answer/questions in bold

regards
sid

my question specifically for MG and other all people with ns200 experience..

is this pulsar as reliable as an Yamaha or Honda? would its quality appeal to bikers that are used to best that is there in our country? my only concern with it is reliability, i really like this bike but you as have tested it so extensively can you elaborate on this? and share your experience of mechanical issues that you may have encountered while testing.. i don't want to be an beta version..

currently have r15v1 since 2.5 years.. i like razor sharp handling, good suspension for spirited driving, brakes as good as i have been used to on the r15, basically a good sorted out bike..

have posted similarly in the review..

Just close ur eyes..believe the experts in this thread...and go for it!!!

In every aspect this bike is THE BEST!!!
Cant ask for more for the price!!

@sidmclaren

so does that mean KTM 200 is less efficient than P200NS??
power output wise i guess there wont be much of a difference
AFAIK KTM runs on single spark plug
also i guess every other OEM bike has to meet emission norms in every category(read cc bike)


When it comes to fuel efficiency, you can expect more from the Pulsar 200NS when compared to Duke. I was not referring to govt. emission norms here, but the mileage on road per litter of fuel.

so what makes it standout than KTM (single spark engine)with same cubic capacity?

Both Duke and the Pulsar 200NS is an exceptional piece of technology. If you are looking for a machine which revs up and accelerate to high speeds really fast, and don't care about mileage, then go for the Duke. On the other hand if you are looking for a bike which gives you better fuel efficiency and gives almost similar power and good city rides, pulsar 200NS is the answer. The right answer is subjective.


Moreover Honda and Yamaha Race inspired bikes are not that efficient. Its built for power first and efficiency second.
can you please clarify this (in terms of cc comparison etc)

When designing R series bikes engineers put power & performace as primary objective and fuel efficiency comes second. In short more power less mileage. I don't know what exactly you meant by CC comparison, please elaborate.

replies in bold

@Rohan : I don't think removing mirrors and number plate is a good idea. I know the number plate thingy can be replaced, but govt./RTO norms say we must/should have number plates, both front and rear of the bike.
Mirrors paly a very important role while overtaking. You don't want to be on the speed line of a 2+ tonne Toyota Fortuner even at 50 KMPH. FZ being a very light weight bike, can be thrown like a tennis ball. It helps you concentrate the traffic behind you, even when you are 80% aware of the traffic in the front. Anyways, mirors don't carry huge weight. Dropping these things hardly matter bro. But then, dropping the main stand and saree guard does reduce a fair bit of weight. Its all psychological.


@Rahul : Hahaha.. that would be an epic sight to remove the whole tank. I removed the faux leather/cloth cover with the dealers name/address/phone number thingy, the one commuter bikes come with to assist in carrying small things. The tank was glossy glossy, shiny shiny, but then it was too bare for me. That's why I put it back.

Quote:
Originally Posted by sidmclaren
@satadel payeng

bro read your amazing review!!! i have some questions though can you please clarify???

how does a triple spark from BAL be good and efficient than Japanese (Honda,Yamaha bikes) with single spark

does that mean P200NS is the best technology avalable today and japanese are selling us outdated technology????????


Regards
Sid


Bro, for the first one, as pointed out well by other xbhp'ians, is used only to cut the cost. FI does make things better in terms of FE, throttle response and emissions. BAL had incorporated this tech(3 spark plug) to minimize the difference in the above mentioned aspects. Have they achieved the target? I guess YES.

There are no same/similar bike in India that comes in the range of P200NS. Don't jump yet. What I am trying ot say is, a 200cc, naked bike can/should be compared to its segment rival. @MG sir had taken this bike to some harsh and awesome terrains and has clocked over 10000 kms without any issue in a short span of 3-4 months. That is some good abuse, right? His verdict says, it returns a FE of 34-35 KMPL when ridden under mad conditions, nearing redline. Also, if comfortably cruises at 7K RPM, 11x KMPH and can hold that for long time. So there you have a potent tourer with good seating posture.

Jap technology old!! I am not so sure about it. What I know is, Japs have always been the refinement and silence lovers. Their bikes are not that a screamer (Please ignore inline 4s). What they offer is calm and composed exhaust note. Compare the exhaust notes of Apache RTR 160 and Honda Unicorn.

I had pre-booked the bike in March in Khivraj(Mount Road) and KLN (Anna Nagar). i called these last week and they said more or less the same thing you have been said, although two weeks they were quoting the price of 1.1L . Both told me that they will call me as soon as bookings start. No other info yet

Red for Rs. 95,681

If you are eager and little outward then why don't you get it from mumbai and drive it to your place. You will get this bike at temporary registration and in 1 week you can get it registered in your own city for permanent registration!!!

