Motobahn

MOTORCYCLE REVIEW: NEW BAJAJ PULSAR NS400z The force of the future ALMOST SUPERBIKE PERFORMANCE AT A BUDGET MOTORCYCLE PRICE — IT'S THE POWERHOUSE FOR THE PEOPLE

- VIKRAM CHAUDHARY

ABOUT 20 YEARS ago, the Pulsar made you the coolest dude on the campus — it was powerful enough for the world to notice, light enough to handle, and affordable enough for your father.

That power, that charisma, that affordability remains.

What you also have today is range — the Pulsar is available in 11 variants, from 125 cc to 373 cc — and superbike-like performance (of the NS400z, launched last year).

Now, this flagship has been upgraded, and we rode it.

What's the upgrade?

Peak power has been increased from 40 PS to 43 PS; the 0-60 km/h acceleration time has dropped from 3.2 seconds to 2.7 seconds, and the 0-100 km/h time from 7.5 seconds to just 6.4 seconds; top speed has gone up from 150 km/h to 157 km/h; it gets quick-shifter (shifting gears without clutch); the rear tyre is wider — and for all this you need to pay ₹7,328 extra.