Bajaj Pulsar 180 DTSi

Ever since Bajaj Pulsar 180 was first launched in its classic form on 23rd November 2001, it has been a subject of constant updates and upgrades.

In fact, less than 23 months after its launch, Bajaj Pulsar 180 was rechristened as the Bajaj Pulsar 180 DTSi with twin digital spark ignition and various other updated cycle parts and since then, it has witnessed two more updates, with the present model coming out in October 2006.

Going by the history and frequency of updates from Bajaj Auto, this year we should see another updated version of Pulsar 180.

An upgraded version of Pulsar 180 is all the more important this year, due to the fact that it is now not only facing threats from inside (from Pulsar family), it would also be facing stiff competition from the likes of TVS Apache 160 RTR EFI, which is expected to be launched in the middle of this year.

With a 160cc motorcycle delivering almost as much power as the current Pulsar 180, Bajaj Auto has to ensure that the Pulsar family once again is the leader in the segment, in not only power and VFM, but also in innovation and technology.

Apart from tweaking the ignition curve and working on various other engine parts, to make them lighter and more efficient, the Bajaj Auto’s R&D team would certainly be looking at making the Pulsar 180 Fuel Injected and we just might get to see the Pulsar engine being upgraded from a two valve one to a four valve one.

Review:

Engine : Awesome. Sheer delight.

It just begs to be revved, and boy, its got a good tune too! I have taken it to 8,500 rpm (redlines at 9K rpm) and there wasnt even one bad vibe (in all gears except the 4th and 5th - havent gone beyond 95kmph even at 105+ in 5th). And its deceptively smooth and silent when you’re taking it nice and easy - rev it, and it turns into the hooligan that it is! 16 horses are more than par for the course. The best part about the bike, is its seamless acceleration. Traffic lights are a delight, cos you’ll always be leading the junta. (There’s a new 200+cc engine supposedly for the bike)

Brakes:

Will stop the bike on a coin. Really. The front brake has MASSIVE bite - and the rear’s good as well. But one should really get used to the braking before you try stoppies or hard braking - the rear brake pedal isnt positioned right, so a lil slip there, and you’ll end up getting deep bruises(gravity and inertia arent always good).

Ride & Handling:

Its amongst the best in class, tackles the bad roads well and is very stable at all speeds, thanks to the new longer wheelbase and the lower ride height (because of the smaller 17″ wheels). The wind is pretty much directed at your shoulders, so there’s not much wind hitting your chest, even at 90+ speeds.

Looks and design:

Well, its a great looking thing, especially head-on, with that “I’ll chew you up for dinner” looks - that beaky fairing. The rear lamp’s good - and the new Pulsar this year will probably sport LED taillamps and ducatesque headlamps, which’s amazing. The current 180’s also come with an all black look on the mechanicals - something that I dont quite fancy, though the black wheels look cool!

Living with it:

The engine’s grunt and growl are awesome. The lights are great. The headlight beam is even and pretty well spread. The average is good too. I’m getting about 48km to a litre of unleaded - driven sanely, start revving it and expect more like 38-40kmpl. The mirrors are okay, I would’ve preferred wider ones.

The best part about the bike is that you can leave it idle for a few weeks, and then get her started on first kick, or on first thumbing of the starter. And there’s no change in the engine note either. You can take it out for a revving session, just like that.

I hate the way one has to twist their ankle towards the brake pedal, it should’ve been more straightforward, or at least, the recesses in the tank should’ve been better. The tyres are pretty grippy in the wet, and on most dry surfaces, but if there’s a bit of sand around tend to easily loose traction on sand/sandy surfaces.