Jun 19, 2009 07:42 PM
3579 Views
I own a 2nd gen Unicorn - electric start, now 2.5 yrs old. It is a very good bike - exceptionally smooth, stable, fuel efficient and reliable. The looks of this bike are not good when compared to Bajaj Pulsar or the new Yamaha FZ16( Oh...I adore FZ16 for the looks). More and more stylish models rollout into the market every month.
But always keep in mind - bikes are to be driven on the road...not to be put on display in your show-case. If you get carried away by the looks alone...you might very well end up hating the choice you made.
If you want a 150cc bike, then I would suggest that you should test ride all the bikes in that segment before making the final choice.Each buyer has his own priorities when it comes to buying a bike -for some it is style, for some it is the power and handling, others may prefer yet some other feature.
*So why did I choose to buy Unicorn??
In my opinion, what actually counts is the riding comfort, handling, reliability and mileage. The bike should be rugged and should endure rough use.Initially I wanted to buy Bajaj Pulsar 150 dtsi as it is very sleek and appealing but after my test ride on the Uni, I loved the bike.
Here are some good facts I noticed about the bike:
1. Theriding comfort is the best in its class.
The riding comfort is much better than Pulsar. The engine is smooth and quiet.The riding posture is comfortable. The seating is good and there is sufficient space for the rider and pillion. Gearing and transmission is very good in the Uni.Gear shift is slick and accurate. I also felt that the gearing in Pulsar is very bad when compared to my Uni.
2. The bike is easy to handle and has good stability.
The bike can be maneuvered easily on sharp corners at high speeds. At low rpm the torque is high and the bike the rolls with ease at low speeds even with pillion rider, which gives an advantage in heavy traffic. I have often wondered how this soft buzzing engine delivers such high power. Power delivery is linear and not erratic. Stability of the bike is also very good. There is some vibration as speed increases from 60-70kmph...after that the bike is very smooth as you accelerate to speeds above 100kmph.Very good for long drives on highways also. Feel the gentle roar of the engine and soon you will know that brute force is in it waiting to hurl you to 100+. I have marked a top speed of 115kmph on Bangalore - Mysore highway.
3.High reliability - No hassle with the engine so far, reliability is high. I change the engine-oil and tighten chain every 2500kms – that is the only maintenance activity which I have been doing. I enjoy bike riding at high speeds and goes to speeds close to 100 most of the time, even then no issues with the engine.
4.Good mileage (but largely depends on your riding pattern) - My Uni gives 58+ mileage when driven at speeds b/w 20 and 55kmph.Constant riding at speeds above 80kmph will give you mileage of 35kmpl. Even after rash use for 2.5 years , I get a mileage of 58kmpl anytime I choose to ride within the 20-55 speed range.
The gen3 and 4 of the Uni are more sleek and stylish though the basic technology is still the same.
Here are some bad facts I noticed about the bike.
1.The horn is very weak - a loud horn is a necessity on the Indian roads.
2.Acceleration is lesser than Pulsar at the lower speed range(could be tuned at the expense of mileage).
3.*Cold start problem: For cold starts I have to use choke - If the bike has an FI system instead of the carburetor and conventional EDI mapping, this would have been avoided. If I don’t start the bike for more than a week, then I have to use the kicker many times to bring it to life. In such instances electric start is not possible because battery would be down.
*Considering the overall performance I would suggest that it is the best bike in the 150CC segment.
