Some pics of my Yamaha FZ16, the cruiser!

Look good, no? :)

It's a looker from all angles.

Slightly changed angle. The bike looks meaty. Hunk keeps talking. This one's understated and yet commands a presence.

I think very few bikes match the stance that FZ offers. It corroborates the claim 'Lord of the Streets'. More than that, the stance also makes riding extremely easy and pleasurable. I would venture to say that the stance itself makes this bike so fit for cruising - far better than Avenger 200 which I used to own at one point in time. I owned a Bullet Machismo as well some 3 years back and I can say that the stance of this bike is better than that offered by a Royal Enfield Classic or even an Electra. Don't believe me? Check them out.

Bullet, I must admit, has a lot going for it now. Great looks, great stance, much better engine and the greatest sound. Avenger in comparison is diminutive and ridiculous as a cruising machine. In fact, Avenger is a shame. Hopeless braking, rather unbecoming pick-up. The only thing that might appeal to one and all is the look. Power notwithstanding, an FZ offers a far enriching cruising experience than an Avenger. And even when compared with a Bullet, at around 60-65kmph, FZ would fare and feel better as a cruiser.

Eye-candy!

The bike feels so stable and well-grounded; the word 'Lord' fits so well.

This is my favorite pic!

Avenger 200 - A Review

I've covered 5500 kms on my Avenger 200 which I bought in January this year. So am sharing a few thoughts - positive and negative - about the bike. Of course, these could be generic to all Avengers or perhaps particular to just mine.

1. Suspension isn't great. Yes, I bought the bike thinking since it's a cruiser-styled bike, I would relish riding it to my office and back (22 kms ride one way). However, it isn't really so. And Mumbai's roads never really help the cause. Having said that I'm sure no company can be more conversant with Indian conditions than Bajaj is. So suspension, especially on a cruiser, should've been taken care of.
2. Speedometer & Fuelmeter get foggy. Now, this is extremely irritating. As soon as it rains a bit, the fuelmeter and speedometer, both get foggy. Dew drops form inside and that doesn't quite impress.
3. Mileage is between 35-40. I think that's quite reasonable given Mumbai's traffic congestion.
4. The bike feels sturdy but not always steady. At >150kgs, the bike feels really sturdy. Rides decently on highways also. But on occasions it wobbles on certain types of roads. For example, if the tar on the road assumes stripes because of the way it was made and shaped, the bike starts wobbling, sometimes to the extent that I have to come to a halt and resume my journey again.
5. Tough to push it beyond 70-75kmph. Don't quite know whether it's a problem with the speedometer or whether it's to do with the engine itself. The bike struggles to respond beyond the 70kmph speed.

So, all Avenger aspirants, please keep these points in mind when you consider buying this bike. Of course, if you want to talk about more details, you can always write to me.

Helmetless on Sunday - an aesthetic issue

I've been wearing helmet ever since I started riding a two-wheeler (first was Kinetic Honda, followed by Splendor, Yamaha RXG135, Bajaj Wind, Bullet Machismo and finally Avenger 200).

Every time I open Bike, I see some pictures of helmetless riders being chastised for ignoring their safety. Valid. Quite some time back, when I used to own a Yamaha RXG135, I met with an accident and I can vouch that had I not worn my helmet, my skull would've cracked. Even with the helmet on, I suffered a rather dangerous cut on my eye-lid and I bled profusely - to the extent that my friend's mother refused to recognize me when I reached his house close by, right after the mishap. Even my parents didn't recognize me what with my head and one eye bandaged in full white (a la Anil Kapoor in Meri Jung :D). I was saved nonetheless.

Having said that, times have changed for me. Then I was in Ahmedabad, now am in Mumbai. Commute 45kms every day to office and back. And every day cover my face and head with bandanas beneath the helmet to save me from dust and pollution. Helmet's necessary to say the least.

Yesterday, I rode my Avenger without a helmet. Of course, the distance was short and I was in no rush. Also I didn't have to fear any traffic policemen in our area. Wind blew ever so gently in my face and for once I - used to all sorts of covering every day for about 3 hours of riding - felt exhilarating. Hair got disheveled and I loved it. Safety didn't matter; of course, purists would say, you never know when someone can knock you down no matter how careful you are. I did it deliberately, out of convenience, out of a little desire for change. Spare me.

