The Hindu Business Line : Bajaj cruises in with Avenger

WE Indians are very good at packing in the experience of an otherwise expensive product into one that is within our budget. Be it `Bollywood' and its world of make-believe or duplex apartments that give buyers the feel of an independent home or gold-plated jewellery, Indian ingenuity works to mimic the ownership experience and makes it affordable. Cruiser bikes, too, belong to the same class.

The cruiser bike market is a niche segment that has only emerged during the last four years. Bajaj Auto had the first mover advantage when it launched the Kawasaki Eliminator in 2001, after it established the `factory within factory' concept at its spanking new plant in Chakan, near Pune.

Ensuring high levels of finish quality matching Kawasaki's expectations, the Eliminator quickly climbed up the popularity chart amongst discerning bike buyers who revelled in the new biking experience that this cruiser offered. It even attracted diehard cruiser buyers despite the fact that its 125cc engine was too underpowered compared to the cruiser class bikes available globally. With its quality levels, the Eliminator became a benchmark in the segment.

But priced at over Rs 92,000 the Kawasaki Eliminator was too expensive for the average executive-commuter bike buyer. To make matters more difficult for Bajaj, competition in the form of the much cheaper Yamaha Enticer came in and took away a chunk of the cruiser bike shoppers. Bajaj discovered the market for cruisers, but the Enticer managed to literally lure the budget cruiser buyer. Later still, more performance-focussed cruiser bike buyers, (for who premium pricing is not a problem) also found a new, compelling option in Royal Enfield's Thunderbird.

The Enticer offered a similar sized, 125cc engine as the Eliminator, and though finish quality was a notch lower, this Yamaha bike promised buyers the feel of a cruiser, with the fuel efficiency of an `exe-commuter' bike within a fairly economical Rs 50,000-plus budget. And that was enough to help the Enticer climb up the sales charts.

So, despite its finish quality and ride feel being relatively lower than the Eliminator's, the Yamaha cruiser managed to rock Bajaj's monopoly in the segment. Now, after being busy with the development of the Pulsar twins and the Discover, Bajaj has come back to quite literally avenge the market share slide that the Eliminator had to face.

Kawasaki clone

The new Bajaj Avenger is every bit the Kawasaki Eliminator except for the new power plant that it cradles in its belly. As a result, this Eliminator replacement will be ranked as the best in class in terms of fit and finish.

Cruiser bikes offer the rider a unique experience with their extra long wheelbase; couch-style seating that allows the rider a feet-up, almost lazy seating position and a comfortable, unhurried pace.

True to the cruiser class of bikes, the Avenger sports a low slung, stretched out stance. Glinting chrome finished parts all round is another cruiser bike trademark and the Avenger has plenty of them. One look at the stocky Avenger and it is obvious that it will be comfortable. Lusting, envious eyes of passers-by who, mouths agape, traced the long lines of the Avenger as we rode it around town confirmed the appeal that the Eliminator's design still has.

At the front, the Avenger sports extra long forks, a compact, round, chrome-finished headlamp and a cylindrical, single pod instrument cluster. In addition to the speedo, the instrument cluster also includes a trip meter, but does not include a fuel gauge. Circular turn indicators are mounted low, but are powerful and offer good visibility. The Avenger's handle bar is also low for a cruiser and is a straight, slightly elongated version, unlike the tall, curved inward, more laid back style that competing bikes such as the Enfield Thunderbird and the Yamaha Enticer offer.

Steeply angled, long travel front suspension, smooth matt-finished triple clamp, clutch and front brake levers and chrome finished rear-view mirrors and bar-end weights lend the Avenger's front side vintage cruiser looks. Adding to its stocky, easy riding looks, the Avenger sports a chunky, droplet shaped fuel tank that can accommodate 14 litres of fuel. With a flattened profile, the fuel tank also manages to accommodate an elongated chrome spine that houses the neutral gear indicator, the turn indicator reminder lamp, high beam indicator and the fuel cap. The saddle height in the Avenger (as was the case with the Eliminator too) is set low and despite the stocky, flowing down side panels, this bike could be the most suitable even for small-made Indian bikers.

The seat itself is broad, stepped and shaped to rise gradually towards the rear pillion seat. While the rider's seat provides considerable thigh support and is comfortable for even long distance rides, the elongated, higher set pillion seat may not offer as much support despite its thicker cushioning. The pillion backrest set on top of the tail lamp panel adds to the Avenger's cruiser charm, but may be irksome if the pillion sits sideways instead of astride the bike.

The heart of the matter with the Avenger is the transplant that it has received. Bajaj has lifted off the 125cc Eliminator engine from the bike and has successfully shoehorned the bigger Pulsar twin's 180cc, DTS-i engine. The transplant has transported the Avenger to the top in terms of performance, too, in its face-off with the Yamaha cruiser.

With the new 180cc DTS-i Pulsar engine's peak power output of 16.5 bhp, the Avenger is edging close to Royal Enfield Thunderbird's 18 bhp. Of course, the performance comparison with the burly Thunderbird cannot stop there, since this plus-sized cruiser offers its peak power at 5,500 rpm, while the Avenger's kicks in at a high 8,000 rpm. Further, the Thunderbird is more akin to performance cruisers with its peak torque being almost double that of the Avenger. But the Bajaj cruiser clearly beats the Enticer in the performance parameter, with the latter's peak power rating being a measly 11 bhp.

Helping Bajaj achieve a performance advantage with the relatively mid-sized engine is its digital twin spark ignition (DTS-i) system that incorporates two spark plugs that fire away from either side of the engine's combustion chamber to achieve fuller burn and, in turn, better power delivery, even while ensuring higher fuel efficiency. Also at work is another of Bajaj's, now trusted, technologies — the ExhausTEC. This is a device that incorporates a torque expansion chamber which improves torque at low engine rpm levels even while it retains torque availability at mid and high engine rpm levels.

The Avenger's new hungry engine almost makes it feel like it is in a hurry, while the bike itself is laid back. Slick shifting five-speed gearbox delighted us. False neutral was almost non-existent. Electric self-start is part of standard equipment, as is a 130mm disc brake for the front wheel. For a bike that is over 150 kg, the braking performance in the Avenger is surprisingly better than the Enticer. Long-travel suspension at the front and non-adjustable, hydraulic shock absorbers and coil springs at the rear make the ride on the Avenger very comfortable.

The extra-long wheelbase and the heavy handlebar lend excellent straight-line stability to the Avenger. The bike also comes with rubber engine mounts and fin separators that keep vibration to the minimum. Tyres for the Avenger include 90/90 on 17-inch wheels at the front and a higher aspect 130/90 on 15-inch wheels at the rear. With such a long wheelbase and despite a lower centre of gravity (thanks to its shorter profile), the Avenger is incapable of handling very tight turns with confidence. As far as fuel efficiency goes, the Avenger should be able to come up with 40-45 kmpl in city conditions in the long run.

Overall, priced at about Rs 60,000-plus ex-showroom, the Avenger is the best looking economy cruiser bike in the market and should be rated as the best in terms of value for money too. There may be other cruisers in the fray soon, but for now, if you are in the market for one, head straight to the nearest Bajaj showroom.

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