MaxAbout which reported a 52+ kmpl figure on the Hunk reports only around 48kmpl on the GS150R. The reviewers on MouthShut have been more consistent with this bike reporting between 48-52kmpl on their bikes. The highest reported figure comes from Olx customers who report a number between 50-65kmpl. This is however a number that I will take with a pinch of salt considering that Olx is a classifieds site where customers will put up a pretty rosy picture for their bikes just so they elicit more response from potential buyers.

Here’s a comparison chart of mileages as reported by various sources

Source	Hero Hunk	Suzuki GS150R
Official	65.1	55.7
IndianDrives	47.2	—
MaxAbout	52-58	48
WheelMela	53	—
IndiaMart	53	—
ProdEase	49.1	52
BikeAdvice	45-50	—
MouthShut	45-55	48-52
IndiAuto	–	45-50
MotorBeam	–	45-50
xBHP	–	40-56
Olx	–	50-65

Both bikes fare almost equally in the comparison. However, the Hunk appears to have a slightly better mileage compared to the GS150R. Also, considering the fact that it is more macho-looking at a lower price, my choise in this comparison would be the Hunk. Is your choice different? Tell me why it is so in the comments below.

Hero Splendor Plus Vs. Bajaj Discover 100T

Yesterday we compared the new Bajaj Discover 100T against TVS Sport. It was a pretty interesting post considering we were pitting one new stylish 100cc bike against an older, more traditional looking bike. What’s interesting is that despite the differences, they turned out to be pretty similar on the mileage front and so there was no winner in that race.

Today we will see how the Discover 100cc compares against the Hero Splendor Plus. This is again going to be exciting given the fact that the Splendor Plus has been around for almost a decade. Of course the bike has relaunched a few times since then and so we are not talking of a 10 year old model. So how do they measure up? Let’s find out –

Tech Specs Comparison

Specification	Hero Splendor Plus	Bajaj Discover 100T
Displacement	97.2cc	102cc
Max Power	7.5PS @8000	10.2PS @9000
Max Torque	7.95Nm @5000	9.2Nm @6500
Kerb Weight	109kg	121kg
Wheelbase	1230mm	1305mm
Fuel Tank	11 liters	10 liters
Reserve	1 liter	3.5 liters
Price (ex-Delhi)	Rs. 42950	Rs. 50500

At a specification level, the Discover 100T is better than the Splendor Plus for most things. It has a higher displacement, a better power as well as torque. These things are extremely crucial to help you maneuver the road. In addition to this, the Discover also comes with extra stylish features that would definitely help you stand out. However that comes at an additional 8000 rupees. But let’s not jump the gun – we will compare the mileage delivered by these bikes first before arriving at which one is better than the other.

Fuel Economy Review

The Hero Splendor Plus weighs around 12kgs lower than the Discover 100T at dry mass. This difference is crucial because the Discover would now need more power to carry this weight along – that’s more fuel and lower mileage delivered. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case probably because the Splendor Plus comes with a less efficient engine overall. Hero claims the Splendor Plus to deliver 80.6 kilometers for every liter of petrol. In comparison, the Discover 100T is expected to deliver 87kmpl. Do note that these are both noted under standard testing conditions which are vastly different from the regular city roads. So unless we compare the two under these real world conditions, it is pretty hard to say. And that is exactly what we will do here.

Let’s start with the Hero Splendor Plus. We looked at reviews from five very reputed sources online for their report on the Splendor Plus’ fuel economy under city road conditions. Two reviews from BikeDekho as well as MaxAbout note a figure of somewhere between 65-70 kmpl. However the report from the rest of the sources don’t seem to be as high. IndiaGarage reports the lowest at around 55kmpl while the user reviews on MouthShut as well as on Olx report a slightly higher number at 58-65kmpl and 60-70kmpl respectively. Considering that MouthShut reviews are from real-world customers, I would suggest you give a lot of weightage to what these reviewers have got to say.

Next up, let’s look at the reviews for Discover 100T. Considering that this is a recent launch, we have not had too many customer generated reviews. However, the test-ride based mileage reports from the likes of MaxAboutand MotorBeam give a clear picture on what this bike is capable of. MaxAbout and xBHP report a city mileage of around 65 kmpl while MotorBeam notes 70kmpl.

