Pulsar Rs 200: Fast, fun and value for every penny

Bajaj has taken giant leaps with the new Pulsar RS 200 that offers commendable performance on the track and is practical for the road too, says Indian motoring website MotorBeam.

Bajaj Auto finally launched its highly awaited offering the Pulsar RS (Race Sport) 200, its first full-faired motorcycle ever. Tagged as the fastest Pulsar yet, the new RS 200 is also the most advanced motorcycle from Bajaj to go on sale and we sampled the bike first hand on the company's in-house test track in Chakan. With a few quick laps on the RS 200, we have to admit that Bajaj has indeed put in a lot of effort on its newest offering and here is what we take back from track test ride of the fastest Pulsar.

Talking about the design language, Bajaj's efforts in the design department clearly show as there is nothing similar between the RS 200 and the 200 NS. While both the bikes do share the same cycle parts, alloy wheels, instrumentation and switchgear, the RS 200 gets a more evocative and aggressive design language which emerges as striking. The attention grabbing details comprise of the twin projector headlamps, LED parking lights and the rather questionable LED clear lens tail light that is a bit too ostentatious for our liking.

The bike also gets a stubby exhaust instead of the underbelly unit seen on the 200 NS and all KTM models. While the styling may seem over-the-top for some, it does look proportionate in person and will surely grown on you with time. Coming to the more familiar unit, the digital-analog instrument cluster on the RS 200 has been carried over from the 200 NS and is easy to read, illuminated in blue. Packed with all essentials, the cluster does miss out on a gear position indicator, the only flaw witnessed on the otherwise sorted unit.

Powering the Bajaj Pulsar RS 200 is the same 199.5cc single-cylinder engine from the 200 NS, but has been heavily revised and is now equipped with fuel-injection as well as the Bosch ECU that is also seen on the RC 200 and is tuned to produce 24.5 PS at 9750 RPM and 18.6 Nm at 9000 RPM, paired to a 6-speed gearbox. The ECU though has been remapped on the RS 200 to perform differently and helped us hit a top whack of 151 km/hr (speedo indicated) while the company claims a top speed of 140.8 km/hr. Interestingly, the RS 200 redlines at 11,000 RPM which is 500 RPM higher than the KTM, but then the RC 200 is lighter than the Pulsar and also uses better components overall.

In terms of weight, the RS 200 is quite hefty at 165 kgs and is 20 kgs heavier than its street-fighter sibling. While the full-fairing contributes to a major part of that weight, additional equipment like twin projector headlamps and ABS also add to the weight of the bike. While the difference is significant, it does not creep in while riding once you get the hang of it. In fact, the weight aids in high-speed stability and the RS 200 feels glued even at triple digit speeds. That being said, the added weight does show in outright acceleration making the RS 200 slower than the KTM RC 200 in the low-end power band; whereas the top-end performance is good on the newest Pulsar.

The 6-speed gearbox offers smooth shifts supporting clutchless operation and Bajaj has made changes to the gearing that is now shorter and helps touch high speeds faster. The throttle response is also linear and compliments the single-cylinder motor with ample of power to play with. Unlike the KTM, the overall response is lot more composed and one does not need to be on high alert at all times to keep the power in control.

Complimenting the same are the ergonomics on the RS 200 that are both comfortable and sporty, and are also comfortable for the pillion rider. The bike isn't as quick with turn-ins but is still responsive and offers a good ride quality. The clip-on handlebars take some time to get used to though.

Aggressively riding on the test track, we did find a major issue with the position of the foot pegs on the Pulsar RS 200 that scrape when you lean aggressively restricting the rider to reach the bike's actual limit. Nonetheless, the MRF Zapper-S tyres are confidence inspiring and hold on to the tarmac at all times. When compared to the KTM RC 200, the Pulsar RS 200 isn't as sharp around the corners and need not be so, considering that it has a different set of buyers over the Austrian bike.

Apart from improving the power and riding dynamics on the RS 200, Bajaj has also improved the braking performance and the fastest Pulsar now comes equipped with a single-channel ABS unit that works only on the front wheel and is dearer by Rs 12,000 over the non-ABS variant. In addition, there is the 300 mm front disc brake (largest in the segment) and a 230 mm single disc brake at the rear. While stopping power is good, the rear does lock up under hard braking and in the end, you do feel the need of a dual-channel ABS unit on the bike.

If you want to purchase a tarmac scorching track machine within a budget, the KTM RC 200 makes the most sense ever. However, if it is something practical that you need which is fast, fun and offers value for every penny you pay, then the Pulsar RS 200 is the way to go forward.

Cheaper by a sizeable difference than the RC 200, the RS 200 offers a larger 13-litre fuel tank, higher redline, more comfortable ergonomics and definitely lower fuel consumption that makes it capable in all departments, if not the master in one.