Bajaj Auto has given cruiser bike enthusiasts in India something to cheer about with the launch of 3 variants of the Avenger - Cruise 220, Street 220 and Street 150.
The Bajaj Avenger brand has now been in India for almost a decade and there were rumours that the bike would be phased out. However, with Bajaj selling around 4,000-4,500 units every year, the Indian bike maker has decided to continue to cater to a niche audience. And why not? The Bajaj Avenger is a bike which offers something different to the Indian consumer.
While both - the Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 and Bajaj Avenger Street 220 - have the same engine, they appeal to a different set of audiences. The Cruise 220 is more of a classic cruiser, while the Street 220 will appeal to a younger audience who are on the look-out for a good-looking bike for their daily commute. The handle bar in the Street series is lower and flatter, which would help in city riding conditions.
Also Read: Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 and Street 150 Review
So what are the major changes in the new Avengers with respect to the older version?
In a move to enhance overall riding comfort, Bajaj has increased the seat height by 15mm by adding foam thickness to raise the riding posture.
The company has also worked on the lubrication and hardness of the drive chain which should improve the life of the drive chain by around 15-20 per cent. Incidentally, both the Cruise and Street 220 are equipped with white hue headlamps.
But how does it stack up price-wise in the Indian bike market? We take a look.
The major rivals for both these bikes, apart from the Bajaj Pulsar 220, Bajaj Pulsar AS 200 and Bajaj Pulsar RS 200, will be the Hero Karizma R, Hero Karizma ZMR and Royal Enfield Classic 350, among a few others. It has to be said that with a price tag of Rs 84,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi), Bajaj has been aggressive with the pricing in this segment.
Price - Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220/Street 220 vs Rivals (All prices are ex-showroom, Delhi)
Bajaj Avenger Cruise220/Street 220: Rs 84,000
Hero Karizma R: Rs 83,900
Bajaj Pulsar 220: Rs 87,698
Bajaj Pulsar AS200: Rs 93,552
Royal Enfield Classic 350: Rs 1,25,445
Also Read: Captain Rajiv's New Avengers!
Moving on to the Bajaj Avenger Street 150, the company emphasised on the fact that the bike doesn't share the same engine as the Bajaj Pulsar AS 150. There are quite a few changes in the engine configuration to go with the bike's character, with Bajaj claiming 10% higher torque than the Pulsar 150 in the low-to-mid range.
The Street 150 will take on rivals like Suzuki Gixxer, Yamaha Fazer, TVS Apache RTR 160, Honda Unicorn 160 and host of other bikes in a crowded segment, mind you, it's the only cruiser at this price point. With all of them similarly priced, it would be interesting to see which one the consumer finally settles on.
Price - Bajaj Avenger Street 150 vs Rivals (All prices are ex-showroom, Delhi)
Bajaj Avenger Street 150: Rs 75,000
Honda Unicorn 160: Rs 72,412
Hero Xtreme Sports: Rs 72,625
TVS TRT 160: Rs 72,514
Bajaj Pulsar 150: Rs 71,756
Bajaj Pulsar AS150: Rs 79,000
Yamaha Fazer: Rs 86,805
Suzuki Gixxer: Rs 76,166
Suzuki Gixxer SF: Rs 84,784
As a company, Bajaj is trying to build up its brand through its range of products. India's second largest bike manufacturer has already done that with its Pulsar line-up. It's now the Avenger's turn.
