[KarthikK]

Bajaj Pulsar N250 Review

Bajaj Pulsar N250 Pros

• Well-rounded, good-looking sporty commuter package packed with features and practicality
• Nicely priced. Undercuts most rivals in the segment
• Addresses almost all the weak points of its predecessor, while still retaining the solid fundamentals such as the engine and chassis characteristics
• Packed with features such as slip-and-assist clutch, upside-down fork suspension, digital instrument cluster, turn-by-turn navigation, LED projector headlight, switchable traction control, ABS modes, integrated USB charger, etc.
• Tractable engine with oodles of low-end torque coupled with good gearing and very light clutch makes riding effortless and adaptable to varied usage
• Refined engine with NVH levels rivaling Japanese 250cc commuters
• Deep and bassy exhaust note
• Mature suspension behaviour offers a nice balance between ride quality and handling

Bajaj Pulsar N250 Cons

• Front brake feels wooden and lacks progressive feedback. Rear brakes are devoid of any bite
• Some quirks in the ergonomics department, including placement of rear view mirrors, handlebar & side-stand lever
• Windblast and buffeting even at moderate speeds
• Sporty only within urban confines. Not very composed at highway speeds or during fast cornering
• 2-valve engine runs out of breath with climbing revs. Lack of sixth gear reduces the fun factor on highway rides
• Quality of plastics and decals, although better than before, has room for improvement
• Bajaj bikes are not known to age very well and it remains to be seen how long-lasting the refinement levels and plastic quality will prove to be over a few years of usage

Big shoutout to neil.jericho. Thanks to him for helping with the photography!

Introduction

The Bajaj Pulsar N250 was first launched on 28th October 2021 to mark the 20th anniversary of the Pulsar range of motorcycles. It was initially launched in three colors - Red, Blue and Techno Grey and with single-channel ABS. In June 2022, dual-channel ABS was added to the bike and an additional colour called Brooklyn Black was made available. Fast forward to 2024, the N250 has been updated with a host of improvements including wider tyres, upside-down fork front suspension, slip and assist clutch, a new and improved instrument cluster with ABS modes, a switchable traction control system, Bluetooth connectivity for phone notifications and support for turn-by-turn navigation. The N250 is now available in three colours - Brooklyn Black, Glossy Racing Red and Pearl Metallic White.

Bajaj now has three verticals in the Pulsar portfolio:

• The first is the "Classic" series which houses models such as the Pulsar 150, Pulsar 220F, etc. One may call these the legacy models which are still popular among first-time buyers. These bikes usually have easy rideability and practicality as their primary USP. They aren't really sporty compared to the other two verticals.
• The second is the "NS" series which is oriented towards sporty riding with more emphasis on performance and dynamics and less on practicality.
• The third is the "N" series which seeks to strike a balance between the sport-oriented NS series and the practical Classic series, offering the best of both worlds with an emphasis on refinement and practicality, while also offering a good deal of sportiness with a reasonably balanced suspension setup, adequate power/torque and features to fit a wide range of usage scenarios.

According to Bajaj, the N series of Pulsars is tailored to appeal to a younger, enthusiast-centric audience, some of whom have already experienced the Pulsar Classic series bikes and want to upgrade within the Pulsar portfolio to something that offers a bit more in terms of riding experience, without compromising too much on practicality or price. The target audience they are aiming at would also be youth who wouldn't just restrict their usage of this bike to urban confines of commuting, but also venture out of the cities on long weekend rides and would make use of that additional power and features.

Bajaj Pulsar N250 Pricing

When the Bajaj Pulsar N250 was originally launched in October 2021, it was priced at Rs. 1.38 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). Almost two and a half years later, Bajaj has added a host of improvements and relaunched the bike at a price of Rs. 1.51 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). This pricing is quite aggressive and undercuts most of the competition in the 200-250cc (sporty) commuter space. Even in states with the highest road tax, the on-road pricing of the N250 should remain under Rs. 2 lakh, which is great value for money!

