God's envy; Human's pride. Review on Bajaj Avenger

I am the kind of person who googles things up and reads every damn forum and review to know about a product I am buying. But never in the past I ever managed to contribute the information back to help out the crowd. Bajaj avenger motivates me to do that finally. I am even thinking of starting a fan blog inspite of my hectic life. so keep waiting for it.

My story: I came to Bangalore three weeks back. After one week of traveling around in autos and buses I decided a bike is a must in Bangalore. I always liked long distance rides on motorcycles, and decide to get a cruiser. Owing to the limited options, it was quite easy to zero in on the Avenger. The only decision was to buy it or not given it's pros and cons. Please note that I was afraid of the several things mentioned in few of the previous reviews here, but finally decided to go ahead and buy. Two weeks after buying and a week after getting the bike, I must say this is the best motorcycle to roam the Indian roads. There could be imperfections, but then who told it is made by god. I feel all others who have given poor reviews, are either really unlucky to get a poor quality product, or are prone to crying over minor imperfections.

Summary(depends on how you see it):

Cons:

1. Looks are more of a relaxed lazy cruiser than a manly power bike. I really dont care about the looks as other things are top priority for me. But my friends feel the bike styling could do better compared to thunderbird. The raised fuel tank of thunderbird and its chopper kind of handle bar are probably it's only selling point. But remember that Avenger is a very popular design(Kawasaki Eliminator is one of the top selling cruiser bikes internationally of all times).

   
   




2. Too small pinion seat: Could have been a bit wider.

   
   




3. Too short manual and other details for a bike that invites customization and interest.

   
   




4. By the very inherent feature of cruiser bikes, their rear suspension travel is limited, so dont go too fast over speed breakers.

   
   




5. Lack of manual start

   
   

Pros:

I could go endlessly here. Some real good pros are:

1. Awesome brakes and handling. The ride is too safe and you are in total control.

   
   




2. Engine with really good power and pickup. More power is simply unnecessary in Indian roads. There are speed bumps every where and city driving would simply be a mess with greater power. At~17 bhp, this is optimal for the current state of indian roads.

   
   




3. Amazing stability.(Both straightline and turns)

   
   




4. Perfect seating comfort for the rider. Even the pillion likes it due to the backrest, but the seat should be bigger, especially for Indian fatasses.

   
   




5. There are still not many avengers on the road. If you are trying to buy this bike, it is quite expected that you are one of the many iconoclasts here, who sneer at yet another pulsar on the road. Exclusiveness was one big driver for me.

   
   




6. Welcome to the world of mature biking. You dont care about speed anymore. You dont care if the car behind you honks. You dont care if the a@#$ole on the Karizma or Pulsar next to you does wheelies. You feel like God.

   
   




7. Good stability and seating comfort mean relaxed driving for hours. I dont shudder at the thought of going to MG road anymore during peak traffic. Just pull out the bike and here I am. On the road again! Wherever I may Roam!

   
   

Real myths circulating in mouthshut and other blogs:

I write this only because these myths almost made me scrap my plans of buying this bike.

1. Wrong - Controlling in traffic is a pain- Reality: The driving is too stress free to complain. I really dont find it tough. It is easier than other bikes in fact as I suddenly find cars making way for me.

   
   




2. Wrong- U turns are a pain. Reality: The turning radius is larger, yes. But you wait and do it with patience like a car.

   
   




3. Wrong- The gears are painful, and finding neutral is impossible. Reality: Take some time off and speak to the mechanic who delivers your bike. You can master everything in 5 minutes.

   
   




4. Wrong- the rear mirrors are not ergonomic enough. Reality: The mechanic can set them for you.

   
   




5. Wrong- The feet rest are not ergonomic enough, it is better with a longer footrest. Reality: I would not recommend this bike for people taller than 6' 1'

   
   




6. Wrong- I am not muscular enough for this bike. I cant manage the weight. Reality. The stability and low seating mean lesser force required to really balance the bike. It balances itself most of the time.

   
   




7. Wrong- This bike will make me look awesome on the road. Reality: This bike doesnt make you look stunning. You are what you are. The styling could have been better, but the comfort rules.

   
   

More to come in my blog

This is the best motorcycle to ever roam Indian roads. Take my word for it.