Today we'll see the road performance of the Hero Honda CBZ Extreme....

About Hero Honda
Hero Honda pioneered the 150cc segment in 1999 with the original CBZ, a pathbreaking bike for its time. The Bajaj Pulsar entered the market in 2001 and soon became a favourite with bike lovers, making the 150 cc bike segment a big draw for other manufacturers. Somewhat stung by the Pulsar attack, Hero Honda attempted grabbing back some market share with its Achiever and now the CBZ X-treme is taking this battle to twin fronts.

About CBZ EXTREME
Styling on the X-treme is a good effort but evokes mixed feelings. That’s because the tank, side panels, mudguards, five-spoke alloys and rear bodywork are racy and attractive, while the front is bland. Overly conventional looking, this confused bikini fairing mounts an oddly-located pilot lamp and gawky-looking integrated indicators. This apart, the X-treme is a decent-looking bike. Bold analog instruments are planted inside its brush finish alloy surround and a speedometer, tachometer, fuel-gauge and trip facility complement the standard warning lamps. It’s a pity Hero Honda has left the the X-treme’s steering triple clamp a pressed steel plate and not provided aluminium. Switchgear should have been better also, but top-class grips and levers help the X win brownie points. Body-coloured mirrors are a no-no. The new CBZ enjoys a superbly sculpted fuel tank, with nice knee indents. It also provides an upmarket aircraft-style alloy filler. In a smart move, the saddle rides high onto this tank. Chrome-tipped side panels are classy. And the tail and rear fairing are scrumptious too. A chic ‘floating’ two-piece grab handle adds charm to the completely integrated tail section, where LED lighting is the norm. The CBZ X-treme sports delightful five-spoke alloy rims in matt black, a theme that continues to its engine cases, silencer as well as the chain shroud. A bulky-looking silver heat shield bolts atop the silencer. At foot-level, the adjustable rear brake pedal and toe-operated gearshift lever are sporty bits. We find this exciting Hero Honda loaded with too many differing styling elements for one package, but it remains a well-engineered motorcycle as expected from the market leader. Paint quality, fit and finish and all rubber and plastic bits are as good as they come.

Engine and all that technicality we die for......
The CBZ X-treme’s black-coated engine looks purpose-built and macho. A bright red ignition cable lends relief. This is the same air-cooled, four-stroke Honda unit as found on the Unicorn and Achiever. The X-treme’s aluminium alloy engine cases are smartly detailed. While cubic capacity remains 149.2cc, the refined unit is now tweaked to offer a class-leading 14.2bhp at 8500 revs. Torque output stays the same at 1.3kgm at 6500rpm. The new CBZ breathes through a CV carburettor, comes with needle bearings cushioning in its rocker arms and offers a two-way air jacket to help keep a cool head. And, as on the Unicorn, there’s an offset crankshaft. The all-alloy motor is twin-valve- equipped and uses a single spark plug. There’s the same proven wet clutch system as found on the Unicorn and among the best bits on the X is its slick shifting one-down and four-up gearbox. Gunning the new CBZ in X-treme mode is a fun experience. Smoothness and engine flexibility in all gears can be taken for granted as also a light throttle with snappy response. Gears shift with a positive, light feel and each ratio is perfectly spaced. Mid-range power at around 4000rpm is more than adequate, but this engine feels strongest over 6K. That’s when the power kicks in and develops in linear fashion until around 9000rpm. The extra grunt ensures the X-treme sets significantly quicker acceleration than the Unicorn and Achiever. I achieved 0-60kph in a quick 5.24 seconds, with 100kph flying past in 18.27sec.
It also gives a decent enough average of around 45-47km/lt........
So thats it guys...meet you soon with some other bike review...
Bye