The Pulsar 150 AS is positioned as an adventure tourer+commuter motorcycle with a ton of goodies, says Indian motoring website MotorBeam.
The Pulsar is no less than a legend in the Indian two-wheeler market and has evolved well over the years, complimenting Bajaj Auto's strategy of massification of bikes in the country. With the new Pulsar 150 AS (Adventure Sport), the manufacturer has brought up an adventure-cum-tourer motorcycle to the market that offers an adventure feel, touring capabilities but with the attributes of a sporty commuter that it originally has been. We took the new Pulsar 150 AS for a spin across the twisties in the mid of summer and here is what we felt about Bajaj's maiden attempt at building an adventure tourer.
Bajaj got it right the first time round when they designed the Pulsar 200 NS (Naked Sport) and the styling has been carried over on the Pulsar 150 AS as well, albeit with some changes. Based on the new perimeter frame, the new 150 AS gets a semi-fairing that comes with a striking design complimenting the remainder of the bike and gets equipped with a single projector headlamp (segment only) with twin LED pilot lamps and a big clear visor on the top. The new semi-fairing is aerodynamic as well and comes with striking design cues and character lines. The fuel tank does get some changes to match the fairing. At the rear, the tail tidy has been replaced by a conventional mudguard while the tyre hugger has been given a miss. The 10-spoke alloy wheels look good but the tyres are smaller and rob that brawny appearance. The Pulsar 150 AS also gets an underbelly exhaust and the overall tail section is the same as the 200 NS. We did find some panel gaps though on the test bike, which was disappointing.
Bajaj Auto is recycling parts throughout the new age Pulsar series, which means that the Pulsar 150 AS gets the same three-part instrumental cluster as the bigger models and comes with an analog tachometer in the centre, digital display unit on the right and all the tell tale lights on the left. The console comes with white illumination as its older siblings and gets placed on the fairing like the RS 200, making the handle lighter. The switchgear quality has improved marginally over the ones seen on the Pulsar 200 NS.
Bajaj has positioned the Pulsar 150 AS as an adventure tourer+commuter which gives it one of the best riding seating ergonomics. The bike comes with an upright seating position, clip-on handlebars, curves on the fuel tank that provide grip and a medium soft seat with decent under-thigh support. The suspension setup has been carried over from the 200 NS and is soft, matching the bike's kerb weight of 143 kgs. The rear setup comprises of a Nitrox gas-charged monoshock and offers good stability and comfort. The overall suspension is appreciable and the bike will accept riders of all ages and sizes almost immediately.
Power on the 2015 Pulsar 150 AS comes from the new 149.5cc single-cylinder motor that churns out 17 PS at 9500 RPM and 13 Nm of torque at 7000 RPM, paired to a 5-speed gearbox. The powerplant is class leading in power and pulls till 11,000 RPM. The engine gives decent top-end performance courtesy of the 4-valves, which is originally robbed off due to the longer stroke engine. That said, the bike feels the best in the mid-range between 6000-9000 RPM. Bajaj has done a great job with the NVH levels on the 150 AS and the bike cools down quickly as well thanks to the new wavy engine fins. The vibes have been reduced on the 150 AS but are still felt on the handlebars and footpegs. Power delivery is linear throughout the rev range and comes in at higher revs doing justice to the bike's tourer name tag. In terms of fuel efficiency, the 150 AS will easily return around 50 km/l in day-to-day riding conditions.
Thanks to the sorted ergonomics, the 2015 Pulsar 150 AS is enjoyable. The bike gets thinner tyres over competition, but the MRF tyres do provide ample amount of grip. The motorcycle is compliant to sharp corners, but you are bound to scrape the main stand when you lean hard. The semi-fairing and front visor aid in good aerodynamics and given that it is 1 kg lighter than the old generation Pulsar 150, it responds better to rider input. This Pulsar gets a low centre of gravity, while braking performance is better from the 240 mm front disc and the 130 mm drum brake setup. The Pulsar 150 AS definitely boasts of road presence.
The Pulsar 150 AS appeals to the youth and the experienced alike, given its position as an all-rounder that also happens to be the most value for money offering in the segment. For an asking price of Rs 79,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi), the Pulsar 150 AS is the only bike in its segment that offers a projector headlamp, petal disc brake and perimeter frame. The styling is sharp and is further enhanced by the semi-fairing with the large visor. Bajaj Auto has been extending the Pulsar brand name into newer territories and the 150 AS (Adventure Sport) is a key element to its future plans.
