Okay guys i was almost on the verge of buying a bike last year .But plans got scrapped due to a new car in the family ,the Honda city.but the rider bug in me couldn't stay away for long.so finally parents have agreed to book my bike on my birthday i.e. 4 August.
I've had short TD's on certain bikes but most of them were purely stupid

Okay something about me and my usage pattern first :

Height 5.8
Weight 85 kg
budget 1.3 lakh
Daily usage 25kms
weekend usage 30kms
90% of riding would be in city only

Needs:
An awesome looker
Decent FE(not a big deal +\-35 would be okay)
rare trips to service centers
Good performance


Bikes Shortlisted:


FZ-16/Fazer

Cheap(relative)
Hassle free
Decent efficiency
good pickup
but very very common

Not a good contender


R15
Costly(read: Max budget)
Awesome looker
Technologically advanced
worry about mileage


the Best contender



Pulsar 220F
Proven
Fastest Indian
But very common again
reliability issues heard of


Okayish contender



Pulsar 200NS
cheap(relative)
new technology
Not tried and tested
good reviews


good contender



PS: i don't have a flair for cruisers,not will i be touring, so Enfields and avengers aren't considered. Don't like the RTR either. i know considering my usage a R15 doesnt suit the needs but i dont know .inside i have that thing for R15 especially V2









Please suggest me something very fast because i have exactly one week i.e. next Saturday i ll be booking it.
Thank You
Regards,
XTC

i know considering my usage a R15 doesnt suit the needs but i dont know .inside i have that thing for R15 especially V2

Height 5.8
Weight 85 kg
budget 1.3 lakh
Daily usage 25kms
weekend usage 30kms
90% of riding would be in city only
Needs:
An awesome looker
Decent FE(not a big deal +\-35 would be okay)
rare trips to service centers
Good performance
Bikes Shortlisted:

R15
Costly(read: Max budget)
Awesome looker
Technologically advanced
worry about mileage
the Best contender

Pulsar 200NS
cheap(relative)
new technology
Not tried and tested
good reviews
good contender
PS: i don't have a flair for cruisers,not will i be touring, so Enfields and avengers aren't considered. Don't like the RTR either. i know considering my usage a R15 doesnt suit the needs but i dont know .inside i have that thing for R15 especially V2
Please suggest me something very fast because i have exactly one week i.e. next Saturday i ll be booking it.
Thank You
Regards,
XTC

You wont' be doing tours or long rides, purely a city ride!!

But why Duke is not in the list ??

I................................................. ....................

But please go through the reviews in ownership thread for both bikes.

FZ and NS removed because you have 1.3L budget.

BTW,Just back from a short TD of 200NS
Man o Man ,The bike is sure heavy .Leave aside the yamahas its heavier than the erstwhile fastest Indian

After TDing NS i m like really confused now
it was awesome power at the right wrist .
but when earlier i had test ridden R15 it didn't feel like so much power at lower revvs
Hear says R15(purely for technology and looks)
Mind+practicality+saneness says 200NS
i m just scared about reliability issues of NS being bajaj
PS: i drive a honda city and love redlining all the time(u ll understand if u ve ever driven a honda)
90% of my riding will be in city
is R15 feasible ?
i m in a big dilemma people
this is my first bike so dont wanna mess it up

R15 & NS are completely of different style ... First Decide what type of interest you got

PS: i don't have a flair for cruisers,not will i be touring, so Enfields and avengers aren't considered. Don't like the RTR either. i know considering my usage a R15 doesnt suit the needs but i dont know .inside i have that thing for R15 especially V2

Hi fellow bikers,

Lots of people have been waiting for my review of the 200NS and here it is. Do keep in mind that I previously owned an R15 on which I've clocked 40,000km. I used to be a Pulsar-hater, and was surprised to find myself booking the NS. It ticked all the right boxes and now that I've got the bike I'm more than fully satisfied. I've realised that the Pulsars have character and it almost feels like the bike talks to you! Fell completely in love with my baby, the NightFury, in just 2 days.

The Delivery:

Nothing much to speak about here. Got my bike on 26th July from Khivraj Bajaj, Kasturba Road. Since I'd already made full payment, I just had to sign a few forms and I was good to go. The bike had 3km on odo. A mechanic explained a few features of the bike to me and gave me a receipt that could be presented at the petrol pump next door for 1 litre of petrol. Filled the 1 litre as I wasnt sure how much gas was in the tank and then tanked-up with Shell Super.

