Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z vs KTM 390 Duke: Image Comparison

Bajaj Auto has just launched the Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z and the obvious question that comes to mind is, how different it is from the other 400cc streetfighter made by Bajaj, the KTM 390 Duke? So, let’s take a look at them in detailed images here:

Design

The Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z is built on the Bajaj Dominar 400’s perimeter frame and its exterior styling is quite similar to that of the Bajaj Pulsar NS200. The main highlight are the LED DRLs that give out Carnage vibes (from the Venom movie series). The tank design with the tank extensions, tail section with the split grab rail and alloy wheel design is very similar to that of the NS200 but beefier looking. The 4 colour schemes on offer – Brooklyn Black, Glossy Racing Red, Metallic Pearl White, and Pewter Grey – and the graphics somewhat differentiate the bike from its 200cc sibling. 

The KTM 390 Duke is built on a new steel trellis frame with a pressure die-cast aluminium subframe. It gets quite an aggressive styling with the big tank extensions with ‘Duke 390’ stickering and the sharp design language all over. The LED headlight is surrounded by floating LED DRLs. The alloy wheel design has been carried over from the KTM RC 390 and the bike is available in two colour options: Electric Orange and Atlantic Blue. We like the Atlantic Blue the best as the Electric Orange is a bit too ‘orange’ for our liking. 

Engine

The NS400Z is powered by the Dominar 400’s 373.3cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine producing 40PS at 8800rpm and 35Nm at 6500rpm. It comes mated to a 6-speed gearbox with assist and slipper clutch and gets a fuel tank capacity of 12 litres. 

The KTM 390 Duke is powered by an all-new 399cc, liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine that makes  46PS at 8500rpm and 39Nm at 6500rpm. It comes mated to a 6-speed gearbox with assist and slipper clutch and gets a fuel tank capacity of 15 litres.

Underpinnings

The Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z gets a suspension setup of a 43mm inverted fork and 6-step preload-adjustable gas-charged monoshock. Braking duties are taken care of by a 320mm front disc brake and 230mm rear disc (both with Grimeca calipers, mounted axially at the front) with dual-channel ABS. The KTM 390 Duke, on the other hand, gets a suspension setup consisting of a 43mm WP Apex open cartridge fork with compression and rebound adjustability (150mm travel) and a WP Apex separate piston offset monoshock with five-step rebound adjustability and preload adjustability as well (150mm wheel travel). Stopping the bike are 320mm front (with radial caliper) and 240mm rear disc brakes with cornering ABS and supermoto mode. 

The NS400Z gets 110-section bias-ply front and 140-section radial rear tyres with 17-inch wheels at both ends. While the 390 Duke’s tyre sizes are 110/70 R17 at the front and 150/60 R17 at the rear.   The NS400Z gets a kerb weight of 174kg (heavier than the 390 Duke by 6kg) and a seat height of 807mm (taller than the 390 Duke by 7mm).

Features

The Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z is the most feature-rich bike yet from Bajaj’s lineup. It gets an LCD instrument console with a dot matrix inset and Bluetooth connectivity with turn-by-turn navigation, music control and lap timer. The navigation arrows appear in the dot matrix inset of the console. It also gets a revised left switchgear with four way buttons to navigate through the console and control the music volume, brightness of the screen and other functionalities. It gets a USB charging port, 4 ride modes: Road, Rain, Sport and Off-road and switchable traction control (can be turned off only in Sport and Off-road mode). It gets all-LED lighting with hazard lights. 

The KTM 390 Duke is the most feature-rich sub-400cc bike in India. It gets a 5-inch TFT instrument console with Bluetooth connectivity for music control, incoming calls alerts and turn-by-turn navigation. The left switchgear has also been updated with 4 switches to navigate through the console. It gets three ride modes: Street, Rain and Track and also gets cruise control, launch control, wheelie control and cornering ABS! 

Verdict

The KTM 390 Duke is the most powerful and the most feature-rich 400cc streetfighter on sale right now and its Rs 3,10,520 ( ex-showroom Delhi) price tag is absolutely worth it for the value it provides. The Bajaj Pulsar, with its Rs 1,85,000 ( ex-showroom Delhi) price tag is the most affordable bike in the sub-400cc segment. And it provides ample performance and quite a lot of features for what it costs. Both bikes provide great value for money in their respective roles. Basically, if you want an all-out performance bike with all the bells and whistles the industry has to offer, then the KTM 390 Duke is the one for you. Otherwise, if you want a sub-400cc streetfighter with good performance and one that’s quite affordable too, then you should go for the Pulsar NS400Z.