[KarthikK]

Design & Styling

Visually, there aren't too many differences in the second iteration of the Pulsar N250 compared to the outgoing version. The N250 retains the elegant street-fighter styling with muscular lines and proportionate dimensions overall. The Bajaj Pulsar N and NS range of bikes have largely been good-looking and the N250 doesn't stray from this aspect. The addition of the upside-down fork suspension and the wider tyre at the rear has further improved the road presence of this bike. The new instrument console is integrated well into the design of the bike. The rider and pillion seats are well-designed and nicely integrated into the design giving a sporty look to the rear portion of the N250.

Build Quality, Fit & Finish

The N250 feels like a well-put-together motorcycle for this segment, with a heavy and tight feel both at standstill and on the move. There are hardly any loose cables or wires visible. All the cables were routed and bound well out of view. On the move, the bike feels solid and there were no rattles or squeaks heard on bad roads. The handlebar, foot-pegs and levers are all decent and feel robust. No complaints about any of these.

The paint quality is very nice and it feels like it will last long, but some of the plastic fairing panels feel a bit cheap in certain parts. However, at this price point, this can be excused.

While the Pulsar logo decal is of good quality, the decals and stickers on the other body panels don't seem like they will last long with a lot of abuse in Indian weather conditions and with rough usage by the average Indian commuter. On our test bike, one part of the fuel tank sticker was showing a slight peel-off already. This may only get worse over repeated cycles of heat and rain in the average Indian city.

The instrument console is made of glossy plastic and might be prone to accumulating a lot of scratches over time. I wouldn't be surprised to see customers wrapping the console's outer cover with PPF to protect it from scratches.

Features & Instrumentation

The Pulsar N250 gets an all-new digital instrument console. It replaces the analog-digital hybrid unit of the earlier N250. The new console includes a tachometer and speedometer with a gear-shift indicator, clock at the top and other vital information at the bottom such as tripmeter and ABS mode the bike is in. The right portion of the console cycles between fuel efficiency data, distance to next service and Bluetooth (phone) notifications. This includes turn-by-turn navigation inputs which update with almost zero lag. The only fly in the ointment is that for navigation, one needs to use the Bajaj Ride Connect app, in line with what most other manufacturers also do with their own mobile apps.

Wheels & Tyres

Bajaj has now equipped the Pulsar N250 with wider tyres. This means that the front and rear wheels are now shod with 110/70 R17 and 140/70 R17 section MRF Nylogrip Zapper tyres as standard. They are long-lasting tyres with a harder compound oriented more towards commuter usage and longevity rather than outright grip. I had no complaints on regular roads, but on sandy terrain, they felt a bit jittery. They need to be used with caution in wet or muddy conditions.

Ergonomics & Comfort

The ergonomics of the Pulsar N250 are mostly fuss-free and primarily tailored for everyday commuting rather than for spirited riding. The seat height is at a modest 800 mm, the handlebar has a low reach and the foot-pegs aren't very rear-set, making the posture largely upright and suited for day-to-day commuting.

For taller riders (I am 6'1" for reference), the handlebar reach is not very comfortable over an extended period of time. The clutch and brake levers are non-adjustable but are okay to use even for people with smaller palms/fingers. The clutch is very light and a delight to use in traffic. This is something which will help urban commuters a lot.

The rider seat has sufficient real estate even for heavily built riders. On the flip side, the seat material is on the softer side, which is good for short-term (urban commuting) comfort. Over a short highway ride, I did feel that the seat could do with some stiffer material for better support.

Wind blast is noticeable at speeds above 50 km/h. This being a naked bike, it is not an untoward observation. Users seeking to tour highway trips on this bike would do well to install a windshield to reduce windblast.