I’ve tabulated all the findings below. At first look, it may look like the 100T is the winner among the two. However, it needs to be noted that test-ride reports for both the bikes have been positive and hover between the 65-70kmpl range. It is the customer reports on the Splendor Plus that has brought its average down. We will have to wait a couple of more months before we can get a similar report for the 100T.

Source	Hero Splendor Plus (kmpl)	Bajaj Discover 100T (kmpl)
Official	80.6	87
BikeDekho	65-70	—
MaxAbout	65-70	65
IndiaGarage	55	—
MouthShut	58-65	—
Olx	60-70	—
MotorBeam	–	70
xBHP	–	65

So for now, I would say both these bikes fare similarly on the mileage tests. If you think paying the 8000 rupees extra is justifiable considering the more stylish looks and features of the 100T, go for it by all means. If you would prefer to save on that amount, Splendor Plus is your friend. Have you made your decision yet? Tell us in the comments.

TVS Sport Vs. Bajaj Discover 100T

We have been seeing a lot of visitors over the past few days looking for information about the new Bajaj Discover 100T. As you should already know, this is the latest addition to the 100cc segment and has won praises from a lot of people for its pretty stylish looks and features that are better than most bikes in this segment.

TVS Sport on the other hand is not as new. It’s one of the three TVS bikes that are built for the mileage conscious customer. Unlike the Discover 100T, the Sport 100cc comes with pretty basic offerings and honestly does not have many things that truly differentiate it from the rest of the pack. Anyway, let’s now dive right into the specs comparison.

Tech Specs Comparison

Specification	TVS Sport 100cc	Bajaj Discover 100T
Displacement	99.7cc	102cc
Max Power	7.4PS @7500	10.2PS @9000
Max Torque	7.5Nm @5000	9.2Nm @6500
Kerb weight	95kg	121kg
Wheelbase	1250mm	1305mm
Fuel tank	12 liters	10 liters
Reserve	2 liters	3.5 liters
Price (ex-Delhi)	Rs. 37555	Rs. 50500

Except maybe for the fuel tank, the Discover 100T is truly better than TVS Sport in every possible way. However, look at the price – the 100T is nearly 34% more expensive than the Sport and that should play a huge role in your purchasing decision.

Anyway, before you go there, it is imperative that you find out how much your recurring costs with respect to the fuel is going to be. Find the mileage delivered by these two bikes compared below.

Fuel Economy Comparison

Let us start with the official claims. According to TVS Motors, the Sport can deliver a mileage of close to 82.9 kmpl under standard testing conditions. This is almost on par with the rest of the TVS 100cc bikes (the highest claim is on Star City with 83.9 kmpl). Bajaj though makes a pretty steeper claim. They say the 100T can offer close to 87 kmpl under similar road conditions. Do note that these mileages were tested under the best of road conditions (not to forget favourable wind conditions). It’s not realistic to expect a similar efficiency on your ride to your office on the pot-holes laden high traffic city roads.

The performance of these bikes could differ vastly on city roads though. MaxAbout – one of our trusted third party reviewers of bikes, reports a mileage of just around 50 kmpl on TVS Sport in city conditions. Their test on highways yielded 65 kmpl. On the other hand, the reviewer’s test of the 100T yielded 65 kmpl on city roads. To be honest though, MaxAbout does not explicitly state if the reported number on Discover 100T was what they derived on the test ride or what was provided to them by the manufacturers.

The low figure reported on TVS Sport by MaxAbout should not deter you though. Every other reviewer has reported a much better figure. BikeDekho and IndiaAuto have both reported a city fuel consumption of 70 kmpl while IndianDrives goes a bit higher at 75 kmpl. Most of the other reviews have painted a much more realistic figure between 55-75 kmpl. BikeAdvice reports around 55 kmpl while IndiaGarage notes a figure of around 68 kmpl. On the user reviews site, MouthShut, the reported number has hovered between 65-75 kmpl which is pretty good.

