Bajaj Pulsar 150

The Bajaj Pulsar 150 carries over the tried and tested design of the earlier model, but with slight alterations. The new Pulsar 150 2018 looks a bit meaner, thanks to the revised bodywork, the inclusion of new dual-tone colour schemes and aggressive stance. Up front, it sports a halogen headlamp with AHO for enhanced vision irrespective of the weather or light conditions. Further, it comes with twin-pilot lamps, fatter telescopic forks and a tiny windscreen that adds to its aerodynamics. The graphics on the fuel tank, front fender and other body panels make the bike look sporty. Adding to its sportiness are components like split grab rails, LED tail lamp and split seats. It gets a semi-digital instrument cluster, with an analogue tachometer and digital displays for the speedometer, odometer and the tripmeter. It also gets a clock, a low-fuel indicator and a pass switch. The standard Pulsar, with a rear drum brake, is offered in five colours including Black Pack, Chrome Black, Laser Black, Dyno Red and Nuclear Blue. The twin-disc variant, however, is available only in an exclusive Blue colour for now.

The updated Pulsar 150 continues to draw power from the 149cc, 4-stroke, single-cylinder, twin spark, DTS-i engine, that is now being BS6-compliant. The BS6 motor makes 14PS at 8500rpm and 13.2Nm at 6500rpm. In comparison, the BS4 motor produced 14PS of max power at 8000rpm and 13.4Nm of peak torque at 6000rpm, mated to a 5-speed gearbox. The engine is more refined than before and Bajaj claims to have made significant improvements in NVH which should result in a smoother, vibration-free ride.

The naked bike from Bajaj rides on fatter 37mm telescopic front forks and 5-way adjustable Nitrox shock absorbers at the rear. On the braking front, it gets a 240mm front disc and a 130mm rear drum as standard, while the high-spec variant is equipped with 260mm front and 230mm rear disc brakes for enhanced control and safety. The rear tyre is now wider than the one on the previous model, which further adds to stability on rough surfaces. The 17-inch alloy wheels are wrapped in 80/100-17 section front and 120/80-17 section rear tyres that are grippy enough on wet roads.

Stopping power comes from the combination of a front disc and a rear drum brake on the standard Pulsar 150. And with the addition of a rear disc brake, the braking power has been taken a step further, certainly a welcome addition. It also comes with AHO.