Pillion Comfort

Pillion comfort is average and suffices for short urban commutes, such as those random occasions when a colleague asks for a drop en route from the workplace to home. My better half who reviewed the pillion seat was of the opinion that the cushioning material and support was of good quality. She had two points which she observed as possible improvement areas:

• The first point was that the pillion's grab rails were rather small to get a good grip on and not located in an intuitive position to quickly reach and grab in case of sudden jerks, which are pretty common during city traffic commutes.
• The second was that the pillion foot-pegs were not padded with rubber and were of metal, so there was no damping of any engine and road vibrations on them. This means that the pillion's feet are constantly subjected to these vibrations.

Fuel Tank Capacity & Range

The Pulsar N250 houses a fuel tank with a capacity of 14 litres which is decent. Coupled with a fuel efficiency of ~35-40 km/l depending on city and highway usage, one can expect an impressive tank range of around 500 km on a single tank of fuel. The N250 is E20-compatible, which means it should be future-proof with regard to the E20 petroleum roll-out being planned in India during the coming years.

Maintenance

Bajaj's listed service interval is as follows:

• First service at 500 km / 30 days from date of purchase
• Second service at 5000 km / 8 months from date of purchase
• Subsequent services at 5000 km / 6 months from previous service

Oil-changes should be done once in 10,000 km, while the in-between once-in-5,000 km services are mostly inspection type services where consumables will be topped up or replaced on need basis.

The first three services up to 10,000 km or 1 year are free (labour is free).

Standard & Extended Warranty

The standard warranty period for the Pulsar N250 is 5 years or 75,000 km from the date of sale, whichever is earlier.

[KarthikK]

Riding the Bajaj Pulsar N250

The Pulsar N250 is powered by an air & oil-cooled 249cc single-cylinder engine putting out 24.2 BHP @ 8,750 rpm and 21.5 Nm @ 6,500 rpm. The compression ratio is a relaxed 10.3:1.

The 2-valve engine has fantastic low-end and mid-range usability in the urban environment. First gear is short, while second is relatively tall. However, this doesn't affect acceleration from low speeds thanks to the brilliant low-end tractability of the engine. Third and fourth gears are short, while fifth gear is configured relatively tall to cater to highway cruising. A sixth gear is missed sorely as it could have aided highway cruising at lower revs.

The engine tends to run out of steam at higher revs in general, but by and large, the N250 can take on even highway duty with ease and easily hold good speeds all day long thanks to the excellent refinement levels of the engine. For comparison, I also ride a Yamaha FZ25 for city commuting, and I can say for sure that the Pulsar N250's refinement levels are a notch higher than even the FZ25's over a wide range of rpms.

The clutch is super-light and is extremely easy to use, aiding those frequent moments when one has to navigate through traffic jams in city rush hour commutes. The gear lever is very nice to use; The shifts are precise and slick, requiring minimal effort and it is very easy to find neutral.

Refinement & NVH

Refinement levels for this bike are best-in-class, and I say this after riding bikes such as the Yamaha FZ25, TVS Apache RTR 200 and the Suzuki Gixxer 250. The exhaust note has a deep bass undertone to it, which continues throughout the lower and mid-range of the rpm spectrum. Acceleration is very smooth and cruising at any speed under say 100 km/h is very refined. Bajaj claims to have added an offset crank and a counter-balancer to keep vibrations at bay.

NVH levels are very low and the N250 feels like a well-put-together bike for the most part. What remains to be seen is how this bike ages. Bajaj bikes and Pulsars in general don't have a good reputation when it comes to retaining refinement levels as they age. We hope Bajaj has taken steps to improve the N250 in this regard.

Suspension & Handling

The N250's suspension duties are now handled by a 37 mm upside-down fork in the front and a monoshock, which is adjustable for preload at the rear. Both the front and rear suspensions are softly sprung, focussed towards providing a plush ride on city roads rather than outright cornering dynamics. In that regard, Bajaj has probably fallen short of making full use of the newly introduced USD fork suspension for enhancing the dynamics.

