HI friends, I have a avenger 150 cc blue colour bike I love this bike,
Even before also Bajaj has produced technically same motorcycle in the roadster and faired avatar, like the Discover 150 and Pulsar 220 twins. But, this time Bajaj has differentiated a single motorcycle into two different bikes- Avenger Street 220 and Avenger Cruise.
Style-You get noticed on the road with the styling that new Avenger Cruise has. People turn back, slow down and watch the bike, some even ask for mileage and price. Stands out different in many parked vehicles.Before we delve into the technical details of the Bajaj Street 220 and Cruise 220, let’s talk a bit about its design. While Bajaj has retained the overall silhouette of the original Avenger, they have done well to give both the bikes a unique identity. The Street 220 gets a matte black treatment all around – on the headlight cowl, handle bars, instrumentation on the tank and the exhaust. All the aforementioned parts on the Cruise 220 are brushed in chrome. The matte black finish though looks a lot better finished than the chrome. While the Cruise 220 makes do with spoke wheels, the Street 220 ends up having more presence due to the addition of alloy wheels. Both bikes sport different handle bars too, but more on that later.
Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox-
Engine Performance: Throttle response is crisp. Very good pickup for a cruiser. Engine is smooth and refined. Seems more rev-ready.While Bajaj has given the Avenger a makeover, its heart remains unchanged. That means, the Street 220 and the Cruise 220 continues to make 19PS and 17.5Nm from the 220cc single-cylinder motor. While this engine has always been punchy enough, it lacked refinement. Bajaj however seems to have worked on that. The Avenger 220 twins now feel a lot more refined than before. But that isn’t to say there is no scope for improvement especially after the refinement we have experienced on the Pulsar AS150 and even the smaller Avenger Street 150 for that matter. The gearbox though is pretty slick and gets a thumbs up from our end.
Fuel Economy-
I have driven the bike for around 350 kms and I am getting the FE of around 40-42 kmpl in city riding(before first service). Just that I drive below 60 kph on 5th gear and below 50 kph on 4th gear. Need to see if FE still improves after run-in period.
Gearbox-
Gear shifting has been buttersmooth till now. With practice, you are easily able to find neutral. Gear shift happens well even if you press the foot very gently and there no noise during shift. Taller gear ratios have ensured you use 5th gear for stressfree cruising. Bike goes to 60 when on 5th gear easily and you won’t notice! You need to ride the bike on proper gears else the engine slugs(when higher gear is engaged prematurely).
Ride and Handling-
Both the Avenger 220s sport the same setup of telescopic forks up front and twin shocks at the back. With this setup, the Avenger Street 220 as well as the Cruise 220 rides well on smooth roads, but show it a rough patch and the signs of discomfort gets evident. The long wheelbase and the short seat height have a part to play in making things even more difficult. Talking about the seat it is cushioned well and wide enough for the comfort of the rider. However, the same can out be said about the pillion seat. Have driven little on highways. My most of the driving is in city. Ride quality is good due to relaxed seating posture and tall M shaped handle bar. Increased foam in the sear adds to comfort. Handling is eary and maneuveribility is good too. If you are used to any commuter bike or sports/naked bike earlier, you will feel the difference in handling in traffic for first 2-3 instances but after riding for some 100 kms, you will get used to it. I don’t feel any problem now even in bumper-to-bumper traffic. If you are taller than 5’6", the wind blast from the optional wind shield will come directly to your helmet/face when you ride above 60 kmph. So, it is advisable not to install windshiled if you are a tall person.
Final words-
The bike is almost same as the old Avenger except for the seat, exhaust, brakes and the Handlebar, that makes the new Avenger Cruise more comfortable than before. So, spending 95k on-road Delhi isn’t a bad deal at all. You might find the review a bit short and direct, but after all it’s our First Ride impression, stay tuned for the comprehensive Road Test Review of both Avenger Cruise and Street 220. In our first ride experience what we’ve found is the new Cruise is way more comfortable than its Street counterpart. It’s more than value for money. Many of my friends/relatives were stunned to know that such a nice and royal looking bike is available for just 93k(on road Pune). They were thinking it should be around 1.5L or more this being a cruise bike.