The Bajaj Discover 100T has not had as many reviews. MotorBeam, in their review, claim to be seeing around 70 kmpl on city roads while a reviewer on xBHP reports 65 kmpl.

Source	TVS Sport (kmpl)	Discover 100T (kmpl)
Official	82.9	87
MaxAbout	50	65
BikeDekho	70	—
IndiaAuto	70	—
IndianDrives	75	—
BikeAdvice	55-75	—
IndiaGarage	68	—
MouthShut	65-75	—
MotorBeam	–	70
xBHP	–	65

So there you have it. The fuel economy under city roads seem to be more or less the same on both these bikes. So personally, I would now take the mileage out of the equation while deciding on what bike to buy – would you mind spending 13,000 rupees more for better power, torque and more stylish looks? Or would you be happy going for more basic looks that perform as promised? That’s a question that only you can answer.

Do you have anything more to add for the rest of us looking for an answer? Do put it down in the comments below.

Bajaj Avenger Vs. Yamaha R15

Today we will compare two very powerful bikes available in India today. The Bajaj Avenger is a 220cc monster that is technically much powerful than the 150cc R15. However, in terms of power, the variation is not as much as you would expect. The Avenger delivers a power of 19.03 PS whereas the R15 can deliver up to 17 PS of power. Again, the Avenger is not for the mileage conscious, but the R15 is even more of that. The Bajaj Avenger 220 comes at an ex-showroom price of Rs. 76,835 at Delhi whereas the corresponding price for the Yamaha YZF R15 is a whopping Rs. 1,07,500.

Let us first compare the major tech specs of both these bikes side-by-side.

Specification	Bajaj Avenger 220	Yamaha RZF R15
Displacement	219.89cc	149.8cc
Peak Power	19.03PS @8400	17PS @8500
Max Torque	17.5Nm @7000	15Nm @7500
Fuel Tank	14 liters	12 liters
Kerb Weight	168kg	136kg
Fuel Claim	49.8 kmpl	46.93 kmpl

If you are someone who is contemplating purchasing either an Avenger or an R15, the mileage should be the last of your concerns. Both these are power bikes that are built keeping the requirements of the power and style conscious customers. When a motorbike is built with power as the priority, fuel economy is something that has to be compromised and it shows. Remember the comparison of 150cc bikes we made earlier this year? The R15 is at the bottom of the fuel claims chart that is topped by Bajaj Discover that claims to offer close to 72.3 kmpl.

Also, the 46.93 kmpl that we are talking here is the fuel consumption reported under standard test conditions. In the real world, where you have city traffic and pot-hole laden roads, this number is expected to come down much more drastically. Let us compare how the Avenger and the R15 compare against each other in the real world as reviewed by various sources including real world customers.

Bajaj Avenger 220 Review

The Avenger is a cruiser mode motorcycle that is not known for its mileage by any chance. PriceDekho in their official review report having seen around 32-35 kmpl on city roads. On the other hand, BikeDekho as well as ZigWheels, the Times group auto-review magazine in their reports claim a much better city mileage – they both report a consumption 1 liter for every 40 kilometers of city commute on the Avenger. While customers who had put up their Avenger for sale on Olx reported an average of 38 kmpl from their bikes, a few unhappy people on the customer complaints forum noted their mileage to be around 35 kmpl.

Yamaha YZF R15 Review

We reviewed the R15 from four different sources. According to a comment posted by a customer on MotorBeam, the R15 could deliver 40 kmpl with proper care. In a similar vein, an Ibibo user reports around 40-42 under city conditions. There are not too many reviews of the R15 from the point of view of fuel economy. According to one small blog called KannanKing, the R15 can extract around 32-35 kmpl on city roads.

Bottomline

It’s evident that the R15 can return slightly better economy compared to the Avenger – maybe an additional 3-4 kilometers for every liter. However, the decision to purchase one over the other should not be based on these numbers. Avenger is for cruisers while the R15 is a powerful machine for a 150cc bike. Test ride both the bikes and see where you fit better and go for that one.

Best 100cc Bike In India

The entry level bikes segment is amazingly crowded with more than a dozen offerings in the 100cc to 110cc segment. Today we will compare some of these bikes side-by-side to see which of these bikes perform the best under city road and highways conditions.