That said, the suspension works very well in the urban concrete jungle, absorbing all the bumps with ease and ensuring riding comfort during commutes. On the highway, the bike does not feel as well planted and is, in fact, borderline nervous when pushed towards spirited riding territory. This is not to say the bike is not enjoyable. For the vast majority of the customer base of this motorcycle, highways and ghat sections are probably going to constitute a very small percentage of their usage. For city usage, the bike's suspension setup is executed very well and will keep owners happy.

The bike is heavier than its closest competitors, at ~164 kg (wet weight). At parking speeds or standstill, the extra weight is perceptible, but on the move, the bike feels sufficiently agile.

The ground clearance stands at a healthy 165 mm. This coupled with the short wheelbase means that the N250 should have no trouble clearing almost all speed-breakers, undulations and potholes on Indian roads, even the rural ones.

Braking

Braking is one of those aspects where Bajaj could have done a better job on the N250. At the front, the bike is equipped with a 300 mm disc brake, while the rear features a 230 mm disc. The N250 gets dual channel ABS with ABS ride modes to control the level of ABS intrusion based on the underlying terrain. The Grimeca branding is visible on the calipers and even the brake fluid reservoirs of the front and rear brakes.

The front brakes are okay for city commuting, but they lack sufficient bite force for spirited riding. The lack of feedback and a somewhat wooden feel take away the confidence of braking at higher speeds. The rear brake is very weak and next to useless - feels just like a footrest!

Closing Thoughts

Overall, the Pulsar N250 is a wonderful sport commuter package for the biker who wants a machine which can offer both practicality and fun. The N250 is happiest dealing with a mix of city and highway usage say in the ratio of 80-20. In urban confines the N250 shines with its mature and effortless riding experience, going about its duty happily while the owner attends to his/her errands and commutes. The refinement levels, practicality and tractable engine with the feather-light clutch and precise gear shifts offer a surprisingly high level of no-nonsense city riding pleasure. Ask this bike to step up to the job of highway trips, and it will do so gladly but with a few caveats such as the compromised dynamics, below-par braking and a lethargic power delivery at higher speeds.

[KarthikK]

Bajaj Pulsar N250 Images

A well-proportioned design shows a no-nonsense naked commuter which doesn't have any polarizing elements, yet is sporty enough to appeal to the young crowd:




Muscular, chiseled fuel tank adds to the sporty street-fighter lines and gives a nice feel to the N250's stance:


New set of graphics and decals on the sides. Pulsar logo is seen boldly embossed on the sides of the fuel tank:




Our test bike which was finished in the Brooklyn Black colour, came with USD forks in black. It would have been nice to have the forks in the matte gold scheme like the red and the white bikes:


Parked next to a red N250 at the launch event:


Black N250 has a complete all-black theme including even the exhaust, while the red and white colour schemes get an aluminium finish for the exhaust:


Stickers and decals on the sides of the fuel tank and the side and tail panels of the bike could have been of better quality:




Unmistakable "angry face" at the front with the angled DRLs and the minimalistic LED projector headlight in the centre. If one may remember, even the Yamaha MT15 shares a somewhat similar look:


Dual DRL and headlight setup. RHS switchgear features a toggle button to switch between DRL (day) mode and headlight (night) mode. Headlamp + DRL setup is shown in this picture during nighttime and daytime:


Instrument console has a glossy finish and might be prone to accumulating a lot of scratches over time. Display is of a negative LCD / inverted contrast type:


During daytime, visibility of the instrument console display can be possibly hampered in shaded areas because of the reflections created by the glossy outer cover of the panel:


For Bluetooth connectivity, one needs to connect to the bike via the Bajaj Ride Connect app. This requires the VIN number (stamped above the fork) to be fed into the app, and pairing the phone is seamless with an OTP-based one-time verification. The app features the navigation module, and some vehicle-based options such as service history and scheduling, etc. Another nifty feature is the inclusion of a downloadable owner's manual, which can be used for ready reference for owners whenever they wish to look up anything:


