Performance – The 2018 Avenger Street 180 is powered by a Pulsar sourced engine which has been re-tuned to produce less power and torque to match the characteristics of a cruiser, a stress-free motor. Therefore, it produces 15.5 PSand 13.7 Nm instead of 17 PS and 14.2 Nm on the Pulsar 180. The motor is mated to a 5-speed gearbox which has a heel-and-toe gear shifter. Get the bike moving and you will immediately notice how neatly it pulls off the line. There is a lot of torque on offer and the low-end and the mid-range are the preferable rev range to ride this motorcycle. The engine is refined and it also has a good exhaust note.
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It manages to do 100 km/hr in fourth gear without any stress
The 2018 Bajaj Avenger Street 180 has good low-end and mid-range punch
The gearbox is slick and smooth and the clutch is light as well offering a crisp response. The up-shifts and down-shifts happen smoothly and the engine does not ask for many gear changes all the time. NVH levels are kept in proper check until some point. It cruises smoothly and also does 100 km/hr without any stress. But post 95 km/hr, the vibes start coming in through the footpegs. So below 95 km/hr would be the speed limit for you to enjoy riding this motorcycle. And with a wide open throttle, the bike does 100 km/hr in fourth gear. We managed to do a top speed of 125 km/hr on the speedo, but mid-range is the most fun place to ride this bike. The claimed mileage of this Avenger 180 by the company is 45 km/l and one can easily get 40 km/l.
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Bike remains planted and stable at all times
Riding Dynamics – The 2018 Avenger 180 is a low and easy to access motorcycle with a very relaxed riding position. It is built on a diamond frame that has been in use since the Kawasaki Bajaj Eliminator. The chassis and the suspensions are taken from the Street 220 but the ride quality of the Street 180 have vastly improved as it gets an increase of 10 mm travel in its rear suspensions (all the 2018 Avengers get the same increase). The suspension travel has gone up from 98 mm to 108 mm. The suspension setup seems to be a bit on the firm side but it still offers a plush ride.
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The front disc brake lacks the feedback
Increase in rear suspension travel has made a significant difference in its ride
The Avenger 180 soaked up every bump that came in its way and glided over broken roads without any fuss. The bike weighs 150 kg kerb but feels light on the move, thanks to its wheelbase. It remains planted at all times and during corners as well. Obviously, it is not a corner-carving or a knee-scraping machine, but it manoeuvres well and stays composed on the tightest of corners. Making a U-turn on this motorcycle is a task though as it does not offer good amount of turning radius. But it’s expected from such a long wheelbase and cruiser bike, isn’t it? Nonetheless, it is still a nimble handler on straight roads and can filter through city traffic easily. A little more scooped seat would have done the job of making the rider sit in it and not on it as it is now, making it way more comfortable for longer rides. There isn’t much feedback from the front brake but the rear offers good feedback. The bike does not get a rear disc or ABS, not even as an option.
