Hi all. I am S.Venkatesh from Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu.I have bought a Honda Unicorn 2013 model in March 2013. Its come up with powerful 4 stroke 150 cc engine delivering output of 13.3 bhp engine clubbed with many other high end equipments. My bike has completed 2 free services and done 2000kms.This bike is an excellent one and its more comfortable for long distance driving.
Even after driving 200-300kms, there will be no back pain, wrist pain etc.Till now, I have not faced any major problems with this bike. The highest mileage I got is 60kmpl and lowest is 35kmpl.The only problem I have faced is the cold starting problem. The bike jerks a little bit when you start and ride the bike in the morning but after riding 2-3 kms, the jerking goes off and the bike becomes normal.This is a common problem in all Unicorns. I used to ride 45-50kmph in city and 55-60kmph in highways. From my experience, riding at 50Kmph is the best as it gives higher mileage.
ENGINE AND PERFORMANCE Honda Unicorn is equipped with extremely refined and responsive 4 stroke, air cooled 150cc engine. The bike has maximum power 13.3bhp at 8000rpm and torque 1.3kgm at 5500rpm. Well, looking at the figures won’t give an exact idea but riding the bike sure does. This has the most refined and smooth engine performance in its category. Put your finger on the start button and the bike fires to life. When, you start riding, you won’t feel that the engine is running.
The bike has a toe shifted 5 speed gearbox, which is smooth and can be changed with the minimum effort. This smooth revving engine has a high torque available at 5500 rpm. The pickup is great, almost like the Apache and FZ 16. It takes around 5-6 seconds for 0-60km/hr. It takes another 4 seconds for braking from 60-10km/hr. Both self and kick start are available. The self start is excellent and it takes only 2 seconds. The pickup is decent and there is no sudden or explosive acceleration like the Apache or FZ. The power flow is smooth and steady. The power flow is same independent of road like whether it’s a flyover or downside incline etc. STABILITY, RIDE COMFORT AND SUSPENSION Like the Harley Davidson, and other cruiser bike originally meant for the highways, the Unicorn may be considered more of a cruiser than a city bike.
The ride position is similar to the Bullet. You can sit erect and there was no back strain or leg strain, after riding continuously for an hour. The position of the handlebar is the best in its category. The seats are adequately cushioned and the stability is more toward the center and is good. As the bike weights 145kg, you can feel the weight at cornering or doing steep turns. But most of the time, this gives you a feeling of safety and protection much unlike the Pulsar and Apache. The bike has monoshock suspension like R15 and FZ and I still feel this is the best suspension that is desired for our roads. This also keeps the centre of gravity shifted toward the center of the bike, which I feel is advantageous. The suspension of this bike was set more toward hard, which meant better control.
LOOKS AND DISPLAY With bikes like the Apache, FZ, Pulsar and Hunk for competition, in the looks department, the bike is a step below than its competitors. The older versions, the striped ones could easily be mistaken for the passion or the 125cc shine. But the full black and silver versions, with their accentuated headlights give a prominent “150cc” look to the bike and the black pearl bike is surely eye-catching. The fuel tank is large with a capacity of 13litres and 1.3 reserves. The bike has a large wheelbase of 1340mm and quite high ground clearance 168mm. The paint quality is top-notch and when you place the bike under the blazing sun, you can see a beautiful rainbow pattern on the tank and painted areas. Overall the bike has a feeling of a big bike but it still doesn’t look beefy or sporty for a 150cc bike.(It’s one of the reasons why even older people go for it.) The matt black of the silencer and mudguard also are of top quality.
MILEAGE It gives 50-55kmpl average which is excellent for a 150cc bike. But rash driving may give a low mileage.
TIPS TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE AND MILEAGE:
kick start the bike in the morning and put the choke for about 15-20 seconds. This will avoid cold starting problem as I mentioned earlier and the jerking will be minimised.
Ride the bike at 50kmph and try to maintain in fifth gear as far as possible. It will give you great mileage.
Avoid rapid acceleration, sudden and unnecessary braking as it will have a worst impact on the mileage.
Check the tyre pressure. Low tyre pressure will give you the worst mileage.
Recommended Tyre Pressure: Front(Solo/Pillion)=25/25 psi, Rear(Solo/Pillion)=32/41 psi.
Always park your bike in shed to avoid vaporization.
Always run ur bike in constant speed(50kmph).
Avoid Clutch While Driving.
Change the engine oil every 3000kms or 3 months.
Regularly service the bike at good service centers. The only thing I disliked is the waiting period. I booked the bike in the first week of February but I got the bike in March. I had to wait One month. But the wait is worth. I went through all other bikes in the 150cc segment before booking unicorn. I went through Pulsar 150, Apache RTR, Yamaha fz, hunk, cbz extreme etc. Pulsar became a very common bike and has a lot of engine complaints after 2 years. Yamaha bikes give a very very poor mileage. But Unicorn is the best among all these bikes. It has a very good mileage, superb handling, refined and smooth engine with no noise at all, stunning performance and decent look. I would say that Honda Unicorn is the best 150cc commuter in the market right now. If you don’t believe me, just go and ask another person having Unicorn. Or else, test drive this bike and you will know it. I feel the best bike to use in the highways, for smooth power flow and sudden over takings at times, and for cruising at optimum power and with maximum mileage is the Honda Unicorn. I would recommend the Unicorn to those people who want a true Honda bike, made for exclusively; India . BE A WING RIDER.