Burn the Roads. Review on Hero Honda CBZ - Disc Brake

CBZ!! The one word which people who own a pulsar are so mad about hearing. Well!! They really ought not to be. At at least 50 KM/l and an 18 ltr fuel tank, the Pulsar will, at least, go a little distance more. But hey, I think that if you need a yankee bike for the Indian spectators, CBZ is the thing to have.

When I bought this vehicle, the pulsar was a baby in the Indian market. Still born. The RX and Shogun were the word of mouth then and Fiero was the only other bike in the 4 stroke category. But for long, the name Suzuki raises an aversion in my minds. Don't know why. I bought this in my 2nd year Engineering. I paid just above 55K for this ''Silver Arrow''. I always had a ported RX on my minds at that time. My dad suggested me to go for this as it is a 4 stroke bike.

First impression I had on it after riding my dad's Bajaj 4S was that it is a very long bike and quite tall. It was after 1500 Kms I really opened the throttle of my bike. I was not quite used to raw power.

Build Quality: Awesome, considering that it is only around 140 Kgs kerb weight. Each part gels well with the others. Only drawback is that the fibre parts are not well supported, hence create bad vibrations.

Engine & Performance: The Japanese motor from Honda stables is one of the most reliable. Though not as slick as the Pulsar's, it is way far ahead in terms of dependability. We have had many complaints from Pulsar owners about the gearbox, Tappet (Valve control rod) and other engine parts after about 20K Kms. But in the CBZ, even after continuous running the only issue that has crept up over and again has been the re-adjustment of the cam-chain tension. Gear ratios are badly calculated provided that the engine maxes out 110 Kph!!

Chassis & Suspension: An art of perfection. They are perfectly stiffened up to make even amateurs handle like a pro. It is only at near top-end that cornering needs a lot of commitment and courage from the rider. But it is OK with well experienced riders who know the knack and technique of banking - Smooth operation.

Braking: No Dramas. The brakes on the CBZ are so well calculated, even jam the brakes at speeds like 80 Kmph and the bike will stop in a single line. Even if the rare phenomenon of the rear tires locking, the bike will travel dead-pan straight until coming to a complete halt. Stability is greatest when the tires are the stock ones (Dunlop 3.00x18 at front and Dunlop 100/90x 18 at rear)

Fuel Average: Great for a bike of this caliber. I used to get 45-50, maximum while on highways. The Hero Honda service engineers are to be blamed if my bike's mileage has not reduced to 43-46.

The worst part of my bike: One of the paper seals near center case of my oil sump had melted due to the heat and oil was leaking (an unusual case in any bike). I took it to the company and half the engines had to be removed to rectify it. They did that and spoilt the valve timings of my bike. They couldn't rectify it and my valves got fried.

The best part of my bike: Even under such conditions it has ridden 2000 odd Kms. in a matter of 60 Hours. The bike's engine never failed. But that was when I got the least mileage - 35 Kmpl. But now, thanks to my new garage called ''Power Crest'', the engine is back to normal, except that the fried valves remain as-fried as never. That is the reason I'm only getting around about 45 Kmpl. But with Castrol Power-1 Oil, the bike runs silky smooth and can match up to badly driven Pulsar 180s as well (My Experience).

Spares: Some spares which are in and around the engine are expensive. Others are cheaper than the Pulsar. Comparisons: Clutch cable of CBZ - Inner + Outer = 70/- (Approx). Clutch cable of Pulsar - Inner = 100/-. Brake fluid change for CBZ Disc brake (Once in 20K Kms) = 54/-. Brake fluid of Pulsar (My friend's bill at 18K Kms) = 480/-.

Don't mind buying this bike if you're looking for riding in Indian roads and highways. Try racing this bike like a real racer should and you'll enjoy this bike. The only other bike which can really out-run this bike in a tru sportz style would be a Karizma. Pulsar would be only a street (fighter) racer.