May 25, 2014

Pulsar 200NS Not A Great Ride After All


The first time I rode the 200NS was right after its launch in Ahmedabad. Wasn't really a long one and I didn't get off the bike very convinced. The bump in power was palpable but over-all feeling not great. Felt unusually bulky and the fit and finish not to my liking.

I rode the 200NS again just a couple of days back. This one, a neighbor's bike. This gentleman upgraded from a Pulsar 150 to Pulsar 200. He just mentioned in one of the little conversations we strike often that he was really getting tired when he rode his 200NS in areas with dense traffic. He said, there was some problem with the handle-bar. Awkward to manoeuvre, felt heavy.

I asked him to let me go take a ride. He offered me to keep the bike for a couple of days and see how I felt.

Next day early morning post the conversation, I took the bike for a spin. This was longer than the earlier one. The instant I took a couple of turns I felt what he felt. And I recollected the earlier test-ride also. Straight-line acceleration is good but the bike feels unusually bulky, the handle feels heavy. Doesn't inspire confidence at turns, specially even at low speeds.

I wouldn't buy this bike. Has serious issues with normal everyday biking.