Pics of the Day: March 18th 2019 – Bajaj Pulsar RS 200

The Pulsar RS 200 is Bajaj’s first and only fully faired motorcycle. Launched in late-2015, the bike got modern bits similar to the NS 200 but ushered in fuel-injection, which bumped power up by 1PS. The bike, though, came with a polarising design and the loud graphics did not help matters either. The Pulsar RS 200 receives its second update in the form of a revised engine to comply with BS-IV norms that will come into effect from April 2017. Bajaj also took the opportunity to refresh, or rather clean up the aesthetics to make the bike easy on the eyes. Actually matching the motorbike to this great girl makes even easier on the eyes …

The Bajaj Pulsar is a motorcycle brand owned by Bajaj Auto in India. The two wheeler was developed by the product engineering division of Bajaj Auto in association with Tokyo R&D, and later with motorcycle designer Glynn Kerr. Currently there are six variants available, with engine capacities of 135 cc, 150 cc, 180 cc, 200 cc, 220 cc and 400 cc (Renamed Dominar before release). Earlier it was also offered with a 200 cc DTS-i oil cooled engine, which now has been discontinued. Instead a new version Pulsar 200NS was launched in 2009. However Pulsar 200NS production was discontinued in August 2015 (reintroduced in early 2017 with BS IV Emission compliance and renamed the NS200). With average monthly sales of around 86,000 units in 2011, Pulsar claimed a 2011 market share of 47% in its segment. By April 2012, more than five million units of Pulsar were sold. In 2018, they celebrated selling over 1 crore Pulsars backed an exclusive TV commercial and a marquee ride to in 6 cities to write “PULSAR” on a pre-defined route.
Before the introduction of the Pulsar, the Indian motorcycle market trend was towards fuel efficient, small capacity motorcycles (that formed the 80–125 cc class). Bigger motorcycles with higher capacity virtually did not exist (except for Royal Enfield Bullet with 350cc and 500cc variants). The launch and success of Hero Honda CBZ in 1999 showed that there was demand for performance bikes. Bajaj took the cue from there on and launched the Pulsar twins (150cc and 180cc) in India on 24 November 2001. Since the introduction and success of Bajaj Pulsar, Indian youth began expecting high power and other features from affordable motorcycles.