Hero Honda has come up with a new bike in the 150cc called ‘Hunk’ (What a name!!).The company has launched two varieties of the bike in the same name ‘Hunk’ ,one is kick start and the other is a self start bike .The two types of models differ in their market costs. The kick start costs Rs 2000 less than the self start Hunk of Hero Honda. Hero Honda has 5 models in the 150 cc range and it includes Hunk, Karizma, CBZ Extrem and. Achiever.

The market of bikes has been dominated by Pulsar but Hero Honda is trying to get into the competition with the introduction of its new bike in the market in the range of 150cc.

Sporty Look of the Bike

The look of the bike is definitely a upright one having a brawny styling. The bike is available in the market in four colors black, blue, red and silver. The cover of air filter and battery are of black and silver colors and the tail extension has a dual black color painted on it.

The engine is also not the typical black in color but it has got silver and gray colors on it. The front forks and gas filled rear have copper and gray colors. The bike has got a big tank and black alloy wheels. The bike is like Pulsar 180 DTSi in the way it has come up with the all black fashion.

Engine, Power, Torque

On comparing Hunk to CBZ Xtreme, the engine specifications, the power and torque are not as such modified in the new bike but many other few features have been added to make it perform and look better.

The air cooled, 4 stroke and single cylinder, 150cc engine of Hunk is powered with 14.4Ps @ 8500rpm and has got 12.80 Nm @ 6500 RPM of torque. The displacement of the bike is 149.2 cc. The front suspension is telescopic and rear suspension is a rectangular swingram. A new GRS, 5 step Gas Reservoir Suspension (GRS) is attached to the bike at the rear and 5 spokes are also colored in black. The capacity of tank is 12.4 liters and the usable reserve goes to 2.2 liters.

Comfort and Ride

The riding position in Hunk is very comfortable and it is smooth up to 6000rpm.The professional design in the looks of the new bike Hunk is its selling point as compared to CBZ Xtreme. The Goiter shape turn indicator in CBZ Xtreme has been removed in the new bike and tank look is changed to the type found in a few Yamaha Gladiator models which is a big plastic tank. The same kind of tank will be seen in the coming model of TVS called TVS Flame. The plastic extension has the name of the bike which reads Hunk.

Engineering and Styling

The chassis of the Hunk is a tubular diamond shaped and the rear wheel mud flap looks like the rear flaps of Bajaj Pulsars models. The front brake is a 240 mm dia disc and the rear one is a 130 mm drum type. The wheelbase is 1325 mm and ground clearance is 145.

The front rim is made up of1.85 X 18 of alloy and rear rim is of 2.15 X 18 of alloy .The headlight is of the halogen type having12V 35/35W light and tail light is 12V - 5W .There are 4 turn signal lights and clear lens that are of multi reflector type to help the rider. The weight of the bike is 143 kg for the kick start model and 146 kg for the self start model. The height of the bike is 1095 mm.

Special features

The features of the bike are:

* Engine - single cylinder , air cooled, four-stroke
* Power - 14.4 @ 8500 RPM
* Torque - 12.80 @ 6500 RPM
* Bore X Stroke - 57.3 X 57.8 mm
* Carburetor is a CV Type
* Ignition is of Advanced Microprocessor Ignition System(AMI)
* Gearbox is a 5 Speed Constant Mesh

Some positive and negative specifications of the Motorcycle

Positive features of Hunk

* The riders who have experienced to ride on the bike are claiming that the mileage of the bike goes to 50.5 kmpl but it varies depending upon the bikers.
* The CBZ Xtreme bike was good except for its looks and Hunk is similar to it except that it has improved its looks which make it look better.
* The fuel efficiency is good.
* Handling is easier.
* As compared to RTR which has a good pick up, is easy to handle and has good looks, Hunk has better mileage.

Negative features of Hunk

* The bike is basically CBZ Xtreme having the same engine and same wheelbase

* No Digital meters are present in the bike

* No Lead rear tail lamps in the bike and it have the normal bulb lamp similar to CBZ Xtreme.

* No Split Rear Grab Rails

* The alloy triple clamp is also missing and Hunk has the steel plate clamp.