First the specifications. At the entry level, you do not get a lot of power in any case. However, that doesn’t make this a feature that is not aspired among the customers. While you may not expect a 10 BHP from the 100cc bikes, a better power while maintaining a good mileage is always something that the customers will be interested to see on their bike.

Here is a side-by-side comparison of the engine capacity, power, torque and official mileage as specified by the manufacturers of the various 100cc bikes we will discuss today.

Bike Model	Engine	Power	Torque	Official Mileage (kmpl)
Yamaha Crux	106cc	7.6PS	7.5Nm @6000	91
Hero Splendor Pro	97.2cc	7.8PS	8.04Nm @4500	90.1
Hero Splendor NXG	97.2cc	7.8PS	8.04Nm @4500	87.7
Bajaj Discover 100T	102cc	10.2PS	9.2Nm @6500	87
Honda CB Twister	109cc	9.1 PS	9Nm @6000	85.7
TVS Sport	99.7cc	7.4PS	7.5Nm @5000	83.9
Hero HF Dawn	97.2cc	7.8PS	8.04Nm @4500	82.91
TVS Jive	110cc	8.4PS	8.3Nm @5500	82
Hero Splendor Plus	97.2cc	7.5PS	7.95Nm @5000	80.6
Bajaj Platina	99.27cc	8.2PS	8.05Nm @4500	75 (city)
Hero Passion xPro	109.1cc	8.7PS	9.36Nm @5500	70 (city)

This is definitely not an apples-to-apples comparison considering that a couple of these bikes have an official mileage reported under city conditions while most of them are under standard test conditions. But what this table will tell you is how the bikes stack up when you sort them by the official mileage claim. Yamaha Crux is right there on top with a 91kmpl claim while the likes of Hero Splendor Plus are pretty much down at a claim of just 80.6 kmpl under standard conditions. And to see that Crux still offers a slightly higher power than Splendor Plus is a major setback to the latter in this comparison.

City Road Fuel Efficiency

If you have been reading this blog regularly, you will know that I normally review the city road economy by taking up reports from a number of sources (customer feedbacks as well as test rides) to give you a perspective of what you could possibly expect. But with so many bikes in the fray, it could be a little messy if I have to talk about these various sources like MouthShut or MaxAbout separately. So what I’ve done here is pick the median value of city mileage as reported from various sources for each of this bike. By this, I could eliminate the extreme values and take up what is the most likely fuel consumption that you could see on these various bikes.

Bike Model	City Mileage (median kmpl)
TVS Sport	70
Bajaj Platina	67.5
Bajaj Discover 100T	65
Hero Splendor NXG	65
Hero Splendor Pro	65
Hero Splendor Plus	65
Hero HF Dawn	65
Hero Passion xPro	62.5
Yamaha Crux	62.3
Honda CB Twister	57.2
TVS Jive	54.5

The table above is sorted in the descending order of the median mileage reported on the various 100 cc bike models we are reviewing. The biggest disappointment of all would have to be Yamaha Crux – this bike tops the list in the first table at 91 kmpl and on the second one is barely escaping the bottom at 62.3 kmpl. On a similar note, the bike that excites me the most is Bajaj Platina – it doesn’t create a splash as far as the official reviews go, but from real world reviews, it seems to be a great bet.

How has your experience been with the 100cc bikes you have tested? Tell us in the comments below.

Hero Splendor Plus Vs. Hero Splendor Pro

A lot of people who have decided to go for a Splendor bike are still undecided when it comes to which of the Splendor series bikes they should be going for. Today let us just check out two of the popular models against each other and see which of the two is a better deal when it comes to fuel efficiency.

First the technical specifications. Both the Splendor Plus and Splendor Pro are sub-100cc motorbikes with similar power and torque levels. Both bikes measure the exact same dimensions (1.97m long, 0.72m wide and 1.04m tall with an equal 159mm ground clearance. Both bikes have a 11 liter capacity fuel tank.To put it in one word, the engine and dimensions of both the bikes are very similar.

