UNICORN- the most eagerly awaited bike from world’s number one two-wheeler maker HONDA- had no handlebar end weights, no trip meter, no side stand warning light, no separate lights in instrument console for left and right indicators, no auto-return choke lever...the basics you expect in this category...but it has a single girly-squeak horn, rumbling head and tail light units, front disc brake lacking that punch....
The name itself is quite conservative for a racy-looking bike. What’s there in a name? Well, it’s not as adrenaline oozing as I wanted it to be.
Unique Selling Point of the bike is the monoshock in the rear. Handling is quite different, for the better, because of it. Did I forget to mention the looks?!
But if you keep the saree-guard (excuse me, I think women should wear salwar or jeans and stop sitting at right-angles to the direction of travel), you can hardly notice the beauty of the monoshock rear. Pity all the family guys especially from the south.
ENGINE: Engine is smooth and (but) super quiet, sounding not unlike Activa. Even if you wring that throttle hard, I don’t think gals will care. At higher revs its ok but at low rpm it sounds like diesel auto-rickshaw! My, my, what’s happening! This one has got liberal doses of oestrogen. While cruising at higher rpm it makes a beautiful deep humming that is pleasant on the ears.
GEAR BOX: Gear-shift is...well...it’s not great..or bad...but we are talking of Honda..right? Don’t get frightened if you hear clunky sounds while changing gears. Dont be a Valentino Rossi doing lightning quick gear shifts. Instead, while shifting up, after depressing the clutch, wait for half-a-second or so to let the things calm down and then shift! I dont know how to down shift without noise. Disgusting..
STYLING: Riding position is not sporty as CBZ or Pulsar but it’s more conventional, and comfortable due to a generous saddle to support your bums. Big jumbo jet silencer sticking outward is not to my liking. Also, side panels do not merge smoothly with the greatly sculpted tank which is the biggest and the most beautiful thing to find between your legs. Though tank capacity is only 13 litres, you feel as if you are riding a bigger machine.
Cast subframes for pillion footrests look somewhat..hmmm..(the finishing process may be a costlier one but honestly I don’t know)..like pressed sheet-metal. May be I got a cheap taste so I didn’t like the finishing.
A beautiful wing on either side of the tank, the sticker says HONDA and another reads UNICORN (this one on the panels with stupid font spoils the sharp and edgy design that flows in the bike), no other graphics on the bike. Miserly!
Grab rail is stylishly raked. Overall the bike has liberal doses of inspiration from Karizma.
MILEAGE: During running-in period, I didnt exceed 50kmph or 4000rpm and it returned in excess of the promised 60kpl. Now the second servicing is done, I regularly cruise at 70-80kmph and it returns 50kpl.
TOP SPEED & BRAKES: I got myself into racing position and opened the throttle fully. The speedo reading was 110kmph. The bike was stable enough due to its long wheel-base but I cant compare it with CBZ or Pulsar as I never pushed them to the limit. I always felt that braking needs improvement in indian bikes. This one is no different. All 150s’ are overweight and it shows on the pick-up front. Can you forget RX100 or RXZ?
MISCELLANEOUS: You have to hold the fuel filler cap in your hands while fuelling which I think is outright stupid. I prefer a hinged cap which releases the key once it was unlocked. By the way, it’s borrowed from Passion and CBZ and it seems it’s not designed for Unicorn. On the whole, the bike needs refinement. (This one is for gossip: Hero - Honda honeymoon is over!! heh..heh..hee..)
I am riding this bike for more than four months now. Electric start was not an option when I bought it but it’s available now. Dealer service here, at Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), is pathetic. Bajaj dealer makes me feel like a king. I booked it after seeing the photos on the Honda India website. Looked good enough but the fact that it is a HONDA is what I trusted blindly.
Didn’t I like this bike? I didn’t say that! Pulsar 150 DTS-i with alloy wheels is not there at that time to confuse me. All you poor guys who got to make up your minds now, have a tough choice to make, I think. If it’s about reliability, I don’t know anything about Bajaj’s product (I confess, that I realized Honda is no God), so, what do you say guys?