Cost

The cost of the bike ranges from Rs. 55,000 to 57,000 and it depends on the type of Hunk bike you are selecting .The self start one is costlier by Rs. 2000 .In a ex showroom in New Delhi you can get the self start model for Rs 57000 and kick start model for Rs. 55,000.

Technical Specification

Engine

Engine: Air Cooled, 4 Stroke, Single Cylinder
Engine Displacement: 149.2 cc
Max Power: 14.4 Ps @ 8500 RPM
Max Torque: 12.80 Nm @ 6500 RPM
Bore X Stroke: 57.3 X 57.8 mm
Carburettor: CV Type
Ignition: AMI- Advanced Microprocessor Ignition System
Gearbox: 5 Speed Constant Mesh

Chasis

Type: Tubular, Diamond Type
Front Suspension: Telescopic
Rear Suspension: REctangular Swingarm, 5 step Gas Reservoir Suspension (GRS)
Front Brake: 240 mm dia Disc Brake
Rear Brake: 130 mm Drum Brake

Wheels

Front Rim: 1.85 X 18, Alloy
Rear Rim: 2.15 X 18, Alloy
Front Tyre: 2.75 X 18
Rear Tyre: 100/90 X 18

Physical Dimensions

Length: 2080 mm
Width: 765 mm
Height: 1095 mm
Wheelbase: 1325 mm
Saddle Height: 795 mm
Ground Clearance: 145 mm
Keb Weight: 143 Kg (Kick)/146 Kg (Self)

Electricals

Battery: 12V- 7Ah
Headlight: 12V 35/35W - Halogen
Tail Light: 12V - 5W
Stop Light: 12V - 21W
Turn Signal Light: 12V - 10W X 4 Nos. Clear Lens Multi Refector Type

Tank Capacity

12.4 Lts, Usuable Reserve 2.2 Lts.

Hero Honda has lately upped the ante of the two wheeler industry at ends, upper end as well as lower end. At the lower (100cc) end it set the cat among the pigeons by launching the no-frills CD dawn at a price of rs.31,000/- ex-showroom (rs.33,800/- on road) pune, which made it the cheapest bike in this largest selling class in the country. At the upper end it launched the karizma, at an on-road pune price of rs.86, 367/-. While the CD dawn retains the same engine, mechanicals and cycle parts of its higher priced siblings in the 100cc class, the karizma breaks new ground and for the first time, breaks the 200cc barrier in the four-stroke, single-pot, indo-jap genre. While the specifications and performance of the hh 100cc class is too well known to bear further mention here, the karizma is an altogether different cup of tea, which is a stunning 223cc single, spewing out 17 bhp at 7000 rpm, which pushes the bike at a torque of 18.35 nm at 6000 rpm. This is the hero Honda with a difference.

What is this difference? The difference is that unlike all other hh bikes, which have short-stroke engines, this one has a long-stroke engine. All the earlier hh bikes have the same stroke of 49.5 mm, with only the bore varying (increasing), being 50.0 mm for splendor, 58.5 mm for ambition and 63.5 mm for cbz. The karizma on the other hand has a stroke of 66.2 mm, which is more than its bore of 65.5 mm. This not only gives it excellent low end torque (let), but also allows it to produce its max. 17 bhp at 7000 rpm, while all the other hh bikes named above produce their max. Bhp at 8000 rpm. Thus the karizma’s engine life factor (elf) is almost 1.6 which is better than excellent and more than most other bikes in the country today. With the long-stroke giving it excellent let, and a low rated rpm giving it longevity, one is assured of relaxed riding pleasure for many years. It is a medically proven fact that relaxed riding increases the longevity of rider as well.

One painful fact that emerged during this test is that the gear shifter (gs) of the karizma is exactly the same (toe-only) as the cbz. Even the kick-starter is the same cbz type, which necessitates folding the RH footrest for kicking. Even though having a self starter helps, I wonder why HH is so die-hard about this feature. The other tall claim made in the leaflets of the karizma is however definitely true, that is the claim of a top speed of 125 kph. Though I actually only touched a Speedo indicated 121 kph, I could feel the bike had enough “dump” in it to touch 125 or maybe even 130 kph, but then I didn’t have the “dump” to push on. Blame it on rain, blame it on traffic, blame it on publication deadline, blame it on dilip bam’s lack of guts, or blame it on Rio! But I am not foolhardy enough to go racing on wet tarmac. Sorry.

