Honda CB Unicorn 150 Vs Hero Achiever 150: Numbers Comparison

Two bread-and-butter 150cc motorcycles. Which one is superior in terms of numbers? Let’s find out

The 150cc motorcycle segment has managed to surge ahead despite there being plenty of alternatives from other segments at a similar price point. The Honda CB Unicorn 150 and the Hero Achiever 150 are two of the main contenders in the 150cc segment. While the Honda was launched way back in 2004, the Achiever 150 was two years later. Ten years later, Honda discontinued the 150cc and introduced a bigger CB Unicorn 160. However, it never really set the sales chart on fire. Honda learned the hard way that Indians love familiarity and the Unicorn 150 was launched once again at the 2016 Auto Expo. So, let’s compare the two stalwarts from Honda and Hero to see which one comes out on top as far as numbers are concerned.

Acceleration:

Acceleration is something that’s crucial even for a commuter bike. A faster acceleration time helps in getting off the line at a traffic signal quicker and also helps in reaching cruising speeds early. From standstill to 60kmph, the Achiever is just 0.1 seconds faster, but when it comes to hitting the ton, the Achiever is 1.52 seconds quicker. The Hero’s rapid pace can be attributed to the fact that it weighs a whole 7kg less (139kg, kerb) than the Unicorn 150. Also, at 13.59PS, the Achiever makes 0.68PS more than the Unicorn. In a nutshell, the Achiever has a slightly peppier engine, and the motorcycle we tested also had a relatively better mid-range refinement than the Unicorn.

Roll-ons:

These numbers help us understand how tractable the gears are. In third gear, accelerating from 30kmph to 70kmph is 0.21 seconds quicker in the Achiever. Even in fourth gear, the Achiever is quicker from 40kmph to 80kmph by 1.19 seconds. What this means for the user is that the Achiever can hold higher speeds at lower gear more comfortably than the Unicorn. It can also pick speeds up in the same gear better, and this will be of use while overtaking on the highway. Also, the Achiever hit a top speed of 105.76kmph, which is 3.81kmph more than what the Unicorn managed in our test.

Braking:

Both the Hero Achiever 150 and the Honda CB Unicorn 150 get a 240mm front  disc with two-piston caliper up front and a 130mm drum at the rear. However, due to the 7kg weight difference, the Achiever takes a shorter distance to stop both from 80-0kmph and 60-0kmph. While the two motorcycles ride on 80-section rubber up front, the rear tyre on the Achiever is the same as the front while the Unicorn gets a wider 100-section unit. This doesn’t exactly inspire confidence, especially on corners. On the flip side, they help in extracting the maximum fuel efficiency because of the lower rolling resistance of a skinnier tyre. The Unicorn, on the other hand, handles much better than the Achiever with a good balance of comfort and performance courtesy the rear monoshock and fatter rear tyre. The Unicorn we tested was the one without ABS. Honda now offers a single-channel ABS as an option for an additional sum of Rs 6,500 over the non-ABS one. Expect Hero to give the Achiever at least a single-channel ABS before new safety norms are implemented in April this year.

Fuel Efficiency:

Efficiency is something that’s up there in every other 150cc bike buyer’s priority list. Keeping this in mind, Hero developed the i3S start-stop technology. This system shuts off the engine when left on idle. Pull the clutch lever, and the system brings the engine back to life. With this feature turned on, it returned 61.07kmpl on the highway and an equally respectable 51.8kmpl in the city.

The Unicorn is devoid of such features. Instead, it gets Honda Eco Technology for its engines. The company has worked on the engine internals to reduce friction, improve combustion and optimise the balance of power and efficiency. With this, it returned 57.18kmpl on the highway and 48.7kmpl in the city. With both the bikes using a 13-litre fuel tank, the Achiever should give you a better overall range.

Pricing:

At Rs 67,050 for the drum brake variant and Rs 69,050 for the front disc brake version, the Hero Achiever offers really good value for money. In comparison, the Honda Unicorn costs Rs 72,315 for the non-ABS variant and Rs 78,815 for the single-channel ABS version. While Hero offers better flexibility (as far as equipment levels are concerned) for a lower price, Honda commands quite a premium for what it offers. But it doesn’t compromise on equipment levels as you get an advanced monoshock and a front disc brake as standard. Plus, the added safety of ABS also makes the bike compliant with upcoming safety norms. Overall, the Achiever seems to trump the Unicorn in almost every aspect, at least as far as their non-ABS variants are concerned.