Honda CB Trigger Long Term
The Honda CB Trigger is one of the best 150cc bikes in the Indian market today.
The 150cc segment is the most popular in India, without any doubt. It’s a segment which acts as a bridge between commuter bikes and performance motorcycles, this way you can have a bit of both. The most popular 150cc bikes in India are the Bajaj Pulsar 150 and Honda Unicorn. The Japanese automaker did try to push Unicorn buyers to upgrade to a better 150cc bike, an effort which went in vain when the CB Dazzler was launched. In its aggressive product push, Honda has launched the CB Trigger, a very promising 150cc motorcycle which is now part of our long term fleet.
The Honda CB Trigger has been the most important 150cc bike launch of 2013, which has caused many established rivals to worry. We have just put on some kilometers on the bike and our initial impressions are very positive. The Honda CB Trigger has been returning us a constant 48 km/l in city traffic and what really pleases us every day is the fact that even in the winters, the smooth and refined Honda engine always starts-up (with choke of course) with the same zest it does all year long. However it does end up shutting off as it simply can’t idle for long, even if it’s kept on for a couple of minutes. The lack of DC lightning is a shocking omission which is more than apparent at night.
Where the Honda CB Trigger excels is the city. The handlebar is very light making easy work of congested traffic. Decent low end pep makes ambling around town a stress free affair. The instrument cluster is simply awesome and gives you a feeling of riding a much costlier bike, after all, the console is inspired from the CB1000R. However what is really out of place on a premium 150cc commuter is the switch gear. Except the CBR250R, all Honda bikes uses the same old switch gear which feels really cheap and is contradictory to the rest of the bike which has the typical high quality Honda bits. How difficult is it for Honda to update the switch gear by including an engine kill switch?
What is really fantastic on the CB Trigger are the brakes. Our bike is equipped with CBS which is such a boon in the city. Stopping power is strong but the combined braking system ensures both front and rear brakes are equally applied when you tap either one of the brakes thereby making riding in the city slightly easier and safe. The MRF tyres offer decent grip and the lack of saree guard makes the bike look so much better proportioned. The CB Trigger gets a full chain case which is a very practical add-on for our dusty conditions.
As much as the CB Trigger is good in the city, it’s even better on the highways. The riding position isn’t sporty, it’s upright and the seats are comfortable so you don’t tire even after long hours on the saddle. The Honda motor is just stupendously refined and rushes to the redline with zest, making a nice and throaty sound. Power delivery is linear but being a Honda, the CB Trigger has terrific top-end and that aids in a quick sprint from 60 to 115 km/hr. However the Trigger is best kept at 100 km/hr for long distance cruising. We took the bike for a good highway run when we were shooting the Royal Enfield Continental GT and not only did the Trigger keep up with the GT for the most part, it also never felt uneasy, the powertrain is just so smooth.
What is even smoother is the gearbox which has absolutely positive shifts and is a joy to use. The Trigger is a bike you can have a lot of fun with, it’s very composed around corners and you can turn in quickly in the tightest of bends. Through long sweepers, you can maintain higher speeds and the bike remains very stable at triple digit speeds as well. We got the bike at just a tad under 1400 kms and had to get its first service done as the oil wasn’t changed resulting in a mileage of 30 km/l. Out on the highway, cruising at 90 km/hr, we have been getting a constant mileage of 54 km/l. In our initial stint with the CB Trigger, we are quite impressed and can’t wait to ride this practical motorcycle over longer distances.
Further Reading –
Honda CB Trigger Review
Honda CB Trigger Video Review
Honda CB Trigger vs Yamaha Fazer