ABS modes and menu options are controlled by the M button on the LHS side switchgear cluster. Note that this is a button and not a joystick. Combinations of single press and long press on the same button can be used to cycle through the menu options, while double press (in quick succession) is used to cycle through the ABS modes of Road, Rain and Off-Road:


Navigation (when initiated through the Ride Connect app) is displayed on the RHS of the console with real-time updates of the turn-by-turn guide. Incoming calls are displayed with the caller's name in the form of a horizontal scrolling marquee on the RHS. Do note this does not interfere with the navigation display. Another nice touch is that when the engine is switched off using the kill switch, the navigation or Bluetooth connectivity does not get abruptly disrupted. Inputs still continue to appear as they would when the engine is on. In addition to displaying incoming calls, missed calls, incoming SMS or WhatsApp messages and emails are displayed along with the phone's battery life in the Bluetooth pane of the console:


ABS Ride modes can be cycled through by double pressing the mode button. The available modes are Road, Rain and Off-road:


Traction control can be switched off by entering the Off-road mode and then long pressing the mode button. The display prompts you to press and then release the button when traction control is successfully turned off:


Low and high beam throws are more than adequate. LED projector setup does a decent job for both city and highway usage in the dark hours. The staircase seen is at least 90 m away from the bike, illuminated by the high beam but not by the low beam:


Switchgear feels good in quality and buttons should last long. There are no crude bits or glaring omissions in the switchgear department:


RHS switchgear houses a switch to toggle between DRL mode and headlight and the engine kill switch and starter button are in their usual positions. LHS switchgear contains the indicator and horn switches. Low/high beam toggle switch (also acts as a pass switch) is located behind the panel. Notice the backlit switchgear in the dark, something the Pulsar range has always featured:


All indicators are LEDs and the tail-light features a split X-shaped row of LEDs which are sufficient for visibility both in the day and night. Seen below are the indicators and tail-light in the day and night time, with and without the brake light active:




Mirrors are sufficiently large and look deceptively useful at first glance:


The issue with these mirrors is that although they are large in area, they are placed too close to the rider's seating position - so close, that part of the mirror is obscured by the rider's arm and shoulder, that's almost 1/3rd of the mirror area being useless. Another issue with these mirrors is that they are not in the rider's natural straight line of vision while riding. One has to almost take his eyes off the road to be able to peep into the mirrors to check what is behind, which is a potential safety risk on highways:

Clutch and brake levers are non-adjustable, but they are designed to accommodate most sizes of riders' fingers and palms:




Handlebar is a bit awkwardly shaped, curved towards the front and quite low for tall riders. Usage of the throttle felt a bit unnaturally low and a bit too close to my body for my riding position. I also ride a Yamaha FZ25, and the N250's handlebar somehow felt awkwardly positioned for tall riders compared to even the FZ25 and most other 250cc commuters that I have tried:


Centre stand is provided as standard, which is a nice feature to have from a practical point of view:


Pillion seat has adequate cushioning support and surface area for average-sized pillion riders:


One of two grouses my better half had when reviewing the pillion comfort - this is the pillion foot-peg which is flat but devoid of any kind of rubber damping and can pass on engine and road vibrations to the pillion's feet:


Second feedback point from the pillion's point of view - grab rails are too far behind where the pillion was seated and not in the natural position for the pillion to hold reducing their usability:


Standard hinged fuel cap with E20 compatibility clearly marked. USB charging port is near the fuel cap, located centrally near the key slot. This position of the charger is very convenient and practical (for charging phones on phone mounts) compared to many bikes which offer the port in absurd locations such as under the rider seat. Lid of the USB charging slot is spring-loaded and clamps shut automatically unless it is kept open by the presence of a charging cable, thus preventing accidental water and dust ingress when not in use:


Stock MRF Nylogrip Zappers have a balanced tread pattern and fit a wide range of terrain possibilities. They are also long-lasting and largely cater to urban road commuting needs. They are not particularly grippy for spirited riding though:


