When it comes to bodywork, fit and finish, paint quality, and the overall look and feel, the new Avenger is identical to the older one. So, the paint quality is good all round, the switchgear operation is crisp, the fit is even almost everywhere, and the chrome – whatever little there is – doesn’t look cheap at all.

The seating ergonomics are one of the reasons consumers buy the Avenger, apart from its design, of course. Many commuters – and tourers – believe the low seat, the forward set footpegs, and the wide and easy to reach handlebar will make for comfortable seating. And it does. For the most part at least.

Show it nicely surfaced roads and you’d be able to spend a considerable amount of time in the saddle without bother. Even in stop and go traffic, the footpegs aren’t that far forward to cause you to pull a thigh muscle after repeated peg-on-peg-off use. Plus, the pegs being ahead means there’s nothing to foul with the legs when leg-paddling in traffic.

The really new bit about the Avenger 160 is, of course, its engine. It is essentially the same unit as on the Pulsar NS160. It has the same bore and stroke and even the power output is nearly the same. It makes around 15bhp and a little over 13Nm, which incidentally is almost identical to what the 180cc Avenger made. Back to the NS160 engine, and the big difference between the two 160s is that the Avenger uses a two-valve head against a four-valve configuration on the NS.

On the road, the Avenger 160’s engine feels and sounds like the rest of its brethren. So, it’s loud. And once you are in the mid-range, the vibrations start coming in. Plus, the higher you rev the engine, the more the vibrations. Yes, it’s directly proportional. So much so in fact that close to its redline, a dot of light in the rear view mirror turns into a large circle, as if someone were light painting!

The Avenger is now old in the tooth. And it shows in the technology that the motorcycle has, or doesn’t. It gets single-channel ABS, of course, because it is mandated by law. But that apart, there’s nothing cutting edge about the motorcycle.

The cycle parts, be it the chassis or the suspension, are almost the same as it were in 2015. Or maybe before that. As I said, it’s not easy to keep track of all the Avengers. Also, the engine is still air cooled; the fuelling is still via a carburettor, and the instrumentation is as basic as it comes with just one trip meter as a value add.

One of the main reasons Bajaj has switched to the 160cc motor from the 180cc engine is to deliver better fuel economy. And on our city run, it returned a little over 48kmpl. Now, we know these figures aren’t great, especially for a 160cc motorcycle, but it is an improvement.

The idea behind the Avenger hasn’t been about ‘feeling like god’, as is widely conveyed. It’s more utilitarian than that. Especially, the Avenger 160. It’s about offering an easy to ride, affordable, and comfortable everyday commute centric motorcycle, which also has a healthy dose of aspiration. The latter has always come via styling for the Avenger series.

The Avenger 160 has its pluses. Like we mentioned earlier, it is easy to ride. It’s also accessible, then be it the low seat height, its relatively light weight, or its pricing. But, it’s not an exciting proposition to own anymore, not with its styling being at least half a decade old, and with nothing of note on the technology or newness front.

What we’d like to see now is a complete revamp of the design. We’d like to see LED lighting and a smart digital console. And of course, some new and relevant features which would make the Avenger desirable again.