You will get the bike and your run in period too get set lol.......

Only RE have asked their delaers not to sell bikes other than their regions?? Recently i suggested this to one of my friend who stays in one of the remote vilages in maharashtra, he has booked the bike and will take it with him to his place and get it registered there.

The only issue is bike should be on CASH !!!!

Good Morning Fellow Bikers....

Ok so I also own a 200NS...

My previous bike was a CBZ classic (2000 model). It is one of the most solid engines i have ever seen, even after 10 years, it could still do good speeds. But then due to some accidents, I started to show up some problems and I decided to go for a new bike. Now the question was which bike?

Am I a BAJAJ fanboy?

No, I love bikes not brands I guess.

Then why the 200NS?

First reason was that it was within my budget. I wanted to go for the KTM but it was at least 30k more for my puny pocket. So decided to test ride this bike. Thankfully some of the test mule riders also gave me positive feedback and I was able to test ride one.
The moment I started the engine and twisted the throttle I knew I am going for this. I knew it had triple spark and all tech specs, but me being a layman want to feel things between my legs and in my hands, only then does those figures and diagrams on paper make sense to me.
Also I feel, the bike you buy is nevertheless influenced by your riding style i.e. if you are a cornering junkie, a racer, a tourer, a stunter or enfield love. :P
I like to do small rides (which cannot be classified as tours most of the times), and I am not gonna take my bike to the track anytime soon, so I guess the options available to me were itself limited.
So I finally booked one in the KTM showroom in Pune. (later came to know that the bike will be handled by normal bajaj dealers not the KTM showrooms).

The Formalities:

I paid for the bike on 13th and on 14th I got a call that I can take my bike, but unfortunately I was in Delhi for some work at that time and could collect the bike only on 18th June. So all said and done I was ready to take the bike for a small commute. But a friend of mine who had got his 200NS on 14th had some issues with the bike. So I also waited patiently with him till the svc guys handled his bike. Eventually I gave up and decided to start my 1st Km on my 200NS.

The ownership experience:Things I feel can be improved:

1. The bike drifts towards the left at low speeds (30-40 kmph) when you release both the hands from the handlebars. (tested 3 production bikes- all do the same)
2. They could have left smaller gaps between the seats and the panels
3. The indicator switch could have been shifted a bit towards the left. I need to stretch my left thumb to reach for it when i need to turn the left indicator.
4. Training the svc guys.. :P

Here are some pics with some greenery also...

Great pics there surojit, love the Yellow, and looks great with all the lush greenery.

Nothing specific your ownership, but in the last photo, I noticed that that front number plate kinda sticks out, and looks out of place. On bikes like the CBR250R, or the Duke, I can understand that the front number plate is an 'India only' requirement, and hence not there in the original design of the bike.

But the 200NS, was designed by our very own Bajaj team, and yet the front number plate placement looks like an afterthought. Even on the Ninja 250R, the placement is better. When Bajaj could file a patent for the number plate holder mechanism on the XCD, why not make a better design for their flagship model?

Coming from a car design studio, I find that even for the cars, the number plate is given least importance, and ends up looking like some 'Jugaad'. Hope these things are made better in the future iterations

In India 99.9186765 percent use bikes for commuting and more than 95 percent people cannot reach more than 80kmph due to road conditions and traffic. In B'lore except one /two roads you can't ride bike at >60kmph. It's illegal to ride bike >60kmph !! With more rich kids dying ,stricter laws will come in and laws will put brakes on speeds !!!

7000 rpm on P200NS means speeds > 80 kmph to feel power and get penalized too ??!!!

So Low End Torque is important for bikes so that the riding pleasure is felt within 60 kmph. Also LET has many advantages like longer engine life, better fuel efficiency etc etc

Bangalore transport commissioner has already warned companies that advertise speeds. He had warned that company will be filed with murder case if guys die in road accident due to high speeds.

Thanks mate....

The no plate was previously supposed to be on top , in all the test bikes it is there on top, later the feedback given by the test riders made bajaj to shift it down....
The production bike still has the clamp for the top no plate below the small black part of the fairing...

Honestly bro once you are on the bike and twist the throttle, you just don't care if there is one/two or three spark plugs. The throttle response on the 200NS is so smooth that one will not notice anything.

The same scorpio engine is producing 140 bhp under the hood of XUV 500...our home grown companies are performing much better....tata safari engine also produces 140 bhp which is better than innova and pajero