Spec	Splendor Plus	Splendor Pro
Displacement	97.2cc	97.2cc
Max Power	5.5kw @ 8000rpm	5.74kw @ 7500rpm
Max Torque	7.95Nm @ 5000rpm	8.04Nm @ 4500rpm
Kerb weight	109kg	109kg

The difference then is in the features offered and not the specs. So the mileage delivered by the two bikes should not be very different.

Customer Feedback on Mileage
Before talking about customers and test reviews, let us first look at the official claim. Despite the extremely similar features, Hero Motocorp claims on fuel are very different on the two bikes. Hero claims that the Splendor Plus can deliver 80.6 kilometers for every liter of petrol. In comparison, they claim that the Splendor Pro can offer 90.1 kmpl of economy.

Let us now look at what MaxAbout has to say. In their review, the website says the new engine on the Splendor Pro makes is much more responsive and quick. At the same time, they note that the Splendor Plus has one of the slower engines among all variants of Splendor. They report a pretty similar fuel consumption from both bikes in city conditions (65 kmpl). However, on highways, the Splendor Pro can deliver 79 kmpl while the Splendor Plus can only provide between 72-75 kmpl.

BikeDekho has a very different review of both bikes. They like the Splendor Plus for being a sleek and attractive “commuter cum executive bike” while they commend the Splendor Pro for its ultimate comfort and flat seating positions. From the fuel efficiency testing, they report 65-70 kmpl from the Splendor Plus on city roads which looks better compared to the 60 kmpl they report from the Splendor Pro.

To get a feel of what real world customers feel, we had looked into the reviews on the popular classifieds site, Olx to check out the fuel ratings offered on both the bikes by the bike sellers. When it comes to Splendor Plus, most of the bikes put up on sale are reported to be seeing an economy of around 60-70 kmpl although there were more than a couple in the 47-55 kmpl range as well. For the Splendor Pro, the range of reviews posted on the bike put the fuel consumption in the 50-65 kmpl range although barring for a handful most of the others were in the 60-65 kmpl range.

I have put down the reported fuel efficiency figures for both bikes as reported by various sources side-by-side below. As I can see it, it is a very close call and it ultimately depends on the price, the other features that you would want in a bike, and your personal test ride of both the bikes that should decide which of the two bikes you are going to go for.

Source	Splendor Plus	Splendor Pro
Official	80.6	90.1
MaxAbout	65-70(c)/72-75(h)	65(c)/79(h)
BikeDekho	65-70	60
Olx	60-70	50-65

Suzuki Slingshot Plus vs. Hero Passion X Pro

Today we will compare two bikes that are in the entry level or mid entry level segment – the Slingshot Plus from Suzuki and the Passion X Pro from Hero Motocorp. While the Slingshot Plus has been around for a while, the Passion X Pro is one of the later additions to the Hero stable having been launched only in the early part of 2012.

First up, let us compare the specifications of the two bikes.

Spec	Hero Passion X Pro	Suzuki Slingshot Plus
Engine displacement	109.1cc	124cc
Max Power	8.7 PS	8.6 PS
Max Torque	9.36 Nm	10 Nm
Fuel Tank Capacity	9.5 L	12 L
Kerb mass	116 kg	129 kg
Usable Reserve	2.1 L	2.1 L
Delhi ex-showroom	46800	52271

The Slingshot Plus is supposed to be a higher power motorbike compared to the Passion X Pro. However, if you compare them side by side, you see that they are not really very different. Both bikes offer similar power and torque. In fact, since the X Pro has a smaller weight to carry – both in terms of the dry mass as well as the max fuel capacity, the mileage is likely to be better with the Passion X Pro than the SlingShot Plus; at least theoretically. Let’s see if that truly is the case moving ahead in this article.

Fuel Efficiency Comparison

Under standard testing conditions, the reported fuel consumption is often very good. This is because these tests are under very favourable road and wind conditions and so you get the maximum returns on your fuel. According to Hero Motocorp, the Passion X Pro can deliver close to 70 kmpl under these conditions. In comparison, Suzuki claims that the Slingshot Plus can deliver close to 73.5 kmpl.