Overall, there are very few loose cables or wires visible. Clutch cable section wires are neatly grouped together, similar to the throttle cable cluster on the other side:


Oil cooler radiator is visible in front of the fuel tank:


Even the header pipe to the exhaust is blacked out in this all-black colour scheme. Also seen here is the single side horn and a stock compact crash guard to protect from minor falls:


Belly pan comes as stock on the N250 and features decals matching the rest of the colour theme:


One minor grouse I had with the rider seat cover material was these wrinkles and creases that were being formed even after short rides of 20-30 minutes. Perhaps Bajaj needed to stitch down the ends a bit tighter at the factory:


Gear lever and rider foot-peg have sufficient room for an adv-style size 47 boot to fit in the gap comfortably, which means most boots should be able to manage on these pegs:


Exhaust end can is well designed and integrates neatly below the pillion foot-peg without protruding:


Exhaust note is throaty with a good amount of bass to keep riders happy even while pottering around in the city:


Under the pillion seat is a neatly secured Exide 12V 8 Ah rated maintenance-free battery. Surprisingly I didn’t find a tool kit or first aid kit under the seats:


Cleanly integrated tail unit housing the indicators and number plate holder:


Integrated saree guard and wider (140 mm) rear tyre:


Rear tyre hugger which comes stock might look like an eyesore but is very handy in the rains, preventing slush spray on the rider and pillion from the rear tyre:


Box section swingarm with the rear petal brake disc:


Recommended tyre pressures are displayed on the left side of the swingarm:


Pulsar branding embossed on the front of the pillion seat is a nice touch:


One more minor irritant is the placement of the side stand reach hook - right below the rider's foot-peg. It is a little difficult to twist the foot and reach it every time one needs to lower the side stand. This is something Bajaj can improve:


All in all, a very sorted and efficient sport commuter from the Bajaj stable. Sure, it has a few weak points when the limits are tested, but by and large this bike does what it is supposed to do (sport commuting) very well, and offers fantastic bang for the buck:

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[RD410]

Bajaj N250/160 and TVS RTR200/160 4v are sort of the Indian manufacturers' response to the Japanese, saying "we can make even more refined bikes than you". Seriously, these are ultra smooth. I've extensively ridden FZ25 and other Jap bikes, but it was the F250 which bowled me over with it's engine and gearbox refinement. And I disagree that Pulsar's don't age well. With timely maintenance, they do retain smoothness for long time.

[gururajrv]

What surprises me is the fact the review has good comments about the overall NVH! Reading this makes me feel happy considering I have a P220 Fi 2007 model that's on long hibernation mode right with FC expired. During those days, Pulsar range was criticized for it's riding dynamics & the NVH levels when compared against Japanese (read Karizma)

Now reading this makes me feel good considering Bajaj has used counter balance to negate the vibrations caused by single piston engine! Great going but they could've done this way earlier without diverting their focus too much on their sub "premium" brands!

[saikishor]

Those gold color forks look horrible and should be done away with. Apart from that, decent update for a nominal price hike. I feel sad for the F250 being discontinued. It was one among the very few semi faired motorcycles available in the market. I have never ridden these new gen pulsars, looking forward to doing so if Bajaj provides proper test rides(read solo ones with no showroom pillion).

[parrys]

The N250 was a decent package from day 1, but it had a double 'F' problem:
-Features
-Footfall (in showrooms, wanting to see this)

Now that Bajaj has sorted the features bit, I hope there are more people walking in to test ride this.

I was at the media rides too, and the engine, for bottom end & mid-range, is really smooth. The clutch is comically light, and the gearbox is smooth too.

I think this was a missed opportunity though, to have added a 6th gear to the package as well. Would have given the bike longer legs to cruise at lower revvs out on the highway.

[100Kmphormore]

Great review KarthikK! Will be a great reference as we never get test rides, was this event on the Bannerghatta Road showroom?

