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70%
3.52 

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Rs. 86,650 (Ex-Showroom)

Bajaj

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P180 v/s Avenger(new eliminator)
May 04, 2005 01:21 PM 24185 Views
(Updated Nov 08, 2005 11:12 AM)

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So, Bajaj is out with its new Avenger (Eliminator) with the Pulsar’s 180 cc Dtsi engine. Which is how the idea of this bike comparo started.


Standing there, glinting in the mellow orange light of the morning, they tempt with their utterly different lines. The Avenger is its usual stretched-out feline self, demanding attention, the touch of a loving chamois and a lazy throttle hand. The Avengerr benefits from its cruiser ambitions. It sports the longest wheelbase, has gumball rubber and in general seems like the most spacious set of wheels. Further, there’s a good deal of chrome for games with the light and to make a statement. Which is part of the Avenger’s charm. The slimness of line gives it a visual fragility that leaves you with the impression of an expensive fashion accessory.


The Pulsar 180, in contrast, sports almost violent slashes on its musculature. The theme is one of focused purpose. It sits there, shoulders squared, plotting and scheming to grant you a 16.5 bhp smile. The Pulsar is classified as a street-sports motorcycle. Which means that the engine bay is thickly packed, the stance is front-heavy, competent, performance-oriented. The Pulsar even manages to look butch, loud in a brawny sort of way. Perfect to ride to the gym on, its lines in consonance with your own muscles.


That is what makes it so difficult. After nearly 20 years dotted with launches, re-launches and face-lifts of 100-and-some CC Indo-Jap commuters, this is like taking a beggar to an all-you-can-eat.. But which one to choose?


Both these bikes sport the same 16.5 Dtsi engine with Exhaustec. Eliminator, compared to the Pulsar is very heavy. The transition from low-end grunt to top-end whack is smooth enough. However, the serious rush forward once the revs build is at odds with the lazy ergos and the overall indolence that surrounds it. On the highway, the Avenger has great staying power and will take 85-90 kph cruising from full tank to full tank with ease. It’s only after hours in the saddle that you feel like changing the drag racer bars for a unit with an easier reach.


The Pulsar, on the other hand, starts up with a husky growl. It can almost not be ridden peacefully. Well, not that it cannot – it’ll trundle along like a puppy on a full stomach if you want. But you won’t. The aggressive riding position prods you into twisting the meaty grip until you are at a fair thrash. The faster you go, the better it feels.


Head to head, the Elim isn’t slow. The extra 26 kg it carries renders it marginally slower than the Pulsar, but it’s fast for a cruiser, and with a good rider on board, it’ll gather its skirts and at least keep the Pulsar 180 in sight. See, the more you look into this, the tougher the choice gets.


Neck and neck down the straight, but what happens in the twisties? Here, the Pulsar shows another of its grin-inducing traits. The rake is very sharp and a tight front-end returns great amounts of feedback. The 180 boosts your cornering confidence to the sky. Soon you’re dragging a peg and wondering whether the showrooms have extra feeler bolts.


The only flaw in the 180’s handling is perhaps a hesitation in snappy peg-to-peg direction changes, which need more space than you calculate. However, this is probably the most fun you can have in the twisties on an Indian bike. Then there is the Avenger, the long wheelbase shows up like never before here. Scraping a peg is possible, and a different thrill altogether with your b*tt only two-and-a-half feet off the tarmac. However, mid-corner line changes and corrections cause a grave loss in front-end feedback and generally upset the bike. This forces you to implicitly (and blindly) trust the front-end, to commit to lines in corners, and be restricted by shorter sightlines.


Thus, in the twisties, rapid progress is the Pulsar’s forte. However, one also gets some of the best scenery up here. So there is a cogent argument then, for taking it easy and savouring the Elim’s frameless picture window. Here we go again...


Surely the pricetag will divvie up things nicely. The cruiser is just Rs 5,000 more expensive. But buying a premium motorcycle is far more emotional a decision than buying a commuter. Especially with these two. You aren’t really buying a tool to reach office, you’re choosing a weekend companion and a way to articulate your personality as well.


There is the added value of the turned heads that the Avenger will net you, in spite of it being over 3.5 years old on our roads. There is a sense of style that rubs off on the rider .


The Pulsar’s charm, on the other hand, is far simpler. Speed. There is also the heart-warming way in which the Pulsar seems to fit around you. Almost like you’ve come home. But in essence, the Pulsar 180 is about velocity, straight-up or spiralling.


Then again, he who steps into the showroom with the Avenger flashing in his eyes will probably not even consider the Pulsar 180. Just like the man with the ham-fisted throttle habits will never consider the Avenger. Just like I still haven’t been able to pick one over the other. It would appear that one of the side-effects of choice is that you have to make it.


So, until next time, take care. And special thanks to cticize, who has encouraged me to write more reviews.


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