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Finally, got time to write 
A very good re-launch of the Pulsar brand by Bajaj. I'll be honest, till two days back I would have laughed if someone would have told me that the new motorcycle would be so drastically different from the current pulsars. Atleast I never thought that they would develop a perimeter frame for the new pulsar. This is just great. I have never been a fan of Bajaj, and honestly, before P220 came, I never thought that a pulsar is worth buying. I had my reasons.
But by constantly upgrading and especially with the new Pulsar 200NS, I have been compelled to praise Bajaj for their efforts. The current pulsar with the basic downtube frames, twin rear shocks and a pretty decent engine are competitive machines but that would be it, it's still like any other motorcycle. Only P220 has been unique with the inclusion of the wonderful projector lights. However, in my opinion, they have really put the hammer down hard this time with the launch of new Pulsar 200NS. Brand new engine developed with KTM engine as base, perimeter frame and completely new overall design (while still keeping slight connection with the old design by recognizable side panels and tail light), front and rear petal disc brakes, monoshock suspension, the new pulsar has set the benchmark for the other Indian manufacturers to follow. So it's not just a motorcycle based on KTM engine. The monoshock is not new anymore with certain motorcycles already offering this to masses, however the perimeter frame is a big leap that Bajaj has taken for pulsar along with the new and seemingly much better engine. Only other motorcycle in sub 200cc category is R15 that has a similar frame.
This new motorcycle is not really for masses, I guess. Assuming that it will be very close to 1lakh rupees, it will still be a little exclusive and anything above will make it fully exclusive pretty much. It's an enthusiast's motorcycle with 200cc engine, 23.5 bhp, perimeter frame and very aggressive overall styling. The biggest problem is going to be for Hero Moto now, with no collaboration with Honda anymore, they are on their own on how to create a desirable motorcycle. Just putting Honda engines in frames is not going to help anymore, and that's also there till 2014 only. What after that? TVS also seems to be a very capable manufacturer that can create light and aggressive machine. RTRs have been very good, but they are getting old now and TVS needs to do something as radical as Bajaj to pose a challenge in performance motorcycle category while also keeping it little exclusive. Suzuki motorcycles India is literally sleeping at the moment it seems. Yamaha and Honda have been more active in bringing motorcycles for enthusiasts with CBR250, upcoming CBR150 and R15. FZ and Unicorn from Yamaha and Honda are very good products considering their price brackets.
Having said that, the performance motorcycle category is becoming extremely competitive day by day, it's growing and anyone who is "first at something" has an upper hand. No doubt the new Pulsar 200NS and KTM 200 are new and still to be bought by consumers, but Bajaj is very different now than what it used to be some 5 years back. It now has KTM with it, and even though Bajaj has a good R&D unit of their own, the collaboration with KTM will make certainly make them better motorcycle manufacturers. Rajiv Bajaj has already hinted at bigger motorcycles along with KTM, they are vying to be market leader in performance motorcycle category. Also consider that they price their machines very competitively as well.
KTM is still in a different category, but with Pulsar 200NS Bajaj has dropped the real bomb against its competitors. Yamaha, Honda and Suzuki are all capable (and better) of producing such wonderful machines. Yamaha has already given us the wonderful R15, Honda has given us CBR250 and is now getting CBR150. Suzuki needs to wake up as well. Overall, the japs have be to more proactive now, because Bajaj is becoming a serious threat in performance motorcycle category. Pulsar 200NS is the first of KTM engine based motorcycles, Bajaj is getting more on these lines. It's not going to rest on the laurels.
My praises to Bajaj. GAME ON.
A very good re-launch of the Pulsar brand by Bajaj. I'll be honest, till two days back I would have laughed if someone would have told me that the new motorcycle would be so drastically different from the current pulsars. Atleast I never thought that they would develop a perimeter frame for the new pulsar. This is just great. I have never been a fan of Bajaj, and honestly, before P220 came, I never thought that a pulsar is worth buying. I had my reasons.
But by constantly upgrading and especially with the new Pulsar 200NS, I have been compelled to praise Bajaj for their efforts. The current pulsar with the basic downtube frames, twin rear shocks and a pretty decent engine are competitive machines but that would be it, it's still like any other motorcycle. Only P220 has been unique with the inclusion of the wonderful projector lights. However, in my opinion, they have really put the hammer down hard this time with the launch of new Pulsar 200NS. Brand new engine developed with KTM engine as base, perimeter frame and completely new overall design (while still keeping slight connection with the old design by recognizable side panels and tail light), front and rear petal disc brakes, monoshock suspension, the new pulsar has set the benchmark for the other Indian manufacturers to follow. So it's not just a motorcycle based on KTM engine. The monoshock is not new anymore with certain motorcycles already offering this to masses, however the perimeter frame is a big leap that Bajaj has taken for pulsar along with the new and seemingly much better engine. Only other motorcycle in sub 200cc category is R15 that has a similar frame.
This new motorcycle is not really for masses, I guess. Assuming that it will be very close to 1lakh rupees, it will still be a little exclusive and anything above will make it fully exclusive pretty much. It's an enthusiast's motorcycle with 200cc engine, 23.5 bhp, perimeter frame and very aggressive overall styling. The biggest problem is going to be for Hero Moto now, with no collaboration with Honda anymore, they are on their own on how to create a desirable motorcycle. Just putting Honda engines in frames is not going to help anymore, and that's also there till 2014 only. What after that? TVS also seems to be a very capable manufacturer that can create light and aggressive machine. RTRs have been very good, but they are getting old now and TVS needs to do something as radical as Bajaj to pose a challenge in performance motorcycle category while also keeping it little exclusive. Suzuki motorcycles India is literally sleeping at the moment it seems. Yamaha and Honda have been more active in bringing motorcycles for enthusiasts with CBR250, upcoming CBR150 and R15. FZ and Unicorn from Yamaha and Honda are very good products considering their price brackets.
Having said that, the performance motorcycle category is becoming extremely competitive day by day, it's growing and anyone who is "first at something" has an upper hand. No doubt the new Pulsar 200NS and KTM 200 are new and still to be bought by consumers, but Bajaj is very different now than what it used to be some 5 years back. It now has KTM with it, and even though Bajaj has a good R&D unit of their own, the collaboration with KTM will make certainly make them better motorcycle manufacturers. Rajiv Bajaj has already hinted at bigger motorcycles along with KTM, they are vying to be market leader in performance motorcycle category. Also consider that they price their machines very competitively as well.
KTM is still in a different category, but with Pulsar 200NS Bajaj has dropped the real bomb against its competitors. Yamaha, Honda and Suzuki are all capable (and better) of producing such wonderful machines. Yamaha has already given us the wonderful R15, Honda has given us CBR250 and is now getting CBR150. Suzuki needs to wake up as well. Overall, the japs have be to more proactive now, because Bajaj is becoming a serious threat in performance motorcycle category. Pulsar 200NS is the first of KTM engine based motorcycles, Bajaj is getting more on these lines. It's not going to rest on the laurels.
My praises to Bajaj. GAME ON.
....somehow i managed to follow closely till mid-night....but it was worth the pain....BAL has provided much more than what was expected...this baby will surely become new benchmark for all other manufacturers in india
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