Coming to more mundane things, starting from front, the huge 35watt multi reflector headlight has a bright beam having an excellent throw. The tail lamp too is large with two bulbs, the second filament in each bulb, lighting up upon application of brakes, to serve as the bright brake light. The adrenoesque front face is massive, with the huge front fairing dominating the looks. As with such an arrangement, the headlight does not turn with the handle. Some people have misgivings about this fact, though personally i faced no problems on this score. The front blinkers are built into this massive fairing and would be the first casualty in case of a fall, but then blinkers are always the first casualty in any bike fall, except in case of bikes having blinkers built into the headlamp and tail-lamp unit, such as in the old fiero. The bike i am testing came without crash guard. I am sure a crash guard (which is a dealer fitment - to avoid excise duty) would prevent blinker breakage. The headlamp is faired with a windshield as well, which further enhances the ‘biggy’ look of this bike.

The bike has a lot of features. There is a lockable helmet strap lock at lhs rear, which has a catch, upon pressing which the seat comes unlocked and can be lifted off. Under the seat, there is a snug, waterproof, dust-proof, latched plastic box, which holds the tool kit and battery warranty card. The first-aid kit also finds a place under the seat. The seat itself, the driver part of it that is, is cusped, leading to a slightly front-leaning riding posture, though less so than some other bikes having more deeply cusped seats. The pillion seat is higher than the driver seat. With the heavier (than me) pillion that i rode with sometimes, i wasn’t very happy. For one, it raises the total cg of the contraption. For another, i don’t see the logic behind raised pillion seats, unless it is raised for allowing the pillion to look over the shoulders of the driver, which i think is socially unacceptable. When i am the driver, i am in-charge, so why the hell should somebody look over my shoulders?

Further ahead is the massive, 15 liter fuel tank (ft) with a 2-litre reserve. The ft cap is removable (not hinged) and has a hinged flap to cover the keyhole in the cap to prevent water going in. The chassis is a single down-tube affair in the front, having engine as a stressed member. Massive rectangular section rear swing-arm makes for excellent flex-free riding and road holding. The huge silencer comes with a heat shield topped with a heel-rest loop to prevent pillion shoe-sole burn-off.

Due to all this fairing-baazi (non metallic), the engine block looks comparatively diminutive, but it belies the performance aspect of this machine. I took it out to the mulish hairpin bends (50 km away) for a checkout. There were clouds on the horizon but it hadn’t rained yet. As much as the traffic would allow. In traffic, this bike cannot do much more than what the 100cc econo-misers could do, but out of town the karizma could teach this PhD’s in economics a thing or two. On this ride with me were two other bikes: a stock rx100 and a ported and proton-exhausted shaolin, ridden by 50-kg teenagers. Get-ahead-at-any-cost is the mantra of these teenagers and riding 2-strokers; they kept trying to get the best of me. The road is pretty narrow and in case a bus or truck is oncoming, you have to get off the road.

These guys (the 2-stroke teenagers) kept trying to overtake me, yet whenever they came up from behind too close for comfort, all I had to do was downshift and open throttle. No matter how close they were, they never could catch up. Overtaking me was outta question. So they stopped, got off their bikes and took the karizma from me and said, “Now you try to overtake us.” I tried. I couldn’t. Like i said, i touched 121 kph. 125 is very much do-able. Maybe even more. Speedo indicated of course. But true anyway, since in the top speed sweepstakes the rx100 and ported+protoned shaolin were left far behind=outta sight, could not be seen even in the rear view (RV) mirrors. That brings me to a couple of sore points. The RV mirrors are too small. Their stalks are too short. And the horn is not loud enough. Maybe I don’t hear too well (I’ve got only one ear, remember?).

The road holding is excellent on dry tarmac and so it the braking. The 276mm disc up front (largest so far) does an excellent job. So does the 130mm rear drum? The mag wheels give a very un-cluttered look to the rear wheel. I like it. The handling is actually pat, though the huge fairing probably (falsely?) Gives the impression of not being nimble. On the ground the bike behaved exactly as directed. 100% obedient to the t. The turning circle is quite large, @ four meters.