Do they offer sintered brake pads as an option? The NS200 is probably the only bajaj that has good braking in this class, in my experience.
The rear seats could have been bigger for something positioned as a commuter (and mostly will be). They are simply not comfortable even for thin pillions due to the fact that the grab handles are not easily within reach.

Originally Posted by saikishor

I have never ridden these new gen pulsars, looking forward to doing so if Bajaj provides proper test rides(read solo ones with no showroom pillion).

You faced this too? Bajaj really has to learn from RE about giving test rides. I walked away from being a possible Dominar owner 2 years ago because of this.

[Gaur]

Originally Posted by 100Kmphormore

You faced this too? Bajaj really has to learn from RE about giving test rides. I walked away from being a possible Dominar owner 2 years ago because of this.

Same case here as well, almost 2.5yrs back i was looking to replace my 2006 Bajaj Avenger had shortlisted the GS310, Interceptor and the Dominar400.

BMW and RE offered me test rides even before i actually asked for it Bajaj didn't even have a proper display bike, took down my number and told will call you once we get the test ride bike, i am still waiting for the call, mind you this was the biggest Bajaj showroom in my part of Mumbai and they didn't even have a proper display/test ride bike.

Even SBI people look like saints compared to Bajaj showroom chaps.

[Thamps]

I am an owner of the previous generation 250. Though I love the bike for its butter smooth engine and plush ride, I regret buying the motorcycle due to the quality issues which has been plaguing the model.
And no, it's not an exception since the whatsApp owners group has been plagued with even more serious issues like engine stuttering and stalling, faulty wires etc.
Just within 1 year and 4k kms of owning it, I had to repaint both the front and rear alloy wheels due to air leak and the funny thing is, the spare alloy I got from Bajaj, even that started leaking air within a few weeks. Service centre rejected the warranty claim as usual.
Replaced the clutch cable and cam chain tensioner within 6k kms. Current issue being a ringing noise from the silencer due to broken catalytic convertor (or so they say). Have ordered the assembly three weeks back and still not a peep from the service centre. Even when it arrives, I am not sure whether it will be replaced under warranty.
Usually, at such instances I used to believe it was a one off incident. But seeing the continuous issues and failures, I do think the motorcycle is built to price point and it shows. Come to think about it, why dump a ton more of features with negligible price increase if the bike is flying off showrooms?
I believe they don't want the budget spent on R&D to be wasted and this is one final push before they pull the plug or bring in a major overhaul.
Just my 2 cents.

[Phantom 510]

That 250cc motor is a gem. No fancy 4 valves, DOHC or liquid cooling. It is more Pulsar than it's 4 valve ones. The Simple motor helps it perfom like the original Pulsars being strong and grunty in the low to midrange rpms. Hope Bajaj brings out a 400cc version of it someday.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Phantom 510

That 250cc motor is a gem. No fancy 4 valves, DOHC or liquid cooling. It is more Pulsar than it's 4 valve ones. The Simple motor helps it perfom like the original Pulsars being strong and grunty in the low to midrange rpms. Hope Bajaj brings out a 400cc version of it someday.

I agree with you. And the bike looks great. It has the looks. And the numbers. And the price.

And on Bajaj bikes not ageing well, KTMs are also Bajaj bikes. And they take a lot, and age beautifully. A decade plus. And they stay ahead of the pack comfortably while doing so.

Cheers, Doc

[Asish_VK]

Nice review!

I remember the excitement I had when NS200 and Dominar launched and also while reading the reviews. Bajaj have diluted the 'Pulsar' brand so much that, I am feeling no interest what so ever to give this bike a second look (very rare sighting doesn't help either) . May be it is a capable bike, but I am yet to see anyone in my friends circle shortlisting a pulsar in their purchase decision. I guess Bajaj is not pushing this in media either (Remember the old & fabulous Pulsar ads ? ).