Now this sounds contrary to whatever we discussed earlier. Let’s look at what the tests on real-world conditions. We looked at reviews from 5 different sources for the Passion X Pro in our original article. Two of these websites – PricesofIndia and IndiaGarage reported seeing close to 60 kmpl on the X Pro. While PricesDekho and Tech2Auto reported a better deal at 65 kmpl, ProDease reported seeing just around 55 kmpl. Overall, the average fuel efficiency under city road conditions seems to be 61 kmpl on the Passion X Pro

In comparison, we had looked at reviews from 6 different sources for the SlingShot Plus. The reported mileages were more varied here. Users on MouthShut were the happiest and reported between 65-70 kmpl. While WheelMela reported 60 and ZigWheels 66, the reported numbers from xBHP and IndianDrives were lower at 45-50kmpl and 58 kmpl respectively. Even Olx had a reported number lower at between 55-60 kmpl. The average number in this case was 59.4 kmpl.

Source	Hero Passion X Pro	Suzuki Slingshot Plus
Official	70	73.5
Average on city roads	61	59.4

So what do you think is a better deal of the two? When I look at it, although the Hero Passion X Pro is a lower spec bike of the two, it delivers better power, offers a better mileage and is available for a cheaper price. Both bikes rank similar on the looks quotient. So the deal seems pretty clear – the Passion X Pro is the winner here.

Best 150cc Bike In India 2012/2013

We have already reviewed most of the popular 150cc bikes in India. It’s now time for us to consolidate them all and put them up in one piece where you can know which of the bikes stands where in terms of performance, mileage and price. If you want to read the reviews of each of these bikes separately, you can view them by clicking here.

Specifications

Let us compare the most important specifications to get a feel of where things are going. The bikes are ranked in order of power.

Rank	Bike	Power	Torque	Official Mileage
1.	Honda CBR 150R	17.8 PS	12.66 Nm	—
2.	Yamaha YZF-R15	17 PS	15 Nm	46.93 kmpl
3.	TVS Apache RTR 160	15.2 PS	13.1 Nm	54 kmpl
4.	Bajaj Pulsar	15.06 PS	12.5 Nm	64 kmpl
5.	Hero Xtreme	14.4 PS	12.80 Nm	65.1 kmpl
6.	Hero Hunk	14.4 PS	12.80 Nm	65.1 kmpl
7.	Honda CB Unicorn Dazzler	14 PS	12.8 Nm	60 kmpl
8.	Yamaha FZ 16	14 PS	13.6 Nm	50.81 kmpl
9.	Suzuki GS150R	13.8 PS	13.4 Nm	55.7 kmpl
10.	Hero Achiever	13.5 PS	12.8 Nm	68 kmpl
11.	Bajaj Discover	13 PS	12.75 Nm	72.3 kmpl
12.	Yamaha SZ-X	12.1 PS	12.8 Nm	62.4 kmpl

So from the list of bikes that we have compared, the Honda CBR150R has the highest power. However, if you are also looking at a bike in the budget range, you should pick one that offers great mileage and comes available at a decent price. In that case, Bajaj Discover has the highest official claim for mileage among all the bikes that we have compared.

City Mileage Comparison

If there is one thing that I have learned since I started the blog, it is that the real world mileages are hardly anywhere close to those claimed by the company. Bikes that claim amazing mileages sometimes are pretty par if not worse than competition when it comes to real world mileages. So keeping that in mind, let us do a side-by-side comparison of the city mileages based on the average numbers reported by the various automobile blogs and customers.

Rank	Bike	Average City Mileage (kmpl)
1.	Bajaj Discover 150	54.0
2.	Hero Achiever	52.7
3.	Yamaha SZ-x	50.7
4.	Hero Hunk	50.7
5.	Honda CB Unicorn Dazzler	50.3
6.	Suzuki GS 150R	50
7.	Bajaj Pulsar 150	49.3
8.	TVS Apache RTR 160	48.4
9.	Hero Xtreme	47.8
10.	Honda CBR 150R	42.8
11.	Yamaha FZ16	39.6
12.	Yamaha YZF-R15	38.2

The above averages were calculated based on reports from some of the most popular online automobile destinations like BikeAdvice.in, MaxAbout, IndiaGarage, MotorBeam, Overdrive, BikeDekho and Gaadi.com. Besides, we also considered the customer reports from websites like MouthShut and Olx.

