Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Yamaha R15 V2 vs Hero KARIZMA ZMR vs BAJAJ PULSAR 220 .. the clash of the titans !!



This is one heck of a comparison , not because I am doing it :p , its because of the line up we have here. The one the only affordable and reliable sports bike YZF R15 V2 takes on the fastest Indian P220 and the ultimate sports tourer ZMR. Let me steady myself.
Before entering into the review let me tell why the DUKE 200 , CBR150R and the 200NS were left out when i picked my best top end bikes available within an affordable range, even thou there is minor price gap between the 3. I felt that DUKE 200 is a touch priced on the higher side , the reason behind the high pricing is that it has the quality and capability to be. So if your father is rich , and you are a naked bike lover you can seriously think of Duke too. But, according to me the Indian two wheeler market at the moment  thinks that the bikes with fairings are sexy , this is also another reason why i did not include DUKE 200.Then you might ask , hey CBR150R has fairings? Yes they do , but i dont think they are made of Gold ;) to be priced around INR 1,40,000 when you have the R15 at a much less rate.At last the 200NS, I am still not convinced that it can compete consistently with these bikes,in nooks and corners yes but I dont give it a 100% go. 

So, now coming to the crunch matter ,

Power


When it comes to the flagship brands , the motorcycle manufactures seem to smoke it an extra bit. Power and Performance is one critical factor that every prospective buyer  looks at. The P220 produces 21.4bhp power @ 8500rpm making it earn the tagline 'the fastest Indian'. The P220 races past any rival on the road without any doubts. The ZMR on the other hand produces 17.6bhp power @10500rpm, the ZMR has the lowest power to weight ratio among the three. But do not rule the Karizma out , it can make cruising a breeze.The differentiating factor that ZMR brings here is the delivery of power at low rpm which neither the P220 nor the R15 does.The R15 V2 offers 17bhp power @ 8500rpm , to be frank R15 is the slowest starter among the 3, but this is typically how a sports bike behaves. Once you  take it to over a 100kmph mark u feel the real punch of R15. Unfortunately the Indian road conditions does not suit a consistent speed of over 100kmph. So going by the figures, P220 leads the pack at this point of time. But hey wait I have something in store , check out the drag race we had between the ZMR & the P220. Apologies for the poor video clarity :)



What happened there was that, the ZMR had the P220 pinned till the 112 kmph mark , which really amazed us all. But the P220 showed its real character when it raised passed ZMR to a top speed of 142 kmph leaving behind the ZMR that hit a top speed of 131 kmph. We did not test it with R15. You guys by now will know the reason, it is not a bike that can race for power on roads, its more of  track bike. It has power but the power delivery is pretty late and most of the Indian roads finish by then. R15 can compete but it would always be second best in terms of power, but were it really outscores is the handling ability which we discuss later on. Then if u ask me the top speed R15 , hmmmm it can reach upto 140 kmph.

                                Pulsar 220                Karizma ZMR          Yamaha R15
0-60   kmph             3.9   secs                    3.7 secs                    4.0 secs
0-100 kmph            12.9 secs                    13.10 secs                13.20 secs




Engine

The ZMR has one among the best engines, a world class Honda. This is as refined as an engine can get and can handle whatever you throw at it. R15 on the other has has also got an extremely reliable engine that is fine tuned.But dont you see a break through here?A tuned 150cc Vs relaxed 223cc. This is where the ZMR has got the real advantage that makes it the most preferred tourer .Both the bikes have extremely refined engines, deliver great power and are fuel injected. However the greatest difference is how they deliver power. The ZMR is around 20kg heavier so the higher torque and power are offset, but the difference is the 1500rpm  between the two engines. In real world this makes a lot of a difference for the normal biker. In the R15 you have to wrung out pace like a racer, whereas the ZMR is a lot sedate in its power spread.The ZMR has got a 12 hole PGM-FI engine and the 6 high tech sensors working on the bike.Although ZMR's oil cooler cannot be compared to a liquid cooled engine but it’s decent enough like a nice breeze blowing that cools the engine better than the air cooled one. Considering the Bajaj P220's engine against's ZMR's and R15's is as equal to suicide. From experience I guarantee that the P220 engine gets tired and all sorts of noises come out from the engine after 15,000kms. Even though it does its job decently BAJAJ will have to put in a lot more care to gain stability and trust especially for the engines they produce.



Handling

This  is where the R15 stands a class apart. The bike uses rigid perimeter frames , regular telescopic forks at the front with mono shocks at the rear. The cornering ability and stability is where the R15 storms past. But when u are at high speeds taking on a corner the only problem you will have is that you will have to down the gear to get it roaring again.This is because of the comparatively low rev that the R15 has.But keeping this apart the R15 can stop at will with its brilliant braking facility. Whereas the ZMR is more about road presence, for the size and weight that ZMR has the handling is easy but no way comparable to the R15.The rev-friendly engine always entices you to throttle hard while you are exiting the corner, but its difficult to throw the bike into corners. The average MRF stock tyres adds to this disadvantage , replace it to a Michelin Sirac or Pilleri Sports Demon to minimize this disadvantage.The Karizma ZMR has got a slightly softer suspension making it an apt bike for long tours as well. The Pulsar 220 on the other hand, has a stiffer suspension which makes it not so good for long journeys but great for fast cornering. However, take both the bikes to whatever speed you like, both offer equally good stopping power according to their stature.The Nissin disc brakes of ZMR offer better braking than the P220. The Pulsar 220 gets 260 mm disc brakes at the front and 230 mm ones at the rear while the Karizma ZMR gets 276 mm disc at the front and 240 mm discs at the rear.



