When the Avenger 220 needed an update, Bajaj came up with not just one but two variants as an update, Avenger Street 220, the one for the streets and the Avenger Cruise 220, the one for the highways. We have already tested the Avenger Cruise 220 which you can have a look at here. The Avenger Street 220 looks totally different from the Avenger Cruise 220. So what is it that makes the Avenger Street 220 so special? Is it any different from the Cruise 220 and the old generation Avenger 220? Read to find out:
Rider's Note: Bajaj once again have done a really good job and I must say am impressed. They kept in mind as to what a customer needs and gave them exactly the same thing. The matte black finish and the Harley-inspired look on the Street 220 looks stunning, also the engine feel is good. I am loving this motorcycle.
Styling:The first thing that reminds me of when I look at the Avenger Street 220 is that it looks almost close to the Harley Davidson Street 750, may be Bajaj seems to have taken design cues from the same. The bike has a striking design and heads definitely turn as you take it on the roads. The matte black adds more of a premium feel to the motorcycle. The white hue headlamps, the 3D Avenger logo, the 'Street control handlebar', the speedometer, low slung seat, the exhaust, the alloy wheels and the 'matte black' paint scheme all add up to make this beautiful look stunning. All in all, it is a wonderful looking motorcycle which grabs attention immediately.
Instrument Cluster and Switchgear:The instrument cluster has now been updated and is a part-analogue/part-digital instrument cluster. The LCD instrument cluster features an analogue odometer and trip meter. The tell-tale lights (indicators, high beam, neutral and low battery indicator) sit on the tank, on the sides of the filler cap while the fuel indicator sits just above the filler cap. Compliment that with the chrome finish on the filler cap and the surrounding tell-tale lights, gives it a really cool look. The blue backlight display on the speedometer gives it an ever more attractive look, especially when viewed at night. The switchgears are of good quality.
Ergonomics:The bike is very comfortable. The Street 220 gets a 'Street Control Handlebar' and combine that with 20% more foam on the seats and the low slung seat, makes it very comfortable. Both the rider and the pillion sit very comfortably. The handlebars are positioned just right for the streets as well as for the highways, which on one hand is comfortable and on the other hand makes manoeuvring the motorcycle in traffic easy. The suspension duties were handled by twin shock absorbers at the rear and they did a pretty decent job.
Engine and Performance:The engine is the same old engine that has been used on the previous generation Avenger. The power and torque remain the same as the old bike (though we expected more power and torque figures) but Bajaj says that they have done a lot of improvements to the engine, tuning it to perform better at low and mid-range. Start the bike and the bike starts with a sweet sound. Once you start rolling is when you really start feeling the beauty of the engine, as the engine feels a lot refined and at the same time, thanks to the NVH levels, there are less vibrations, though some vibrations do kick in at higher rpm. It also gets a revised CDI. Cruising the bike at around 80-100 kph and a little above felt effortless and enjoyable for the rider as this is where the bike really shines.
Riding Dynamics:The bike was tested in all places (i.e., traffic, regular roads, patchy roads and open roads) and the bike performed well in all the places. Unlike the Cruise 220 which we found it hard to ride in the city due to it's 'Highway Comfort Handlebar', the Street 220 was easy to maneuver in the city thanks to it's 'Street Control Handlebar'. Coming to taking the bike on bad roads, the twin shock absorbers did a good job in absorbing bumps. While the front felt a little stiff, the rear felt soft and this together made it a comfortable ride. Braking duties were handled by 260 mm disc at the front, while the rear gets a 130 mm drum brake, though we expected disc brake at the rear, but still the brakes were not bad.
Pros:
1. Smooth engine with improved NVH levels.
2. The all matte finish.
3. Affordability.
Cons:
1. No rear disc brake.
2. No tubeless tires.
3. Projector headlamp should had been take into consideration.
4. Bigger fuel tank.
1. Smooth engine with improved NVH levels.
2. The all matte finish.
3. Affordability.
Cons:
1. No rear disc brake.
2. No tubeless tires.
3. Projector headlamp should had been take into consideration.
4. Bigger fuel tank.
Verdict:To put everything in one short paragraph, I would love to say that the Avenger Street 220 is for someone (preferably the younger generation) who is into the market looking for a stylish motorcycle that can be used to commute everyday and also take out on the highways at the weekends and most importantly is on a tight budget of around 1 lakh, the Avenger Street 220 is the bike to go far. Bajaj may have taken a long time to update the Avenger 220 but they ROCKED IT with this update. The bike is a serious value for money product.
By: Rakesh Gowda
