Friends, My 50 cent on the ultimate Indian performance bike.When I purchased this bike in March 2008, I have literally switched over from second best to the best available perf bike present in Indian market.
Now what is special about this bike? Let us discuss one by one.
Performance:
0 to 60--- Nearly 4 seconds
0 to 100--- 12.56 seconds. Wow!!!(Measured with a stop watch)
Top speed ----- 138 kmph for me (single rider).I think this Bike has capability to reach 145 easily some time.
Power and Torque delivery is well distributed across all gears and linear. This provides this bike with the real punch at all speeds and in any road and traffic conditions. At 125 kmph , you feel as if lot is yet to come.Ideal bike for performing stunts to impress someone.
Ride Quality and Handling:
This bike shows great class in ride quality and handling. Be it straight line stability or stability across corners, it holds its own and outclasses other bikes easily with its outstanding riding position, Tubeless tires, Nitrox shock absorbent and great balance. You sit comfortably in a sporty stance rather than crouch or slouch in an ungainly and tiresome manner.
The design of the flagship Pulsar is supremely ergonomic for almost all riders and given its overall weight distribution plus its rider position, the bike has a degree of balance which is amazingly light to the touch yet firm-footed in its stability even at slow crawling speeds.
Braking is truly high class with both disc brakes and I am truly impressed.100 to 0 takes on average 3.5 seconds which is truly appreciable.
Engine:
The 220cc engine makes 20.06 PS at 8500rpm and a stonking19.12Nm of torque at 6500rpm. This is air cooled and also the engine oil viscosity is maintained by oil cooler. First of its kind on any Indian bike.And yes the carburettor is history. Delphi built injector unit squirting the right amounts of fuel into the straight smooth bore intake port.
The crispness of the throttle response anywhere in the spectrum from 2500rpm all the way to its power peak and beyond to the 9500rpmceiling is unlike anything else. Cold starts are a breeze thanks to the FI and more over the engine has a power delivery spread so strong and thick thanks to the large torque output that riding it in town is not just effortless but also massively wallet friendly.
Fuel efficiency:
Unexpected and marvelous. I am constantly getting a mileage of 40+ in city and 50+ on highway. I was stunned after getting this kind of mileage from a scorcher like this. But, seems that Bajaj has got enough goodies to justify that price for P 220.
Looks:
The plastics are well formed with the best surface finish and possibly the best fit and finish on any Indian bike to date. The wing mirrors are terrific and well located with a degree of adjustability to give almost all riders a good view of what they have left behind.
Maintenance:
After running the bike for almost one year and more than25000 kms.I can certainly say that I always knew that due to efforts of pro biking people and low cost of spare parts as compared to other companies, it would not be high. Though I was scared thinking that P 220 can have costly parts, but again I was due fora pleasant surprise here.
Now enough of good things!!!!
Let me highlight few of more desirable features/Cons of the bike:
Bajaj could have done with a 250 CC engine at the price being offered for P 220.Bajaj again lagged in its product strategy, by not introducing a higher capacity engine, which could have been a trend setter.
The value for money equation is not that favorable as compared with other Bajaj products.
Though engine refinement is best of all Bajaj products, but this is high time that Bajaj comes with something truly refined (World class).