I also did braking tests. Sixty to zero. Over ten runs from 60 kph to wheel lock, the best braking distance was 14 meters. (Rider weight 67 kg ; height 174cm). This is excellent braking. What is even better is the braking characteristic. The skid line left on the dry tarmac outside the a.r.a.i. was so straight it could very well have been drawn with a foot ruler (scale). My braking test always mimics panic braking, where rider slams both brakes, such as is a natural human reaction to an accident situation.

Apart from the many ‘firsts’ mentioned above, the crowning glory of this bike is the instrumentation. A smallish analog revs counter at lh, a larger analog ‘Speedo only’ in the centre and third digital dial at RH, which incorporates a fuel gauge, a trip meter, an odometer and for chrissake, a time clock! If you come across someone riding a karizma, don’t ask him, “what’s the average?” Ask him, “What’s the time?” He will tell you the time even in a dark tunnel. The dials glow in the dark (radium?) Even without the lights on!

One stupid thing that happened during this test was that i lost the keys. Cost me rs.200/- to get a duplicate made. But I learnt something. The master key maker who made the duplicate (who makes splendor duplicate in ten minutes) took three hours to make the duplicate for this bike, and that too separate keys for ignition and tank cap. He said, “This is the most difficult bike lock I ever worked on. It would be almost impossible to steal this bike.” this fact is quite re-assuring for those who are concerned about their bike being stolen, and believe me; this bike is definitely worth stealing!!

I did a few fuel consumption tests as well, on a tank full to tank full basis. First on nh.17 (bombay-goa highway) over a distance of 130 km. Nh.17 is an excellent road, excellent surface and thin traffic. At speeds between 50 and 60 kph, with very little gear changing, very little braking or stopping, the karizma returned 41 km per liter. Later I measured fuel consumption in city riding over a distance of 185 km, with countless breakings, gear changing and stopping, and at speeds up to 80 kph at times (while overtaking). In city traffic it returned 28 km per liter.

Looks and styling

The first thing anybody would notice in the karizma is the styling aspect of the bike. The immensely aerodynamically efficient lines on the bike will catch you off guard. Especially when you take into account the amount of effort put into the design of the front fairing which incorporates/houses the indicators, two air pockets on either side or the head lamp. The fairing is not a full one which can be seen on sports bikes but nevertheless it was never before there on any Indian bike. Except for the adreno which was one dumb bike worst possible design. Gave the feeling of riding a bike designed for road rash games.

Then the lines are amazing and extend into the fuel tank. Which has recesses for the rider’s legs? The tank doesn’t look big like the pulsar’s bulky tank but it holds 15lts of fuel. and the tail-light design needs some mention over here. As is the case with most of hero Honda’s bikes, the tail part is one that catches the eyes of the on-looker the most. The Karizma’s tail section isn’t an exception. It is equally popular wid all and you can even see them fitted onto pulsars and other bikes too. The tail light is a split one. And the lenses are brilliant.wow!!!Then come the trapezoidal headlamp unit up front. Illumination is brilliant which is unmatched by any bike in the country. The guide lamps are superb and borrowed from the royal infield’s nice addition though. The first bike other than the enfields to use the 2 guide lamps above the headlamp unit. The silencer/exhaust tip is mounted in a really sporty manner and gets an almost slash-cut finish. it is chrome plated and gold coloured.the pipes for the exhaust are powder coated in black.

Ride and handling

Well if you wanted for a bike which you could rely on at all speeds, it is the karizma.relentless and impeccable on straights and cornering. The bike stands firm on its feet even @ speeds reaching up to 130kmph.there is not a single twitch. The skimpy rear tires of 100/90 spec could be upgraded to 4.00? Michelins race tread-ed ones. the skimpy company fitted rear offers lower levels of grip but as always said, it is what the bike was built for. The company fitted tires will give the least drag and highest possible efficiencies under normal driving conditions in city and on highways. The ride is superlative and the braking is simply terrific.