Styling & Comfortability

There is no other better looking bike in India in this category than the Yamaha R15 v2. The stunning looks of R15 is hard to match. Its simply brilliant. But the issue for a normal biker is the seating position of R15. A 30km ride in this bike would ache your back and palms. But once you get adjusted to the riding position its a little more comfortable. Still, Long drives in R15 is not the most comfortable.The pillion seat is almost unusable.Want to give a payback to your friend, take him on a long drive in R15:p. But for hardcore racing enthusiasts this is the only bike available.The ZMR on the other hand is sweet and comfortable as you bedroom. Long Drives in the bike is just as comfortable as travelling in a car. The amazing engine along with this riding position earns it the tag 'ultimate sports tourer'.The looks of ZMR may not be liking to all. Especially the rear. But the thing with ZMR is that , there is no double feelings in looks you either hate it or love it.The P220 is a looker , from the sides and the front. But the family design at the rear similar to the other Pulsars are disappointing. You cannot differentiate between a Pulsar150 and a 220 from rear view.The Powerful engine makes a comfortable city ride, you can throw in an overtaking maneuver every now and then. ZMR and the P220 provide comfortable seating for the pillion rider also.Long drives in P220 is better than in an R15 but is no match to the pleasing comfort offered by the  ZMR.

  

Mileage & Service Cost

With fuel prices at an all time high Mileage is a factor that has come into consideration for most of the prospects. Even the performance segment bikes such as these need to deliver a descent mileage to impress the buyer.Most of the customers are influenced by the Maruthi Suzuki television commercial,I think  the last question before you decide upon the bike would be 'Kithna Milega?' :D. The ZMR provides a mind blowing mileage ranging from 42-45kmpl on average. Push this bike to the limits and you still are assured good mileage.In long drives the mileage would be above 46kmpl. Thanks to the 12 hole PGM-FI engine and the 6 high tech sensors working on the bike.The R15 on the other hand offers a mileage averaging 38-40kmpl. Even though its fuel injected the lesser mileage is beacuse of the pressure handled by this 150cc engine.In city rides the mileage may even drop to  below 35kmpl. The 220 offers the least mileage among the 3.The reason being the oil cooled carburetor engine. The average mileage you can expect is between 34-36kmpl, which may even reduce if you push the bike to top speeds.
The P220 offers the lowest servicing costs , followed by the ZMR. R15 incurs high maintenance cost. The brake pads rear & front cost around INR 2700. But the service quality of Yamaha and Hero stands apart from the Bajaj.

  

VERDICT

The ZMR , R15 & P220 has a strong fan following in India. Its difficult to give a verdict on this. So let me put it this way :

YAMAHA R15 - For people who need style more than anything. You get the Yamaha Quality assurance and service. But the difficulty for the rider may cause back problems in future. Practically unusable pillion seat makes it even more worse. Overall the best bike among the 3 for short dashes, cornering and a rare style packed long trip.
HERO ZMR    - An excellent choice for a peaceful ownership experience. The bike may not make your heart skip , but it can push the limits when u really want to. Undoubtedly the best touring bike among the 3. But difficulty to ride in heavy traffic conditions is something the rider will have to compromise on, you will have to stay patient in the cities.The mileage that this 223cc bike offers is also creditable.
BAJAJ P220   -  When it comes to the horsepower-to-money ratio, nothing beats the P220 and it’s still quite a brilliant buy. The ease of use in heavy traffic conditions adds to the merit. But the overall quality of the bike still needs to improve. The Engine sound, vibrations , poor service will all be the factors that stand against the P220.



    



Thanks & Regards
Abey Daniel Abraham

Please do comment on your suggestions and feedback's


4 comments:

  1. dude.......
    my P220 gives a milage btwn 47 - 53 kmpl.....
    and i dont think it lacks a bit in power...
    he has run a total of 30,000+ kms and is still the beast as it used to be....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sarath ,

      It has not been said that p220 lacks power than the others. I think you are taking about the 0-60 acceleration time , which is tested. I understand that you are one of those guys whose treat your bike to perfection :) to have run 30+ kms and still if your 220 has not got any issues all credit to u :)the mileage mentioned is the test mileage that we received :) I too owned a p220 till it 10+ kms so that too is taken into consideration :)

      Delete
  2. It has not been said in the comparison 220 lacks power than the ZMR or the R15! Its a known fact that pulsar engines start to deteriorate after 10,000kms , being a P220 owner I i would second this comparison as all the credit has been shared to the bikes it deserves

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