Ride and Handling
At first glance, the RS200 might look like an uncomfortable machine. It is fully faired, and motorcycling conventions dictate that they possess more extreme ergonomics and firmer seats than their naked counterparts.
We couldn’t be more wrong here. The three-piece clip-ons on risers have a new design, but they are pulled back slightly towards the rider for a more comfortable reach. The rider’s footpegs are also rear-set, but not so much that they start cramping your legs after a short ride. This endows the RS200 with a slightly leaned forward posture, but not anywhere as extreme as the KTM RC200 or the Yamaha YZF-R15. While that might be a deterrent for some riders who want to be in constant attack mode, it will be welcomed by the vast majority of the Pulsar’s fan base who use it on the street.
The seat on the Pulsar is also much broader and well-padded than the two. It is soft and comfortable, and, with those generous knee-recesses, you can forget about bum ache on long rides.
Bajaj’s test track is one of the most well-paved stretch of tarmac this side of the country, private or otherwise. While it means that you can hustle a sporty bike on it as fast as the tyres and your courage would allow, it also isn’t the most conducive place for testing a bike’s ride quality. The Pulsar RS200 certainly felt like it has benefited from the numerous small changes to the chassis and cycle parts but we can’t really state it with surety until our proper road test.
What we can report is that this is the best handling Pulsar ever. Bajaj has decreased the rake angle by 1 degree for sharper and quicker turn-ins into corners. They have reduced the wheelbase by 5mm and lowered it by 6mm, making it more agile than before. And these changes show up on the track, when you are pushing the RS to its limits. It is easier to tip into tight corners, and maintaining a line is much easier than it was on the 200NS.
Perhaps the biggest influence to the RS’s newfound handling ability comes from the new MRF Nylogrip Zapper S tyres, 100/80-17 at the front and 130/70-17 at the rear, both tubeless. Made from softer compound rubber than before, these tyres impart the RS with excellent grip, even when you’re tipped precariously to one side and the only thing that’s separating you from the road is two slivers of rubber. They aren’t in the same league yet as the super grippy Metzelers that does duty on the KTMs, but the MRFs will last longer in our opinion, and also prove to be lighter on the wallet in the long run.
Then there’s the ABS. Unlike standard ABS that works both wheels, the Pulsar RS200 employs a single-channel system, to keep costs down. Although you will see the ABS sensors on both wheels, it works its magic only on the front wheel. So if you hit both brakes hard, the electronics will keep the front wheel from locking up, but the rear wheel will still lock up given enough pressure.
Bajaj’s stance is that it is better to get the still cost-conscious Indians hooked onto the safety benefits of ABS, rather than giving them no ABS at all. A full ABS system would undoubtedly cost a lot more than the ₹12,000 premium that they’re charging right now. And maybe, just maybe, this will also induce more Indians to use the front brake more, as all bikers ought to.
We were a bit skeptical when we first heard of it, but this setup works pretty well in practice. Yes, it is not as foolproof as the real deal, but upsetting the bike’s composure under hard braking is nigh impossible if done right. I normally use a 70/30 to 80/20 brake pressure distribution on the track. Braking this way, the Pulsar never felt threatening, and it never felt like it was going to skid at any point. You do get that slightly spongy feeling that is indicative of all ABS systems, but that is still a small price to pay for the safety net that ABS offers you, especially on our less than perfect roads. With the new soft-compound MRFs, this makes it the safest Pulsar to ride hard.
Click here for detailed image gallery with captions of the Bajaj Pulsar RS200
Best one by Bajaj… Finally a new and fresh look to the pulsar series…
Thank you for your feedback, Vivek. We don’t believe in unnecessary criticism just for the sake of it; if you are criticizing a product you have to have the facts to back it up. You must have missed the part where we gave it negative points on design and styling. Other than that, the RS 200 is a pretty great step-up for Bajaj, so we stand by our words.