Honda Unicorn 160: 4,000km long term review

The Honda Unicorn 160 had impressed us with its performance in the city while we were yet to establish how it would perform on the open highways. Fortunately a shoot was scheduled in Lavasa on the outskirts of Pune and I got an opportunity to stretch the legs of the Unicorn 160. The bike impressed us right away with its punchy motor. Acceleration of the Unicorn 160 is brisk while it has a very strong mid-range. This meant I could cruise on the highway at speeds around 90kmph without any effort which for an air-cooled, 150cc motor is mighty impressive. Another highlight of the Honda Unicorn 160 is the refinement of the motor as even at high revs there are minor vibrations seeping through which showcases its engineering prowess. However the 5-speed gearbox isn’t impressive as shifting from first to second gear isn’t instantaneous and there is a certain lag for the gears to get engaged.

However from second to fifth gear the gearbox offers crisp and precise shifts but on few occasions I encountered false neutrals. Hopefully the service centre guys would be able to rectify this problem. The seating position of the bike is upright and comfortable which meant the almost 400km felt effortless barring for the wind blast.  But on my return journey from Pune to Mumbai the Sun had already set and the Honda Unicorn 160’s headlamp fared poorly in illuminating the road. The beam length and spread is disappointing to say the least and it was difficult to maintain pace as visibility offered by the headlamp wasn’t up to the mark. An extended weekend resulted in an unplanned ride to the beach town of Alibaug with my college friends.

The stiff rear suspension setup meant the Honda Unicorn 160 offered a decent ride quality that wasn’t plush but acceptable. As for pillion comfort, the Honda Unicorn 160 impressed my friend mightily with its generous space and the useful grab handle. Both these trips sealed the fact that the Honda Unicorn 160 is an able machine not only for daily commute as well as the odd long rides on the weekend. With the bike crossing the 4,000km mark a visit the service centre is on the cars where the minor niggling issues will be hopefully sorted.

Date Acquired: January, 2015

Total km done: 4,381km

Overall Fuel efficiency: 49kmpl

Cheers: Engine, Pillion Comfort, Comfortable riding position

Sneers: Poor headlamp, Notchy gearbox