Bajaj Auto has truly upped their game, and how

With the introduction of Pulsar in the first decade of this century, the Chakan-based bike maker had rightly gauged the pulse of the youth. Pulsar AS 150 just raises the notch further for competition, reckons Tanmay Pangam

It was back in early 2001 that the 'Indian Performance Motorcycling' segment was born. While the CBZ150 may have been first out of the blocks, it was Bajaj Auto that really lit up the segment and sparked off a revolution by launching their Pulsar range of motorcycles. Powered by a 150cc mill and following it up with an 180cc one, the Chakan-based bike maker had rightly gauged the pulse of the youth with the Pulsar.

Every subsequent iteration over the next decade and a half turned out to be a path-breaking one for Brand Pulsar. Alloy wheels, electric start, multi-spark engines and more -- Bajaj Auto held nothing back. The masses loved them and Pulsars flew like hot cakes from the showrooms. The past few years though, have been witness to some stonking machines and each one of them have been chipping away at the Pulsar range.

The Naked Sports (200NS) marked the dawn of a new era and the fully-faired RS200 was the initial salvo. With the brand new Pulsar AS (Adventure Sport) Twins (150 and 200), Bajaj Auto has merely begun to flex its two-wheeler chops a little. We took them for a quick spin around the twisty roads of Lavasa off the outskirts of Pune and returned mighty impressed. Bajaj has truly upped their game, and how!

If looks could kill

The AS or the Adventure Sport range has been designed to encourage fans to experience a world that's not always smooth tarmac. It isn't an off-roading platform in the truest sense, but it does have enough fire-power to take on the rough roads and other infrastructural challenges that are a part of life here.

Both the, AS200 and the AS150 come dressed with looks to kill. Approaching the bikes, one takes in the smart looking Quarter Fairing and that projector lamp set up nestled behind the smoked windscreen. The eyes flow easy over a beefy tank that comes complete with a nifty tank-pad and pays homage to the Pulsar DNA. The gorgeous star-shaped alloys complete the package and that bright red shade looks ravishing, while the minimalist sticker work does a wonderful job of focussing attention on the bike.

The cockpit cluster and switchgear controls are quality stuff, with the fit and finish levels being especially noteworthy. The sticky turn-indicator was the only fly-in-the-ointment, but it could have been a problem with our test-bike, so we'll reserve final comment on that. Overall, the designers seem to have walked the tightrope of sport-comfort and we love how the AS200 and AS150 grab the eyeballs on the road.

The heart of things

It isn't just form over function though and the AS Twins come with enough fire-power to take the battle to the competition. The liquid-cooled AS200 mill is essentially the same as the NS200 cousin, but has been suitably worked upon. Bajaj Auto have redone some important bits to offer improved power delivery and the 199.5 cc mill now develops 23bhp with 18.3Nm torque on tap.

The AS150 on the other hand, comes with an all-new engine and is the star of the show. A 4-valve affair, the 149.5cc Twin-Spark DTS-i motor has been developed from the ground up and is said to share nothing with the previous gen avataar. With 16.5bhp on tap and 13Nm torque, the AS150 is the new king of the 150cc air-cooled game.

The motor revs freely and the linear throttle response lends to a smooth getaway. Sporting a strong mid-range and a clean shifting box, the five-speeder is a marked improvement over the its ancestors. Given that we were in the twisties of Lavasa, we couldn't quite test the straight line speed of the AS150, but with the performance on tap, she shouldn't be a slouch on the highway. Bajaj Auto have done a commendable job on improving the NVH levels and the lack of vibes is fantastic. The smoothness of the mill is evident right from the word go, as you thumb the starter and release the featherlight clutch.

Ride and handling

The AS150 is a corner-carvers delight. The new perimeter frame is the star here and it is amazing just how easy she is to lean into the corner. On the suspension front, the dual-telescopic shocks up front and the Nitrox mono at the rear offer a plush ride that kept us well comforted on the broken patches. However, we'd still love to see a true-adventure spec suspension and quality off-roading rubber to truly explore the potential of the AS150. On the braking front, we were a lil' apprehensive about that 130 mm diameter rear drum brake, but out in real-world conditions it proved to be adequate. The 240 mm disc up front too was the same, though we'd love to have had a more progressive feel. On the whole, the braking does scrub speed confidently, but there's always scope for improvement.

The seating position on the AS150 isn't overtly sporty like it's fully faired sibling, but is sufficient to keep the thrill going. If you are a vertically challenged rider like me, then you'll have to be careful when getting on and off the bike. The pillion too has to put in some effort, given the split-seating arrangement, but once in the saddle, it offers enough support. This one here is positioned more like a sporty tourer and it fulfills it's purpose to the T.

When it comes to playing the value card, there's no better player than Bajaj Auto and the 150 too benefits from this. Thus, when it comes to the price-to-performance factor, the AS150 wins over its 200cc sibling. It also manages to undercut its rivals by over Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000 and that is a significant price advantage to have over the competition. We won't comment on the fuel efficiency due to lack of sufficient testing time, but going by the pedigree, this one too is sure to stretch that fuel rupee to the maximum.

The AS150 is aimed at customers who prefer everyday comfort with a blend of sportiness. It isn't an outright off-roader or adventure motorcycle in the truest sense, but I doubt if the buyers shall mind. For they have a great looking motorcycle that promises to offer thousands of fuss-free kilometres on the road. In the end, the peace of mind factor together with the low purchase/maintenance costs associated with the Bajaj Auto badge and the kit on offer, promise to power the Pulsar AS150 and AS200 into a lot many homes across the country.

The Pulsar AS 150 is priced at Rs 87,000 (approx) as the ex-showroom is Rs 79,000, while the AS 200 is exactly the same price as 200NS.

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