Riding slowly on a sunny morning on an open road is an aesthetic issue. So if you are a 'safety-first' person and never forget to helmetize your head, just do this once - go helmetless. You'll love it. And you'll love the purists frown :).

Avenger 200 test-ride

Yes, in one of my previous posts I speculated that Avenger might come with a bigger engine since the launch got delayed by a couple of months. Well I am sure much much more time is required to build bigger engines. Nonetheless, couple of days back, took an Avenger 200 for a test ride.

Nothing has changed as far as styling is concerned. Being a Bullet rider I was a little skeptical about its handling and feel. But I was pleasantly surprised. It does feel lighter and shorter than Bullet but it rides great. It's sturdy (it's heavier than the Pulsars though the engines are almost the same). The exhaust makes a bolder beat than Avenger 180. It's oil-cooled and has got a nice little fuel-meter on the tank, just where it should be. And I am sure, being a new-age product with good cutting edge technology it would be free from many many maintenance hassles.

Bajaj Avenger is a nice little city cruiser. Of course, highway rides would be more pleasurable. But it serves for kinds of environment. Low seating is good for Indians in general and definitely adds to comfort in handling in city conditions. While it's sturdiness and relaxed posture would make it worthwhile on highways too.

If you want to cruise, go for it.

Yamaha Virago and Yamaha India

A bike aficianado in India could easily mistake this as a twin-cylinder Yamaha Enticer, isn't it? For all practical purposes that's what these pictures suggest. This bike is Yamaha Virago. It's a 250cc bike sold in the US for about $3499 which translates into about Rs145000 in Indian currency. If it costs so much in the US, definitely it would cost at least 25-30% lesser in India which would mean a price of Rs110000. I don't know if the prices could be driven further down since the cost of resources is really really low out here as compared to many other industrialized countries of the world. Would it work in India at that price point? Seeing the equity of Yamaha in India and its expertise in performance bikes and leadership in biking technology, I can claim that people would lap this bike up if launched in India.

When I see this bike, I really wonder what was Yamaha thinking when it launched a pauper cruiser bike like Enticer. After all, the success of Avenger 180 and the eager anticipation of Avenger 200 clearly proves that India has a market for a higher capacity cruiser bikes.

I can't believe that Yamaha believes its future in this country depends on bikes like Yamaha Alba 106. God save Yamaha. Anyway... for all bikers and Yamaha fans, am listing the specifications of this bike with a couple of pictures below. Let's only hope that Yamaha listens to bikers like us.

MSRP*	$3,499 (Black Cherry)
Engine
Type	249cc, air-cooled, SOHC, 60-degree V-twin
Bore x Stroke	49mm x 66mm
Compression Ratio	10:1
Carburetion	26mm Mikuni
Ignition	Digital TCI
Transmission	5-speed
Final Drive	Chain
Chassis
Suspension/Front	33mm telescopic fork; 5.5" travel
Suspension/Rear	Twin shocks w/adjustable spring preload; 3.9" travel
Brakes/Front	282mm disc
Brakes/Rear	130mm drum
Tires/Front	3.00-18
Tires/Rear	130/90-15
Dimensions
Length	86.2"
Width	32.1"
Height	44.9"
Seat Height	27"
Wheelbase	58.7"
Ground Clearance	5.7"
Dry Weight	302 lb.
Fuel Capacity	2.5 gal.

Bajaj Avenger 200 and more

Just read in The Hindu that Bajaj is launching Avenger 200 in the month of June. It's a welcome news. However, it not the only thing that Bajaj could do.

I've often wondered why Avenger is only available in some standard colours and fitments? Why is it being sold as any other bike? Avenger is considered a cruiser and therefore, as most other cruiser bikes, should lend itself to modifications. Though, unlike in the case of Bullets, it should not be left upon users to modify their Avengers. Bajaj should pro-actively offer options to customize/modify the Avenger. Am sure the biking fraternity in India would embrace the Avenger with more eagerness and catapult Bajaj into the superbike-maker of the country sooner.