When i planned to buy a new bike, 3 bikes i was having in mind.i ignored pulsar (since my street is already filled with pulsars), eliminated Yamaha bikes(since i needed a decent mileage), i didn’t want discover (since i did not like the new design, old one is better than the new one).finally, my choices were unicorn, shine and apache. I approached Honda , they asked me to wait for 30 days ( i sold my splendor already a month ago, so i didn’t want to wait and no great pick up when compared to apache), shine is fine, but i felt it as a more powered splendor.even then i was in oscillation between unicorn and Apache.
One day i heard the revving sound of apache very near to me, it attracted me so much in the sense, it’s sporty look and the handle bars, it’s sound...great.so went for a test ride. It was really amazing, no words to say, felt like driving a manly machine, the performance, speed, pick up was very nice, so decided to own my ’jet’.
I owned my apache rtr 160(jet) on December 2009. First time when i rev it, i got shocked (i owned a splendor before, with the same feel i just revved by practice), it was just amazing, felt like sitting on the top of a horse. When i started driving it, for the first few days i was struggling to control the bike, since it’s pick up was amazing and i was still in the mindset of splendor.
Pros:
Looks - nothing to say, since i myself have seen so many people looking at this bike , wherever i park, and got a comment as "it is also a new bike like pulsar, looks better than that...
Fuel consumption - 48 to 52 inside city, if you drive within 80 kmph. The more you rev, the less the mileage you get). In highways, 55 kmpl. My friend’s fzs gives about 38 - 40.(heard that even splendors are giving just about 58-60 inside the city like Chennai)
Handling - very comfortable sporty commuter.good control even in small gaps and bends.
Comfort - good.but if you go for a ling drive, you’ll feel a bit back and neck pain.
Performance - in this 1.5 years never felt that the performance has come down.
Maintenance - never spent more than 400 rs for servicing.my friend’s fzs’ key struck to open during rainy season very frequent, but i never experienced it in Apache. No starting problem, even after 5 hours of continuous rain on the bike.
Electrical - never faced any issue
Cons :
Slippery in wet roads, once fell down and changed the entire scoop and headlight(cost 2600 rs)
Braking - you’ll be scared sometimes, if you do not handle it properly.in fzs i never felt scared at any time)
Slight vibration in 60 - 65, but it is very much tolerable.
My opinion is if you want good mileage, great speed and pick up, good look, good performance, low maintenance cost - Apache
good mileage, nice performance - unicorn
good speed, good look , but common on roads - pulsar
low price, good mileage and look - shine
Opinion differs, decide on your own.
Happy riding
-prasad-