The USP of the Hunk is its styling. From the rakish bikini front, to the gorgeous and at the same time muscularly flanked tank, to a two tone sporty tail, and of course superbike reminiscent rear mud guard, it is comfortably the better styled of the two.
The Pulsar on the other hand scores for its add-ons – it sports perceived value features like LCD instrumentation, LED tail lamps and backlit switchgear, all of which is found wanting on the Hunk. The gadgetry however, does not take away the fact that the Pulsar, even after its numerous and timely revisions throughout its lifecycle, now looks jaded in this company.
It falls behind on the ergonomics front too, thanks mainly to the lack of usable recesses on the fuel tank. It’s also more cramped of the two bikes on test. The Hunk though with its deep recesses provides good grip for the rider’s knees. Moreover, with its good balance of sporty but comfortable riding posture with a wide handlebar and rearset footpegs, compared to the Pulsar’s more upright seating and footpegs-pushed-forward commuter centric stance, the Hunk is better suited for both short city stints and long highway jaunts.
The Pulsar on the other hand scores for its add-ons – it sports perceived value features like LCD instrumentation, LED tail lamps and backlit switchgear, all of which is found wanting on the Hunk. The gadgetry however, does not take away the fact that the Pulsar, even after its numerous and timely revisions throughout its lifecycle, now looks jaded in this company.
It falls behind on the ergonomics front too, thanks mainly to the lack of usable recesses on the fuel tank. It’s also more cramped of the two bikes on test. The Hunk though with its deep recesses provides good grip for the rider’s knees. Moreover, with its good balance of sporty but comfortable riding posture with a wide handlebar and rearset footpegs, compared to the Pulsar’s more upright seating and footpegs-pushed-forward commuter centric stance, the Hunk is better suited for both short city stints and long highway jaunts.
The Hunk outdoes the Pulsar in the dynamics department as well. It handles with precision and sharpness found missing on the Pulsar. Too boot, the Hero Honda keeps its composure when flicked left and right with aggression through corners or while coming on the brakes with force much to an enthusiast’s delight. It also infuses immense confidence in the rider. The Hunk uses a stiff diamond frame for a chassis suspended on telescopic forks at the front and gas charged dampers with coil springs at the rear.
The Pulsar employs similar cycle parts with the exception of the double cradle frame coming in for a chassis along with smaller 17 inch wheels. But the Bajaj unlike the Hunk is softly sprung. Additionally, its chassis is prone to flexing on the limit. As a result, when pushed hard around a bend, the bike wallows shifting the weight around unpredictably and causing all sorts of concerns for the rider mid corner. The soft setup does give Bajaj an advantage nonetheless; that of a back pampering plush ride over most road irregularities, which again, like the add-ons is much to the liking of the average Indian.
The two motorcycles meanwhile are evenly matched on the performance front. Both displace almost the same engine capacity, develop the same power and on the road are equally quick in a straight line with the Pulsar holding a slim advantage over the Hunk. Bajaj, with its twin spark plug and exhausTEC technology for the drivetrain also manages to return better fuel efficiency. It’s also the better sounding of the two bikes here.
We would have liked a better shifting gearbox to go along with the bike’s performance however. The five-speed constant mesh box lacks positive shifts and is prone to false neutrals. The Hero Honda box in comparison is better to use; its notchy but precise, and would rarely leave you hunting for a gear when most needed.
Verdict
The clientele of the 150cc segment can be broadly divided into two – one who is looking for a smarter, faster commuter (also the majority), and the other looking for a fun to ride motorcycle that satisfies his racy urges but not at too much of a premium.
If you fall into the first category, the choice is quite simple; pick the Pulsar. It’s not only the more fuel efficient of the two, its commuter friendly riding posture and plush ride should suit your easy-go needs well.
However, if you are an enthusiast, one who relishes riding, the Hunk’s a better bet. Its well-sorted ergonomics, more room, proved reliability and of course, class leading handling will certainly see you through the most adventurous outings. It’s also awesomely styled, and should therefore take care of the showing-off bit quite splendidly.
Spec box
Hero Honda Hunk Bajaj Pulsar 150 DTS-i
Engine: 149.2cc 149.01cc
Max power: 14.4bhp 14.09bhp
Max torque: 12.8Nm 11.7Nm
0-60kmph: 5.57s 5.55s
Top Speed: 109kmph 111kmph
Fuel efficiency: 52kmpl 55kmpl
Price: Rs 57,500 Rs 58,200
The Pulsar employs similar cycle parts with the exception of the double cradle frame coming in for a chassis along with smaller 17 inch wheels. But the Bajaj unlike the Hunk is softly sprung. Additionally, its chassis is prone to flexing on the limit. As a result, when pushed hard around a bend, the bike wallows shifting the weight around unpredictably and causing all sorts of concerns for the rider mid corner. The soft setup does give Bajaj an advantage nonetheless; that of a back pampering plush ride over most road irregularities, which again, like the add-ons is much to the liking of the average Indian.
The two motorcycles meanwhile are evenly matched on the performance front. Both displace almost the same engine capacity, develop the same power and on the road are equally quick in a straight line with the Pulsar holding a slim advantage over the Hunk. Bajaj, with its twin spark plug and exhausTEC technology for the drivetrain also manages to return better fuel efficiency. It’s also the better sounding of the two bikes here.
We would have liked a better shifting gearbox to go along with the bike’s performance however. The five-speed constant mesh box lacks positive shifts and is prone to false neutrals. The Hero Honda box in comparison is better to use; its notchy but precise, and would rarely leave you hunting for a gear when most needed.
Verdict
The clientele of the 150cc segment can be broadly divided into two – one who is looking for a smarter, faster commuter (also the majority), and the other looking for a fun to ride motorcycle that satisfies his racy urges but not at too much of a premium.
If you fall into the first category, the choice is quite simple; pick the Pulsar. It’s not only the more fuel efficient of the two, its commuter friendly riding posture and plush ride should suit your easy-go needs well.
However, if you are an enthusiast, one who relishes riding, the Hunk’s a better bet. Its well-sorted ergonomics, more room, proved reliability and of course, class leading handling will certainly see you through the most adventurous outings. It’s also awesomely styled, and should therefore take care of the showing-off bit quite splendidly.
Spec box
Hero Honda Hunk Bajaj Pulsar 150 DTS-i
Engine: 149.2cc 149.01cc
Max power: 14.4bhp 14.09bhp
Max torque: 12.8Nm 11.7Nm
0-60kmph: 5.57s 5.55s
Top Speed: 109kmph 111kmph
Fuel efficiency: 52kmpl 55kmpl
Price: Rs 57,500 Rs 58,200
1 comment:
yes i have a pulsar 150 dtsi ug3 model and i found problem in the gearbox initially. but i found a solution to it. after changing the gear and releasing the clutch again press the gear pedal to see if it is free to move or stuck. if it is stuck then it means you can change the gear with a slightest flick when u press the clutch. but if the gear pedal is freely going down then repeat to press the gear pedal(while clutch released) till you find the pedal stuck. in this way u will b satisfied with the transmission. but the best part is the engine sound, the firing and the gear ratio. my bike pulls the gear one by one easily due to its gear ratio. like in other bikes there is always a huge gap between 1st n 2nd gear while encountering a turn, but that is not so with the pulsar. I am satisfied with the gear ratio in all sorts of roads and turns.
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