Cruiser motorcycles have always been popular since their creation. But, in India we haven’t gotten our share of them since the past couple of years. Royal Enfield’s offering, the Thunderbird is an old-school bike and doesn’t offer modern features. This means we are left with two bikes – Bajaj’s Avenger and Suzuki’s Intruder. The Indian motorcycle maker, Bajaj recently replaced its 150 with the Street 180. Along with the increased engine capacity, this motorcycle has additional features. The Intruder, on the other hand, is an extravagantly-styled cruiser based on the Gixxer’s mechanicals.
On the outside
A big thing about cruiser motorcycles is looking stylish. This genre of bikes is designed to be statements on two wheels, ones you can ride looking imposing. Both, the Bajaj and Suzuki have taken their own approaches to go about doing this. The silhouette of the Avenger is ever so reminiscent of the original Eliminator it was based on. Which isn’t a bad thing since it now has a recognisable and classic design, with the new update making it contemporary as well. The new headlight, all-black cycle parts and health styling make it a good-looker. However, this motorcycle will not stand out in a crowd even after all of its revisions.
The Intruder is on the other end of the scale when it comes to styling. It has an extravagant, over the top design that looks heavily inspired from the higher-capacity model. The styling may not be suited to everyone, but it surely is a head turner. Suzuki has worked hard to make jaws drop and they have been more or less successful at it. However, we found it a bit too extreme in terms of design and our conservative taste means we would rather be seen on the Avenger.
How do they ride?
Once you hop on to the Avenger, you will find yourself in a position where you get a good view. The short handlebar on the 180 makes the bike feel a little bit sporty. However, the Avenger does feel a bit cramped for taller riders. The pegs are placed a bit too close and are set higher than they should have been. The seating on the Avenger is also more ‘on’ the bike rather than ‘in’ it, however you do get used to once you spend enough time on it.
The Intruder’s seat is much nicer; it is plush and designed as if it belongs on a cruiser unlike the one on the Avenger. The handlebar is swept-back and the riding position is easy-going and relaxed. In terms of riding position, your legs are considerably more outwards which improves the room on the bike. Managing U-turns on the Suzuki is also easier since your legs don’t come in the way. As a result, it is the Intruder that’s the comfier motorcycle of the two.
How do they perform?
As we know, the Bajaj is the motorcycle with a bigger and more powerful engine. Additionally, Bajaj knows a fair bit about making its motorcycles go fast and considering that this engine comes from the Pulsar, one can expect the following.
The bike uses an 180cc motor that is mated to a five-speed transmission. However, this engine has been detuned to some extent to suit its cruising characteristics. The good thing is, it hasn’t been detuned that much, and it still produces a good 15.5hp and 13.7Nm of torque. The motor has got the grunt where one needs it and it performs well in the city. However, the increased capacity of the engine results to less stressed mannerisms. The bike does remain vibration free for most of the time. The foot pegs do however, vibrate at higher revs.
The Suzuki’s engine feels a lot more relaxed in comparison. It does make more torque and feels refined and smooth. The 155cc engine makes 14.8hp and 14Nm of torque and it does this without stress. To be honest, the Intruder manages to be on par with the Avenger in most environments. In fact, it’s the Suzuki’s transmission that has smoother shifts. Everything considered, it’s the Suzuki that needs to make a little more power. At present, it is a smooth engine that lacks the substance one would look for in a motorcycle of its kind.
Which one should I buy?
To begin with, the prices. The Bajaj is available in only one variant and is priced at Rs 84,346. The Suzuki, on the other hand, is available in two variants – carburettor and fuel-injected. The carburettor variant is the more affordable model and it costs Rs 1,02,072 lakh (all prices ex-showroom, Mumbai). This Rs 18,000 difference decreases to Rs 14,000 once you consider Delhi prices. This means, at first the Avenger appears to be the better deal but it doesn’t offer the features the Intruder does.
Yes, the Intruder is clearly more expensive but it comes with an extra disc brake equipped with ABS. The bike also uses a monoshock and digital instrumentation. If the Avenger did feature all of this, the price would undoubtedly increase as well. However, bikes aren’t a sum of its parts they aren’t meant to have personalities and considering that the Intruder is smooth and nice to live with. That being said, it’s the Avenger with the stronger personality owing to its grunty motor. The bike also feels a lot more basic (a factor that may appeal to you if you are a Royal Enfield/Harley-Davidson fan).
It’s simple, then. Buy the Avenger if you want a motorcycle that will blend in. Buy the Intruder – the better cruiser, everything considered – if you want to do exactly the opposite.
