November 2013 launch for Bajaj Pulsar 375?

It won’t be even slightly wrong to say that the entry-level performance bike segment of fast growing Indian bike market is heating up to new levels of late.

Bajaj launched the much publicized Kawasaki Ninja 300 at the beginning of this year and has recently been in news for bringing the eagerly awaited KTM 390 Duke to us at a really alluring price point.

Such has been the effect of the newly launched KTM 390 Duke that it has not just excited everyone with INR 2 lakhs to spend on a new bike but has also tempted those with less deep pockets to wait and save some more. Heck, it has also suddenly made buying the Ninja 300, which retails for almost twice as much, look pointless to some. While we do believe that the Ninja 300 belongs to a slightly different segment and can teach many bikes a lesson or two in track manners, bike buyers who wish to have great power for city riding/touring and give two hoots about track riding can safely put their money on the 390 Duke and in the process, save a lot of dough.

In all this discussion, what all of us forgot was that Bajaj is readying itself to continue its performance bike onslaught with the launch of yet another 250cc-plus bike in near future.

Very much like how the launch of the 200 Duke was followed by the launch of the Pulsar 200NS, the advent of the 390 Duke will be followed by the arrival of the much hyped Pulsar 375.

As must be obvious to all, the upcoming Bajaj Pulsar 375cc variant is based on the new KTM Duke 390 and is looking poised to redefine the ‘affordable performance bike’ scene in the country.

Regulars here would remember that we reported a fair bit when first few spy pics of the upcoming Pulsar 375 surfaced on the cyber space. Thanks to all these pics, we now know that the Pulsar 375 would soon become the sportiest looking product by Bajaj ever.

Now, the latest news about the Bajaj Pulsar 375 is that the bike would be launched in India in the period of October-November. The news comes to us straight from some of the suppliers working in close relation with BAL for the development of the Pulsar 375.

The same sources have also told us that the P375 will not just become the first fully faired Bajaj bike but will also come with ABS (standard). There will be only one, fully loaded, variant.

Powering the Pulsar 375 will be a re-worked version of the 375cc, single cylinder motor that powers the 390 Duke (what else?). The re-tuned engine would have marginally lesser power output (approx 42PS) but would offer slightly more fuel economy. The bike could also have a genuine 150kmph-plus top speed.

It is being said that the new bike would have a price tag of about INR 1.7 lakhs.

We won’t be surprised if BAL pulls out yet another showstopper.

Go to next page for Bajaj Pulsar 375 pics and specs