Bajaj finally got the time to focus on its popular budget cruiser, Avenger. The Avenger first launched in 2005 and after that the bike seen some minor changes but not the complete overhaul. This time, Bajaj manage to get some free time from Pulsar and focus its mind on Avenger. Bajaj has launched the three variant in Avenger series, Avenger Street 150, Street 220 & Cruise 220. I’ve spent some time with Avenger Street 220 on road and here is my Bajaj Avenger Street 220 Review
Design
Bajaj Avenger Street 220 gets dual-color Matte Black- Red paint job. The matte paint job can be seen on all body parts: headlight cowl, handle bars, tank & exhaust. The matte black paint & brushed silver finish with stylish graphics gives the bike subtle look. For city ride, the Bajaj is using the new lower & flatter handlebar.
Avenger Street 220 will surely grab eyeball in the crowd, matte black paint give the bike a dynamic look.
Street 220 comes with 12 spoke alloy wheel for front and 9 spoke alloy wheel for the rear. On the front, the bike gets New white hue headlamp with clear lens indicator on both the side. The company also redesigned the console in dark theme with LCD for odometer & trip meter. Bajaj also enhanced the rider seat with new pattern & grip which prevent the rider from sliding under braking.
Engine & Performance
The Bajaj Avenger Street 220 comes with 220cc DTSi engine that produces maximum power of 19 PS @ 8400 RPM and maximum torque of 17.5 Nm @ 7000 RPM. The bike also comes with an oil cooler to maintain engine oil temperature & viscosity. This the same engine that features in Pulsar 220, through Bajaj claimed that it’s improved the better throttle response.
In my opinion, Bajaj should improve the engine. When I was driving the bike, the knocking of the engine is clearly audible and you can feel the vibration on foot. Through, the vibration feels limited to lower side only, there is no vibration feel on the handlebar. With the current powertrain, you won’t face any problem when driving in the city or pushing bike on the highway.
Overall, the engine is good but not that good enough as per the cruise standard. Bajaj should refine the engine little bit more. If you drove the Bajaj bikes, then you’ll not face any problem but if you’re coming from the brand like Honda, Hero, Royal Enfield then you’ll slightly disappoint with the engine.
City Ride is still not comfortable, Handle feel heavy. Maneuverability require extra effort in tight condition.
The telescoping suspension did the great work by minimizing the bump when riding on a rough surface or driving on potholes. Cruise bikes meant for relaxed driving and you’ll get the same experience on new Avenger. Bajaj is using the disc brakes on front & drum on rear. The braking did the good work to stop the bike at high speed and MRF tyres support the bike really well. To reduce the cost, the company still bare from the ABS. But I should believe bikes companies should start adding ABS to add extra security layer.
Luxury & Comfort
Bajaj Avenger Street 220 gets full marks in both Luxury & comfort. Even the person with 6 feet tall feels very comfortable when riding a bike in the city or on the highway. Seats are comfortable & driver won’t skid when you brake hard. Footsteps meet the cruiser guidelines and both rider & pillion footstep is perfectly places. Unlike on Cruise 220, there is no pillion backrest which is slightly downside as it should be added to add extra comfort level.
The Avenger Street 220 cluster is the mix of digital & analog. The analog speedometer is combined with a digital console which shows the odometer & trip meter. The other indicators such as fuel gauge, turn signal, low battery, high beam and neutral gear indicator are on the fuel tank in the same way as the last generation model.
How Good is the New Avenger Street 220 for the long ride?
The long bike tour is the new passion among youth and if you’re looking to buy a bike that goes well for both daily use as well for the long ride then I can Street 220 is the perfect. You can go on a long ride on this cruise bike. Seats, footsteps & new handlebar allow you to clock higher distance in one run before you exhausted. The bike has both comfort & stability and even is powerful enough to take to the Himalayas.
Through, the only downside, in my opinion, is fuel tank storage. Street 220 comes with 14-litre fuel tank and bike gives you the fuel economy of around 35-40 kmpl. It means with the full tank you can clock a maximum of 500 distance in one run. So make sure to fill up the fuel tank before hitting the road which is far away from the city.
Update (Experience from My Bike Trip to Goa)
During my Monsoon Trip to Goa, I took the Bajaj Avenger Street on rent and for almost 1 week, I ride this bike in very wet condition. If you been to Goa in Monsoon then you may have the idea how hard rainfall during August month.
On this trip, I clocked almost 600 KM and I’m hugely impressed with the bike. During my entire trip, my bike runs very smoothly without hurting my back. Even in high volume rain, the Avenger Street tyres maintain the grip. I also noticed it gives a good mileage of around 40KM. You can read my Monsoon Trip to Chorla Ghat in Goa here.
Verdict
Bajaj took 10 years to reveal the new Avenger version. And the new Street 220 will definitely attract the youth who is looking to buy Cruise bike in the budget. The Royal Enfield bullet price is way higher than this bike so it’s perfect alternative for day to day ride bike as well as for the long ride.