2024 Bajaj Pulsar NS160 And Pulsar NS200 Launched

Around a week after they were teased, Bajaj has quietly launched the 2024 Pulsar NS160, Pulsar NS200 and even revealed details about the 2024 Pulsar NS125. And things are….well interesting. Here’s why: 

What’s The Price? Who Are The Rivals?

Now Bajaj has priced the updated NS200 and NS160 at Rs 1,57,427 and Rs 1,45,792 respectively. For perspective, the older gen bikes cost Rs 1,49,363 and Rs 1,36,736 respectively (all prices ex-showroom). Rivals for the NS200 include the TVS Apache RTR 200 4V, the KTM 200 Duke and the Honda Hornet 2.0. The NS160, on the other hand, competes against the TVS Apache RTR 160 4V, the Hero Xtreme 160R 4V and its sibling, the Bajaj Pulsar N160. Both available in one variant and three colour schemes: Brooklyn Black, Pearl Metallic White, and Racing Red.

What’s New?

The biggest change is obviously the new LED headlight that replaces the halogen headlight. Then the other big change is a new negative LCD console. The fully digital display now gets an all-new layout and gets Bluetooth connectivity with call and SMS alerts, distance to empty, real-time and average mileage and even turn-by-turn navigation. There’s now also an additional switch on the left switchgear to navigate through the console. The bikes have also started reaching dealerships and you can have a look at them here. That said, while the Bajaj Pulsar NS125 carries forward all these new bits, the turn-by-turn navigation feature is not available for the sporty 125cc bike.

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ZigSays

The NS200 now costs around Rs 8,064 more than before, while the NS160 gets a whopping Rs 9,056 premium. While it’s more than what we expected, the NS200’s premium can still be somewhat justified because that KTM 200 Duke-derived 199.5cc engine is just something else. 

The NS160 though…its premium is just unreasonable. Hell, it literally costs almost as much as the previous-gen NS200. Funnily enough, when the NS160 was last updated in early 2023, it got a Rs 9,561 price hike. But again, that includes a whole host of important changes like new suspension, brake calipers, dual channel ABS, wider tyres and more. And now Bajaj asking for a similar kind of hike for just a new console and headlight just doesn’t make sense. We have reached out to Bajaj regarding the same and will update it here when the manufacturer responds. 

When we last rode the bikes, while we still enjoyed the NS200, we said that you could just forget the NS160 altogether and it still seems like the case. If you can make the stretch, we’d wholeheartedly ask you to make the stretch and go for the NS200 instead of the NS160. Those on a budget though can consider the Bajaj Pulsar N160 instead, which for Rs 1,30,560 (ex-showroom Delhi), makes for a far better value for money and enjoyable commuter.