Will the Next Pulsar Sport a 250cc Engine?

The name ‘Pulsar’ has always been a sensational brand in India, Right? The initial tagline of this brand ‘Definitely Male’ was the phrase that could best explain this best seller from Bajaj. The Pulsar brand along with the Discover has been the prime reason for the consistently outperforming sales figures.

The initial Pulsar without the Headlamp fairing was a breath stopper in terms of looks. Then came the same bike to the market with an addition of a macho looking fairing. Following it was the one with a Fox Eyed Headlamp and a more sharp rear end and brake lamps. The story is still not over. The ones on the road now boast of a small aerodynamic scoop along the fuel tank on both the sides. In that way the present Pulsars are to be named as ‘Forth Generation Pulsars’. After the dismissal of Pulsar 200 by Bajaj Auto, the Pulsar brand presently boasts of 4 models ranging from 135 cc to 220 cc.

All the upgrades that this bike has received so far have only added up to the gorgeousness of its looks. Now, as many of us know (or atleast as BikeAdvice readers know), Mr. Rajiv Bajaj had said earlier that the Pulsar brand of motorbikes are due to get an upgrade by the month of September this year. Every single biker in the country is eagerly awaiting to know what will the next generation Pulsar look like.

At this point of time, I would say it’s too early to get into the visual concept of the bike. My question is why shouldn’t this upgrade from Bajaj be a technical one unlike a mere facelift (as most of the case with Indian bikes). 250 cc bikes in India is the new category that has opened up really well. It is also a logical shift to people who wants to experience what Power Biking means on the lowest end. Right now, there are only 2 offerings in this category – Kawasaki Ninja 250R and the Honda CBR 250R. I don’t have to remind you the fact that the price difference between these 2 bikes in the same displacement range is very vast.

Understanding the depth of this segment in India, many new offerings are on the way. Honda might launch its naked bike – The VTR 250 in some time soon. Yamaha lovers are eagerly awaiting for the R25. Hyosung is more likely to launch its GT 250R sooner next year. Rumours suggest that Suzuki might also get into this arena to box against its competitors.

Now, don’t you think this is the time from Bajaj Auto to come up with a perfect 250 cc bike for the Indian market which could flip the market towards the manufacturer as it happened with the launch of Pulsar. Why shouldn’t the yet to be launched upgraded Pulsar house a 250 cc engine in the engine compartment?

Also, one has to note the point that Bajaj is capable of developing a new engine now. Adding to its flagship DTS-i and DTSS-i technology, it has the KTM platform with it based on which new engines can be developed. In order to give a tough fight to the 250 cc bikes in India, the Pulsar 250 is the potential bike from the company.  There has been a common issue with the brand that these Pulsars are not capable of performing to its greatest in race tracks. Let’s hope at this juncture that Bajaj comes up with a high performing sport bike in the disguise of Pulsar 250.

The earlier speculations about this bike suggests that the designing cues are inspires from Pulsar 135 LS. It is likely to sport a 250cc single cylinder, oil cooled 4 stroke engine with 4 valves. It is also expected that this bike would boast of a mono-shock suspension which would increase the suspension of the bike to a greater extent as in the case of Yamaha and Honda bikes. The engine should be capable of producing 24 to 26 Ps of power. Tyres should be fatter that the present ones so as to offer an excellent road grip for the machine. Expect the price of this bike to be in the price band of 1.2 – 1.3 lakhs.

Will the Faster than the Fastest Indian arrives in India this September? What is the chance that the next Pulsar from Bajaj’s stable will house a 250 cc engine. Will you prefer such a product from Bajaj. Leave your comments on the topic below.

Regards,
M.Naren.
Author – BikeAdvice.in