Bajaj Auto has now entered the highly lucrative 160-cc segment with its all-new Pulsar NS 160
Bajaj Auto teased us with their smallest Pulsar NS series bike, the NS 160, for a long time. But, the bike was exclusively for export markets. Bajaj has finally realised that they were missing from the highly lucrative 160-cc segment, which is ruled by the Yamaha FZ-S, Suzuki Gixxer, and Honda Hornet. It is a segment that accounts for 33 per cent of the Indian motorcycle market.
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The bike looks similar to the Pulsar NS 200. The youngest NS in the Bajaj line-up is a unique proposition in its segment and all the credit goes to the 'Transformers'-like styling. This new Pulsar, however, brings that same sharp and bold design in a more affordable package. The protruding shrouds on the sculpted fuel tank, the sharp headlamp with the tiny bikini fairing, digital/analogue instrumentation, sleek-looking indicators, step-seat, and 10-spoke alloys give the NS 160 a racy look.
Rear mono-shock suspension is set on the softer side
Being based on the Pulsar NS 200, the smaller NS comes with the highly capable perimeter frame. This gives the bike an edge over the competition for every other bike in this segment uses a diamond frame. The front-end features slimmer forks, the swingarm has lost its chunkiness, and the tyres are narrower than those on the NS 200.
Cool-looking info console comes from the NS200
It's the "all-new" engine that's the highlight of this new Pulsar. However, we can tell you that it comes from the Pulsar AS 150. Bajaj claims that they have reworked the cylinder head, combustion chamber, and has done some revisions to the crank, which has resulted in the motor now having a capacity of 160.3 cc. It produces a class-leading 15.5 PS and the second highest torque figure of 14.6 Nm. Transmission duty is shouldered by a short-ratio five-speed gearbox.
Four-valve engine is the most powerful in the segment
The aforementioned changes have made the engine more powerful and torquey. The refinement is not on par with the rivals, but it's not bad either. There are some vibrations that you can feel at the handlebar and foot-pegs from 6,000 rpm, but it doesn't become bothersome. The acceleration is smooth and the delivery is linear. We liked the low and mid-range delivery, which is great for city riding and that is exactly what Bajaj was aiming for. It also allows you to zip through traffic quite easily.
Slimmer swing-arm holds narrower rubber. Pics/Ravi Chandnani
What we can tell you is that it reaches 100 km/h quite fast and can cruise at that speed without stressing the engine much. The most interesting bit was the handling of the NS 160. The bike's softer suspension doesn't interfere much with its handling, for the baby NS can change direction quickly with minimal effort. The narrow MRF rubber also performed beyond expectations in the rain as it delivered ample grip even on some of the wettest roads. Braking, too, was good on the bike.
Overall, the new Pulsar NS 160 feels quite capable in almost all the areas. Supple handling, good ride quality, unique styling, and fairly refined engine makes it quite an attractive proposition at R78,368 (ex-showroom). In fact, it is quite a bargain if you consider the fact that it has the most powerful 160-cc engine.
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