Honda CB Unicorn 160 – Long term report

The big H is known more for their commuter motorcycles in India. It’s true that the 110cc motorcycles are the bread and butter for most manufacturers but the two wheeler scenario in India has been changing slowly. With the advent of Harley Davidson, Triumph, Indian and other big bike players coming in to the Indian market, the thirst for power from Indian buyers has increased. In fact you’ll even notice that many bikers have started to move up the chain when buying a new motorcycle. This is where Honda cashed in. They already had the Unicorn which sold like freshly baked cakes but customers wanted more. So they launched the CB Unicorn 160 last year and it’s been doing pretty well.

We’ve had the CB Unicorn 160 for a long time now. In fact it’s just crossed the 10,000km mark. Ever since the Unicorn came to our office, everyone has had a chance to ride it. Whether daily, or on weekends, no one’s had a complaint so far. But I’ve had the pleasure of riding it the most and I’ve got say it’s the most comfortable motorcycle I’ve ridden. If you commute a lot in the city on a daily basis like I do and if you want a motorcycle that has a good combination of power and mileage, then the CB Unicorn 160 is a good companion to have. 

I’ve taken the CB Unicorn 160 for numerous trips up and down the Mumbai – Pune route and on other short weekend trips. These trips normally involve high speed highway riding and either a set of saddle bags or a friend sitting pillion. Even with all the added weight, the Unicorn still manages to return a good fuel economy of 55km/l. But what still impresses me even more than its fuel efficiency is its braking power. The front disc brake has tremendous stopping power and in emergency braking situations the combi-brake system works really well.  The CB Unicorn 160 is still going strong even after 10,000km and now it’s time to give it for servicing. We’ll be back soon to give you update on how the motorcycle performs after it gets serviced.