BAJAJ PULSAR NS160 AND NS200

The NS duo receive important updates to up their VFM quotient

- RITESH PATIL

When Bajaj launched the NS200 and RS200, the motorcycles seemed to show the way forward for the Pulsar brand. The NS200 in particular, as it echoed the Pulsar’s ethos of value for money performance, only louder. It featured a quick-revving liquid-cooled motor (a segmentfirst and segment-only accolade which remains to this day), perimeter frame and rear monoshock, all this for a price which made the Pulsar NS200 a logical choice. However, the NS and RS could not take the mantle away from the flagship Pulsar 220F which resonated better with the audience. That said, the RS200 and NS200 found their own loyal fanbase. Bajaj did not significantly update the NS, as the VFM quotient remained strong. In fact, the NS nameplate is one of Bajaj’s highest-selling export offerings.

It is this export exercise that we can thank the current NS updates for. Bajaj had recently launched the NS160 and NS200 in the Brazilian market under the Dominar nameplate. Besides the rebranding exercise, both motorcycles received significant updates in the form of upside-down forks, standard dual-channel ABS and more. It was only logical then that the updates trickled down to the India-spec motorcycles.