 I’ve always wished for a world with 150s (at least) as the starting point for beginners. For an enthusiast biker, it makes a good stepping stone; a tricked up 150 with little bit of race inspired gimmickry here and there should just be ideal to keep him interested before gradually moving to higher capacities. Not to forget sporty looks to give him a chance at hitting on the birds. I see the current excitement in the 150cc segment pointing to a similar scenario in the not-so-distant future. As stepping stone to the premium segment, 150s offer affordability, similar features and better fuel efficiency than bikes higher up the ladder. Not as aspirational though, but these bikes find serious takers in enthusiasts-on-a-budget, not forgetting the omnipresent small-town wannabes, keeping us hooked till we graduate up the ladder. Or fall off it completely...
 Look at the Apache RTR. It not only comes equipped with sporty looks and ergonomics, hi-spec digital clocks, petal disc at the front and racing stripes but is also backed by TVS’s vast and enormously successful racing program. That, more that anything else, has made the RTR a great performer and handler cloaked in an ultra-sporty under skin. The newest entrant to the 150 circle, the Hunk, is backed by an interesting (if not chequered) history too. Hero Honda’s attempts in the segment turned out to be either too conservative (Achiever) or bit of a mish-mash (CBZ Xtreme) and both failed to recreate the CBZ effect, in spite of being excellent bikes. Taking some time to learn from its mistakes then, Hero Honda’s latest offering has the looks of a supermodel and performance to boot.
It is impossible to pass the Hunk without lavishing a second glance. Its well-sculpted bodywork attracts attention everywhere and the bike exudes immense road presence. Generous dimensions make it a big bike too. The huge tank narrowing down to the stepped seat and rearset footpegs complete the sporty ergonomics making it a must have for the city slicker. The seating is plush, making it a comfortable mile-muncher too.
The Apache RTR, on the other hand, has its focus elsewhere. The bike is built for sheer performance and hence blends very focused ergonomics with an athletic design. The bodywork is slender and low all round. The fuel tank is chiselled to scrape off the extra bulk and the racing stripes running across the bike scream its racing intent. The seating position, courtesy the clip-ons and perfectly positioned rearsets, is spot-on to keep you on the edge of thrills but hits the back badly on long rides. So while the Hunk has spruced itself at the gym with a strong steroid diet, the Apache RTR is like a sprinter who has put in laps on the track to stay lean and fit. It is attractive in its own right but fails to get noticed in the company of the Hunk, the familiar Apache headlamp adding anonymity.
 Hunk sports the proven 149.2cc Honda mill, doing duty on the CBZ Xtreme. The engine makes 14.4PS of power at 8500rpm while a peak torque of 12.8Nm comes in at 6500rpm. The engine feels torquey and sets the pulse racing when slight vibes start to appear in the mid range. The vibes however, become uncomfortable approaching the redline of 8500rpm. The engine revs quickly to the redline but the redline is set low compared to the Apache RTR. Her 159.7cc engine enjoys a 10cc advantage over the Hunk making 15.4PS at 8500rpm and 13.1Nm of torque at a slightly lower 6000rpm. The torque spread is so good that there is power every time you whack open the throttle, irrespective of the gear you are in. The engine revs way past its 9000rpm redline and keeps pulling all the way till the indicated 12,000rpm mark. What impresses most is the smoothness and refinement the engine possesses. The no-vibes nature is sure to be appreciated during spirited sprints. The gearbox too is precise, with positive shifts every time you tap the lever. The Hunk disappoints in the gearbox department with its notchy shifts at times. The Apache RTR also wins on outright performance taking 5.2 seconds to 60kmph compared to the Hunk’s 5.5 seconds and also wins the quarter mile drag by fraction of a second. Its top whack of 111.9kmph is also a bit higher than the 108kmph attained by the Hunk. The 270mm petal discs not only look minty, they also offer a sharp bite every time you hit them. The 240mm conventional unit on the Hunk, though offering sure stops, feels spongy in comparison. The Hunk is marginally more fuel-efficient with an overall figure of 57.8kmpl against the Apache’s 56.2kmpl. Both the bikes feature different chassis layouts; TVS sticking to a double cradle, downtube chassis for the RTR while Hero Honda utilises a diamond frame chassis for the Hunk. On the suspension front, both sport telescopic forks up front and gas-charged shockers at the rear. The Hunk wins hands down for its great ride quality with a slightly softer set-up than the Apache that makes it far more comfortable in the city compared to the RTR’s back-rattling set-up. Suspended on softer shocks doesn’t mean the Hunk takes a beating around corners. In fact, it gives it better handling (by a whisker compared to the RTR) that is also more communicative. Apache’s compact geometry and the 17-inch front tyre makes for quicker turn-ins and is more enjoyable in tight corners. But come a series of corners, it is the Hunk that sticks to her line coherently. Even in city traffic, the Hunk is a bit easier to steer at high speeds than the RTR.
 Both the RTR and Hunk are competitive products, with different priorities. While the RTR ticks all the right boxes for the performance oriented, the Hunk is all about looking good. The negligible price difference between them makes it hard to pick a winner from the two. The Apache boasts a sweet engine, good styling, and an impressive features list in a very refined package. Probably all the reasons it won over the CBZ Xtreme in the last comparo. The Hunk, exhibiting great handling as its counterpart, inches closer to the RTR with its better ride and great road presence but suffers due to a few rough edges in the engine and gearbox. The RTR still remains the bike we’d buy, though the margin of its win has narrowed down to almost nothing. |
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Tags: |
| Hero Honda Hunk TVS Apache RTR 150 160 Commuter |
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