*Introduction. I had a hearty laugh with my friends the day I heard that the oh-so-mighty Pulsar 220, was being down-graded to use a carburetor for its next iteration. Indeed, it seemed an admission of defeat on the part of Bajaj - that they didn’t have a clue how to build and manage an engine with a technology (Fuel Injection) that has been in popular use in foreign motorcycles since the 1980-s.
But even while I was laughing, I couldn’t quite ignore a little part of me that was evaluating the ten thousand that they were striking off the total cost, just from this one difference. It also occurred to me that my current steed was an aging 2005 Honda Unicorn which, through no fault of its own, was slowly falling apart. While I’m all for safe riding and all that jazz, a man’s gotta have some fun once in a while - and that means that it has seen its fair share of spills - resulting in not so nice handling characteristics.
First Impressions
Most of the initial information I received about the bike was from a dear friend who’s much more of a nut about bikes than I am. He’d been on a short road trip where a fella loaned him his newly bought 220 for a sprint through some twisties. His rave review of the machine was enough to solidify my plan to ditch the Uni and move onto something better.
The test ride at the show-room was short, but sweet. I had no opportunity to test the handling, or performance on the moderately busy highway, but the bike felt right and I plonked cash for the machine. Now on to the meat of the review...
Handling
I don’t care much for manufacturer’s instruction of keeping it uber-slow during the run-in (ahem) period - not that I’m a believer of the Motoman (for those who don’t know, google is your friend) way, or anything, but I prefer the principle - ride the bike the way you ride normally. For me, that means pottering along with the traffic most of the time, and opening it way up when conditions allow. While I haven’t been able to take to bike to any twisties yet, I have been able to ascertain that it is very planted through the corners, but most importantly, is very forgiving. The light steering means that mid-corner changes are easy to pull off, and the excellent brakes are supremely confidence inspiring.
I should take a moment here to point out one (of many) improvements on the Ditsy 220 - braided steel cable for the front disc. While changing the cable might seem a small thing, the improvement in braking feel and progression is considerable. Unlike rubber hosing used for regular hydraulic disc brake lines, steel braided cables do not expand when pressurized, meaning that when you depress the brake lever, it translates into a very accurate amount of pressure being delivered at the disc. Slick, eh? Note, that on the Yamaha R15, braided steel cables are not standard equipment. They come into play only with the expensive race kit!
Ride Quality
With one person on, the ride is comfortable. Do note that I haven’t used any adjectives to describe that quality. I’m 6’ 1", and it’s impossible for me to tuck my legs anywhere on the oddly shaped tank. This has always been the case with Pulsars. Yeah, the tank looks nice with the sharp angles, but it sure ain’t for hugging.
Posture is somewhere between sporty and comfortable - quite different from the commuter position you get on most Indian bikes, but I think it’ll be okay for long rides.With two people, the story is somewhat different. The suspension starts to wallow, and cornering becomes compromised. Its not *bad, *but it’s not good either.
Performance
Everyone knows the figures, so I’m skipping those. Performance is one characteristic where the Pulsar does not compromise. To achieve the rather ridiculous top speed of (approx.) 140, the gearing has been moved up, meaning the lower revs ( < 3500 RPM ) have adequate levels of torque, and some urgency.
Open up the throttle beyond a certain point, and the rev-s climb quick, along with the torque. The feeling is, quite simply, exhilarating. The max torque is at a high 6500 RPM, meaning the bike will pull like a train for a long *long *while. You’ll be grinning like an idiot all the way to the rev limiter. Guaranteed.
Build Quality & Reliability
The bike looks quite nice - traditional pulsar design, complemented with the 220’s independent front-end fairing. Nothing about the bike suggests that it’s been built with cheap components. Its quite the opposite, in fact. The switches are solid, the plastics fit perfectly, but away from it all, you must remember that this is a Bajaj! This bike was built to cost, to provide the most bang for buck, and there’s undoubtedly been some cost cutting everywhere.
In the two months I’ve had the bike, I’ve had three major issues with the quality:I noted the first when I turned on my newly purchased bike for the very first time. It refused to start - producing a loud (and scary) clanking noise from the gearbox before dying. After a bit of coaxing it did start, and the bike worked fine after that, but I noticed the problem pretty much every morning when I cold started the bike.
The second problem arose a mere week into its life. The top (chromed) part of my right front shock absorber started to rust. They cleaned it up during the first service, but the fact that it happened is astonishing! They somehow got rid of the clanking starting problem as well - thank god.
Right after I got the bike from service, the right rear-view mirror became *loose *and started vibrating - to the point where its become unusable. Its got an easy fix, yes, but these quality issues shouldn’t be popping up so early in a bike’s life - it doesn’t bode well for the future. :-|
*Conclusion
*Quality issues aside, the 220 DTS-i is an astoundingly good offering from Bajaj, with VFM levels that reaches for the clouds! At pretty much the same price, the Yamaha Fazer is a whole tier behind, with nothing better to boast of, other than *poser *looks. If you’re in the market for a high-performance, and down-right exciting bike to ride, this new Pulsar demands attention. Fuel Injection be damned - this carbureted iteration is a worthy of the title, improving upon its predecessor is most every way.
Comparison with the R15: Most everyone who looks at the Pulsar 220 will (should) also consider the R15. I, however, did not pay much attention due to one glaring difference: value for money. The R15 is 20 - 25k dearer, and equipped with a 150c engine that is significantly weaker than the Pulsar’s. Yes, the handling is sharper on the R15, and it acceleration figures are quite similar, but the 150 is *high-revver, *meaning riding in the city won’t be nearly as much fun on the Pulsar’s relaxed and torquey 220. And city ride makes up 95% of my total travel. If its a fun ride you’re looking for (I was), you shouldn’t be spending higher on what (essentially) is a wannabe super-bike.