It's been an eventful year till now for Bajaj Auto with the launch of the new Dominar, followed by the 2017 edition of its Pulsar range. The Indian two wheeler maker is now gearing up to introduce a much talked about offering - Pulsar NS160 - and was caught testing across the country recently. Sources close to Bajaj have told Carandbike that the Pulsar NS160 launch is scheduled to take place towards the end of July this year and will be the seventh Pulsar to go on sale from the company.
The newest Bajaj Pulsar NS160 (Naked Sport) has been on sale in a host of markets for a while now including Nepal and Turkey. The bike maker aims to position the 160 NS as a premium offering to compete against the Suzuki Gixxer, Honda CB Hornet 160R and TVS Apache RTR 160 in the segment. Do note that the Pulsar NS160 will not be a replacement to the aging Pulsar 150 in the company's line-up. The model is Bajaj's bestselling motorcycle from the Pulsar range, registering over an average of 30,000 units every month, and the demand won't be going down just yet.
The 2017 Bajaj Pulsar 160 mimics the styling on the NS200
In essence the Bajaj Pulsar NS160 is made to look like a smaller version of the Pulsar NS200 that was relaunched earlier this year. The 160 NS also uses a perimeter frame, while the engine is an all-new 160.3 cc oil-cooled unit. In the international markets, the motor is tuned for 15.2 bhp and 14.6 Nm of peak torque, paired to a 5-speed gearbox. Expect to see similar power figures on the Indian model as well.
In comparison, the Bajaj Pulsar 150 makes 13.8 bhp and 13.4 Nm of torque whereas the Pulsar 180 makes 17 bhp and 14.2 Nm of torque. While the new Pulsar 160 NS sits right in the middle of the older Pulsars, expect to the model to be lighter and therefore slightly more responsive. Needless to say, the motor will be BS-IV compliant while also come equipped with auto headlamp on (AHO) function. The instrument console is also derived from the NS200.
The Bajaj Pulsar NS160 has started arriving at dealerships
The Pulsar NS160 is a replacement to the AS150 of sorts and is expected to be priced at a slight premium over the Pulsar 150 and 180. Dealerships suggest that the NS160 will be priced around Rs. 85,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi). Expect more details on the Pulsar NS160 to unfold in the following weeks leading up to the launch. Make sure to keep watching this space for all the updates.
