Ergonomics and Handling
The new Pulsar Adventure duo is targeted for long highway rides and hence ergonomics are a crucial part of the design. The Pulsar 200NS had a comfortable, straight forward riding stance and the adventure duo are not much different either. But the AS150 and the AS200 earn brownie points for better aerodynamics due to the semi fairing and the windshield that diverts the air away from the rider hence giving a relaxed ride experience. Both motorcycles feel a little heavy but that’s a positive as the extra weight adds to the highway stability of the motorcycle.
I’m 5’9″ tall and the riding position was spot on for me. With the easily accessible handlebar and a perfectly located footpegs, the rider’s triangle was just what I look forward to in a touring motorcycle. What about relatively shorter people? My colleague who was accompanying me for the photo shoot is about 5’4″ which helped us get a wider perspective of the ergonomics. Was he uncomfortable? Not at all!
But that does not mean that you would have to put in an extra effort to tackle the corners? To a certain extent, yes. The added weight, does rob some bit of the cornering ability from the AS150 and AS200. Further adding to the woes is the Eurogrip rubber on the AS200 test motorcycles that was bit of a let down. The tyres are not bad but they don’t give you the confidence to enter hard into the corners. Bajaj has some plans for the tyres though. Bajaj will soon offer an optional soft compound MRF Nylogrip on the AS200 which should offer better grip. Surprisingly, the relatively skinnier MRF tyres on the AS150 performed better than I expected.
The suspension setup on the AS150 and AS200 was no different. The tuning matched the characteristics of the two motorcycles as minor pot holes didn’t seem to exist on the roads. At the same time, the level of tune was sufficiently stiff for better handling. The well set suspension, along with sufficiently padded saddle, will surely let riders clock more miles with lesser halts. While the motorcycle is capable of riding on broken, slightly uneven surfaces, it is not meant for serious off-roading and taking it off the tarmac is not advisable.
All in all, both motorcycles perform their assigned duties quite well. Yes, they do feel out of their element when you try to go knee down but that’s not what it is meant to do. What is our final word?
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