The bike can come to a standing halt in around 30m from 60kmph in around 2-3 secs. And the bike does twitch at the rear if too much of braking is applied. The braking is to be as gradual as possible. The brake pads wear out slower than when you brake hard all the time. It is also advisable to keep at least 3 cars gap to the vehicle ahead in dry conditions and at least 8-10 vehicles gap during the rainy season. And well the handling of the karizma in the wet tarmac is as good as that when it is dry. The braking efficiency is hampered to an extent though due to the water film being embedded on the tire treads and the braking distances increase considerably. The corners can be attacked with tenacity and the bike will respond with aplomb. The bike is simply terrific. There is no competition for the karizma among the bikes in this aspect. Although the enfields corner and are much more stable than the .it can be said that it is unexpected of a bike of Indian origin to have such high capabilities of handling and cornering. A highly reliable bike in all situations.

Engine performance

Another wonderful part of any bike or automobile for that instance has to be the motor on which the vehicle thrives on. In this case, it is 17bhp 223cc single cylinder engine from the stables of Honda, who are possibly the best engine manufacturers world-wide. The motor doesn’t disappoint those who feel a gush of blood flowing in their veins. Open the throttle up and she’d fly to 60kmph in around 5 secs and with a top whack of around 130kmph (real road conditions, no delta v-box used), the speed lovers will have a splendid time with this beautiful beast/monster.

The most power being developed in 3rd gear. So if you are dragging with somebody, just kick her into the 3rd at around 4000rpm and vroom. The competitor is a speck of dust and eating your dust already. The gear shifts are smooth and silky. The shift lever is a sporty one. And has a 1 down 4 up sports-bike like shift pattern. The motor is silky smooth across all bands of power and never shows signs of tiring and goes on and on and on. It seems as if you still have loads of power even at speeds of 100kmph.zooming past other cars like the Zen and 800 on highways is simple with this bike. We open your throttle up and she’d be ready to respond to your calls. The idling speed of the engine is best set around 1200rpm after running the engine in idle for 5 mins.at this idling speed, the optimum performance can be attained with optimum fuel efficiency.

Fuel efficiency

A bike built for power and not just power. But raw power, scintillating speeds shouldn’t be brought into the topic of fuel efficiency. But the first thing that gets noticed by others is the fuel efficiency of superbly styled bikes. Well this beauty returns a mileage of 43-45kmpl on steady driving at 60kmph in city conditions. And at least 47kmpl on highways on maintaining 80kmph speed. As for those who doubt these figures, I cannot do anything bout your astonishment or amazement with which you are reading that a 223cc bike returns 45kmpl in the city conditions. Well gentlemen it is the truth. But the main important things are that you shouldn’t open up the throttle and try speeding away. Gear shifts and acceleration should be gradual. a smooth driving style with minimal gear shifts is to be followed.

Specification

Styling	Super Sporty
Engine	4 stroke, Single Cylinder OHC, air cooled
Displacement	223 cc
Max. Power	17.0 PS @ 7000 rpm
Maximum Speed	125 KMPH
Acceleration (Time for 0 to 60 kmph)	3.8 seconds
Clutch	Multi-plate wet type
Gear Box	5 speed, constant mesh
Frame	Tubular single cradle, diamond type
Swing Arm	Rectangular
Wheelbase	1355 mm
Ground Clearance	150 mm
Dimensions (L*W*H)	2125*755*1160mm
Suspension - Front	Telescopic Hydraulic Shock Absorbers
Suspension - Rear	Swing arm with 5 step adjustable type hydraulic shock absorber
Tyres: Front/Rear	2.75 X 18 - 42 P/100/90 X 18 - 56 P
Fuel Tank Capacity	15.0 litre
Brake - Front	Disc (276 mm diameter)
Rear	Internal Expanding Shoe (130 mm)
Kerb Weight	150 kg
Ignition	Digital - CDI (AMI-Advanced Microprocessor Ignition System)
Starting	Kick + Self

The Achiever is an Ambition clone, being conjured up almost entirely from the latter parts bin, with the pros smartly eclipsing the cons. The power plant transplant from the Unicorn which happens to be the best there is in the country, could be defined as masterstroke. But she isn’t a bike you fall head over heels at first bite.

Much was expected from Hero Honda’s new 150cc offering, considering this new bike was going to replace the iconic CBZ. The CBZ after all, was the first Indian bike offering that could actually carry off the sporty tag in style. From her seating position with rear set foot pegs to disc brakes up front, from her looks (for that time) to of course, that fat (100/90) rear tyre; all spelt sporty intent. With a 150cc plus power plant and a power output of almost 13PS, it was something the Indian biker had been yearning for, for long.

