Do we have hints of YZF-R1 in Bajaj Pulsar 375cc variant’s styling?

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Bajaj Auto Ltd (BAL) can safely be credited for raising the bar in Indian performance bike segment. It hasn’t been much time since BAL launched the much hyped Kawasaki Ninja 300 in India and the boffins at Bajaj are already readying themselves to come up with the equally publicized KTM Duke 390. Bajaj’s product onslaught won’t end with the launch of the bigger Katoom. Other than launching half a dozen Discover variants and an entry level Pulsar variant, BAL will also be soon seen coming up with a new flagship Pulsar that will be loosely based on the KTM 390. The upcoming Pulsar will be to the KTM 390 Duke what the Pulsar 200NS is to the 200 Duke.

Powering the Pulsar 375 will be a re-worked version of the 375cc, single cylinder motor that powers the Duke 390 (what else?).The Bajaj Pulsar 375’s motor could feature a triple spark plug layout that was first seen on the 200NS and the 375’s engine is being expected to have a power output of 38-42HP.

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The Bajaj Pulsar 375, which will be the big daddy of all Pulsars ever, will take a few design cues from the 200NS and could become the sportiest looking product of BAL for at least some years. While we were guessing that the upcoming Pulsar 375 will look much like a larger 200NS, various spy pics that have suddenly surfaced on the cyber space show that the P375 won’t exactly look like a bigger sibling of the 200nNS.

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Don’t get us wrong as careful observation reveals that the P375 sports the same instrument cluster that is found on the Pulsar 200NS. Even the paint on the blue-yellow bike that you see here seems to have been taken from the paint-options of the new generation 200cc Pulsar. Other similar details include the typical Pulsar aircraft type fuel lid, a similar cowl around the instrument panel and tank design that has a hint of that of the 200NS. Yet another Bajaj connection is the indicator set, which seems to have been taken from the KTM Duke parts bin.

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However, the similarities end here and while the 200NS is more of a naked streetfighter, the P375 will be the first fully faired Bajaj bike and will sport twin projector headlights setup. These spy pics have created quite a mixed response from our biker friends. While there indeed is a large section who is glad to know that the P375 will look as sporty as any international sportsbike in its class, there also are some purists and die-hard superbike fans who say that there is too much a hint of the 2013 Yamaha YZF-R1 in the new Pulsar 375. Much of this can be attributed to the twin headlight setup, the air intake and the general form of the fairing.

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We aren’t too dismissive of the upcoming Pulsar’s styling as there is nothing new with seeing an emerging auto manufacturer taking design cues from much more established brands. Rather, we are quite happy to see that Bajaj is steadily inching closer towards the biggies in the world of performance bikes, doesn’t matter if it has to take some ‘inspiration’ from them for its growth.

Without beating too much around the bush, we conclude by saying that the bike’s sporty styling (that is reminiscent of the holy R1), coupled with around 40bhp of power and usual Pulsar hooliganism, should really be a treat for us performance bike hungry blokes.

What is even better is that the new bike is expected to retain the Pulsar’s value-for-money proposition and is expected to come with a price tag of about INR 2 lakhs.

What do you say? Is R1-inspiration for the next Pulsar flagship a turn-off for you? Do let us know by commenting.

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Bajaj Pulsar 375 Speculated Specifications:

Engine: 4 stroke water-cooled single cylinder

Engine capacity: 373.2cc

Torque: 32Nm at 7,250rpm

Power: 41.5HP at 9,000pm

Transmission: 6-speed

Dry Weight: 142Kg

Clutch: Hydraulic operated

Fuel system: EFI

Ignition system: Bosch EMS83

Images courtesy  PowerDrift and AutocarIndia

2 thoughts on “Do we have hints of YZF-R1 in Bajaj Pulsar 375cc variant’s styling?”

  1. Its a sure shot winner… It will popularise the segment…

    I own a Pulsar 200NS and im really happy with it..

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