Feb 20, 2006 04:39 PM
3278 Views
(Updated Feb 20, 2006 04:39 PM)
Returning to white board after a few months is making feel a little lazy and it is adding up to my laid-back approach to this review.
In contradiction to my perception and ideologies, today am owning a Pulsar 150cc (KS), RED. I have been riding this for a good 6 months now and have put a decent 6K kms. Mmm.....am yet to convince myself if this really is the BEST bike in the country today (thats the summary).
Goodies about this bike include LOOKS :-), Seating (am comfy....atleast), Good mileage for a bike like this (55kmpl), progressive torque in 4th and 5th gears (this is what impressed me the most).
Cud hv been better (being a Bajaj and the market leader in this segment)....viz., switch quality, quality of plastic, gaps in console, paint quality, harsh handle grips.
Disappointments....
1) Hard Kicker.
2) Transmission (they still use the same mechanicals used in Bajaj chetaks way back in 1960 or are they re-using them). My mother can hear me change the gear from the kitchen. Is Bajaj cutting cost by not putting a good roller ball or any other damn thing that can make the gear shift smoother. Havent they ever rode a Unicorn or any HH bike??
3) The engine is still not the smoothest. And those who call this a Tiger's growl...please visit a zoo where u can find a real tiger and hear it growl. This one sounds like a tiger with a soar throat. Its a shame on Bajaj. 0/10.
4) Single horn....bcoz the battery is not same as Sefl Start. Ha...Ha...Ha... cost cutting again.
5) The Idling looses the setting on its own and has to be set often (atleast once in a month). I have never seen this happenning on any bike and that too on a new one.
6) The saree guard(provided by Bajaj showroom) hits the wheel bolt when the bike goes over a pothole or hump(with pillion). This is a big Design flaw and nothing more than that. It only shows that Bajaj does not cater to the minute details. And they charge extra for this (its not part of the package for KS)
Above all this, the so called technology DTSI and Exhaustec, are hardly noticeable to a layman (like me).
While there has been a constant upgradation drive from Bajaj and have been churning out bikes calling them NEW or UPGRADED, its does not justify if they put an extra spark plug and call it DTSI. The techology should translate to a good riding experience which is what a biker will look forward to.
With the new bikes from TVS hope the monopoly of Bajaj will vanish. Atleast, people should stop buying these bikes blindly.
My personal opinion - Pulsar is an OK bike and does not warrant the ''Hoo..Hoo..Haa....Haa'' what the media and the public have been doing. Its just that the stars are good for Bajaj and Pulsar.
