Bajaj Avenger - an affordable and stylish Indian motorcycle for Russian open spaces

A real “biker” motorcycle in Russia is, of course, a cruiser, which in our country is better known as choppers. Classic American models somehow quickly took root all over the world. Apparently, the point is the brutality of their owners - lovers of leather jackets, shoes with long toes like "cowboys" and freedom.


Although the classic cruiser for the US is Harley-Davidson, in Russia Japanese motorcycles are preferred. They are cheaper, plus there is a huge selection of models on the used market for every budget and taste. And that's just in this class!


That's just one drawback of Japanese motorcycles in the light of recent events. Parts are expensive and hard to come by, especially for old and rare models.

Chinese cruisers are quite a provocative option. They are cheap to maintain and repair, but breakdowns happen there periodically. Is there a way out of this situation? Of course - buying a Bajaj Avenger.

What is this brand?

The phrase "Indian motorcycle" in most domestic drivers causes more laughter. Has anything decent ever been made in this country besides mopeds and tuk-tuks?


And only motorcyclists know that India and bikes are inextricably linked. Moreover, local brands produce high-quality equipment.

For example, the company Bajaj. This Indian brand is known all over the world. The fact that Bajaj can be trusted is evidenced by a number of facts:

✅ The manufacturer is one of the five largest in the world
✅ More than a thousand bikes roll off the assembly lines of the factory every day
✅ The whole small-capacity Duke and RC line of the Austrian KTM is produced here
✅ Kawasaki for the Indian market is also assembled here

If the manufacturer is trusted by such well-known brands, this hints that the products here meet all international standards.

Model based on

Not just because we remembered Kawasaki. The fact is that Bajaj Avenger is a model based on the Japanese Eliminator EL250 bike. This motorcycle in the cruiser class appeared in 1987 and was produced until 2003.


The Indians appreciated the reliable Japanese model, so they made their Bajaj Avenger on its chassis. But given the specifics of the local market, they decided to change the bike a little. Firstly, the structure was strengthened, because India is not Japan. Here, motorcycles are used not for recreational trips, but for trips in the style of "the whole family and a button accordion with a goat."

But the main difference is the replacement of the engine. They abandoned the Japanese power unit with two cylinders and liquid cooling. He developed 33 or 40 hp. with., depending on the version. The Indian motor is partly its own, although it also has KTM roots.

It turns out that an international motorcycle is now available to Russian customers:

✅ Inspired by US classics
✅ Designed in Japan
✅ With an Austrian design engine

And all this was carefully assembled by Indian workers and adjusted to the difficult local conditions.

Appearance and features

The Indians did not touch the design of the original Kawasaki Eliminator EL250. They only “conjured” a little on ergonomics, because the locals are still taller than the Japanese. Reliable and proven for decades, the hodovka has not been changed either.


The motorcycle has been slightly modified, it is offered to customers in two versions. Classic and with a low steering wheel and alloy wheels - in the style of Dragster. However, nothing but appearance, these two modifications do not differ.


Interestingly, the ergonomics of the Indian motorcycle is designed taking into account the growth of the average European. If someone rode the original Kawasaki Eliminator EL250, they will remember that it is inconvenient for tall people. But the Bajaj Avenger is ideal in this regard - it suits even those who are up to 190 cm tall. And at the same time, the bike is suitable for undersized riders.

The front brake of the motorcycle is single disc, but it is from Brembo. And even though the caliper says “Bybre”, this should not be misleading. This is a budget line of the Italian manufacturer. The rear drum brake is enough for the cubic capacity of the motorcycle and the power of 19 “horses”.

Engine

The motor in the original Kawasaki Eliminator EL250 is generally atypical for old-school cruisers. Not only is it small in volume, it is also liquid-cooled, plus the power of the devices for the Japanese market was 40 hp. With.


Indian manufacturers considered this power unit too structurally complex. Knowing the peculiarities of the local market, it is easy to believe. An engine with a volume of 220 cm3 develops only 19 liters. With. Instead of liquid, he received air-oil cooling.

The power unit was taken from the Austrian manufacturer Rotax. A similar motor is on the KTM Duke 200. But the Indian engine has a number of differences:

✅ No liquid cooling
✅ Large working volume
✅ Three spark plugs per cylinder
✅ One overhead camshaft instead of two
✅ Power reduced by 7 liters. With.

The engine power system is carburetor. Also, by the way, the node is from the eminent manufacturer - Mikuni. This does not mean that Indians do not have the ability to install fuel injection. Just creating Bajaj Avenger, they sought to reduce the cost of equipment as much as possible.


By the way, since we have already touched on the price, we need to tell you how much you can buy a motorcycle now in Russia. They ask for 251 thousand rubles for new bikes. Used copies can be bought from 140 thousand.

An Indian motorcycle engine is better suited to a light cruiser than the Kawasaki Eliminator EL250 twin-cylinder near-sport powerplant. And the sound of Bajaj Avenger is more solid.

Russian operation

In our country, Indian cruisers have been on sale since at least 2016. At least the oldest motorcycles on sale date back to that date. Not to say that the bike is popular in Russia, but it sometimes comes across on the roads.


Unlike Chinese cruisers, Bajaj Avenger owners are surprisingly unanimous in their reviews. They claim that motorcycles are reliable and cause almost no problems during operation. In fairness, it is worth noting that bikes from the Middle Kingdom are also not bad in terms of engine and gearbox, but periodically upset their owners with minor breakdowns.


The suspension of the motorcycle is “soft”, but does not make its way even on gravel roads. The seating position is comfortable, and the geometry of the bike is conducive to a relaxed ride. Bajaj Avenger does not like sharp turns with slopes - you can hook the steps on the asphalt.

The engine confidently pulls the motorcycle up to 80 km / h. Then the bike loses momentum, but it can be accelerated to 130. As for fuel consumption, it is small here - only 3,5 liters per 100 km / h.


The reliability of the Indian engine, judging by the reviews of the owners, is on a par with Japanese power units. After 10-15 thousand kilometers, the piston definitely does not need to be changed here. Most likely, the resource here is at least 100 km. At least, there are single copies in Russia with figures close to this value.

Who is the Bajaj Avenger for? For those who want a reliable motorcycle with an economical engine and a hint of aesthetics. As practice shows, these are first-season players or people who are wise in life, who are no longer in a hurry.

Of course, fans of speed Indian cruiser will quickly get bored. But if you need a reliable and inexpensive motorcycle, then the Bajaj Avenger will suit this role.