Bajaj Pulsar Expert Reviews

This is the battle of the 200cc nakeds - the Bajaj Pulsar NS200 and the TVS Apache RTR 200 4V. 

Sitting bang in between the Pulsar 150 and the Pulsar 180, the Pulsar NS160 rubs shoulders with the Yamaha FZ-S FI, Honda CB Hornet 160R, Suzuki Gixxer and TVS Apache RTR 160. 

We test the Bajaj Pulsar NS200, which is back with updates and a BS-IV compliant engine.

Which should you be looking at if you're in the market for a budget 150cc commuter?

The old workhorse has had a new breath of life, courtesy a BS-lV update. We find out what it is like

Bajaj’s second coming in the modern 200cc streetfighter segment. When it was first launched in 2012, the Bajaj Pulsar 200NS (no, that isn’t a typo) offered striking looks, hair-raising performance and impressive handling at a sweet price point. Now, the Pulsar 200NS has made a comeback in a new BS IV-compliant avatar and an inverted name.

The 2017 Pulsar 180 is nothing but Bajaj’s attempt to meet the upcoming emission norms and to keep the bike relevant and stylish for the next year or two. So the 178cc engine is now BS-IV compliant and the power and torque figures continue to be 17bhp and 14.2Nm.

The Pulsar 150 is the highest-selling 150cc motorcycle in the country. So when the time came for Bajaj to update the range to meet BS IV norms, the company decided to go a step further and give the Pulsar 150 something more than a facelift. Now, apart from adhering to the new emission norms, the Pulsar 150 also gets a change in character.

What we have here are two obvious players in the affordable and performance centric commuter class, and one outsider of sorts. The TVS Apache 200 4V – one of the obvious players, given it has nearly 20bhp – is the newest entrant. And though it is available both with fuel injection and carburetion, we have the latter for it is lesser priced.

Two bikes. Two different body styles yet we’re doing a comparison test. Why? Because, both get almost the same set of features, technology and also the same set of buyers. And these bikes are easily the most accessible and affordable performance motorcycles under Rs 1.5 lakh.