Updated Bajaj Pulsar N160 vs TVS Apache RTR 160 4V: Image Comparison

Quick News Highlights:

- A detailed comparison between the Bajaj Pulsar N160 and the TVS Apache RTR 160 4V

- Design, engine, underpinnings, features and prices compared

- A verdict on which bikes is the one for you

Bajaj Auto has recently added a new (top) variant to the Bajaj Pulsar N160 and it gets an inverted fork and turn-by-turn navigation among other updates. This makes the bike now more equipped to compete with the TVS Apache RTR 160 4V. Let's take a look at how they fare against each other, on paper:  

Pulsar N160 vs Apache RTR 160 4V: Which One Looks Better?

The styling of the Bajaj Pulsar N160 is more muscular compared to that of the TVS Apache RTR 160 4V. It gets beefy yet clean design lines that give the bike a commanding road presence. The RTR 160 4V’s is aggressive as well but the design lines are way sharper and the fang-like headlight design immediately makes it stand out on the road. 

Interestingly, both the Pulsar N160 and the RTR 160 4V look very similar to their respective bigger capacity siblings, the Bajaj Pulsar N250 and the TVS Apache RTR 200 4V. We’d have liked it if they had a proper visual distinction. All said and done, the Pulsar N160 has a hint of maturity with its clean lines whereas the Apache looks more in-your-face.

Pulsar N160 vs Apache RTR 160 4V: Mileage And Engine Specs Compared -

The Bajaj Pulsar N160’s motor gets better bottom-end grunt which makes it easier to ride in the city compared to the Apache RTR 160 4V. The wide powerband allows you to ride at slow speeds in a higher gear, making your daily commutes much easier. The RTR 160 4V has great top-end performance, which enables it to handle highway speeds with ease. This is also evident from the fact that, during our tests, the Pulsar N160 produced a better mileage output in the city while the RTR 160 4V produced better results on the highway. 

Underpinnings

The Bajaj Pulsar N160 feels quite agile in the city and is fun around corners too. But comparatively, the TVS Apache RTR 160 4V’s chassis makes the bike feel more nimble and quick direction changes are much easier. It tips into corners more easily and remains stable all the way, giving you ample confidence to go through the corner without breaking a sweat. Regarding the brakes, the 160 4V’s petal disc brakes offer great initial bite but the feedback from the Pulsar N160’s levers is more precise. 

The Pulsar N160’s upright riding stance along with a more spacious and better cushioned seat makes long duration commutes a hassle-free affair. The RTR 160 4V’s Showa-tuned suspension setup is more plush and absorbs bumps and potholes in a much more composed manner. The addition of the more sophisticated inverted fork in the N160 should be an improvement over the base variant’s stiff telescopic fork and monoshock setup. But we’ll reserve our final judgement once we test the updated bike. 

Features

The Bajaj Pulsar N160 gets an LCD instrument console with Bluetooth connectivity for call and SMS alerts, phone battery status and signal indicator along with turn-by-turn navigation. It shows speedometer, odometer, tachometer, gear position indicator, distance to empty, average speed and other regular readouts. The left-side switchgear is revised with a dedicated button for navigating through the console’s menus. The streetfighter also comes with three ABS modes: Road, Rain and off-Road, which modulate the ABS sensitivity accordingly. It also gets a tank-mounted USB charging port.  

The TVS Apache RTR 160 4V gets a fully-digital LCD instrument console that shows speedometer, odometer, trip meter, tachometer, fuel gauge, average speed, clock and gear position indicator readouts. It comes equipped with Bluetooth connectivity for call and SMS alerts and turn-by-turn navigation through the “TVS SmartXonnect” app, which also shows race telemetry details like lean angles, gear shift pattern and G-forces. Lean angles and G-forces are shown using the phone’s sensors and accelerometer. It also gets voice assistance but an external Bluetooth helmet-mounted communication device will be required to use this feature. The three riding modes: Sport, Urban and Rain modulate the engine output along with the ABS sensitivity and the bike also gets a dedicated switch for the navigation like the Bajaj bike. As far as the features are concerned, the Apache has the upper hand.  

Pulsar N160 vs Apache RTR 160 4V: Which One Is Better?

While we are only comparing the top-end variants of the two bikes for this article, here are the variant-wise prices of both motorcycles:

As we can see, the Bajaj Pulsar N160’s inverted fork variant is only Rs 1,023 more expensive than the dual-channel ABS variant of the TVS Apache RTR 160 4V. Picking between the two bikes basically comes down to deciding upon what kind of sportiness suits you better. If you want a sporty 160cc bike that will mostly be used in the city and has the capability of delivering exciting performance during those occasional highway runs, then the Bajaj Pulsar N160 is the one for you. On the other hand, if you want a feature-rich bike that likes to be ridden in a spirited manner all the time and you are planning to have fun on the mountain twisties quite often, the TVS Apache RTR 160 4V ticks all the right boxes.