The Karizma is awesomely smooth, at almost any engine speeds below 6krpm, but that's it... It's an old, aging piece of featureless metal and plastic that I detest (even more today than I did when it launched as a 223cc, 16.76bhp bike), more so with it's gigantic "R" stickers and inexplicable, hideous engine cowl, and grotesque yellow dials that wouldn't be out of place whatsoever on a 1969 taxicab! The PGMFI version is long overdue, and it better come with a couple of more steeds, else it will be flattened by bikes over 70cc less creating equal power - like the R15...
The Apache RTR160 has divine handling - the best of the lot, but is an absolute microbe when it comes to feel! The bike is tiny, if you're over 4 feet tall that is! That's the only reason I bought a 220 and not the RTR160. The acceleration is good, ditto braking. The top end though is not what you would expect - nothing the 18.5bhp performance kit won't fix though! But then again, it pushes the cost up to Karizma territory.. And now with those ugly tank extensions, which are unneeded dead weight, since the bike doesn't have an oil cooler. The RTR now has another big ugly point...
The Pulsar 220 has all the goodies a riding enthusiast would savor - FI, nice riding position, with clip-on handlebars, flashy digital gauges and lots of lights everywhere you look! There are discs front and back; nice, bright projector lamp for a good night stint, tubeless tyres for lesser worries and other bits likes the oil cooler and the split seats. Then you notice the rear brake is wooden, and only bites when you're doing 8000kph! Well, 70 or so, but you get my point. It's ferocious power delivery is complemented with very stable handling and a good front brake, if only you don't lock up that is... Always wear your pads n helmet if U plan to do below 70kph! Overall, a good, almost economical bike, that's a joy on long rides, though your wrists may cry for some ice after a long stint...
The YZF-R15 is one of those... Before proceeding, if you're saying, "It's a 150 that costs 1.1 lakh!", please don't read on, and don't bother buying the bike either...
Ah.. You can't decide if you want it for one reason, or the other, or both, but then again, there seems to be a reason not to buy it too, if only you could figure it out! It's a 150, but it makes 17hp, and gives a fuel economy of about 30kpl. It costs as much as a Machismo 500, but looks like a million bucks! It has discs both sides, and effective ones at that! It's fairing is as wide as an H3, and is gonna make it awesome fun to park.. It has tyres that would nicely suit that bicycle you rode as a kid, but it corners like it was on rails. The white backlight and double headlamps (no projector) are good night time buddies.. The Deltabox frame, gas-damped link-type monoshock, 6-speed gearbox and liquid cooled 4V engine all come together in one tight package, making it worth every penny. It feels very substantial, the riding position is awesome, the tank recesses are just right, even if you're 9 feet tall; and most importantly, it makes you feel 10 years old!
I can now sum it all up and say - the RTR160 and the Karizma aside, choosing between the R15 and the Pulsar 220, is sort of like choosing between a Lotus Elise and Lancer ! It's really hard! The Apache is a sort of S2000... The Karizma? Well, that's like a Merc C200K... We all would rather have the C350!
And if you're wondering why the Pulsar 200 isn't discussed above, it's only because I have considered all the manufacturers flagships. The P200, is in some eyes, a more practical alternative (or should I say traditional alternative, with no FI, rear disc and fairing..) to the Pulsar 220. In some ways, I would agree, but then again, I would rather have the whole chicken fried, than just the breast and a leg piece BBQd...
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