Bajaj Pulsar NS Family Explained: Pulsar NS125, Pulsar NS160 and Pulsar NS200

The Pulsar NS range consists of sporty naked bikes that cater to riders of different skill levels. Whether you're looking for a compact and fuel-efficient ride with the NS125, a mid-sized performer with the NS160, or a powerful machine with the NS200, you have a lot to choose from. It doesn't matter if you're a beginner or an experienced rider, there's a Pulsar NS bike for you.

Design

The Bajaj Pulsar NS range features a sporty and muscular design with a front-heavy appearance. All the bikes look more or less similar, having received no major design updates over the years. The Pulsar NS125, Pulsar NS160 and Pulsar NS200 share the same design elements and body panels. The fuel tank remains the same with a 12-litre capacity across the three bikes.

Bajaj recently updated the Pulsar NS160 and NS200 with a new LED headlight with LED indicators. In an earlier update, both bikes also received an inverted fork. However, the smaller Pulsar NS125 retained the telescopic fork, to keep costs in check.

The Pulsar NS125 offers a choice of four colours: Fiery Orange, Burnt Red, Beach Blue, and Pewter Grey. On the other hand, the Pulsar NS160 comes in three colours: Brooklyn Black, Pearl Metallic White, and Racing Red. Similarly, the Bajaj Pulsar NS200 is also available in three colours: Brooklyn Black, Pearl Metallic White, and Racing Red.

Features

The Pulsar NS160 and NS200 are equipped with an updated LED headlight, accompanied by lightning bolt-shaped LED DRLs, whereas the Pulsar NS125 continues to feature the halogen headlight.

With the latest update, the NS range has been updated with a full LCD instrument cluster with smartphone connectivity via Bluetooth that offers call and SMS alerts, phone battery and signal levels. Along with basic info like speed, odometer, fuel gauge and a clock, the digital display also includes features like a gear position indicator, real-time mileage, and distance to empty readings.

Additionally, the Pulsar NS160 and NS200 also get turn-by-turn navigation, which the Pulsar NS125 misses out on, again, to keep the price competitive.

Bajaj Pulsar NS125

The Bajaj Pulsar NS125 is powered by a 124.4cc air-cooled engine that makes 11.8PS and 11Nm, paired with a 5-speed gearbox. It comes with a 12-litre fuel tank. In our test, it delivered a mileage of 64.75kmpl in the city and 56.46kmpl on the highway.

The Pulsar NS125 is equipped with a telescopic fork and monoshock. Braking is handled by a 240mm front disc 130mm drum at the rear, with CBS (Combined Braking System) as standard. The Pulsar NS125 comes with 17-inch wheels which are wrapped with an 80-section front and 100-section-rear tubeless tyres. It weighs 144kg, with a seat height of 805mm and a ground clearance of 179mm.

The Bajaj Pulsar NS125 is available in a single variant with four colour options, all priced at Rs 99,571 (ex-showroom Delhi). It is ideal for those who want a sporty, modern Pulsar that is not only fairly affordable but also offers good mileage, thanks to the smaller 125cc engine.

Bajaj Pulsar NS160

Equipped with a 160.3cc air-/oil-cooled single-cylinder engine, the Bajaj Pulsar NS160 delivers 17.2PS and 14.6Nm. It is paired with a 5-speed gearbox. The bike has a 12-litre fuel tank and in our test, it delivered a mileage of 47.88kmpl in the city whereas highway efficiency was slightly lower at 38.23kmpl.

The Bajaj Pulsar NS160 is built on a perimeter frame, linked to an inverted fork and a nitrox monoshock. Talking about brakes, it has a 300mm disc at the front and a 230mm disc at the rear, with dual-channel ABS. The NS160 rides on 17-inch alloy wheels, fitted with a 100-section front and a 130-section rear tubeless tyres. It has a 170mm ground clearance, 807mm seat height and a kerb weight of 152kg. 

The Pulsar NS160 comes in a single variant and is priced at Rs 1,45,792 (ex-showroom Delhi) for all the colour options. It is ideal for those who want a sporty 160cc streetfighter that offers good performance, looks premium and is loaded with smart features.

Bajaj Pulsar NS200

The Bajaj Pulsar NS200 gets a 199.5cc air-/oil-cooled single-cylinder engine derived from the KTM Duke 200. In fact, it is the first Bajaj bike to get a liquid-cooled engine. The motor produces 24.5PS and 18.74Nm, paired with a 6-speed gearbox. It also has a 12-litre fuel tank and provides a real-world mileage of 40.84kmpl in the city and a similar 40.36kmpl on the highway.

Equipped with a perimeter frame, the Pulsar NS200 has an inverted fork and a nitrox monoshock. Braking is managed by a 300mm front disc and 230mm rear disc, with dual-channel ABS. The NS200 has 17-inch wheels which are fitted with a 100-section front and a 130-section rear tubeless tyres. It has 168mm ground clearance and weighs 158kg.

The Pulsar NS200 is available in a single variant, offering three colour options, all priced at Rs 1,57,427 (ex-showroom Delhi). It is the sportiest bike in the lineup and is also a lot more affordable than the KTM 200 Duke on which it is based on. If you’re looking for a performance-oriented streetfighter that can do regular commutes and weekend highway rides and comes at a fairly affordable price point, the Pulsar NS200 ticks all the right boxes.

The biggest capacity bike from the Pulsar NS range, the Pulsar NS400, is most likely to be launched between April and June 2024.