[chiefpk]

Couple of insights I had on this situation. Most of it is discussed in Motorinc First episodes but some of my own research about this Pulsar brand as well.

1. Bajaj doesn't decide what is being made!
   So in multiple forums and multiple sources, Bajaj's strategy is not what they want to make or what they stand as a brand but what the market wants. Think of it in the form of it's products. Bajaj has tried to retire the 220F multiple times but they launch it only because the dealers come back to them saying there's demand for 220F and they make it available again and not that X product is the replacement for 220F and we won't launch it.
   Secondly, in the N125 podcast, Shumi mentions that Bajaj's strategy is based on different regions of demand throughout India. They say that they have data to prove that the market in UP wants the N125 and the market in let's say Kerala wants the NS125 or so. Bajaj's own products might be way better in terms of proposition, the NS series as a whole might be outdated but the demand keeps them in the market for which Bajaj makes the whole new lineup of product and the older ones character is not present in any of the newer products.
   
   
2. There's no specific brand image that the 'Pulsar' brand has now!
   17 variants and models throughout the Pulsar brand. There's no 'Definitely male' moniker of the Pulsar now except maybe the NS200. The Pulsar brands' whole idea of performance and sportiness is now diluted with mediocre commuter motorcycles that essentially do not define what exactly a Pulsar used to be.
   Alongwith the fact that the whole lineup is just weird. Is there any product that can define what a flagship Pulsar is? I don't think so. Is there a single offering of a Naked motorcycle at a particular price point that serves majority of the customers needs? Perhaps maybe but at a single price point there are 2 3 pulsars existing.

I don't write this post so as to ridicule Bajaj. They have been delivering products which sell and what works for them. Some products need generational upgrades but since they are not in demand Bajaj is silent on them. Maybe 4 5 years down the line Bajaj comes up with a more streamlined strategy and more characteristic pulsars on how they used to be.

As long as they are selling in the market though, Bajaj will enjoy the profits. Credit where it's due, Bajaj is doing all they can to offer customers every possible choice, be it modern neo-retros, sportsbikes or contemporary bikes. They have taken great leaps in terms of quality and finish as well.

[Nilesh5417]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Bajaj recently launched the Pulsar N 125 in the Indian market. While a new Pulsar variant is hardly a surprise, what came as a shock to me is that Bajaj now has a 17 variants of the Pulsar in production. Yes, 17 variants!

Sales figures, successes of variants aside, Bajaj is doing something. It's not like the variant list was small 3-4yrs ago either right?

This probably means that Bajaj has perfected the platform design / synergies, supply chain, inventory management and manufacturing processes to be able to sustain this kind of variant distribution meaningfully. Esp. without making new buyers wait for 6mths for their bike or existing owners wait forever for spares.

If we get to know how Bajaj sustains this mix (or is failing to), it will be a great case study.

[Akash5653]

From what I've seen in my city, people are happy that there are these many variants on offer. Only enthusiasts like us are actually concerned about the pulsar brand getting these many unnecessary variants.

[Geo_Ipe]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

1. Bajaj Pulsar 125 Neon - 81,843/-
2. Bajaj Pulsar 125 Single Seat - 92,883/-
3. Bajaj Pulsar 125 Split Seat - 97,133/-
4. Bajaj Pulsar N 125 LED Disc - 94, 707/-
5. Bajaj Pulsar N 125 LED Disc BT - 98, 707/-
6. Bajaj Pulsar NS 125 - 1,01,050/-
   
   150cc:
7. Bajaj Pulsar 150 SD - 1,10,419/-
8. Bajaj Pulsar 150 TD - 1,15,418/-
9. Bajaj Pulsar N 150 - 1,24,730/-
   
   160cc:
10. Bajaj Pulsar N 160 Dual Channel ABS - 1,33,408/-
11. Bajaj Pulsar N 160 Dual Channel ABS with USD - 1,39,693/-
12. Bajaj Pulsar NS 160 - 1,47,206/-
    
    200cc:
13. Bajaj Pulsar NS 200 - 1,58,976/-
14. Bajaj Pulsar RS 200 - 1,74,419/-
    
    220cc:
15. Bajaj Pulsar 220 F - 1,38,560/-
    
    250cc:
16. Bajaj Pulsar N250 - 1,51,910/-
    
    400cc:
17. Bajaj Pulsar NS 400Z - 1,85,000/-

Who are we to complain if Bajaj & their consumers aren't bothered!?

If we don't bother too much with the actual number of variants, the spread actually makes some sense.

125 - 150 cc: For the rural youth, who want something 'more' than the Commuter-image wala Splendor & co. I remember reading that the Pulsar is actually India's top selling 150 cc.

160 - 220 cc: For the budget conscious buyer, especially in cities & towns where KTM & the likes are hardly present.

250 - 400 cc: For the budget conscious tourer/racer. The Pulsar 400 has to be the most VFM when it comes to cc/rupee!

