Spec comparo: Bajaj Avenger Street and Cruise 220 vs RE Classic 350 vs RE Thunderbird 350
Bajaj has launched three new variants of the Avenger- Street 220, Cruise 220 and Street 150. These are the only cruisers available in India with a price tag of less than Rs 1 lakh. Both the Avengers with the 220cc engine displacement will compete with the Royal Enfield Classic 350 and the Thunderbird 350. These Royal Enfields, on the other hand, are classic cruisers and enjoy a massive cult following here in India.
The two 220cc Bajaj Avengers aren't too different from each other on the spec sheets - Â the only thing that sets them apart is their weight. Both get a 219.9cc single-cylinder engine producing 19PS/17.5Nm - Â which falls a little short when compared to Royal Enfield's 346cc single cylinder producing 19.8PS/28Nm. But the Avengers come with a longer wheelbase of 1,490mm. They sit lowest at 725mm, followed by the Thunderbird's 775mm and Classic's 800mm.
The Bajaj Avengers boast the highest ground clearance too at 169mm while, the Classic has the least at 135mm. For those planning to use these motorcycles for long road trips, the Thunderbird gets the largest tank at 20 litres and the Classic 350 has the smallest at 13.5 litres.
The Royal Enfield Thunderbird is the only bike in the comparo with a rear disc brake while the others have drums. But braking duties at the front in both the Enfields are carried out by 280mm disc brakes. The Bajaj Avengers in this comparo get 260mm disc brakes on the front and a 130mm drum on the rear.
The Bajaj Avenger 220s have the fattest rear tyres here. Both the Avengers have also got the least kerb weight at 150kg and 155kg, which is where they score over the Royal Enfields in the power to weight ratio field. There's also the price - the Avengers retail at Rs 84,000 (ex-Delhi), which is considerably more affordable than the other two in this comparison, the Thunderbird 350 being the most expensive at Rs 1.38 lakh (ex-Delhi).
| Bajaj Avenger Street/Cruise 220 | |
| Engine displacement | 219.9cc |
| Max power | 19PS@8,400rpm |
| Max torque | 17.5Nm@7,000rpm |
| Wheelbase | 1,490mm |
| Ground clearance | 169mm |
| Seat height (unloaded) | 725mm |
| Kerb weight | 150kg/155kg |
| Fuel tank (litres) | 14 |
| Brakes (F) | 260mm disc |
| Brakes (R) | 130mm drum |
| Tyre (F) | 90/90 R17 |
| Tyre (R) | 130/90 R15 |
| Power to weight (PS/tonne) | 126.7/122.8 |
| Price (ex-Delhi) | Rs 84,000 |
| Royal Enfield Classic 350 | |
| Engine displacement | 346cc |
| Max power | 19.8PS@5,250rpm |
| Max torque | 28Nm@4,000rpm |
| Wheelbase | 1,370mm |
| Ground clearance | 135mm |
| Seat height (unloaded) | 800mm |
| Kerb weight | 187kg |
| Fuel tank (litres) | 13.5 |
| Brakes (F) | 280mm disc |
| Brakes (R) | 153mm drum |
| Tyre (F) | 90/90 R19 |
| Tyre (R) | 110/90 R18 |
| Power to weight (PS/tonne) | 105.9 |
| Price (ex-Delhi) | Rs 1.27 lakh |
| Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350 | |
| Engine displacement | 346cc |
| Max power | 19.8PS@5,250rpm |
| Max torque | 28Nm@4,000rpm |
| Wheelbase | 1,350mm |
| Ground clearance | 140mm |
| Seat height (unloaded) | 775mm |
| Kerb weight | 189kg |
| Fuel tank (litres) | 20 |
| Brakes (F) | 280mm disc |
| Brakes (R) | 240mm disc |
| Tyre (F) | 90/90 R19 |
| Tyre (R) | 120/80 R18 |
| Power to weight (PS/tonne) | 104.8 |
| Price (ex-Delhi) | Rs 1.38 lakh |