| Reviews > Honda Unicorn Review |
Model : Honda Unicorn
Manufacturer: HMSIL
First Impression
I have to admit that I was bit down when I first saw the bland Styling of Honda Unicorn. After coming across Pulsar, I was in a belief that Unicorn will be presented in a more sporty fashion to stand ahead of the crowd. But to my dis-belief this horse from Honda stable is quite calm. She looked similar to CBZ in certain looks with a big, straight curved fuel tank. The head lights were similar too, but with sharp edges in design.
The tail lamps follows the fashion statement from Dio. The winkers are stylish and up-to-date. The only thing that looked somewhat odd is the mediocre size rear tyre. For such a big bike, Honda should have fitted a more wider tyre.
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| Specs |
| Displacement |
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149.1 cc |
| Max Power |
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13.5PS @8000RPM |
| Max Torque |
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12.75Nm @5500RPM |
| Gears |
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5 |
| Susp.Fr |
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Telescopic |
| Susp.Rr |
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Monoshock |
| Brakes.Fr |
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Disc |
| Brakes.Rr |
: |
Drum |
| Fuel Tank |
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13 Litres |
| Weight |
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139 Kg |
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First Ride
Turned the ignition ON, and kicked the starter. Wow! that was quite smooth. The engine fired up smoothly and there is no kick-back. Great! The clutch lever drive was smooth and there was no need to use much force. Pushed the gear down and released the clutch. The response was quite amazing. I felt the engine is powerful enough and she slowly moved ahead. The followed gear shifts were smooth and there was no stress or pain while shifting them.
The instruments are similar to a entry-level sports bike with a big tacho and smaller speedo. It also features a fuel gauge and lights for Power on, Winkers and High beam. One noteworthy feature is the head lamp flasher works even if the engine is OFF. Yes, the flasher uses the battery power. This is one feature that is not found in other bikes.
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Vrrooomm...
After reaching the road, where the traffic was normal with many two wheelers and a few cars, Though I am not an expert in driving at high speed, I decided to go for a speed test and maneuverability test. So I halted near the platform and waited with first gear on. When there was a gap in the traffic, I raised the engine and triggered first gear. Vrrooom.. She didnt throw me away, but made a quick push and within 10 seconds, she was moving in 5th gear at a 80 Kmph speed. That was too intense for velachery 100 feet road. Within that 10 seconds I crossed nearly 8 two wheelers and two cars who were driving closely in average speed. (Did I mention there was some verbal blows? ;-) ) The tyres did not skid nor I lost the balance. Everything was perfect. Unlike bajaj pulsar, which creates heavy feeling in the front forks, Honda Unicorn is soooo gentle to drive and i could not beleive I was driving a 150cc, 139Kg weight bike like a Hero Honda Splendor! It is quite heavy like Pulsar and Fiero. But while maneuvering you wont feel the weight and size. Honda engineers has done a marvelous job. One thing that should be mentioned is the feeling of safety. In no other bikes, I have felt such a safety feeling when driving at 80 Kmph in the city traffic. My heart was longing to accelerate more.. but the road did not allow me . Soon I reached the Vijaya Nagar round-about and I had to slow down.
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 After Effects
Abundant power and comfort from a single power mill leaves a positive impression that makes you start loving Unicorn. I must admit that Honda Unicorn is well built, well balanced and is an excellent bike, except for its plain styling. There is no flashy graphics and colors. Honda must do something in the cosmetics part. Such a marvel should not be let down in the cosmetics part.
Conclusion
Driving this beast is a sheer pleasure. Elegant styling and an amazing power plant... a perfect blend of power and comfort. Purely Honda, in a plain vanilla outfit.
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Special thanks to Sadhiesh Babu D who offered his new "just-out-from-the-shop" Honda Unicorn for test drive and review.
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