However a lot of water, as they say, has flowed under the biking bridge since then. The Bajaj Pulsar not only captured the hearts of most enthusiasts but the top perch of the sales chart too. The CBZ distant cousin, the Honda Unicorn with her mono shock novelty too has crowds thronging HMSI showrooms. But what has really helped these bikes garner niche positions in the 150cc segment is the right combination of power and fuel efficiency, not to mention the far-from-astronomical price tags.

Hero Honda therefore would come out with a stunner, and a stunner in every sense of the word. Our disappointment therefore was to be expected, when we saw the Achiever in flesh! Not only does the bike resemble the now defunct Ambition very closely, the new bits (read the front fairing and the instrument cluster) failed to raise too many goose bumps too. Hmm but that, of course, was before we spent a good four days astride the bike during the course of this road test.

Road Test

As far as no single bike maker in the world has EVER sold four lakh bikes in one month! Hero Honda has done it, in Oct.2005, and THAT’S an Achievement. So Hero Honda launches Achiever, which is the Honda Unicorn engine in different clothes, and unlike Unicorn, highly Rural-Idealized or rural zed. The market feedback dept. and design dept. of HH appear to share an excellent equation. Thus Achiever comes with twin rear shocks as opposed to Unicorn’s mono-shock. 30% of highly net-savvy, I also know that in the rural areas this percentage is over 80%. I know this because I spend a week every month trekking on foot in the remote areas of four districts around Pune. I know the rural bike scenario very deeply.

Point is, Hero Honda also knows this. They’ve done their homework. Further proof comes from the fact that Achiever comes with a 130 mm front drum brake option, which Unicorn does not. Again, I know that 80% of rural folk DON’T WANT disc brakes. So Achiever will fill in the RURAL gap left by Unicorn. And I wouldn’t be surprised if Achiever outsells Unicorn in rural areas.

So, in case you didn’t know, the Achiever engine is the same 149.1cc (bore x stroke==57.3 x 57.8 mm) Unicorn engine with a miniscule difference in power. While at 8000 rpm the Unicorn claims 13.3 bhp (=9.9 kw), at the same (8000) rpm, Achiever claims 13.4 bhp (=10 kw). I know 17 technical ways of achieving this difference but I don’t know even one reason why they need / want this difference. Gear and sprocket ratios are the same, so on-road behavior would be same because wheel and tyres are same at 2.75 x 18 front and 3.oo x 18 rear.

Apart from the twin-shocks and drums, all other differences appear visual, which is fine and necessary. But for those who do not know much about Unicorn, let me mention other details about HH Achiever. There are apparent air-scoops in the front below the fuel tank for looks differentiation. For other visuals, just look at any old HH Ambition photo and you will know.

Built on a 1290 mm wheelbase (50 mm less than Unicorn), the Achiever kick-start version weighs 139 kg, which is five kg less than Unicorn. Fuel tank capacity is 12.5 liters as compared to 13 liters of Unicorn, while usable reserve of Achiever is 2.3 liters as compared 1.3 liters of Unicorn. Thus reserve capacity of Achiever is larger, again because of lack of petrol pumps in our rural areas, which makes it more rural-friendly than Unicorn.

Electrics are same, ending with the same multi-mapped digital CDI of Unicorn. Headlight is 12v-35w. Achiever is available in both kick-start and self-start versions, backed up with the same 12v–2.5 Ah battery for kick-start and 12v-7 Ah battery for self-start version. The engine block, kicker and silencer are same while side panels and pillion footrest sub-frame are differently adorned. The instruct-console (dials) is also different. The achiever has only two dials, but is more useful. The speedo-odo dial at left includes a trip meter, which the Unicorn does not have, while the right hand side dial, which is the taco, includes the fuel gauge.

Which brings us to the final question: Price? The on-road price of Unicorn (kick-start) in Pune today is Rs.53,339/-, while that of the Achiever (kick-start) is Rs.54,490/-. Does this mean that brand equity of Hero Honda is higher than Honda’ If so, then how come the self start version of Unicorn at Rs.56, 659/- is Rs.207/- more than that of Achiever at Rs.56, 457/- ‘Strange’ Not so, because rural folk don’t want self-start and since rural penetration of HH is far more than Honda, the rural folk would not crib FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE!

