Hero Honda pioneered the 150cc segment in 1999 with the original CBZ, a pathbreaking bike for its time. The Bajaj Pulsar entered the market in 2001 and soon became a favourite with 150cc aficionados, making this segment a big draw for other manufacturers. Ever-increasing competition in the high-volume 100cc market is affecting margins; in comparison, the burgeoning 150 market makes for higher margins. Somewhat stung by the Pulsar attack, Hero Honda attempted grabbing back some market share with its Achiever and now the CBZ X-treme is taking this battle to twin fronts. :
Styling on the X-treme is a good effort but evokes mixed feelings. That’s because the tank, side panels, mudguards, five-spoke alloys and rear bodywork are racy and attractive, while the front is bland. Overly conventional looking, this confused bikini fairing mounts an oddly-located pilot lamp and gawky-looking integrated indicators. This apart, the X-treme is a decent-looking bike. Bold analog instruments are planted inside its brush finish alloy surround and a speedometer, tachometer, fuel-gauge and trip facility complement the standard warning lamps. It’s a pity Hero Honda has left the the X-treme’s steering triple clamp a pressed steel plate and not provided aluminium. Switchgear should have been better also, but top-class grips and levers help the X win brownie points. Body-coloured mirrors are a no-no. The new CBZ enjoys a superbly sculpted fuel tank, with nice knee indents. It also provides an upmarket aircraft-style alloy filler. In a smart move, the saddle rides high onto this tank. Chrome-tipped side panels are classy. And the tail and rear fairing are scrumptious too. A chic ‘floating’ two-piece grab handle adds charm to the completely integrated tail section, where LED lighting is the norm. The CBZ X-treme sports delightful five-spoke alloy rims in matt black, a theme that continues to its engine cases, silencer as well as the chain shroud. A bulky-looking silver heat shield bolts atop the silencer. At foot-level, the adjustable rear brake pedal and toe-operated gearshift lever are sporty bits. We find this exciting Hero Honda loaded with too many differing styling elements for one package, but it remains a well-engineered motorcycle as expected from the market leader. Paint quality, fit and finish and all rubber and plastic bits are as good as they come.
The CBZ X-treme’s black-coated engine looks purpose-built and macho. A bright red ignition cable lends relief. This is the same air-cooled, four-stroke Honda unit as found on the Unicorn and Achiever. The X-treme’s aluminium alloy engine cases are smartly detailed. While cubic capacity remains 149.2cc, the refined unit is now tweaked to offer a class-leading 14.2bhp at 8500 revs. Torque output stays the same at 1.3kgm at 6500rpm. The new CBZ breathes through a CV carburettor, comes with needle bearings cushioning in its rocker arms and offers a two-way air jacket to help keep a cool head. And, as on the Unicorn, there’s an offset crankshaft. The all-alloy motor is twin-valve- equipped and uses a single spark plug. There’s the same proven wet clutch system as found on the Unicorn and among the best bits on the X is its slick shifting one-down and four-up gearbox. Gunning the new CBZ in X-treme mode is a
fun experience. Smoothness and engine flexibility in all gears can be taken for granted as also a light throttle with snappy response. Gears shift with a positive, light feel and each ratio is perfectly spaced. Mid-range power at around 4000rpm is more than adequate, but this engine feels strongest over 6K. That’s when the power kicks in and develops in linear fashion until around 9000rpm. The extra grunt ensures the X-treme sets significantly quicker acceleration than the Unicorn and Achiever. We achieved 0-60kph in a quick 5.24 seconds, with 100kph flying past in 18.27sec. Almost all roll-on times are relatively faster too. We achieved a top whack of 113kph on the X-treme.
Get astride the X-treme and the first thing you notice are rear-set footpegs. The riding position imparts a similar feel as on the sporty CBZ and an enthusiast will like the handlebar-to-seat-to peg geometry. The attractive stepped seat feels nice as do effective knee indents. The X-treme uses a stressed engine bolted into a single downtube frame. Its front telescopic forks are up to their job providing the right damping and feedback levels. However, the rear suspension is different – a pair of twin hydraulic units doing little to cushion the rider. Ride quality is way too harsh on the new Hero Honda. Sporty bikes need firm suspension but the X-treme still feels uncomfortable, and adjusting its dampers will not solve the problem. Hero Honda would do better to adopt a monoshock as seen on the Unicorn, or at least industry standard gas-charged shocks. The box-section swingarm on this bike is silver-coloured. Hard ride quality is the by-product of sporty handling and here the new CBZ succeeds. The bike comes shod with a meaty puncture-resistant rear tyre and handles like a dream. Time spent in the X-treme saddle shows that it offers best-in-class handling, with nothing to flaw. Turn-in is lightning quick, with rider inputs rewarded by snappy, accurate answers. Neutral steering can be taken for granted. Stability at the highest speeds is perfect with the bike literally cornering on rails. This brilliant set-up ensures high confidence and leaning the bike down to ground its footpegs is very possible. On the braking front, the new CBZ exhibits encouraging manners. A 240mm disc rotor comes standard at the front while the rear makes do with a 130mm drum — both adding to provide perfect feel. The best 60kph to zero braking distance we could manage on the X was 17.06 metres in 2.87sec.
Yes, the new CBZ utilises the same engine as its sibling, the Achiever, and its cousin, the Unicorn. But the X-treme is tweaked to develop more power and uses a broader 100/90 x 18-inch rear tyre, two factors certain to impact economy. The bike is nevertheless economical to run for it returned a creditable 47 kilometres per litre (kpl) on its city fuel run, with that figure dropping a bit to 46.7kpl when riding on the highway.
The CBZ X-treme is an honest effort and is certain to delight the biking enthusiast. This new bike enjoys a powerful and refined engine, while also delivering among the most willing handling for its segment. Our only major complaints are with its front end that looks decidedly out of place, and a jarring rear suspension. One must, however, salute Hero Honda for finally walking the extra mile to offer alloy rims and a nice meaty rear tyre. The new bike would have done well to be priced slightly lower, but the company’s clean reputation for quality could see the X secure Hero Honda a larger slice of the premium bike segment pie.
Verdict 8/10
SOURCE:
www.autocarindia.com
Test drive : Hero Honda-CBZ X-TREME
