Specification:
Emission Type: | BS6 |
Engine Displ.: | 199.5 cc |
Mileage: | NA |
Max Power: | 24.5 PS @ 9750 rpm |
Gear Box: | 6 Speed |
Fuel Type: | Petrol |
ABS: | Dual Channel |
Head Lamp: | NA |
Wheels Type: | Alloy |
Tyre Type: | Tubeless |
Standard Warranty (Years): | NA |
Kerb Weight | 166 Kg |
Fuel Tank Capacity | 13 Liters |
Seat Height | 1114 mm |
Introduction:
The Bajaj Group is amongst the top 10 business houses in India. Its footprint stretches over a wide range of industries, spanning automobiles (two wheelers manufacturer and three wheelers manufacturer), home appliances, lighting, iron and steel, insurance, travel and finance. The group's flagship company, Bajaj Auto, is ranked as the world's fourth largest three and two wheeler manufacturer and the Bajaj brand is well-known across several countries in Latin America, Africa, Middle East, South and South East Asia. Founded in 1926, at the height of India's movement for independence from the British, the group has an illustrious history.
Bajaj Auto Limited is an Indian multinational two-wheeler and three-wheeler manufacturing company based in Pune, Maharashtra. It manufactures motorcycles, scooters and auto rickshaws. Bajaj Auto is a part of the Bajaj Group. It was founded by Jamnalal Bajaj in Rajasthan in the 1940s.
Highlights:
- Cheapest but gives decent pickup for majority of the people
- Plenty of spares and no worries about going anywhere
- Cheaper service cost
- Service center has excellent knowledge as it's been here for a long period. No hassles in servicing
- Affordable for many unlike RS or AS which is too costly
- Rocking in sales and still keeping Pulsar brand flag flying ahead
- The model which created a racing spirit in India. (Not P220 as it is also costly for a common man)
- Has decent stuffs like Disc brakes, Digital console
- Excellent pillion seat and pillion riders will appreciate you rather than taking on RS200
- Returns better mileage, requires least maintenance and cheaper on common man pocket.
- City friendly and highway friendly too
Pros:
- Rev happy engine
- Good build quality
- Powerful headlights
- Good brakes
- Relaxed riding position
Cons:
- Very hard seat
- ABS option only for front wheel
- Rev happy engine has taken its toll on bottom end torque
Engine and Performance:
Bajaj entered uncharted waters with their new 200 cc triple spark mill doing duty in the NS. The famed midrange punch of Pulsars of yesteryears gave way to a high revving engine with linear power delivery that builds power all the way to its red line. Peak power of 24.1 HP comes in at 9750 RPM and 18.6 Nm of torque peaks out at 8000 RPM for the Pulsar RS 200. A slight power bump of 1 HP from its naked brother. Impressive figures though they may be, they translate into a rev hungry character in the real world. For the motorcycle to be picking up the pace really quick, you have to down shift a gear or two and only then watch as the objects in the rear view mirror go small as you surf the top heavy power range this unit delivers.
On the go, it’ll happily do 80 kmph at 6000 RPM which rises to 100 kmph at 7000 RPM, in 6th gear, post which things begin to get really urgent as it screams its way to the red line. Keep that engine above 7K RPM in any gear and you’re bound to leave most of the traffic in your wake. Lose the revs, however, and you’ll either have to work that gearbox smartly or have patience like Dumbledore to get back up to speed. Mileage of the Pulsar RS 200 remained more or less same as that on the 200 NS, we got a combined city and highway average of 37 kmpl. The fuel injection combined with changes in gearing has made the RS 200 engine rev quite quickly, you are done with first four gears rather quickly which almost feels weird. Check out the top speed video of the Pulsar RS 200 below to see what we are talking about.
Look and Feel and Build Quality:
First look at the RS200 and you’re bound to be captivated by those twin headlamps, they endow this motorcycle with a character that most designers lose sleep over.This motorcycle grabbed attention on the street like no other, many of whom turned to steal a second glance. Hover over the motorcycle from its side, and the word that jumps to lips is sharp. The hunkered down effect lent by the front is marred only by the slightly higher than, in our opinion, expected handlebars and the slightly confused rear. The tail section is pretty sharp by itself, but that slightly bulging taillight and rear mudguard panel give it a slightly curvy finish which doesn’t fit with the overall tone of the motorcycle. The LED taillight in itself, though, is an inspired piece of design, quite catchy by its very nature, though unfavorable comparisons could be drawn. The panels fit well overall and we didn’t find any cause for concern here, though just how good they really are can only be ascertained upon long term ownership. The front visor could have been a bit longer in our opinion to really function and reduce wind blast. The seat for the rider is quite hard but roomy to move around. While the pillion seat is rather comfortable but a bit cramped. Our only concern was with the exposed ABS sensor wire in front, maybe a flap of some sort would go a long way to avoid accidental damage. Also currently the Pulsar RS 200 will come only in two colour options, the Red and our favourite, the Yellow.
Handling and Braking:
Pulsar RS 200 may not really be a track focused tool but it’s quite a nice balance between comfort, ergonomics and sharp, positive handling. The riding position is a testament to this. Its not committed like on the RC or the R15, you can sit upright and relaxed. The extra 12 kgs over the NS that the fairing and ABS system adds has almost no effect on the handling and flickability. The front suspensions are quite soft and soak up bumps quite well, the rear suspension is kept hard though, adjustable, but still quite hard even at its softest. The RS 200 comes shod with MRF Zappers that do their job of complimenting the chassis well. In all, corner carving on this machine is an enjoyable experience and kudos to Bajaj for delivering on that front.
The Pulsar RS 200 comes endowed with single channel ABS that lend a very assured feel to braking duties. The ABS regulates only the front wheel, however. We tried our best to force the front wheels to lock up on a variety of surface conditions and were glad to find the ABS doing its job pretty well. However we did notice that the ABS frequency was a bit on the lower side, not much of a difference in most scenarios but noticeable if you have ridden other high frequency ABS systems. Coupled that with the strong double caliper brakes up front and single at the back, there’s not much to worry about getting this motorcycle to slow down. All in all, sharp braking with good feel.
Key features & VFM:
Pulsar RS 200 comes with plenty of bells and whistles, as one would expect from a Bajaj motorcycle. ABS, fuel injection, twin projector headlights, LED pilots, LED tail light, LCD speedo, LED indicators and of course the triple spark plug system. Apart from these features there are lot of unique well thought of touches that can be seen all over the motorcycle. For example the coolant level check is a nice little cut in the panel and you can see it by just looking down while on the seat.
Priced at Rs 1,54,300/- on road Bangalore for the ABS version and Rs. 1,40,233/- for the standard version, Bajaj has once again lived up to its billing. But at this price point, the Pulsar RS 200 is not just the fastest Pulsar yet, but also the costliest. Although for the kind of performance and features the Pulsar RS 200 packs, the price is on the justified side of things. Having priced itself lower than its competition is just the icing on the cake!
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