Bajaj Pulsar NS160

The Bajaj Pulsar NS160 retains its aggressive and muscular design with a sharp headlamp unit paired with a unique visor up front. Pan to the mid-section and you’d notice a sculpted fuel tank with the Pulsar insignia on it that gives the bike a very premium feel. The tank shrouds have ‘160’ imprinted on it in bold, which gives it a fresh new look. Of the three colour options (red, blue and grey), Fossil Grey is the most striking to look at.

The new dual-tone colour scheme suits the muscular styling of the Pulsar NS160. On the other hand, the analogue-digital instrument cluster has been borrowed from its elder sibling, the Pulsar NS200. A large analogue tachometer sits smack in the middle while other readouts, like the speed and fuel-gauge, sit to the right. There’s also a gear shift light that sits atop the tachometer, slightly to the right while the tell-tale lights are placed on the left-hand side of the console. Overall, the level of fit and finish of various parts is on par with market standards.    

The overall stance of the bike is aggressive and signifies speed, excitement and power. In terms of riding posture, the NS160 has a slightly more committed riding posture when compared to its rival, the TVS Apache RTR 160 4V, thanks to its rear-set footpegs and clip-on handlebars. Hence, touring on this bike could get a bit tiring.

The Bajaj Pulsar NS160 measures in at 2012mm long, 803.5mm wide and 1060mm high. Ground clearance stands at 176mm, while its wheelbase is around 1363mm.

The bike draws power from a 160.3cc, single-cylinder, oil-cooled mill that generates 15.5PS at 8,500rpm and a peak torque of 14.6Nm at 6,500rpm. A slick 5-speed transmission transfers power to the rear wheel via chain drive. Despite having a smaller capacity engine, the NS160 feels eager and likes being pushed to the limit. The meat of the power lies in the low and mid-range. The bikes power delivery feels linear and its quick to eat through the revs before hitting a top whack of a little over 120kmph (speedo indicated).

Built on a perimeter frame, the NS160 rides on telescopic forks and a Nitrox monoshock at the rear. The aforementioned setup enables the rider to push the bike around corners and on a straight line with confidence. Daily commutes and pothole-ridden roads aren’t an issue either as the bike is perfectly set up to handle them. On the braking front, the NS160 gets a single 240mm disc with ABS at the front and a 130mm drum unit at the rear, both of which provide a strong and progressive bite. Unfortunately, the NS160 misses out on a rear disc and ABS. Its 17-inch alloys wheels come wrapped in 80/100-section front and 110/80-section rear tyres.

The Bajaj Pulsar NS160's braking setup works quite well and provides ample support to bring the bike to a halt. Additionally, the bike now comes with single-channel ABS which should further improve its braking power.