Bajaj Pulsar NS 160 Features Review
Times have changed. The 150cc segment, which was once the flag bearer of entry level performance bikes, has now shifted its focus towards being premium commuter bikes. 160 is the new 150 then. The 160cc segment is the sporty youth- and enthusiast-oriented segment with focus on style and performance. It is a fiercely contested segment with major bike manufacturers battling for a piece of the pie. Admittedly, Bajaj has been late to the party, though it does bring a new motor with more power and better suspension parts. Is it enough to be a worthy contender?
Let's get one thing straight: The NS 160 is not a successor to the Pulsar 150
which was recently updated with a new motor. Bajaj confirmed that both
will sell side by side, though it might probably take over the Pulsar
180's mantle. It means they will wait and watch both the Pulsar 180 and
NS 160's sales and, based on the feedback, will decide whether to keep
the Pulsar 180 in production or pull the plug. A move that makes sense
as the Pulsar 180 is currently in no man's land, with the NS 200 at one end and the NS 160 on the other.
The NS 160 is based on the recently revived Pulsar NS 200 in the sense
that the frame and bodywork have been carried over from the NS 200. This
does work in the NS 160's favour as the segment is about style and the
bike has oodles of it. The sharp headlamp, tank and short aluminum
tailpiece with LED tail lamps look modern and exude a big-bike feel.
But, the overall design is let down by the skinny tyres. While the rest
of the bikes in the segment come with chunky tyres, Bajaj has decided to
stick to a narrower profile in the interest of better maneuverability.
The move helps for dynamics though the NS 160 loses brownie points when
it comes to looks. The seat height, at 805mm, is substantially taller
than the competition, which might be a bother for shorter riders.
While bodywork is similar, Bajaj has introduced a new blue colour
scheme for the NS 160. It is available in red and grey as well while the
white shade is exclusive to the NS 200.
The NS 200 gets a lot of features from the NS 200. First-in-segment is
the clip-on handlebars. It gets split seats, split grab rails and a
digital analogue console. The talking point is the perimeter frame -
another segment first which provides exceptional rigidity for better
handling. The rear swingarm gets a smaller box section though wheelbase,
at 1363mm, is identical to the NS 200 while being more than its rivals.
The front forks have reduced in diameter while the rear comes with a
gas-charged monoshock (segment-first). The suspension package coupled
with the narrow but grippy MRF tyres works well.
Initial impressions while riding the NS 160 are that of a lightweight
motorcycle despite the bike weighing 142 kilos, which is more than its
rivals. The NS 160 executes quick direction changes though I felt that
the turning radius might be higher. It was pouring while we rode the
bike so we could not push the bike much though even in the pouring rain,
the MRF Zappers, despite the slimmer 80/100-17 front and 110/80-17
rear, provided exceptional stability and poise. The narrow profile tyres
should also help the NS 160 deliver better fuel efficiency owing to its
small contact patch.
The NS 160 shares its brake components with the Pulsar 150. Bajaj says
that it gave the NS 200's fantastic Bybre brakes a miss for the Pulsar
150's Endurance brakes to keep costs low. The 240mm front disc and 130mm
rear drum setup do a good job of bringing the bike to a standstill.
Under test, the NS 160 managed to come to a standstill from 80kmph in
3.82 seconds, covering a distance of 39.54 metres. It did the 60-0kmph
run in 2.83 seconds, covering a distance of 20.18 metres. During our
braking tests it displayed a strong and progressive bite. Bajaj says,
depending on feedback, it might introduce an optional rear disc brake.
Overall ride quality is a tad on the firmer side though the suspension
displays excellent composure over bad and broken roads. The front
suspension is a tad softer, to absorb surface imperfections, though the
trade-off is a bit of dive under hard braking.
The 160cc engine is the talking point here. The engine comes from the
family of Discover 150 and Pulsar AS 150 engines and is the only one in
the segment to feature a four-valve head. While the basic engine
architecture is of the AS 150, the stroke has been increased to bring
engine capacity up to 160.3cc. Power is a best-in-class 15.5PS at
8500rpm while torque is 14.6Nm at 6500rpm, second only to the Honda
Hornet 160.
Under our Vbox-controlled performance tests, the NS 160 did the
0-60kmph run in 5.35 seconds. 0-100kmph came up in 16.54 seconds. The
quarter mile run took 19.53 seconds at 104.15kmph. The NS 160 is fairly
quick then. Top speed as per the Vbox was 111.17kmph, with the
speedometer showing 123kmph.
The engine feels quick to rev while power delivery feels linear
throughout the rev range. The engine is tractable with roll-on tests
throwing up excellent numbers. The 30-70kmph dash was achieved in 5.61
seconds while 40-80kmph was dispatched in 7.29 seconds. Refinement
levels are good and though not as much as the Suzuki Gixxer, it is better than the Honda Hornet 160.
The 5-speed gearbox has tall ratios and shifts, while positive, lack the precision of its Japanese rivals.
Bajaj has done well to endow the NS 160 with high-spec cycle parts and
features while keeping the price in check. During our
short stint with the bike, we felt that the Pulsar NS 160 ticks all the
right boxes when it comes to style, performance, ride and handling.
Given Bajaj's extensive service network and low service costs, peace of
mind is ensured. The new NS 160 is a worthy contender and makes a strong
case for itself in this highly competitive 160cc segment.