This is my first review at mouthshut. I recently graduated to a P150 from a HH passion + I owned for about 6 months. I have driven bikes from all big manufacturers, including TVS Fiero, Yamaha Libero, Bullet, HH CBZ, HH P+, and my recent acquisition is the P150 DTS-i with alloy wheels and a self start. I bought the bike on 16th may , 2006 after much deliberation. initially, I wanted to go in for the TVS apache because it was a new phenomenon and it looked real good in the Ads. But once I test drove both the apache and the pulsar, it was pulsar for me without any second thoughts. To start with, I felt that the apache was kind of small with a reduced wheel base which may aid in cornering but certainly compromises on stability. and the other factor in which the pulsar wins over the apache is the vibrations. The apache vibrates when the speedo crosses 60 kph. Though it might not appear too pronounced to new rider on a new bike, but thinking on a long term perspective, I feel that the vibrations will become more pronounced with passage of time as the bike gets older. Then it might really turn out to be a headache instead of a thing of pride.
Now coming to the Pulsar 150, it is an absolute joy to ride. I am still in the running in period and so I have not yet been able to go beyond 60 kph in 5th gear, but still whatever small exposure I have had of this bike, I feel that its a wonderful piece of engineering.Though the gear box could have been made a bit slicker than it is. The gears do feel a bit jittery at times. I hope that this problem would be taken care of on the first servicing. The p150 starts quite well even in the cold mornings without choke (though I wud suggest that u use the choke in the cold mornings to get a proper flow of the oil over the engine).
I went for a long ride over a bumpy stretch of road a couple of days back to check out the shocks of the bike and I was pleasantly surprised to fine that the gas shox and the front forks handles the uneven roads and potholes quite well.The only annoying thing I faced was that at times moving over really bad roads, the plastic components over the rear portion of the bike( the fragile mudguard on the rear wheel and the tal lamp accessories) tend to vibrate. Apart from these, the ride was a joy.
Coming to the fuel efficiency factor, I have so far done 500 kms on the bike and I am getting about 45-50 kpl, which I feel is quite good on a new bike which is yet to go in for its first servicing. I expect the fuel efficiency to be around the 55-60 kpl mark (avg. of city and highway riding).
I will be keeping the developments and any problems, I face with my P150 ( which I plan to own till the P250 is released), posted.
Another thing I wud like to add is that I am not comparing the P150 with the unicorn. The unicorn has its own plus factors and the P150 has its own. Maybe, that the unicorn is somewhat ahead of the P150 in terms of performance and fuel economy but when it comes to the looks and the adrenaline factor, the pulsar wins hands down. The unicorn is for the frugal pocketed and the conservative people and the Pulsar is for the flamboyant types.
Happy riding..............................