sriharsha_m 0 Report post Posted May 27, 2009 Hi guys,I'm planning to upgrade my Pulsar 150 UG3 to a better one and have these three bikes in mind Pulsar 220. R15. Karizma. I'm 5'10" and 80kgs,i have long legs which was a problem when i rode RTR,so definitely don't want this to happen with my new one.I use this mainly for daily use within my town and a few long trips once or twice a month.So long journey reliability & comfort is also on my check list.And one thing i don't know why,i'm not comfortable with my riding posture on pulsar 150.I tend to slip towards the tank if i sit back.So which one of these has better riding posture for me. I have read many reviews and feedback from owners of these bikes.But the more i read,the more i'm confused as to which one to choose. :shock: These are my final thoughts on these bikes,plz suggest me which one to go for. Pulsar 220 Wow a stunning bike to look at,defenitely a headturner,but appearances can be deceptive,as i learned the hard way after going for pulsar 150 just based on its looks.So this is what i'm worried about,does this have the same bajaj build quality issues as the 150,is the gearbox much better than the 150 or is it just a minor change,is this a reliable bike on the long run.Also is the new 2009 model just a paint job change or can i expect some performance upgrade.There is no probiking showroom in my town,so that's another issue and bajaj's service in my town sucks big time. Karizma Hmm eventhough this one is very old,i just find this practically a good choice for me,yes only practically,Otherwise this is out of my options.Do you think is it still a good buy considering the alternatives.What about the rumors of Karizma FI,is it gonna happen or just another HH style upgrade. R15 Ahh already enough is said about this baby R1 :mrgreen: ,so don't want to repeat it again.I'm more inclined towards buying this,but after reading reviews about its low and mid range power,i'm worried if this is gonna be a problem for me since most of the time i ride it in town.Also i've heard rumors about yamaha re-tuning this for a better low and mid range grunt,is this true,even if they don't can i remap the ECU for a better low and mid range power,Coz i'll not be flying around in top speed thanks to our roads here.Also do the maintenance and spares cost gonna burn a hole in my pocket?I definitely don't want to see the fairing damaged and my dad buying me a scooty after listening to its spares cost. :cry: I'm not in a hurry,this would take at least a month or two.So want to narrow down my options to a single one.Are there any new launches in the mean time above 180CC? And Finally Which one should i be going for? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rahul1810 0 Report post Posted May 27, 2009 TVS has just recently launched Apache RTR 180. It has little bit more power than R15. Have a look at that otherwise you have made a good choice. I dont think low and mid range powers are that big a concern in the yamaha though Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rssh 59 Report post Posted May 27, 2009 Well wait for some time new upgraded P220 might come up in 2 months . If you really don't like Bajjaj then don't go for it . The Karizma is in last legs and need an upgrade but it is still a smooth riding bike .If you want good mid and low end grunt then the Yahama's very own FZ16 is for you as it is tuned for this than outright performance. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sriharsha_m 0 Report post Posted May 27, 2009 Thanks for your replies Rahul and rssh. Rahul,I said that RTR's handlebar touches my knee sometimes,also i'm not sure about TVS's build quality.So I'm gonna skip it. rssh,I like FZ-S more,but i'm more inclined towards P220 or R15. Plz tell me is it okay to go for P220 looking at the price difference b/w R15 and P220, I can buy some good riding gear for the money I save on P220. My only grouse about R15 is its city driving manners,is it good at low and medium speeds,if this is okay then I would go for R15 instead and will buy riding gear later. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sriharsha_m 0 Report post Posted May 27, 2009 Also is P220 reliable in the long run?What about its build quality issues?Also on enquiring i found out that Bajaj's service sucks not only in my town,but elsewhere too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rssh 59 Report post Posted May 27, 2009 Well R15 is a good quality product and do a test drive of it . It is good enough for the city and is light enough to be handled easily go for it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
