Road Test:Bajaj Pulsar 200

The Bajaj Pulsar 200 is a potent weapon for the spirited rider on a college-goer's budget. Gentlemen, lower those visors.

"Could a single cylinder motorcycle get any better than this?" The question I asked myself did seem somewhat uneducated and naive, but the strict diet of such bikes that I had grown up with could not be discounted. As I sat there on this new motorcycle, coasting at a generous 7000 revs in top gear with nearly no vibrations traveling through, I just had to marvel at its refinement. A small twist of the wrist, and the car I was lining up for an overtake was left far behind. This machine really was making me feel good. And therein lies the beauty of the new Bajaj Pulsar 200 DTSi. There just aren't enough Indian motorcycles being made today that would give enthusiasts their jollies. The starved lot is left lusting for foreign bikes that are way out of their reach, both monetarily and geographically. Despite the presence of the global bike biggies in India, it has ultimately taken an Indian manufacturer to understand the new generation of Indian motorcyclists. And we are pleased to sat that it has it done well.

The Pulsar brand has made a name for itself over the last few years - not courtesy blind faith in a marque, but solely on the basis of affordable and accessible bikes that have catered to a long standing demand. The latest of the lot comes in the form of the Pulsar 200. On paper, all that one might see is a cubic advantage of 20cc over its predecessor, the Pulsar 180 DTSi, but a quick spin makes it clear that this one comes from a different gene pool altogether. While the 180 was more of fairly quick city commuter, the 200 trudges closer to, dare I say, sportbike territory. Peer closer, and you shall see what makes it so different, and so exciting.

The 200 was developed jointly with Bajaj's flagship motorcycle, the more up-market Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi. Although this one breathes conventionally through a carburetor as opposed to its big-brother, bits and pieces from the premium bike have found their way into the 200, with results that should please the hooligan in you. First up and straight from the 220 engine is the oil cooler. Although the engine is still air-cooled (as opposed to being oil-cooled, as Bajaj likes to call it), the recirculation of engine oil through the small radiator up front means cooler oil, which in turn makes for a happier engine when it is being revved hard. And that, friends, is exactly the way she likes to be ridden.

The 67 x 56.4mm bore and stroke on the 200's nicely undersquare engine make its revvy intentions more than clear. Revving the 200 is thoroughly enjoyable, thanks to some great vibration damping that kills the vibes inherent to a single pot powerplant. It makes both its peak power and torque quite high-up in the rev-range as compared to conventional Indian singles - 18PS at 8000rpm and 17.68Nm at 6000 revs. What this means is that you really have to get the tacho needle moving if you want to see what the engine is capable of And
boy is it fun.