Hero Honda has launched the fuel-injection model of its 125 cc bike Glamour under the title Hero Honda Glamour FI. The bike will come for an entry-level price of Rs 49,900. This will have a kick-start and drum brakes. The higher-end version will have self-start and disc brakes and will cost Rs 53000. This is the first time that Honda is offering its fuel injection technology on low-end bikes anywhere outside Japan. However, the Hero Honda Glamour FI is not expected to be a runaway hit due to two reasons; one - the price difference with the existing Glamour is just Rs 5,500. Two - The Hero Honda Glamour FI needs unleaded fuel, something that is still not available in large parts of India.

Honda’s Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-FI) bikes come with better fuel efficiency and are more environment-friendly. The Glamour FI has a more refined design and its engine is integrated with a black color pattern and a unique FI logo. However, Hero Honda is not planning to stop production of the existing Glamour model - at least for now. The Hero Honda chairman said at a press conference that both models of Hero Honda Glamour would co-exist for now. Honda is planning to fit PGM-FI on most of its bikes across the world by the end of 2010 to cut down on emissions.

Hero Honda has piped all others to the post; with the first fuel, injected mass-produced Indian motorcycle, the Glamour. Instrumentation similar in design and layout as on the current Glamour, but the FI gets a digital fuel gauge complete with instantaneous fuel consumption display. We are talking about the very first fuel injected mass produced Indian motorcycle, the Hero Honda Glamour. No, she is not more powerful as the max power and torque figures suggest, and since the company has not gone to town declaring better fuel efficiency, we can only presume there is not much of an improvement.

However, presume we do not. Even though the new avatar of the Glamour shares almost everything with her carbureted twin, a change in fuelling system certainly called for a complete road test, if for nothing else but in hope to shatter the first paragraph pessimism. Styling is identical to the present Glamour complete with that odd-looking front fairing, accommodating knee recesses as part of the fuel tank design and easy to read clocks.

The clocks now sport a digital fuel gauge instead of the analogue one earlier, one that gives you instantaneous fuel consumption. Okay it’s not exactly instantaneous given it runs a 10-second delay, and tells you how much fuel the bike consumed in the previous 10 seconds, but it’s still a great tool for deriving good fuel efficiency. There are sensors on the crank and counter balancer shaft, which help return this data.

She also comes with bank angle sensor, which cuts the fuel supply and ignition in case of a fall. Additionally the Glamour sports a malfunction indicator that lights up if the sensors fail. The cycle parts are identical too. You have a double down tube cradle for a chassis supported on telescopic forks up front and 5-way adjustable coil over shock absorber units coupled to a box section swing arm. The package along with MRF rubber makes it an accomplished handler. Even in the wet, as we found out in the course of this road test. The front does tend to slide when pushed hard but is a characteristic peculiar to damp surfaces. Ride, as we mentioned last month, is among the better ones in the 125 class. It is not wallowy or back-breakingly stiff, but just right to see you through a daily commute.

Engine & Gearbox

Smooth… According to Hero Honda, besides the fuelling system, no other change has been made to the engine. So in place of a carburetor comes Honda’s PGM-FI fuel injection. Honda has managed to slot in the FI unit in almost the same space a carburetor would occupy. The FI unit (inset of injector) takes up as much space as a carburetor, and helps improve fuel economy tremendously. It is a super refined power plants too, this 125.

This is down to the fact that Honda Japan has developed PGM-FI specifically for smaller capacity motorcycles (125cc and less). The system firstly uses downsized parts as compared to FI used in higher capacity motorcycles; in addition, it incorporates more than one module in a compartment. Therefore, you have the ECU and the throttle module together for instance.

PGM-FI essentially controls the fuel injection volume, injection timing, and the ignition timing based on inputs it receives from sensors that detect throttle position, pressure, and temperature of air in the intake manifold, engine temperature as well as the rotation angle of the crank. Further, the ECU employs two ignition maps. One is for conditions with fewer loads or light throttle input intended to return better fuel economy. While the other comes into play when the bike’s revs rise and the throttle is opened completely, either so you have decent grunt every time you open the throttle to get away at traffic signals or while overtaking.

