I was hunting for a top of the line performance bike to buy. I have a penchant for strong, sturdy and powerful bikes with attitude. Up to the eighties, the Bullet and Yezdi ruled the roost. But, recently the market has seen some new entrants in this category.
The Pulsar twins have been pulsating in the market for quite some time. One of the twins, the Pulsar 180 is classified as a performance and power bike. Hence, I decided to give it a close look to find out whether this bike suited my needs.
As the name itself indicates, the bike has a throbbing 180 cc mill. Bajaj Auto must be commended for designing and manufacturing this bike, on their own. This is one reason why the Pulsar 180 is so affordable and within reach of the average buyer. This is also, the reason why it has succeeded in capturing a large chunk of the market. Of late, people have started respecting Bajaj Auto as a serious bike maker.
Despite the good show by Bajaj, the Pulsar 180 has certain problems that must be immediately addressed by the manufacturers. The bike has excellent power and pick-up and can do 0 ? 60 Kmph in about 5.0 secs. (4.8 secs is what the makers claim) which brackets it among the quickest bikes in India in the 150 cc to 200 cc category. However, it trails behind Karizma which can do the same in 3.5 secs flat. But, the Karizma has a 223 cc mill.
The problems that I have referred to above are not in pick-up or speed, but in its razor sharp handling. The less experienced rider will find this bike difficult to control and maneuver at high speeds; therefore, it is a potential hazard for the uninitiated who like to taste the power but could flounder in a panic situation. Some of my friends have mentioned that the bike develops gear shifting problems over a period of time and that these problems persist even after servicing.
The bike gives excellent mileage amongst all power bikes (44-50 Kmpl). But the figure drops drastically at high speeds. Also, the bike develops optimum torque at comparatively higher rpm. This could result in reduction in the life of the engine. The build quality, though good, cannot match that of the Eliminator (Bajaj product) or some of the other bikes in the market.
The ergonomics are okay, but not as great as the manufacturers would want us to believe. It doesn?t stand out in the crowd like an Eliminator or a Karizma. Too ubiquitous, one sees even the police constables riding it. Now, when I am spending close to Rs.65000/- on the bike I would want this bike to possess a striking presence without it being a common spectacle on the roads.
Today, nobody even bothers to look at a Pulsar in the streets. This has prompted many Pulsar owners to go for eye-catching modifications to attract attention. But then, this costs additional money and in the end doesn?t turn out to be all that cheap