I own a Pulsar 150 since 3 and half years and having driven it in and out now, I have courage to speak up thing which most users avoid to mention. I ahve also driven the improved DTSi and then the DTSi on 17’’ tyres.
Positive things first - Great styling, Super power, definitely male behaviour, very sturdy and strong, powerful headbeam.
Now please consider following -
Seat - It is like Shilpa Shetty’s waist. Good to look at. But the slope keeps you in confused position if you are above 5’9’’ and have long legs. Whether to lean forward (after a while you feel you are aping the apes) or to go back and sit straight (commuting in cities). This to and fro motion continues till you get down. Isn’t it really Pain in the As* ? Absolutely not comfortable. You need to get the seat filled with extra cushion if you want to be comfortable. Remember I am 5’10.5’’ 73 kg and not 5’5’’ 90 kg. Bajaj has to learn from Honda and TVS something about seating science.
Forward load distribution - The bike has quite a load on the front wheels and you will feel it first time and every time. So much so that in traffic situation your hands and shoulders will pain. Is it for biceps and triceps building ? Notice a tension plat below the headbeam case. It works great when you drive straight. But I think you don’t always go straight when you ride Pulsar.
Manouvering - Soon I realised that manouvering this bike is not easy mostly because in my case I could not hold the seat and tank nicely (not my fault). Holding the balloon tank with thighs while driving fast or taking turn is not posssible for taller people.
The workman ship looks great but it is not. The cables, foot peg rubber, kick start lever, chain cover, under seat hook etc. all are creeping under stress and faulter one after another.
Bajaj is well known for vehicles needing high maintenance. I have already changed the racer /bearing case/balls at the neck and after a year now, it is again giving trouble. Same is the case with chain which very often looses, gears which when changed can awake a sleeping elephant, accelerator cable which is lasting lesser than a rubber band, fuel meter which runs on its wishes and shows fuel level as per its mood.
After offering bikes at price slightly lower than hondas, now the pulsars are not reasonably priced. More so when you look at Apache.
Lastly the great bajaj after sales service (if there is any). I need not explain but you all must have experienced it at the showroom and more at the service station. At Ranchi the previous shworoom and service station have already closed and some new person has taken the franchisee. But the legend is carried.
Overall, Bajaj deserves to be at No. 2 and there it is. If Bajaj does not offer better looks, Alloy wheel, tyre hugger etc. no one will prefer it to Unicorn.