CBZ vs Fiero

From BikeNomads

Author : Navendu Singh

Guys

Its being almost a month since I have got the CBZ. Covered around 500km in all type of conditions, rains, broken roads, flooded roads, smooth roads, curves, bumpy roads. Day time as well as night.

Same surface I also rode my Fiero for the same distance and here is my first attempt to compare these first two, of the 150cc 4st bikes.

Fiero: 87,700km (recently changed chain sprocket, clutch plates, rear gas shocks and new front disc)
CBZ: 25,400km (all in showroom condition)

Feel
Though both the bikes are similar power and CC they are totally diff from each other. CBZ gives you a feel of riding a sporty bike whereas fiero feels totally diff (u can call it commuter like).

Fiero is more comfortable riding with a laptop and bag full of fruits and books, in a stop go traffic. On CBZ after some time the wrist starts to pain.

Over broken/bumpy surface cbz suspension is much better than the suspension of the fiero. Though the feel with gas shocks on fiero is much better.

Cornering
Taking corners on cbz is diff than taking corners on fiero. On cbz if you hang off, you get a fell as if you are riding one of those racing bikes. On fiero no such feeling.

Braking
Braking the cbz disc gives much better feel than the one on fiero. You pull the brakes on cbz and bike will that it will stop and it will stop (though the brake pads are worn out). Fiero disc, you pull the brakes and you will wonder if the bike will stop or not but the bike will stop :D

Performance
On the performance front, I think both the bikes are quiet close till fiero runs out of steam at 80 (may be my bike is showing signs of age). In the roll ons sometimes u can be in the wrong gear and still pull but on cbz the fun is being in the right gear all the time.

Out on highway you can crouch on the cbz while going flat out and still think of zipping thru mild traffic without worrying to reduce the speed or sitting straight. Fiero can match upto some extent but once the traffic is mixed with some curves u need to sit upright.

Mileage
Mileage wise, with a all out rip riding cbz gave me 34km/lt wheread fiero gave me 43km/lt.

Havent gone on a few hrs ride to comment on the comfort but in city both bikes seat is more than enough.

Night Riding
Riding in night, CBZ is the bike I least prefer and that too if its raining. As its rightly said, "nothing is perfect". HH missed this in making the bike a perfect bike for spirited riding.
So some questions, people might ask:
1. After 5yrs when I had a chance to choose between fiero and cbz, do I think I made a mistake?
A.To be honest, I'll say "no". Why? because I had to buy the bike from my own money and I had just got into job so a initial cost diff of 10K to add the mileage diff of 10km/lt was a bit too high with not much of diff in the performance.
2. Today given a choice between fiero and cbz to buy (now that I have ridden both the bikes) which one to buy? A. I'll go for cbz, today I'm not looking for a fast commuter bike. Earning enough that the initial cost diff and the mileage will not matter much but then I'll start to hate riding in night but then I'll have the bullet to take care of night riding.