I did not have the experience of riding the Pulsar 150DTSi. There’s always a first time for many things in life and in 2015, was my first ride with this Bajaj motorcycle. My first ride was a Bajaj Pulsar single spark 180cc release 2002 and that was a fine motorcycle back then.
Why the Pulsar?
This time, touring India, I wanted to visit some ancient temples and modern, for observations on ancient Indian art. So what better way than to ride around with the wind on your face, since speed limits in Australia(where I live) are 110 kmph max(damn those speed cameras!). With my friends in Australia advising a used Hero Honda Karizma or a Honda 150/250 or whatever my budget would allow for, I called a few sellers. I nearly finalized an older Karizma model.
Then my cousin called and offered me his Pulsar 150DTSi. I was a bit worried since I felt a Pulsar was a smaller vehicle in comparison to the Karizma. But I opted for the Pulsar anyways. I started riding and for a couple of days rode at less than 60 kmph. The pickup and smoothness were a surprise. Picking up courage after a week, I was cruising around on the highways and it was fun. The motorcycle despite being an older model for 2015, was smooth. The braking was average or above, not world class, probably because I am used to higher models. Then again the highway experience at 100 kmph approximate was neither path-breaking or below average. The comfort levels were not outstanding, but average. The gear shifts were mostly ok, but I would not call that smooth at all levels. I did the standard oil change with the oil recommended by the mechanic and did some brake adjustments. Of course, on this motorcycle, I could see larger capacity motorcycles go past, then again, I was content doing 100 kmph or below.
My observations:
Pros:
Good city commuter
Does the job on the the highways
Felt insecure once I touched 100kmph maybe due to thinner tires
More power delivery than I expected from a 150cc motorcycle
Vibrations at footpeg were not that many
Cons:
Not comfortable for long distances
Rear tire too thin for high speeds
Seems, motorcycle is designed for mostly city+ some highway riding
Conclusion:
I would look forward to the new Pulsars and if I was in the market for a 150, maybe a Discover if I was budget conscious, if not there are so many choices.
New Pulsars seem to be world class, only time will confirm this and what the competition can offer better in India. For the moment, I would opt for the new Pulsar 200 variants on my next trip. I am happy to choose the Pulsar. Advise me otherwise, since I have less experience with India based motorcycles.
I may be looking at an entry-level 250cc Suzuki Inazuma here in Australia. See here: https://suzukimotorcycles.com.au/range/road/sport-sport-touring/inazuma-250/features