Rachit... sometime back I was checking web regarding engine braking... More than one source says don't depend on engine braking too much because brake pads are cheap but engine is not...

Before RS: Riding in 100+ km/hr was fun
After RS: Riding itself is fun

Hi guys, i am back with another pop question for everyone and it is again for my friend's RS200.

NOM to the owners but I don't feel that awesome when I switch to RS from my P220, although the newer species from Bajaj is fantastic. The two problems that I faced while riding my friend's RS are:

1. The clutch engages and disengages at the very last part of the whole clutch movement, the part where the lever goes back to its normal position when you release it. That made me uncomfortable and ruined my happy feeling. I know this is due to the clutch setting and I will get it done to normal again.

2. The RPM shoots itself to about 3K level when you pull the clutch and downshift to negotiate a speed breaker. Something like an anti-stall thingy. That is a weird thing to have on a bike. The accelerator cable is not stuck anywhere and has ample free play. The bike remaining straight with no handle movement. Any pointers to solve this problem?

Things I didn't like:

1. The bike, seat and posture is wide. I liked how NS200 felt but RS is different. It felt big to me, it never made me feel at home. I am 5'6" from dirt level.

2. Rear brake is wooden but it does the job. It is doing its minimum requirement with no drama but has absolutely no life or feel to it.

3. The gearshifts. It is hard and does not slot properly. Again, this may be due to the clutch setting but even before that setting change it never felt wow. When hot, my 220's gearshifts feel sweet.

4. Pillion seat is NO First Floor but there is absolutely nothing that the pillion can grab on to. The slots provided in the bodywork is as useless as lighting a candle to warm up a 10 feet long room.

5. Absolutely no engine braking feel. This feels like a car and that's like a family car. You downshift to put use of the engine braking and that stupid Auto-RPM thingy cuts in to give you a gliding feeling where you need to use brakes.

I can rarely use engine braking in city riding. I mean in a distance of 200 meters from starting point I'm already on 6th gear at a speed of 50km/h. I don't rev my bike higher than 4-5 RPMs in city. And while downshifting, I don't even have time to lower gears one by one and have to lower all at once! The bike is really short geared till 4 RPM.

Engine braking does not do any harm to engine unless the downshifting RPM hits the rev limit often. Say 6th @ 9500rpm to 5th @ rev max when downshifting. Engine braking is always good than just your brakes as it gradually reduces the speed and along with brake, it can make a full stop very shorter. The pulsar 200 ns\as has high compression ratio, but this RS200 i'm not sure, I dont know, to be better when on road conditions. The higher compression ratio gives good engine braking and helps you always feel safer rather than floating on the air.

Go ahead and use engine braking whenever possible, because engines are meant to rev

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P220 is not so sluggish in considering straight line performance with these new 200 series, as P220 has even more torque. Riding back to back, one may not find much performance difference between the two, no doubt. However, the new pulsar 200 is very quicker to ton (less than 10sec, 200ns) than P220 and esp good at handling and tackling corners. The auto-RPM is I think the throttle position sensor, which I feel kills the bike riding enthusiasm, but it could be a faulty one on the bike that you were riding. RS200 is bulky and heavy, so need to downshift at times to overtake and riding positions are a bit sporty considering AS200\200NS, and pillion grab rails are just a gimmick. I like the unicorn grab rails a lot better than my NS

Rachit... sometime back I was checking web regarding engine braking... More than one source says don't depend on engine braking too much because brake pads are cheap but engine is not...

Before RS: Riding in 100+ km/hr was fun
After RS: Riding itself is fun

Today i got a chance to drag race a RS from a signal.. he had a pillion but i was riding solo... But before i could reach 85 km/hr he seems to have touched 100 km/hr.. I think my clutch setting is to be blamed. Is it okay to change the setting of the clutch to do minimal movement rather than squeezing completely..

Launch speed, rev matching shifts, esp load (weight) all matter more than clutch. If you start a sec late, you will only reach a sec late, but that doesn't mean you are slow. Nothing is wrong with your machine. I hate clutch at edge, and I prefer full clutch, nevertheless I have never given up with even D200 on drags in open roads. Usually dukes are quick shifters and are gone in eye blinks (short gears make magic), but with proper shifting and weight ratio NS will not be far behind. By the way, I had been warned the same way they had warned you for clutch. I wasn't surprised. I got used now.

And careful when you drag in city, risking even other commuters and COPS
Ride safe...!!!

Today i got a chance to drag race a RS from a signal.. he had a pillion but i was riding solo... But before i could reach 85 km/hr he seems to have touched 100 km/hr.. I think my clutch setting is to be blamed. Is it okay to change the setting of the clutch to do minimal movement rather than squeezing completely..

We, at Xbhp do not approve drags or any other form of racing on the public roads. If you want to compete, please take it to a racetrack for a safe and fair competition.

Please understand that its for your own safety.
What do you think are your chances of crashing?
Even if you say its 1%, then it still means you will most probably crash once in 100 drags, and that might be your last drag too.
If we bikers want to live a long life with thousands and lacs of kilometres of riding, then we got to be practical, legal and safe. Its not a choice.

Ride safe brother. Take care.