Almost all members of the extensive Bajaj Pulsar family have received the mandatory ABS update. The Bajaj Pulsar 160 NS ABS and 150 Neon ABS are the latest to receive the safety feature.
The only Pulsar variant not to offer ABS yet is the entry-level Pulsar 135 LS which is expected to be replaced by the new 125 variant (already on sale in international markets). As per the government’s new safety regulations 125 cc+ two wheelers must be equipped with ABS while the smaller engined models must have Combi Braking System (CBS).
The Bajaj Pulsar 160 NS ABS is priced at INR 85,939 (ex-showroom) which is INR 6,656 more than the non-ABS variant (to be sold through certain outlets till the stocks last). Save for the ABS update, the naked street fighter has no other mechanical changes. The ABS equipped version is expected to reach showrooms across the country in the coming weeks. Bajaj is likely to have a soft launch like it had for other Pulsar models.
The Bajaj Pulsar 150 Neon ABS too has been introduced. With a price tag of INR 67,386 (ex-showroom), the ABS version is only INR 1,940 dearer than the standard model. Neon is essentially a slightly spruced up version of the aging 150 cc commuter. Compared to the regular Pulsar 150, the Neon variant features contrast colored accents, and a matte black color option (with yellow accents).
The Pulsar 160 NS ABS continues to be powered by the 160.3 cc air-cooled engine which develops 15.5 hp at 8,500 rpm and 14.6 Nm of torque at 6,500 rpm. The Pulsar 150 Neon’s 149 cc air-cooled unit is good enough for 15 hp at 9,000 rpm and 12 Nm of torque at 6,500 rpm.
The Bajaj lineup will see another wave of updates which is expected to commence towards the end of this year or early next year. The objective of this is to make the products compliant with the stringent BS-VI emission norms that are set to kick in from April 2020. This exercise would have a significant cost impact on the products since complying with the new emission norms would involve significant re-engineering of the powertrain. So, there could be a comprehensive revision of the Pulsar family’s variant lineup. The number of engines are expected to be reduced and fuel injection is likely to be standard.