So if you look at this, the Bajaj Discover 150 is a clear winner with an average reported mileage of 54 kmpl – that’s an additional 2.3 kilometers for every liter of petrol as delivered by the second best that’s Hero Achiever. You will also notice that bikes that hog the bottom rung of the ladder in terms of power offered are also the ones that deliver the maximum mileage.

Here are some take-aways from the analysis of the two tables:

1. Bajaj Discover is THE bike for the budget conscious. It is not great from a power perspective, but is really the best in class for mileage.

2. Hero Hunk is a decent deal to go for. It ranks 6 out of 12 bikes on power (a couple of those ranking above are in the 1 lakh rupees price range!) while it ranks 4th in terms of mileage.

3. Bajaj Pulsar is in a similar position as the Hunk, except a bit lower. It ranks 4th in terms of power (again two bikes higher up are in the 1 lakh rupees price range) and 7th in terms of mileage.

So here’s the bottomline: If you are looking for power over mileage, it is Pulsar. If you are looking for power and mileage, it is Hunk. And if you are looking simply for mileage, it is Bajaj Discover 150.

Is there some other inference you could make from the tables above? Please do mention them in the comments. I would be glad to add them to the pointers above.

TVS Apache RTR 160 Vs. Hero Xtreme

This is our third article in the bike comparison series we started late last month. We are yet again pitting two popular 150cc bikes against one another – the TVS Apache against Hero Xtreme.

The Apache is TVS’ marquee bike in the power bikes segment. The 160cc bike was launched in 2007 and is as popular among bike enthusiasts as the the Hero Xtreme which you may also know as the Hero Honda CBZ Xtreme of the yore! Here is a tabled comparison of the core specifications of the two bikes.

Specification	Apache RTR 160	Hero Xtreme
Displacement	159.7cc	149.2cc
Max. Power	11.19 kW	10.6 kW
Max. Torque	13.1 Nm	12.80 Nm
Ground Clearance	180mm	145mm
Fuel Tank	16 liters	12.1 liters
Usable researve	1.7 liters	1.5 liters

The Apache RTR 160 is available at a price of Rs. 71,340 ex-showroom Delhi while the Hero Xtreme is available at a commensurate price of Rs. 65,975.

Mileage Comparison

A quote I often put up on this blog is that with great power comes a lower mileage. Considering that the RTR 160 has a higher power and a larger engine cylinder displacement compared to the Xtreme 150, the mileage you can expect with the RTR could be lower than what the Hero Xtreme could offer. That is in fact true by a mile according to the company claims. TVS says the Apache RTR 160 can draw around 54.1 kmpl under standard test conditions while the Xtreme, according to Hero, can draw 65.1 kmpl. That’s a huge difference in the official claims from both the companies. Let’s see if the real world tests also derive similar results.

Let us start with BikeAdvice. In our earlier report on the Apache, this was one report that was hugely positive on the bike as far as mileage was concerned. In their article, the website claimed to have seen 56 kmpl fuel efficiency on the Apache RTR 160 in the long term. In comparison, the website had a slightly worse mileage report for the Xtreme. In an aggregated report of reviews from over 70 customers, we had noted last time that BikeAdvice readers saw a mileage of between 45-51 kmpl on the Hero Xtreme. That’s pretty low compared to Apache.

To have a more real world feel of customer feedback, let us next jump on to the MouthShut forums. There are over 200 reviews for the Apache 160 on this site as compared to 187 reviews for the Hero Xtreme. Both these bikes have received an overall rating of 4/5 from the reviewers as far as fuel consumption was concerned. When it comes to the real numbers though, the race is a dead heat. The average mileage reported on city roads for both the bikes range between 40-50 kmpl which does not give any great insights into which of the two bikes is better.

What’s amusing is that we do not seem to get a better clarity on the winner even when we check the classifieds postings on Olx from people who own the bike. The average mileage reported for both bikes again range between 40-50 kmpl.

