First of all, thanks for reading this review. I like to share about my unicorn experience from the date of buying till date (13th Feb 2008 - 13th Feb 2010).
HOW I SELECTED UNICORN:
I must thank all the reviews including mouthshuts’ about Unicorn. I solely relied on reviews and spent a month reading them online and finally took a test drive, got impressed and bought the bike. So, I am now writing this review to help you take a best decision like I did in buying Unicorn. I had 5 options when I was looking for a 150 cc bike. 1. Honda Unicorn 2. Bajaj Pulsar 3. TVS Apache 4. HH CBZ Xtreme 5. HH Hunk. I neglected Pulsar because of engine noise, tank design and vibration at high speeds. I neglected Apache because of engine noise, seat design( I am not gonna race everyday) and vibration at high speeds. I neglected CBZ Xtreme because of it’s looks which were not attractive to me and also dropped Hunk from my mind because it was very aggressive and the back seat was very odd ( my mom would scold me for it’s tall position because she cannot afford sitting there.) I selected Unicorn because of less engine noise, decent mileage and nice handling.
Unicorn Engine:
My unicorn has crossed 24567 kms so far. Till date, I have changed oil for every 2500 kms, sometimes Shell Advanced 4T , sometimes Honda Engine oil, but so far I have not come across any extra noise coming from the engine area. The engine is still giving the same sound as the day when I got my unicorn delivered. Honda engine is also amazing at high speeds. When my friend’s Pulsar and my unicorn were at top speeds and running parallel, my friend told me that my bike did not vibrate nor produced noise even though the speedometer was touching 120 + whereas his pulsar was vibrating as well as producing a different noise than the normal. I am not a mechanic, but I could infer that Unicorn’s engine is the best in the 150 cc segment. Today’s unicorn comes with a whole black color in engine compartment which looks sexy.
Unicorn Style:
Needless to say, HMSI has improved Unicorn’s looks through many generation. Mostly apart from stickers, the 4th generation Unicorn is in par with other competitors in terms of styling. The front silver chrome in the headlamp dome in my silver unicorn is still new and shiny. It is distinct standing out of the crowd in any traffic. The tail lamp is a classy one. Although, the HH Glamour has a similar tail lamp, Unicorn’s tail lamp is stylish and unique. The small chromes at the sides just before the mono suspension sticker also looks cool. If you got to buy a Unicorn now, you are lucky to get a 3D Honda logo (in silver) with it in the Unicorn tank, and it looks similar to the one in Royal Enfield adding to your pride.
Unicorn Handling:
Unicorn’s driving position is neither like a racing inspired bike (Apache) nor like a stylish bike (Pulsar). It’s position is so unique and comfortable that you will easily put on weight. I am not kidding. Unicorn’s mono suspension absorbs even the worst roadblocks, needless to say the ultra smooth velvety front fork suspension. In fact, I have adjusted the mono suspension to hard to ensure even better suspension effect. And what is amazing is Unicorn’s handlebar makes you feel you are riding some bike like a splendor( such a light feeling you get) because, the handlebar positioned such. This gave me extra confidence to turn the bike around a little faster and also squeeze through the traffic silently when I need to rush to my office. You won’t believe me, my office is 19 kms from home and therefore I travel around 40 kms per day but not even once have I felt a back pain or neck pain or wrist pain in driving my unicorn. My route consists of heavy traffic plus a little highway. Everyday I love to take the bike out to my office, be it rainy or cloudy or sunny or foggy.. I love driving my unicorn simply because it demands no difference in driving in different climates. The brakes are efficient enough to save you from accidents. Thanks to the weight balanced Unicorn chasis. I used a gripper for the handles but soon I felt the default ones were better any day.
Unicorn Performance:
Coming to mileage, Unicorn is consistent because of the engine’s smooth functionalities and efficient gear ratios. I generally ride unicorn not crossing the 5000 rpm for each gear. This driving gives a mileage of around 52 kms per litre (less than a Rupee per Km) which you cannot expect from an Apache or Pulsar even after using them for 2 years. Also I have not felt any problem in starting the engine during rainy days or after a months’ rest to my unicorn. In these cases, first i use the kicker few times, to warm up the engine and then use the button starter to start the engine. Only once did the battery drained because I delayed giving the bike to service, but it was rectified. The headlamp design is very good because it scatters light more to the left of the bike’s front than to the right. Although, this could not be noticed normally because of street lights, if at all you drive unicorn during city power cuts, you can easily notice this. I like this feature very much because it is useful as well as doesn’t make the opposite drive feel the glare at high beams. Only once have I changed the tail brake light, apart from that I have not seen any problem with bike’s electric stuff.
My Verdict:
I am a guy who do lot of analysis before buying a product. With respect to Unicorn too I did lot of researches and finally got satisfied after test driving. I guarantee you that Unicorn is the best in it’s class and will never ever displease the owner. Please do give your comments. You can also send your emails to anbalagan.aravindhan@gmail.com for any Indian car or bike advice. I can help you out as much as I knew.
Please check out this video. It speaks volumes on UNICORN
youtube.com/watch?v=Ghv4iLz2XAU