2023 Bajaj Pulsar NS 160 & NS 200 Review - Rejigging An Old Formula

oi-Dennis Abraham James

By Dennis Abraham James

Published: Tuesday, March 28, 2023, 19:38 [IST]

Since the arrival of the first Bajaj Pulsar over 20 years ago, that nameplate is the one that comes most to the mind of most Indians when they think of a 'sporty' everyday motorcycle.

Over those two decades, the Pulsar lineup has been rejigged quite a few times and the number of bikes bearing the nameplate has ebbed and flowed like the tides on the seas.

Bajaj's current route with the Pulsar has seen it bring out new 250cc flagships as well as newer bikes in the lower capacity categories. However, Bajaj has kept quite a few of its older-gen bikes around and as of today, there are 11 different Pulsars roaming our roads.

And it is two of these older bikes that Bajaj recently updated and sent out into the wild again - the NS 160 and the NS 200.

Both bikes feature major feature upgrades and updated engines. But what have these changes done to the 2023 Bajaj Pulsar NS 160 and NS 200? We got the chance to find out in Bangalore...

2023 Bajaj Pulsar NS 160 & NS 200 - What's Changed?

Both the Bajaj Pulsar NS 160 and NS 200 now feature upgraded engines that are compliant with newer BS-VI OBD 2 norms that come into effect in April. Both engines are now capable of running on E20 blended fuel as well.

However, engine outputs for both bikes have remained unchanged with the NS 160's engine pushing out just over 17bhp and 14.6Nm of peak torque. The NS 200's powerplant, on the other hand, still churns out 24.13bhp and 18.74Nm of peak torque. The NS 160 sports a 5-speed gearbox while the NS 200 gets an additional gear to play with.

The front suspension is a brand new upside-down fork setup for both the NS bikes which unlike the ones found on some of its rivals is not painted in a shouty gold paint scheme, which would have been appropriate in the case of the new NS 200 and 160.

Both NS series Pulsars also sport new Grimeca brakes borrowed from the flagship N250 and 250F. The new brakes measure 300mm at the front and a 230mm unit at the rear. Both bikes also feature dual-channel ABS as standard.

Both bikes also borrow the lightweight wheels from the flagship Pulsar 250s which means that the new 2023 NS 160 sports a wider 130/70-17 tyre at the rear.

There are a few cosmetic changes as well. Both bikes feature new stickering that do help enhance the muscular looks of these new NS Pulsars. The semi-digital instrument cluster may look the same but now features a new readout for distance to empty as well as a gear position indicator.

One thing that has changed but will not be liked by customers is the deletion of the centre stand in the NS 200 for better trackability...

2023 Bajaj Pulsar NS 160 & NS 200 Riding Impressions - What Have The Changes Done?

2023 Bajaj Pulsar NS 160

The Bajaj NS 160 continues to be a great all-rounder with its 160cc engine tuned to deliver a good mix of power and mileage. However, the engine can be a bit chatty at higher revs and will let you know its displeasure the closer you get to the red line.

This rather chatty engine coupled with the obvious vibrations (wish Bajaj had done something about that) and the short gearing (the gear shifts also feel a bit spongy) mean that the higher you go into the double digits the less you wish to push the NS 160.

This is a shame as the bike really does come alive when it gets over regular city speeds. At higher speeds, the NS 160 changes directions quite nicely thanks to the new USD forks. The 50:50 weight distribution also means that the NS 160 is quite neutral and easy to predict at higher speeds.

The ride quality, on the other hand, is slightly on the firmer side but not harsh enough to cause too many issues. The NS 160 glides over bumps and ruts with ease but when riding solo, the rear end does tend to jump about a bit.

2023 Bajaj Pulsar NS 200

The 2023 Bajaj NS 200 to features an engine updated for the new OBD 2 and flex-fuel rules. But the new norms don't seem to have had any effect on the powerplant.

The NS 200's engine is still as fruity as ever, providing power from low down with a good step up happening just over halfway through the needle's climb up the rev counter and all the way to 9,000rpm.

On the track at Meco Kartopia in Bangalore, the NS 200's engine showed off its racy nature as we managed to hit triple digits in 4th gear on the start-finish straight of the go-kart facility. The only gripe we had about the engine is that it is still a bit rattly and the revs can be felt through the clip-on bars over the 6,000rpm mark.

The biggest change comes in the form of the new USD forks and this has made the bike a whole lot more stable. The 2023 NS 200 feels a lot more eager to carve up corners and change direction than before.

However, the stiff suspension setup hasn't affected the ride quality, though the rear monoshock, like the one on the NS 160 has a bit too much rebound for our liking. Who knows maybe a slightly wider 140-section tyre could have helped things out with that particular problem.

Final Thoughts About The 2023 Bajaj Pulsar NS 160 & NS 200

The new Bajaj Pulsar NS 160 and NS 200 offer up quite a big upgrade in terms of the suspension setup along with a few other upgrades though the overall looks and most of the tech remain the same.

Out of the two new NS models, the Pulsar NS 200 would be the one we would choose thanks to its much more modern engine, sharp handling and the fact that it is just over Rs 12,000 dearer than the NS 160.