.A bike that looks like a harley davidson. Review on Bajaj Avenger

A bike that looks like cruiser and is also practical for daily commute is what perfectly defines Bajaj Avenger. Borrowed design from Kawasaki Eliminator and powered by pulsar engine, Avenger had many changes over the years except styling add-ons like windscreen. Avenger is an alternative to Royal Enfield for a price as well as weight.

Long wheelbase, sleek styled Bajaj Avenger is struggling to get sales numbers because of its 8 year old styling although the bike has got many heart(read engine) replacements over 9 years.

The latest version of Bajaj Avenger is powered by Pulsar's 220 cc DTS-i engine that produces 19 bhp at 8400 rpm and 17.5 Nm of torque. The carbureted engine is air cooled and also oil cooled mated to 5 speed gearbox.

Gearbox is already proven in Pulsar 220 and on this bike a cruising speed of 80-90 kmph can be easily maintained on highway. The grunty engine becomes noisy and sometimes annoying over the speeds of 110 kmph though Bajaj engineers tried their best to keep vibrations upto the engine mounting bushes.

Avenger manages to bring out 45-50 km/liter in real world conditions, no matter what the company claims under test conditions. The engine is proven for a long time and the bike design is due for replacement for the brand new Avenger and that's not going to happen soon.

There is a possibility of current Avenger to get a compete new revamp with a 373cc engine that will power the new Bajaj 400 CS and SS.

A nimble performer in drivability, the bike gets telescopic suspensions at front and gas charged hydraulic shock absorbers at the rear. Unlike other cruisers meant only for riders, Avenger is built for pillions too. The big backrest at rear seat is a real relief of support for pillions during long rides. The bike reaches good speeds over the straights but even after equipping it with 250mm disc at front the bike is reluctant to stop quickly when needed. Too low riding position is tiring sometimes for a person over 6 feet tall.

Shocks from the bumps are directly slotted into rider and pillion back due to too much comfortable riding position. The suspension and handling package make it easy to ride in city but tough on highways to maneuver. Avenger will do everything in the handling that the rider wants but the rider should be aggressive enough to get it done