Bajaj Pulsar 150

The Bajaj Pulsar 150 has a very strong following, ever since it was launched way back in 2001. It was one of the first bikes in the country that broke the mileage-oriented image that the motorcycles of that era had. It showed economisers that motorcycles could also be fun. A new 150 has been launched to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the brand, and it still remains an affordable performance commuter. With it, Bajaj has retained the core ‘Pulsar’ essence, while bringing it into a modern era.

The 2026 version looks new, while carrying the familiar Pulsar silhouette. You can have this Pulsar in three flavours – one with a single-piece seat, rear drum brake, and LCD console; a single seat with a rear disc brake and TFT console; and a split seat with a rear disc brake and a TFT console, which we rode.

At the front, you get that familiar-looking cowl, but with a more aggressive-looking LED headlight. Bajaj has brought back the signature ‘Wolf-eye’ DRLs too, something that went missing on the last minor update of the bike. Even the mirrors have been changed and are now similar to the ones on the N160. 

Once seated, you have the familiar clip-on handlebars, but this time around, the switchgear is different. The left hand side has the usual bits plus 4 joycube-esque buttons to navigate through the display and its various settings. On the right hand side is the kill switch, ignition button, and a hazard switch. All of these feel well put together, and tactile enough. 

The fuel tank is huge and feels so when you straddle the bike. The tank extensions are now slightly bigger, but look more in line with fuel tank design. The side panels have been redesigned as well, and look much sportier than before.

The rear side panels look similar and still get the sharply tapering rear end. However the LED tail-light has been redesigned, and looks very slightly similar to the N160 S. 

That wraps up the bodywork styling. However, one of the biggest changes on the new bike is a monoshock, and that makes the rear half of the look much cleaner and aggressive. 

Wheels

The wheels are now new too. The 5-spoke wheels are replaced by the new Y-shaped 6-spoked units, which make the bike look quite fresh.

Fit & Finish

Overall, I like how the new model looks – modern without but not too drastically “different”. Everything looks well put together, the plastic quality is a lot better and the switches are nicer to use. There’s little to no rattle and shakes where you wouldn’t expect. However, given that we only spend a couple of hours with the bike, the real proof in the pudding will remain over a longer period of time. Bajaj’s recent products have fared better. So, one can hope the same with this one as well.

Colours

The 2026 Bajaj Pulsar is available in 5 colour options: Saffire Blue, Ebony Black Ink Blue, Black Magenta Red, Fury Red, and Pearl Metallic White.

Out of these, my favourite is the Fury Red since it looks quite similar to the OG Pulsar.

Convenience Features

Now this is where the bike has evolved drastically. The biggest change here, quite literally, is the 5-inch TFT screen, similar to the Pulsar N160 SS. It has smartphone connectivity, call and SMS alerts, and even Google Maps mirroring on the top variant, and turn-by-turn navigation on the rest. It’s easy-to-read and doesn’t feel cluttered. Everything is laid out well, and has its own space. There’s also a USB Type-C port on the left side of the console, to help you charge your phone and other devices on the go. With the new switchgear, you also get call and music controls. 

The Pulsar now also gets a low-speed assist that lets you ride at slower speeds without modulating the clutch, and prevents the bike from stalling. During my test, the bike stayed at as low as 30kmph in the fifth gear without stalling. This should make your everyday commutes that much more less tiring. 

Safety Features

You get 3 riding modes - Road, Rain, & Sport - that affect the bike’s performance slightly. These can be changed using the display, but for that the engine needs to be turned off. If you want to change the mode on the fly, long press the up key on the LHS.

It still gets single-channel ABS, and no dual-channel ABS, though the latter would have increased the prices considerably.

We have explained all features of the new Pulsar 150 in detail to help you understand them better.

Rider Comfort

In the comfort department, this motorcycle never had anything too much to complain about, and that’s still the case. You sit slightly hunched over, like always, but never too committed, unless you decide to lean down till the tank – but the bike doesn’t ask that of you. 

The seat padding is not too soft, not too firm. It won’t badly affect your everyday riding, and will let you ride fairly longer before discomfort sets in. At 795 mm, the seat height is easy to get on and off for shorter riders.

Now, I am 6 feet 1 inch tall, and the rider’s seat on the split seat variant didn’t feel cramped or locked in. However, the single-seat on the Pulsar 125 that I rode felt more spacious. I had more room to move around – and that can help with keeping discomfort away for longer, especially during longer rides. If you are taller, or just prefer spacious seats, I would suggest you test ride both seat variants. And even if you want to switch the seats, there is functionality built into the bike for an easy swap.

Pillion Comfort

However, things turn 180 when you bring a pillion into the picture. My colleagues who sat behind me felt more comfortable on the split seat variant. This is because the split pillion seat is much wider, which makes it easier to sit on. They felt the single-piece seat on the Pulsar 125 was too narrow in comparison. 

The grab handles on the split seat version are also nicer to hold on to, making it more favourable for pillion riders on daily commutes.

Now this is where the upgraded version breaks all notions set by its predecessors. Before we get to actual performance, we must talk about the refinement. The engine doesn’t feel rough or vibey at all. Add to that the silent starter makes the ignition feel so buttery smooth. It is very un-Pulsarlike, if I can say that. Even at higher revs, you can only hear the grunt of the engine speed, not feel it anywhere. It just makes you wonder – are you really riding a Pulsar? Well, it’s not at the Japanese benchmark, but looking at how far the refinement has come, that benchmark is not too far off. 