Otherwise the under square 124.8cc engine (a layout preferred for better torque characteristics) is the same. The 9.13PS of power at the crank developed at 7000rpm is identical as is the 10.35Nm of torque. There is no alteration in the power or torque curves either, as was the case with the Unicorn engine when it made its way on to the Achiever. The only difference between the engines though is in the refinement levels. We know by experience that the Super Splendor/Glamour engine is a truly sweet unit, devoid of earth shattering vibrations and as calm, an engine you will encounter, especially at full clip.

The Glamour FI’s engine is even better. Particularly where refinement, smoothness, and vigor are concerned. So much so that where we would be constantly searching for higher gear in most other bikes, we never felt the urge to do so in the FI. For instance, we were in third and doing almost 90kmph, but so stress free was the engine, we completely forgot about 4th. At least until the time we looked at the instantaneous fuel consumption contraption showing we were hurting the planet by eking a little over 52kmpl on a 125.

When we did shift up, it was like running the bike on idle. Smooth… Now that’s the advantage of FI, and yes, better er… make that lesser exhaust emissions too. According to Honda, the system is expected to lower hydrocarbon emissions by almost a third. By the way, I love the way she bounces off the rev limiter too. So car likes! Would buy one just to keep doing that all morning, evening and night. The gearbox is the same four-speed unit with identical ratios for the gears as well as for the primary and secondary. The box is notchy but never leaves you struggling to find the right gear.

Performance & Efficiency

Nope. The performance has not improved exponentially. In fact, it has not improved at all, at least not at bottom and mid range. Given that, Honda designed PGM-FI with a view of improving fuel economy by almost 30 per cent, the outcome is not surprising. The fuel injected Glamour as if her twin takes 3.4 seconds to complete the 0-40kmph run while the 60kmph mark comes up in over seven seconds. She does shave almost a second in the run up to 80kmph taking 14.49 seconds against 15.18sec taken by the carbureted Glamour.

Roll on times again in third and fourth are almost identical with the former requiring 11.02 seconds and 13.98 seconds in third and fourth respectively to complete the 30-70kmph run. The major difference is in the fuel economy of both bikes. The Glamour in any case is the most fuel efficient of the 125s, and now with fuel injection she has moved the bar so high even the 100cc bikes will struggle to match her. The bike returned a phenomenal 95kmpl on our highway run! In the city, the figure dropped to 75.25kmpl but then again its 4kmpl more than the carbureted version. That is reason enough to buy it then, wouldn’t you say?

So there you have it: the first fuel-injected bike in the country does nothing for performance-oriented individuals. It sure will have the penny pinchers swaying to the samba with that exceptional fuel efficiency. However, what about the cost, a good 5,500 bucks more expensive than the carbureted version? Sure, you get one of the most refined two-wheelers in the country. Sure, she is good in the city thanks to her decent low and mid range. Moreover, on the highway, with no vibes to talk about, no matter what rpm besides improved high-end performance, she will certainly make for a desirable companion. But Rs 5,500 more of your hard earned money? That is just too much to ask for plain technology!

Glamour is powered by the same 125 cc Super Splendor engine having bore x stroke of 52.4 mm x 57.8 mm, which produces NINE bhp at 7000 rpm and develops max. 10.35 Nm of Torque at 4000 rpm at a compression ratio of 9.1. The max torque at such low (4000) rpm, and the long-stroke (stroke/bore ratio==1.10) gives this bike excellent Low End characteristics, which means minimum gear changing in city traffic as well as excellent mileage / average in city traffic, even riding double seat. Between these two, apart from different looks, the only apparently visible technical difference is in rear tyre thickness, which is 2.75 in Super Splendor and 3.oo in Glamour, Same as between the 100 cc HH models Splendor and Passion.

One can say that relation between Super Splendor and Glamour is the same as between old Splendor and Passion. Other notable differences between the two are that Glamour has a 13.6-liter fuel tank and 240 mm disc brake, while Super Splendor has a 12-liter tank and a 215 mm disc. My standard fuel economy tests on Super Splendor, riding single seat (my weight=62 kg), using ordinary cheapest green petrol, gave the following results. Since Glamour has the same engine, gears and cycle parts, it will also give the same mileage as above. Difference due to thicker rear tyre and 5 kg heavier weight of Glamour if any, will be negligible.

Technical Specifications