Looks >>> P
Pulsar: Definitely male !
I personally do not like the tank (though millions love it)
Though there are rumors about its ball-crushing ability, it dont believe that.
They have made the tank smaller now , from 18l to 15l as compared to Unicorn's 13l.
Unicorn: Surprisingly plain-Jane. The tank is too big ( looks like 20 l ) , ugly tank cap.
Does not ''look'' as sturdy as the pulsar( note the double quotes ) . Tail light vibrates too much in some vehicles.
A conservative play-it-safe mix and match of already existing bikes ( Karizma, CBZ mainly ).
Unicorn doesn’t come with alloy wheels, I wonder why.
On the whole its neat, sporty but very under-whelming.
But then Do u expect a CBR600 ?
Brand Equity >>>U
Every one knows who the clear winner is here.
However I am proud that a company from Pune is giving tough competion to global heavyweights through good engineering and better marketing. ( not enough reason for me to buy the bike )
The Pulsar is commoditized ( thats good if u r a conservative consumer ) but for me its just too common on the roads to make heads turn.
I'd definitely love to be ''Wing Rider'' any day rather than go ''Hamara Bajaj''.
(Capitalism, yeah baby!)
Engine >>>U
Come on, its a HONDA. A refined beauty. Plain and simple good old engineering brilliance. Beats the pulsar in 0-60 tests. ( I personally havent clocked )
Pulsar, has been innovating a lot. Some experts feel the pulsar twins are overloaded to get the ''definitely male'' performance compromising on engine life. Only time will tell if this is true. I'm not a mechanical engineer so cannot elaborate but in Computer parlance “It is like over clocking'' ie Setting your processor to a higher than normal clock speed to extract performance at the cost of processor life.
Gear Transmission. >>>U
Pulsar has the legendary false neutral problem. Some claim it has been corrected, others refute. 5 gears ( All down )
Unicorn gear transmission is very smooth. But finding neutral is a problem, for a greenhorn like me the gears are a bit tricky.
5 gears ( 1 down 4 up )
Shocks >>>U
Bajaj has come out with NitroX ie Gas shockers. Performs better than spring shockers.
Unicorn is a definite winner here with the best performance for any Indian bike.
Its the second Indian bike to have monos ( First was long back with bond 80cc ) the same technology as in racing bikes.
I guess suzuki will also come out with monos.
Definitely the future is mono.
Unicorn pillion comfort is the best in the biz.
Beat >>>P
Vibration >>>U
Pulsar has the best beat in the business. Guys go crazy...the sound...the zippy performance simply exhilarating.
BUT for me personally after the initial honeymoon is over, the pulsar is too noisy.
The vibration in a Pulsar gives u the thrill of riding a macho bike, but then again after the initial craze wears out the vibration is a bit uncomfortable.
Unicorn is a silent killer can barely hear anything in traffic. Next to zero vibrations.
Mileage >>>U
This varies widely depending on rider style and traffic.
Unicorn definitely beats the pulsar in this department by 5-10 km per lit.
Ride Position >>>U
The Unicorn beats the pulsar in ergonomics. The new pulsar is shorter.
They have made the wheels smaller by an inch ( Why?! ) Smaller in length.
I heard Bajaj did some MR and designed the new bike optimally for a person of
height 5'6 to 5'8 .
I'm 5'11 and found the bike a bit too low.
If u are more than 6' forget the pulsar.
Handling >>>U
The Unicorn handles better, hugs the road better and has very good low end torque for city traffic.
LET was always a problem with pulsar but the new one is better.
Electric Start >>>U
Unicorn's a beauty here too. A feather touch and the engine hums beautifully.
Pulsar, has a kinetic-honda esque bray before the vehicle starts.
Other >>>P
Unicorn surprisingly does not have side stand indicator ( even scoorettes have it for heaven's sake) and trip meter.
The fuel tank cap is old fashioned and comes out completely, looks cheap for a 60K bike.
The Horn is pathetic. It bleats like a goat.
The Kick-start is too high. Some people will have to use their hand to bring it to position before kicking ( Yuck ! )
All the more reason to go in for an electric start.
Price
The P150 is 2K costlier but comes with alloy wheels (cash price).
Bajaj's push strategy is surprising : If u buy using financing option the P150 becomes 1500 bucks cheaper than the Urcn.
But the 60200 Rupees question is : Why on earth don’t u guys shell out another 4K and get the P180 beast.
Honda belongs to the A-good-product-sells-itself school, hence the mellowed advt and no pricing gimmicks.
( Not sure if it'll work in India....remember India's the only market where Coke uses celebrity endorsements! )
But a few cost cutting measures are evident ( as we saw in the previous section )
On the Whole
Pulsar
Definitely Male.
A Chest Thumping Tarzan.
If you are looking for a macho angry bike go for Pulsar.
Your post purchase dissonance will be low because there are a dozen Pulsars in each street.
Unicorn
Wing Rider
A Tux clad silent killer who performs with élan.
Technically the best bike in India so far,
And most of all its a freakin HONDA!
If you are a prosumer who values comfort and performance most go for the Unicorn.
PS:
Bikes
Unicorn : My black beauty
Pulsar : My friend Venkat's ( who is passionate abt pulsar ) and a very short test ride
