Apr 09, 2011 09:12 PM
12644 Views
(Updated Apr 10, 2011 11:44 AM)
There are very few people who have experience of both Pulsar and an Honda(hero honda), I will in this review give crisp difference b/w the two bikes and I have owned both and used minimum for 2 years.
Intro : I had Pulsar 180 UG3 model with me, I was gifted this by my cousin who went to US for higher studies, now he's settled there. When the bike was handed over to me it had done just 6000kms. After about one year of usage I lost it on Mission road, B'luru, I had parked it and gone for some loan work in a bank.
Days passed I could not get the bike back, was using my sis' Kinetic 4S for urgent commuting finally my insurance amount came in after 3 odd months, this Bajaj Allianz gave me so much headache to get back this amount, it's a very unprofessional company. With experience of Bajaj Allianz I decided noit to go for a Bajaj product.
Most of my collegues recommended me CBZ as I am quite tall (6'1"), I test drove my pal's CBZ xtreme and I was instantly in love with it, didn't waste time I rushed to HH showroom and booked it, the very next day it was delivered.
Comparo : From the very first drive I started comparing with my P180, CBZ felt simply awesome in all kinds of situations and I just thanked God for robbing my bike !!
Engine : CBZ 9/10 & P180 7/10 : Trust me CBZ feels powerful all the way upto 100kmph speed, CBZ again feels toruey as well. The CBZ engine makes 'purr' sound and it's pleasant to drive, Pulsar however had noisy engine but top range of Pulsar is good and the bike pulls well above 70kmph speed.
Styling : CBZ 8/10 P180 5/10 : What the hell Bajaj is doing ? same tank same fairing? similar engine, there's hardly any uniqueness to any Pulsar 180. CBZ styling is good, many say front is bad, YES version-1 was kind of bland, but the newer version is quite sharp and sexy(RED + BLACK).
On road ride quality : CBZ 9/10 & P180 6/10 : Pulsar enginer is noisy, seating posture is again not good for long drives, the suspension is nowhere compared to CBZ. Riding CBZ is a treat, I enjoy riding it endlessly, P180 no way. Road grip of Pulsar is not good due to poor weight distribution. Handling wise Pulsar fails in front of CBZ. Braking in Pulsar was sharp and sure, on CBZ it's steady and progressive, I love CBZ braking.
Performance :CBZ 9/10 & P180 9/10: I don't believe in racing nor reaching 100 mark in 10 secs, trust me CBZ performance blows you away !! Try this, .. just ride Pulsar from 0-90 kmph and then try CBZ for same range, you'll know what CBZ is all about. Honestly I have rarely drossed 100kmph on my CBZ, same the case with P180. At 90kmph CBZ overall slightly feels better than P180. I have no idea about top end of both bikes, both are not designed to go at that speed all the time.
Build Quality : CBZ 9/10 & P180 5/10 : build quality of CBZ is amazing, you can ask any CBZ owner how many parts he has chjanged he will just say cable/bulb/oil, but Pulsar you need to change parts even in the first paid service, I replaced cluitch plates at 12, 000kms. My friend CBZ has crossed 36, 000 kms still he has not changed. Hero Honda uses reliable FCC Riko Clutch assembly systems for all it's bikes (CD Dawn to ZMR), whereas Bajaj puts Reko clutch only on their premium bike P220. So guys, Hero Honda puts premium quality on all it's bikes. Clutch assembly mates with engine and gearbox, it's an important member of engine assembly.
Maintainence : CBZ 9/10 & P180 4/10 : paid service was about Rs.900 to 1200, CBZ it's just 350-400, max. 500 bucks my cbz has crossed 18K kms no part change till now, Accelerator cable was replaced in last service else it's just enginer oil. Even Spark plug life is 10K I am using stock one w/o any problem. In Pulsar they will change every 8K kms(both).
Fuel Economy CBZ 8/10 P180 7/10 : Pulsar best mileage was about 42kmpl which is good for 180cc, CBZ gives me 45-50kmpl, importantly CBZ's mileage is consistent.
Final verdict :
CBZ : 63/70
P180 : 49/70
YES CBZ outsmarts Pulsar 180 effortlessly.
Honestly a Pulsar should cost atleast 25 percent of CBZ considering above comparision. Guys, you are paying heavily for a Pulsar !!!!
Conclusion : Now the question is ...Why Pulsar still Sells ?
Guys gets attracted towards superficial features like backlit display of controls.
Guys get fascinated by digital dash.
Guys read biased reviews in Magazines and blogs and decide.
Pulsar word is by default performance but by how much? fraction of a second may be?
Indianness, people think be Indian buy Indian. BTW Full CBZ is Indian, Pulsar has Chinese dash, CBZ has Coimbatore dash (Pricol)
If you see people buy more Pulsars by loan, Bajaj provides attractive loan offers and gifts.
If you are confused b/w a Pulsar and Honda, go for a Honda (Hero Honda). Hero Honda service access is awesome at least here in B'lore, so far satified with their service as well.
Comments welcome !!
Cheers !
Badri
