In terms of power, it is indeed more powerful. It pulls harder and 80kph is easily attainable. While the little bike's top speed is around 90kph, the Rouser cruises at this speed with no problem.
Braking is also more confident and I believe this has something to do with the chassis. Although the frame that comes with the Rouser may not be the best chassis design out there, it is way better than the underbone.
One aspect in which the underbone is probably marginally better is on curves. Note that this is very subjective. My theory is that the weight difference is coming into play since the Rouser is 25kgs heavier. Some people say that underbones are notoriously known for their excessive body roll but I find it easier to throw the UB bike on corners. But then as I mentioned earlier, it could be just me, the rider.
On the average, Rouser consumes 45km/L which is about 5km/L less than what I would normally get on the Bravo. But for the pull and speed that it is able to give it is not a big deal. Besides, in comparison to other brands with similar displacement it is at par if not better in terms of frugality.
Tires are MRFs which most users find slippery. I thought the same too but my front tire lasted for 50,000 kms. I replaced it only when the thread center line ran out. I remember we had a group ride wherein I was designated as the spear. We traveled a twisty mountain road while it was raining. I thought I was riding cautiously but when we had to stop some guys told me I was fast. And I was on stock front tire.
I believe the choice of tires has a huge effect on a bike's handling. I've tried replacing the rear MRF with FDR Genzi 100/80 and it felt more stable. But one good thing about the stock MRF is its durability. Front tire lasted for 3 years while the rear lasted for about 2 and a half years. I never had a flat on those tires.
Headlight is also good. Often times, motorists from the opposite lane would give me flashing signal perhaps thinking I was on high beam even though the headlight is on low. I also like the dual horns.
One thing which I haven't been able to figure out is the adjustment of the side mirrors. I'm not really a big guy and my shoulders are not that wide but it would cover half of the view on both mirrors.
Rouser Part 1
As of this writing, the odometer reads ~64,000 kms and 3+ years of owning the machine I will be trying to recall my experience with this bike from memory. This is the 2nd installment on the same topic and for the third and final post, I plan on writing about the problems encountered on this bike and maybe share the lessons learned.