The enthusiasts have a lot of options in the 400+ cc segment, which Bajaj is not even trying to tap. Dominar was a decent offering, however did not do so well at the box office.

On the Discover vs Pulsar nomenclature fiasco - the Pulsar was definitely the aspirational brand. No wonder they decided to stick with it and drop the ordinary Discover nameplate all together.

[Entsurgeon]

Two decades ago, automotive journos complained that Hero Honda does only the sticker job and under the clothing they were all same engine, chassis and gearbox. Cd100. Cd100ss. Splendor. Passion. Passion+. We couldn't crib enough.
Bajaj gives us a lot of choices today and look. We complain about having to specify which pulsar variant we bought? Spare parts not being interchangeable across models?
We probably want electric motor powered vehicles only.

[NiInJa]

I feel Pulsar today as a brand does not really stand for anything specific. The Pulsar as a bike has improved by leaps and bounds in the last 20 years and that helps people easily associate with when any new bike of the same name comes up from Bajaj. Basically, If some new bike launched is a 'Pulsar', it means that bike is made by Bajaj, will have some cool features and better power-to-price ratio, and in recent times, will also have better build quality.


They have tried a lot of names in the past but none of them have worked. Here is a list of other brand names that I can remember, which never made a cut.

- Aspire
- Boxer AT and CT (now sells as CT100)
- Byk (ultra cheap 80 cc bike)
- Caliber
- Caliber 115 (Hoodibaba version)
- Discover 110
- Discover 125
- Discover 150
- Wind 125
- XCD 125

The Bajaj LS 135 was a nice bike (I rode one back in 2009), but didn't sell as the market was still associating Bajaj with powerful 150cc bikes. It is no longer the case today, plus, the market has matured as well. People want a fun 125cc-150cc bike, not a mediocre looking one like the Honda Shine, Unicorn. Bajaj could have launched the recent bikes with different names and it would still sell, but why go through the hassle of new marketing and branding strategy when they can simply call it a 'Pulsar' variant and leave office for the day?

[DicKy]

Originally Posted by NiInJa

- Aspire
- Boxer AT and CT (now sells as CT100)
- Byk (ultra cheap 80 cc bike)
- Caliber
- Caliber 115 (Hoodibaba version)
- Discover 110
- Discover 125
- Discover 150
- Wind 125
- XCD 125

Wow. That unlocked a lot of 2000s memories in me when am not even interested in bikes in the first place.

I was about to comment that you missed out the Platina. A quick check and found that they are still selling it. Seeing lots of CT110X in my area, but not Platinas.

[surjaonwheelz]

Hello Riders,

I made my father buy the Caliber OG by selling his scooters! It was so spacious compared to the then commuters and was a nice bike.

Pulsar 150 & 180 were launched and it was just wow! In my college days the 'Hoodibaba' returned but I was not eligible. I rode a lot of my friend's bikes. Pulsar 150 with 'Mag' wheels and the all black Pulsar 180 were show stoppers! I have happy memories of the Wind 125 too, a very capable bike! But Bajaj wanted to cash in on this and launched the Platina range on it.


When I was eligible to buy my first bike I wanted to buy the Discover 150 in red black but due to certain circumstances I got the Platina! I forgot to fill petrol once as the mileage was so high.

When I was eligible to buy a Pulsar, the NS200 was launched. It was a great bike but I lost it with the 3 spark plugs in it! Bajaj had given us such iconic bike terms like mag wheels, nitrox shock-ups, DTS-i which everyone was aware of. But this triple spark was too much! At one point, I was eyeing the Duke 200.

I ended up with the RE Classic 350 UCE and I slowed down and got enough metal to keep it shining!


Coming back to the Pulsars, their evolution ended with the NS/RS/AS200, nothing excited the enthusiast in me after that. Post that era Bajaj is just riding the sales chart!

For Bajaj, the performance has gone to KTM and the build quality has gone to Triumph then whatever remains goes to the Pulsars! Bajaj did a mediocre job for the Pulsar 250 and 400Z.

Dominar had a very good chance of being someone significant but ended up being a common man, ready for the grind, capable but not special.

It is true that all Pulsars are not for all the showrooms, Bajaj has a demand based supply.

Bajaj is definitely trying!

Happy riding,
surjaonwheelz

[chinmaypillay]

Pulsars earlier used to stand for something, the positioning was so strong which is still helping the OG style Pulsar to get good sales every month.

But they seriously need to reconsider what they are doing with the Brands, how many will the customers remember? They need to take a leaf out of Steve Jobs and simplify the line ups along with the brands.

Earlier easy identification for Boxer, CT series, Discover and Pulsar was available before they went cross pollination and made a mess out of everything.

Just imaging owning one and going to a spares shop requesting spares for a specific model and year. Absolutely mental. Reminds me of the Dhamaal movie joke where the person goes on with his non-stop full name :P