drgirish.vc 0 Report post Posted June 7, 2009 Hey harsha, Well i own a R15, as you are 5'10" , it would be not be good idea to go in for the R15 as you will be really uncomfortable on it as its very low, the handle bars will definitely touch your knee. i would say go in for the 220, as you would be more comfortable on it (220 upgrade is round the corner, wait for it though). If you are concerned with the quality of bajaj, then check out FZ..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crazy cat 0 Report post Posted June 7, 2009 R15's sporty riding stance and low low-range and mid-range power are a strict no for City use. For City, you can give FZ a try, it has good amount of low and mid range power. P220 will not be comfortable for long legs. Same boring looks shared with 150cc bike. Quality issues. Karizma is still a good bike. Comfortable, refined, good handler, reliability,etc.. R15, Karizma, FZ are good bikes with decent quality, compared with Bajaj. My preference would be Karizma. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tappet 0 Report post Posted June 8, 2009 R15's sporty riding stance and low low-range and mid-range power are a strict no for City use. For City' date=' you can give FZ a try, it has good amount of low and mid range power. P220 will not be comfortable for long legs. Same boring looks shared with 150cc bike. Quality issues. Karizma is still a good bike. Comfortable, refined, good handler, reliability,etc.. R15, Karizma, FZ are good bikes with decent quality, compared with Bajaj. My preference would be Karizma.[/quote'] . "R15, Karizma, FZ are good bikes with decent quality, compared with Bajaj."???? i disagree the word "decent" that you have used..the correct word is "top class" or "excellent" when compared with Bajaj... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sarabjeet 3 Report post Posted June 9, 2009 tvs build qaulity ?? its bajaj u should be worried about , my friends 6 month old p220 has started rattling dude i am 5'10" also and my legs don't come anywhere near to the handle rod of my RTR , was the RTR's handle rod modified ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bingo 0 Report post Posted July 8, 2009 I am using zma for last 5 yrs. Believe you me, its a great companion. You just have to fill the tank and enjoy. No maintenance at all except regular servicing. Also, it is completely your personal choice. keep us updated. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deathrace 0 Report post Posted July 8, 2009 skip zma as it is due for a makeover. wait for it if you can, else get 220 dtsi. not worth spending our hard earned money on r15 as its a bit on expensive side and is a bit problematic to drive in city roads. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karan_4n 0 Report post Posted July 10, 2009 well you can consider the new p-220 too,comes within budget and more powerful too. @ sarabjeet, 6 months are not really much. So if your friend's P-220 is making rattling sound, its either bad handling or your friend being unfortunate of getting one bad piece of thousands. After all its man who made machines and thus even machines can go out of way executing their operations. I am a bike enthusiast and me and my friends together have almost every bike newly introduced. I drive alot and i found P-220 a wonderful bike. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karan_4n 0 Report post Posted July 10, 2009 I guess it has been over a month Sriharsha had put up this query. The bike must have already been bought.karan_4n2009-07-10 06:14:39 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arreddyy 0 Report post Posted July 13, 2009 hey sriharsha,,if you havent bought your bike yet,,i think you must go for a p-220,,,and i have a reason for it.the new 220 means more power,, the power band has never been a problem for 220.the stance is not an out and out sporty stance.......so its comfortable for long rides also. it fits perfectly in the bill. the yamy on the other hand is the sportier amongst the two and gr8 built quality too... but it needs to be revved hard and is not too comfortable for a city ride.. if you can opt for go for a fi version of the 220 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
indibiker 0 Report post Posted July 13, 2009 I would also prefer the 2009 P220. Not the 'Fi' version but the '2009 dtsi' version because of simple reasons. It is the fastest Indian street legal production bike It makes 21 PS of power It is reasonably priced at 70K ex showroom, which is almost 30K cheaper than the R15!! the P220 also has more stuff than the Karizma like Tubeless tyres, the best and most powerful headlamps in the country, split seat and clip on handlebars. the P220 has also become quite reliable after 2 years in the market. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
anupam_herohond 0 Report post Posted July 13, 2009 @ topic starter just go the zma. there is no new version coming out. the people who spread the rumours have been caught by cyber police aafter a hero honda complaint. dont think anything else than zma r. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
abhigtr 0 Report post Posted July 14, 2009 hi i own a r15 and it has been a year since i bought it the day it release and must say that till date my baby r1 has never even shunted a problem so with performance its a brezze to handle .... maintaince and spares can be a bit costly but not to much and moreover i am 6ft and 82kg and this bike is light and comfy compared to pulsar220 and please karizma is just to old heck of a bike ...up to you to decide the japanese yamaha or indian bajaj .... or future kawasaki 250cc which will be out by diwali..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vish_d 0 Report post Posted July 15, 2009 Handle bar touching ur legs onp 150 at 5' 10''...i dont think so!! Maybe u donno how to seat urself... Im 6' 1'' i hv driven p150 fr 1.5 yrs...i hardly found dis prblm!! Now i own a karizma, n its definitely d best bike around... Dont go fr p220 u'll hv to face quality issues... Karizma will soon be upgraded... Go fr r15 or apache 180... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites