Bajaj Pulsar N160 Vs Pulsar NS160: Here’s How They Differ

Two bikes in the same segment, but which one should you choose?

Bajaj has been pretty busy in the past couple of months, bringing new updates to their offerings. Two of their motorcycles in the 160cc segment, the Bajaj Pulsar N160 and the Bajaj Pulsar NS160 also received some substantial upgrades during this time. 

With the N160 now coming with a new instrument console and the NS160 getting a reworked front section and new digital instrument console. But what makes them different now and which bike should you choose? We will be answering that question here.

Design And Underpinnings

The NS160 and N160 are meant to have different focus, with the NS160 being a more performance oriented naked while the N160 is a 160cc sporty commuter. The headlight on the NS160 is a new more aggressive-looking LED unit with the DRLs looking like fangs. Interestingly, it gets full LED lighting as well.

On the other hand, the N160 comes with a projector headlamp and LED DRLs, and bulb-type indicators. It doesn’t look very aggressive when compared to the NS160 and gives off a calmer vibe overall.

Both bikes are quite different in terms of underpinnings, with the NS160 getting an inverted fork and the N160 getting a telescopic unit. This difference results in both bikes offering distinct handling characteristics, with the NS160 being more suited to riding at higher speeds and hitting corners and the N160 being a bit more plush and easier on the city, especially over bad roads. However, the N160 won’t be too shy on the normal corners either. 

Engine

Both bikes feature different engines, with the NS160 boasting a 160.3cc air-/oil-cooled single-cylinder motor that produces 17.2PS and 14.6Nm, and the N160 comes with a 164.82cc air-/oil-cooled single-cylinder engine that produces 16PS and 14.65Nm torque. 

Both engines have a very different character, the NS160 is supposed to offer sportier performance and when looking at the specs one would think so, afterall the NS160’s engine has a 1.2PS advantage over the N160. But in the real world, the N160 performs better, in our tests we found that the N160 is faster than the NS160 by a second in 0-100kmph acceleration.

Another interesting thing is that the N160 is also more fuel efficient both on the city and on the highway:

The difference is massive and the N160 takes the prize here. 

Features

With the 2024 update both bikes have now received new digital LCD instrument consoles with smartphone connectivity. This has brought some additional features to both the bikes and made them more competitive when compared to their rivals. 

The instrument consoles on both bikes give readouts like distance to empty (DTE), instantaneous fuel efficiency (IFE) along with a space to display warnings. Smartphone connectivity has now brought call/SMS alerts, missed call notifications and also the ability to access ride stats via the Bajaj ride connect app. The NS160’s instrument console offers turn-by-turn navigation, but the N160’s console misses out on it and is a bit of a letdown.

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Verdict

The N160 comes at a price of Rs 1,32,525, whereas the NS160 costs Rs 1,45,792. Both prices ex-showroom Delhi. Both bikes bring different things to the table and which bike should you take out of the two depends on what you are looking for, if sportier and more aggressive design along with the premium factor which is the inverted fork brings in, additionally with a bit of extra features like turn-by-turn navigation is what you want then the NS160 is the way to go. 

But if want a bike with better all-round performance and don't mind not having the turn-by-turn navigation feature and inverted fork, then the N160 is the right choice.