Following the war waged against its supremacy in the 150cc+ segment by TVS and Yamaha, Bajaj has come up upgraded variants of its pulsar family of motorcycles. Bajaj has launched new 2009 pulsar 150cc and 180cc models. Can these upgrades extend the life of pulsar brand? Is the new pulsar is good enough to take on the new bikes like Yamaha FZ-16? We check out the new Bajaj pulsar 180cc
Bajaj Pulsar 180cc: Visually, there is not much difference to tell this a 2009 model. However, on closer attention you can reveal a lot. New pulsar 180cc borrows few cues from 180cc. Tank shrouds on both sides of the tank gives it an aggressive profile. Adding to that is the 37mm front forks. 180cc embraces the contemporary all black theme. From the forks to engine to rear suspension everything gets matte black finish. A new bold analog white back tachometer makes it to easy to read even at bright sunlight.
Bajaj Pulsar 180cc: Clip-on handle bars, split seats and split grab rail are other new cosmetic upgrade in the pulsar 180cc.But the real attractive quotient is the larger profile 120/80 * 17 incher tyre at the rear which adds muscle to 180cc. New pulsar 180cc also gets a new rear sprocket and the O-ring chain. Similar to the 200cc pulsar, kick lever is thrown out and ignition is only through battery in the new pulsar 180cc.
Bajaj Pulsar 180cc: Coming to the heart, 180cc pulsar retains the same DTSi engine. The 178.6cc mill produces slightly more power than its predecessor, it now generates 17.02bhp at 8500 rpm (compared to the earlier 16.5bhp at 8000rpm ). The peak torque stood at 1.45kgm at 6500rpm. On the road it translates into it gives slight edge on the performance over its predecessor. Also the 5-speed gearbox is smooth and case of false neutral is not existent. It reaches 60kmph from standstill at 6 seconds and manages to reach a top speed of 125kmph. However the increase in performance has an impact on the fuel efficiency. It returns only 40kmpl in the city and 47 in the highway.
The DTSi engine freely revives upto and sporty exhaust note pumps up the adrenaline
Bajaj Pulsar 180cc: On the dynamics, the increase in wheelbase by 25mm to 145mm compared to the predecessor makes it more stable. Braking is through 260mm disc at the front and 130mm drum at the rear. Thanks to new fatter rubber, the straightline stability remains good and there is a significant improvement in cornering ability. Pulsar’s trademark ride quality is the key differentiator over its competetiors. But for the sake of performance and spirited driving, Bajaj engineers have compromised on ride quality. Ride has become little stiffer.
Bajaj Pulsar 180cc: The new pulsar 180cc may not be an all new exciting bike. But its a proven pulsar with welcome upgrades. Also the price is only marginally increased around Rs3000 and continues to be a good value for money bike.
