TVS Zeppelin or Bajaj Avenger – Next Cruiser?

TVS is been successful at creating a good amount of hype for their upcoming cruiser motorcycle, The TVS Zeppelin.

TVS Zeppelin was first showcased at Auto Expo 2018 as a concept. If we look at the pattern, the manufacturer launches the bike within two to three years after showcasing the concept, this takes to believe that the year 2020 might be the year of the arrival of this cruiser bike. It will be competing against the Bajaj Avenger 220 after the launch. So let’s have a comparison between both so that we can get a rough idea of this new upcoming contestant.

Powertrain

Bike enthusiasts are always willing to know about the most important fun element which is, of course, the power. TVS Zeppelin will be getting a 220 cc single-cylinder, fuel-injected oil-cooled engine. The engine is basically a bored-out version of the TVS Apache 200 4V’s 197 cc engine. So we could expect the power output around 21-22 bhp max power and peak torque at 17-18 Nm. The engine is expected to get mated with 5-speed gearbox and also it should possess slipper clutch.

Bajaj Avenger 220 gets equipped with 220 cc single-cylinder, oil-cooled, fuel-injected engine that produces around 18.4 bhp max power and 17.55 Nm of peak torque. The engine then is mated with a 5-speed gearbox. The clutch on the motorcycle is a basic wet multi-plate type.

Features

Featurewise, we can expect TVS Zeppelin to have a lead over the Bajaj Avenger 220. The TVS cruiser is expected to have a fully digital instrument cluster, LED headlamps, LED taillamps, side-stand engine inhibitor, offset fuel tank, and much more. The digital instrument cluster is believed to have a similar level of connectivity as of the TVS Apache 200 4V. On the other hand, the Bajaj Avenger also gets a fully-digital instrument cluster but gets basic halogen headlamps. The Cruise variant gets windshield, pillion back support, chrome fuel cap and other important features.

Hardware

TVS Zeppelin at the Auto Expo had USD forks, but for the production model, it will increase the cost of the bike. So the conventional forks at the front have lot more probability. The rear mono-shock suspension is brilliantly hidden to have the cleaner look. The braking duty is supposed to be similar as the TVS Apache 200 4V, front disc at 270 mm and rear disc at 240 mm. These brakes will be then assisted with the help of dual-channel ABS.

Coming towards the Bajaj Avenger 220, the bike is equipped with conventional forks at the front and dual shock absorbers at the rear. The braking duty is managed by 280 mm disc at the front and 130 mm drum at the rear.

These brakes are then assisted with single-channel ABS.

Bajaj Avenger 220 is offered with two variants – Street and Cruise. The street variant gets alloy wheels while the Cruise variant gets spoke wheels. TVS Zeppelin at Auto Expo had Spoke wheels but we can expect TVS Zeppelin to come with at least two variants similar to the Avenger 220.

Also read: TVS Jupiter – Better than Honda Activa?

Price

The TVS Zeppelin is expected to have pricing between Rs 1.2-1.3 lakhs (all prices ex-showroom). Bajaj Avenger 220 costs Rs 1.05 lakhs for Street variant and Rs 1.15 lakhs for Cruise variant. Other cruiser motorcycles you can consider while buying includes Royal Enfield Thunderbird (upcoming Meteor), Hero Xpulse 200T.