Bajaj has made some significant changes to the engine. For starters, it’s now an oil-cooled unit. While it makes the same 14PS power, it’s made 500 rpm earlier, at 8,000 rpm. The peak torque has gone up marginally to 14.1 Nm, but that’s still at 6,500 rpm. However, it makes 12 Nm from 3,000 rpm. And this reflects in numbers - the claimed 0-60 kmph is 5.7 seconds, down from 6.2 seconds on the earlier model. 

This bike feels quite fun, especially between 4,000 rpm and 6,000 rpm. It sounds quite exciting, which makes you want to go faster. It has just the right blend of fun and friendliness.

City performance

With all the above changes, this Pulsar has become quite easier to ride in the city. The engine is quite tractable, enabling you to ride in higher gears with even more ease than before. Then there’s the slow-speed assist that prevents the bike from stalling at creeping speeds. 

Highway performance

Out on the highway, this one can easily do 85-90 kmph, without the engine feeling too stressed. Overtaking needs a bit of planning, and going down a gear. Overall, Pulsar feels quite effortless, yet engaging.

Gearbox

The gearbox is new too, though a 5-speed unit still. Unlike the gearboxes of the past, this one’s buttery smooth. No clunkiness, no foot workout, and even the clutch action feels light. All of this makes going through the gears a very, very pleasant experience. 

Mileage

Bajaj claims the mileage has gone up by 5 kmpl to 50kmpl. With our spirited riding experience, it returned 40-ish kmpl, which should be the absolutely worst number that you should expect from the bike. When ridden sanely, the Bajaj claimed figure should be easily achievable.

Underpinnings

Bajaj has changed the chassis altogether. It’s now a diamond tubular frame instead of a double cradle unit. With that, Bajaj has made it stiffer and lighter. The frame and the new engine have contributed to the weight of 141 kg (kerb), which is a whole 9 kg lighter than before.

All of that has made the Pulsar better at handling. Right from taking it out of parking, to filtering between traffic. It has never been so easy to change directions on the bike. Not like the Pulsar couldn’t corner, but you needed to put in some effort, but that’s no more the case. 

The bike may have become lighter, but the front end doesn’t feel twitchy or unnerving when you lean it, or even when filtering through stopped or slow-moving traffic.

Brakes

The bike has a 260 mm front disc and 230mm rear disc with single-channel ABS. The brakes are enough to make you stop where you want to, within reason, of course. They don’t have a lot of feedback, but they have a decent bite. I like how the ABS has been tuned. It’s not too intrusive, and will only intervene when you grab a fistful of the brake lever. 

The rear can lock up, but only under hard braking. With planned or gentle braking, it does the job without too much drama.

City handling

The suspension units are completely new on the Pulsar. The front fork has 33 mm diameter stanchions with 135mm stroke. On the rear it now gets a monoshock with 110mm stroke. But what really matters is what they do for you – a comfortable, planted ride. 

The suspension is slightly hard and you feel the sharp bumps. This requires you to slow down considerably when the road gets bad. 

Highway handling

On well-paved roads, there’s hardly anything to complain about. Hit a wavy or undulated patch of road, maybe rumble strips, and you won’t be grinding your teeth. Just feel them go by. No unsettling or unnerving feeling here. Minor undulations are smoothed out at speed.

Cornering

This one could corner but you had to put in effort, and needed some skills. The new one tips in more willingly, and feels stable while doing it. The MRF tyres on this Pulsar have good grip too, which adds to the confidence, and ease.

To sum it all up, the new version genuinely feels new and modern, but doesn’t stray too far from the OG. It carries the familiar, loved silhouette of the Pulsar UG3 but looks quite sporty and aggressive up close. 

It feels like the older model has grown up and matured into this bike that’s eager to do everything it used to when it was younger, but with more grace and poise. It feels smarter and more accommodating for riders of all skill levels. To put it simply, the Pulsar has become friendlier and easier. Gone are its days where it would sound gruff, and rowing through the gearbox felt like a workout routine. On its 25th birthday, Pulsar 150 has cleaned up its act and left very little to complain about. 

With all that friendliness and stability, it feels quite close to the Honda Unicorn. It’s lost a bit of that rough edge that this was known for – if that’s good or bad, we will leave it to you to decide.

It has 3 direct rivals – Yamaha FZ-S Fi V4, Honda Unicorn, and the SP160. The FZ is priced from Rs 1,19,846 to Rs 1,20,304 (ex-showroom). With that, it’s slightly less powerful and has fewer features – no TFT, no navigation, etc. If you want those features, you will have to shell out Rs 1,41,200 (ex-showroom) for the FZ-S Fi Hybrid.

The Honda Unicorn is the strongest rival to this bike. Though the Japanese bike is priced almost at par with the lower variants of the Pulsar. It gets a basic display but a bigger engine with slightly more torque.

The Honda SP160 comes closest in terms of features - a TFT display with navigation & connectivity, single-channel ABS, a rear disc brake, and more. It’s also priced at par with the Pulsar 150.