Engine & Mechanicals:

The engine on the NS has a strange, clattery sound at idle. Like there are loads of loose parts within. Most of the sound seems to be from the engine head. Once revved, it sounds unique! I like my bikes smooth and silent and the NS delivers on both counts. There were a few vibes experienced from the handlebars and footpegs at first, but it's really smoothened out post ~150km on odo. Morning starts aren't too much of a problem, the bike starts at first crank but strangely shuts off after about 8-10 secs of idling. The manual suggests giving the bike a little throttle or using the choke for the first start of the day and it does work. The bike idles at 1400 - 1500rpm. Once out on the road, the engine feels smooth and power delivery is linear. Gearshifts are a surprise from Bajaj, being pretty clicky and accurate, although it's not as precise as a Yamaha gearbox. The clutch is well weighted, without being tiring in heavy traffic. Running-in this bike is no joke as it pulls effortlessly and you constantly have to keep an eye on the rpms as the super sensitive throttle can have you above 50kmph in no time, and with just a few millimeters of throttle open. I've never felt the radiator run, even in bumper-to-bumper traffic, this is probably because Bangalore has been quite cool recently and most of my riding has been in the evening or night.

Bajaj's run-in instructions are crap and won't run-in your engine well. A brand new engine needs moderate throttle inputs so as to provide enough pressure for the piston rings to seat against the cylinder walls. I've been keeping it under 5k rpm with constant varying of throttle and engine braking whenever possible. By engine braking, I mean accelerating slowly in a gear and then letting go of the throttle till the bike slows a fair bit and then accelerating again (I usually do this in 4th, 5th and 6th gears). Post 100km on odo I've been taking it to 6k rpm ocassionally and gradually.

Although the engine is smooth, different parts of the bike have started developing vibes - the brake pedal, the grab rails, visor etc. But it is very much tolerable and pretty much disappear once past 4k rpm. Will have to get these checked and tightened during 1st service.

Braking:

Brakes took about 50km to offer feel and braking power. The front disk provides decent feel and pretty good retardation. The rear disk doesn't have much feel and I accidentally locked up the rear wheel at slow speeds on two occassions. Overall the braking is reassuring and I'm waiting to see how it fairs at speeds close to and above 100kmph.

Ergonomics, Handling, Suspension & Tyres:

Handling is extremely neutral and with the extremely comfortable riding position makes the NS a breeze to ride, both for everyday commuting as well as long stints in the saddle. Although I've ridden my R15 extensively, the handling on the NS felt much more stable and confidence inspiring, especially in bumpy corners. I use every corner, minor and major, to practice my cornering lines and skills, and the NS leaves a big biggg smile on my face. The tyres are pretty good although being TVS, and are more than adequate for a regular rides. I haven't had the opportunity to try any aggressive cornering, but for the stuff I've done so far, the tyres have held up beautifully. Suspension is quite stiff, which is expected as I found my bike having been set at the second stiffest setting. Feel and cornering precision is sharp, but will adjust the monoshock to a softer setting in interest of better ride comfort.

The rider's saddle is extremely comfortable. Although the pillion seat is comfy as well, the seat itself is very hard and coupled with the stiff suspension setting, the few pillion riders I've had have complained of minor butt pain. I'm happy nevertheless as I'm always going the be in the rider's seat and I don't like riding with a pillion anyway. The pillion seat is very easy to remove and put back, definitely a boon for someone who reaches for his tools and bike papers regularly.

Switchgear & Lighting:

Switchgear is functional, and I don't have any issues here. Even the indicator switch, which took a while to get used to, is now working smooth and easy. The blue-backlight on the switches looks good only in complete darkness, otherwise they look cheap. Luckily they complement the deep blue shade of my baby. Headlight is pretty adequate, although for serious touring I'd recommend an upgrade to better bulbs or a HID + Projector setup. Indicators and brake lights are bright and very visible. I'm planning on getting the KTM Duke's LED indicators for better looks and am researching headlight upgrades.

Fuel Economy:

I tanked up with Shell Super and have been riding mostly in the city. After filling in the complimentary 1 litre from Bajaj, the bike swallowed 10.53 litres of petrol. I had to switch to reserve at 380km on odo, so the bike seems quite efficient with an average of approximately 37kmpl. Will have to tank-up again to calculate precise mileage. 35kmpl is more than acceptable from this bike, and anything more will be a happy bonus.

Verdict:

The NS has truly amazed me and has won my love, admiration and trust in just 2 days. The bike's looks, feel and character has me completely head-over-heels in love with her and I don't miss my R15 one bit! I use the bike for my daily commute to office and on weekends to explore distant tarmac. I will post here about any issues, experiences or foibles I encounter with this truly magnificent motorcycle.

Fellow riders, do let me know if I've missed out on something in my review. Will be more than happy to answer questions. Check out the few pics I've taken with my buddy's KTM Duke, do excuse the phone camera quality. Will be doing a proper photoshoot soon!

Congrats to all NS owners and best wishes to prospective buyers! This baby will keep you guys happy and content for years to come. I truly feel that this baby can be described to have these characteristics - Awesome-NS, Mad-NS and Smooth-NS! Cheers, ride hard and ride safe!