Bajaj Pulsar AS150 vs Suzuki Gixxer SF Comparison Review

The 150cc segment had witnessed a plethora of action last year as Yamaha rode in the fuel injected versions of the FZ and Fazer, Hero brought the new Xtreme and Suzuki launched the game changing Gixxer. 2015 follows this trend as Honda replaced the iconic Unicorn with the Unicorn160 while Suzuki introduced the Gixxer SF which is the faired version of the stock bike. Among all this action, the segment leader was being a mute spectator. Bajaj Auto broke its silence and unleashed the new Pulsar AS150 recently. The Pulsar AS150 is the first offering from the next generation 150cc Pulsar family and is an important bike for the Chakan based manufacturer.

Although the Pulsar AS150 has been christened as an Adventure Sport motorcycle, in our books the bike is more suited to regular commuting and touring than trail riding and so is the Suzuki Gixxer SF. So which of the two bikes should be parked in your garage? Well we ride both the motorcycles on some scenic roads on the outskirts of Pune to get you the answer.

Design & Features: 

Bajaj Pulsar AS150 – rating_4.0_rating

Suzuki Gixxer SF – rating_4.0_rating

With its full fairing, the Gixxer SF is definitely the most handsome bike among the duo especially with the Suzuki MotoGP livery on it. The new fairing with its creases and scoops does look good and the muscular tank flows well with the overall design. The Suzuki Gixxer SF definitely grabbed eyeballs wherever we went and can be easily passed off as a higher displacement motorcycle. The only grouse with respect to its styling is the triangle shaped tail lamp that just doesn’t gel well with the overall design. The Bajaj Pulsar AS150 is the first 150cc Pulsar to be equipped with a quarter fairing. The sculpted windscreen and the large headlamp make the Pulsar AS150 a striking looking motorcycle especially in the vibrant red shade the test bike was draped in. 

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The manner in which the new quarter fairing has been integrated to the existing Pulsar 200NS design needs to be commended. It also gets equipped with projector headlamp which is a segment first. The Suzuki Gixxer SF employs an all digital instrument cluster that houses a plethora of information like gear indicator, shift light, tripmeter, odometer, clock etc. The Pulsar AS150 on the other hand sports a semi digital console with a large analogue tachometer taking centre stage. On the go, the Pulsar AS150’s semi digital instrument is easy to read as the Gixxer SF’s displays looks cluttered. Talking about switch gear quality, the one on the Bajaj Pulsar AS150 is excellent while the one on the Gixxer SF is decent. But the Japanese motorcycle is better put together with tighter panel gaps while the Pulsar AS150’s fairing did rattle while riding over broken roads. 

Engine and Performance: 

Bajaj Pulsar AS150 – rating_4.0_rating

Suzuki Gixxer SF – rating_4.0_rating

The Pulsar AS150 houses the most powerful air-cooled 150cc motor on sale currently. The single-cylinder air-cooled DTS-i motor engine gets equipped with 4-valves and pushes out 17PS at 9,500rpm and 13Nm of peak torque at 7,000rpm. The Suzuki Gixxer SF on the other hand churns out 14.8PS of power and a healthy 14Nm of torque. The power difference can be felt immediately, open the throttle and the Pulsar AS150 picks momentum with great gusto and is definitely the faster bike with respect to acceleration and top speed. 

Although the Suzuki Gixxer SF cannot match the grunt of the Pulsar AS150, what works for it is its engine refinement and the motor feels better engineered than the Bajaj offering. The new Pulsar AS150 is better with respect to NVH levels in comparison to its predecessor. But the Gixxer SF’S powerplant is more refined and it doesn’t feel strained even at the apex of its performance. It’s the same case when it comes to gearbox as the Gixxer SF’s gear shift feel more crisper and positive in comparison. We would have also preferred better cutch progression on the Pulsar AS150 as it felt a bit jerky. On the highway both the motorcycles can hold speeds around 100kmph without much strain and this is really beneficial while touring. Riding both the motorcycles is an easy affair owing to the well spread gear ratios. 

Ride, Handling and Braking: 

Bajaj Pulsar AS150 – rating_4.0_rating

Suzuki Gixxer SF – rating_4.0_rating

Talking about riding posture, the Bajaj Pulsar AS150 employs raised clip-on bars and the slightly rear set foot pegs on the Pulsar AS150 results in a slightly sporty but comfortable riding position. The Suzuki Gixxer SF on the other hand employs a flat handle bar which results in an upright riding posture. While the upright riding stance doesn’t gel with the sporty styling of the bike, it’s a boon while spending long hours aboard the saddle. Also the seat height of the Pulsar AS150 is on the higher side and short riders might find it difficult to embark and disembark from the saddle. The Suzuki Gixxer SF employs a diamond type frame while the Bajaj offering adopts a perimeter frame sourced from the Pulsar 200NS.

The new frame has worked wonders for the Pulsar AS150 as the bike attacks corner with great enthusiasm. The Suzuki Gixxer SF has great handling dynamics and it’s among the highlights of the motorcycle. The chassis is very communicative and it was a joy to ride the bike on the twisties. It was a close contest between the duo but the Gixxer SF was marginally better as it tipped from one corner to another with lesser effort. Suspension duties on both the bikes are handled by telescopic forks at front and a monoshock unit at rear. Ride quality is decent as the Suzuki and Bajaj offering handled broken roads and undulations with ease. Anchorage is provided by disc brake at front and a drum unit at rear which do a great job of shedding speeds. We found the brake lever on the Pulsar AS150 a bit spongy while we would have liked better progression in the Gixxer SF brakes.

Fuel efficiency and Pricing: 

Bajaj Pulsar AS150 – rating_4.5_rating

Suzuki Gixxer SF – rating_3.5_rating

The DTS-i and 4-valve technology has helped the Pulsar AS150 in extracting better mileage from the new 150cc motor and it wins the fuel efficiency battle. The Pulsar AS150 returned us an overall figure of 52kmpl while the Suzuki Gixxer ran 47km on a litre of fuel. Both the bikes have an equal tank capacity of 12 litres. The Suzuki Gixxer retails for Rs 86, 805 for the MotoGP livery edition while the Pulsar AS150 carries a sticker price of Rs 79,000. The cut throat pricing by Bajaj makes the Pulsar AS150 a better value for money proposition as it’s almost Rs 8,000 cheaper than the Gixxer SF which is a significant amount. Note: Both the prices mentioned are ex-showroom Delhi. 

Verdict:

Bajaj Pulsar AS150 – rating_4.0_rating

Suzuki Gixxer SF – rating_4.0_rating

At the end of the day, it was a tough call to pick a winner among these motorcycles as both the bikes make a curious case for themselves. The Suzuki Gixxer SF is definitely the better engineered motorcycle and also has the visual appeal and the handling dynamics going for it. The Pulsar AS150 on the other hand has the advantage of performance, dealer network, fuel efficiency and better features. Also one cannot discount the Rs 8,000 pricing advantage the Bajaj Pulsar AS150 offers, so it’s the Pulsar AS150 that wins this battle but only by a whisker.