Source	Apache RTR 160	Hero Xtreme
Official	54.1 kmpl	65.1 kmpl
BikeAdvice	56	45-51
MouthShut	40-50	40-50
Olx	40-50	40-50

So what’s the verdict? Although Hero Xtreme has an obviously better mileage officially claimed, things seem to be different as far as the reviews from blogs and real customers are concerned. The mileages as seen by customers on real world are more or less the same on both bikes. That being the case, I would prefer to go with the Apache RTR over the Hero Xtreme. Why? Because Apache gives you a better power, torque along with much better looks at only a slightly higher price. Getting the same mileage as the Apache on the Hero Xtreme only means the mileage offered by the lower powered bike is not ideal. Apache is the winner in this race.

Bajaj Pulsar 150 Vs. Honda CB Unicorn Dazzler

Here we are to compare the Honda Unicorn Dazzler with one another impressive bike in the 150cc segment. If you are looking for more comparisons, please check our earlier review of the Dazzler against Hero Hunk.

Right, so this is one comparison that is so often made by potential customers becausae both these bikes are priced at a pretty similar range. The Pulsar 150 is available at an ex-showroom price of Rs. 67,110 while the CB Unicorn Dazzler is available at Rs. 66,738. Here is a comparison of the important specifications in tabular format.

Specification	Bajaj Pulsar 150	Honda Unicorn Dazzler
Displacement	149.01cc	149.1cc
Max. Power	15.06PS	14.19PS
Max. Torque	12.5 Nm	12.74 Nm
Kerb weight	143 kg	138 kg
Fuel tank	15 liters	12 liters

The above table gives you loads of information on some inherent advantages of the Unicorn Dazzler over Pulsar 150 with respect to mileage. Not only does the Dazzler come lighter by around 5 kgs, it also has a smaller fuel tank which means the weight pulled by the engine is higher on the Pulsar compared to the Dazzler for any given rider and hence the mileage “may” possibly be lower on the Pulsar. We will however test the same. The Pulsar however has a marginally smaller displacement which means the fuel consumed at any particular time is lower than the Dazzler and so the mileage delivered could be theoretically higher than, not considering the other parameters of course.

Mileage Comparison

The official fuel economy as reported by the company officials is under standard test conditions. These are primarily highway-type roads with favourable wind conditions and minimum load. Consequently, the economy reported here are always on the higher side. According to Bajaj, the Pulsar 150 can draw 64 kilometers for every liter of petrol under standard conditions whereas Honda claims their Unicorn Dazzler can only reach up to 60 kmpl. Fret not however, since real-world conditions are much different and there is always a possibility of a different winner here.

We will first look at what MaxAbout has to say. In their review of the Pulsar 150, they note that the bike was not great during their city road test. Pulsar 150 could only offer 45 kmpl whereas in a similar test on the Unicorn Dazzler, they were able to see 50 kmpl. On highways though, the Pulsar returned 62 kmpl while the Dazzler was stuck around 60 kmpl.

BikeAdvice in their review though give a thumbs-up to the Pulsar 150. They report a fuel consumption of between 50-52 kmpl on the Pulsar whereas a similar road test on the Dazzler returned just 48 kmpl.

MouthShut is a website that I often refer to considering the plethora of real-customer reviews available there. We had close to 46 reviews for the Bajaj Pulsar 150 DTS-i and the customers have rated the product 4/5 in terms of fuel efficiency. The reported mileage from these customers though varied quite a bit between 40-53 kmpl. So you have happy as well as not-so-happy customers here. In comparison, there were close to 76 reviews for the Unicorn Dazzler on MouthShut. Although the ratings was still a 4/5, the reported mileage figures are more consistet between 48-52 kmpl.

So there you have it. Pulsar seems to be a good bike on the highways. But when it comes to a road test on inner city conditions, the Dazzler appears to win the race in a photo-finish. Although BikeAdvice gives the Pulsar a higher rating, in terms of the sheer number of reported figures, the Dazzler seems to have a more consistent mileage that seems to better the Pulsar 150.

Source	Bajaj Pulsar 150	Honda CB Unicorn Dazzler
Official	64	60
MaxAbout (city)	45	50
MaxAbout (Highways)	62	60
BikeAdvice	50-52	48
MouthShut	40-53	48-52