For a decade now, Bajaj’s Avenger has been performing duty as an affordable, likeable cruiser within the reach of those wanting a light, cruiser-esque motorcycle without the need to bust a bank. The Avenger brand though seemed to have taken a backseat over the past few years, all thanks to the Pulsars, and the Avenger barely got any updates except for higher displacements. Bajaj has just spawned a series out of the Avenger though, including comprehensive styling updates and three variants. The highlight though is the smaller, more efficient and more affordable Avenger 150. But a 150cc, cruiser motorcycle for riding distances, seriously?
To put that in favour of Bajaj Auto, you’ve got to admit, the 150cc segment is a sweet spot for manufacturers – 150cc bikes after all tick a lot of boxes for a lot of bikers with various needs. And Bajaj has been ahead in creating new categories, segments within segments always – and as far as 150s go, they offer everything from an executive bike in the Discover 150 to a streetbike in the Pulsar 150 and an adventure tourer in the Pulsar 150 AS! So does a 150cc cruiser complete their range? Swing a leg I did to find out, and here’s what I could make of Bajaj Auto’s youngest, smallest Avenger.
The Avenger 150 Street gets the same design and matte finish as its elder siblings, the Avenger 220 Street and Cruise. In fact, from a distance it is difficult to differentiate the 150 Street from the 220 Street thanks to their identical alloys and matte black finish. The 150 Street though gets a dark blue hue with a glossy finish as opposed to the 220 Street’s matte black paintjob. Despite being a new motorcycle in the family, the 150’s design is the same as the Avenger that we have been seeing all these years. All three Avengers, including the 150, have been given some comprehensive updates and few design changes though for a fresher, more contemporary appearance. The matte black finish has become the norm for cruisers of late, and it isn’t surprising Bajaj has gone in for the same with the 150 Street.
You don’t really need to scour the motorcycle to figure out that the inspiration for its styling comes from Harley-Davidson’s Street 750. The design of the Avenger’s alloys and single pod speedo/odo/tripmeter, matte black theme for the engine, forks with black rubber bellows, exhaust, handlebars, mirrors et al look clearly inspired by the American cruiser that also uses the ‘Street’ moniker. Not that we’re complaining, as this is a neat execution and the overall effect is nice. The headlight offers white light for better illumination we’re told, but it wasn’t possible to get a feel as we only got to ride the bike in the day.
The Avenger 150 Street gets a 17-inch alloy upfront and a 15-incher at the back in keeping with the cruiser styling, and these do well in giving it a low stance. The single pod instrument cluster now gets a digital odo/tripmeter, while the arrangement of the tell-tale lights on the fuel tank has been revised – this is a bit irritating though, since you have to almost search for the neutral light or the light for the turn indicators till you get used to this arrangement. The clear lens indicators look nice, though I felt an LED tail light would have given the rear a more contemporary look, along with the new, matte-black finished grab rail. In a nutshell, this is a nice motorcycle that will appeal to the target audience, especially since matte finishes are in vogue currently.
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