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There was a time when the Pulsar, during its launch was termed as a stunner and immediately people fell head over heels with the image of bulbous tank and low riding position that finally made the Indian youth feel like what any biker should feel like, one with the machine. The muscular look is all that one can talk about the bike. The CBZ brought out the sporty side of the bike market here and there were a lot of takers. The foot pegs to the headlamp cluster was new but more importantly accepted very well. This made Bajaj, of all the other manufacturers take notice of a new market that was emerging that they could capitalise on, and capitalise they did with the Pulsar. This opened up the 150cc and 150+ segments that now suddenly seemed to emerge out of nowhere and if history has taught us anything it is that the first bite of the cherry is all important. The Pulsar continues to be the one that competitors have to deal with and whose sales figures gives them sleepless nights. But the rival technicians are subjected to slight doses of insomnia because of the shoddy set up of the bike and ponder on its success which to them is as difficult to comprehend as things without nuts and bolts. The clutch and the transmission is not the smoothest, nor is the ride quality. The sorry part here is that it would be wrong to say that the market at that time was nascent and was totally enamored by the bike, since it continues to be the leader, thanks to Bajaj and its regular upgrades and slick marketing strategy. Where is the competition?

Here is the competition, the new Yamaha FZ-16, 150cc street legal monster. But before we dwell into this, lets take a moment to think about the TVS Apache and the Honda Unicorn, since we are debating about competition. One thing that is certain, is that looks play a massive role in the purchasing decision in the 150cc segment. Even though many would deny it and say that the mileage and maintenance does take top priority, the sales chart totally negates their argument. The Honda Unicorn without a shadow of a doubt has the best clutch and transmission in the market whereas the Apache does have the looks and the feel of a poised machine. Needless to say, in the looks department is where the Unicorn loses out. Most of these bikes are driven around in crowded streets and stop and go traffic where there is continues shifting involved. So the best bet would be the Unicorn if you are looking in the 150cc segment. The engine is smooth and responsive when push comes to shove. This reminds me of a conversation, wherein I was playing devil's advocate and defending the Pulsar against the Unicorn and my father nonchalantly waltzes in and says that you cannot have a sane argument that involves the comparison of a Honda engine with that from Bajaj. That was the end of that discussion. Case rested.

Another reason for the Pulsar's popularity could be the time at which it was launched. There was this sudden rush of money into the pockets of the anti-fit jeans of the barely 20 something, stretching his vocal chords in a call centre. This purchasing power and acquired accent now needed some wheels that would make him stand out in a crowd and the Pulsar fit that bill completely. It is such a ruthless and superficial world out there!

To those who have a slight hint as to where this is going, I will try and make it simpler. What the Indian audience needs a 150cc bike with the looks of the Pulsar (what a benchmark!) and the performance and refinement of the Honda Unicorn (what a benchmark!). The Yamaha FZ-16 is your answer and not the R15 because the at a price of 65,000 INR it is worth every rupee. What is even better is that we are getting more than we asked for! It looks light years ahead of the Pulsar and one would be a fool to question the engineering standards of Yamaha and especially a 150cc offering! But for those who really want to know, it has a 153cc, 4 stroke, single cylinder engine that has been tweaked for low range torque for city cruising and for the over eager, sorry to disappoint but the torque value is for one to feel. Numericals followed by units do not do true justice. The overall packaging is simply stunning, right from the macho silencer to the unique headlamps. In my opinion the frame is what sets this bike apart from the rest. It blends the design cues with the engine layout perfectly. The best part is the price which makes it even more tantalising and Yamaha has christened this the lord of the streets. I think its time the bike fanatics bow down and also wonder as to why it has taken so long for salvation to arrive! Like all bikers, we have been good, haven't we?