Bajaj Pulsar 150 DTSi Review

 10 yrs on road and successfully running

My Ratings- 4/5

This is my first attempt for writing review of a vehicle. I am not a moto-expert so may not be able to satisfy your requirements from a review. As always, feedbacks and scope for improvements are always welcome.

I purchased Bajaj Pulsar 150 DTSi in July 2010 and there was no dilemma while making decisions. There were very few bikes in the market in 150cc category. Few available were CBZ Extreme (I didn’t like the looks at all), Hunk (there were all the wrong reviews and it is termed as a failure) and Unicorn (I don’t want to take risk as it was newly launched). 

For information, DTSi is Digital Twin Spark Ignition, and is patented Bajaj Auto technology. Simply said, it uses two spark plugs (in place of one) per engine cylinder. Two spark plugs at either end of combustion chamber help in faster and better combustion.


Origin

If you remember the launch of Hero Honda CBZ in year 2000 you will be aware that it became a huge success because of its awesome looks and power. Bajaj launched Pulsar very next year in competition with CBZ. Initially it didn’t get much response as it was macho looking but gradually it picked up the market. With time both Hero Honda and Bajaj modified CBZ and Pulsar, but the public neglected the changes in CBZ whereas Pulsar is still among the most-loved bike in India.

Pulsar was launched on November 24, 2001 and till date 5 upgrades (UG I, II, III, IV & 4.5) have been released for Pulsar 150- the latest in 2010.

Specifications

Type: 4-stroke, DTSi, Single cylinder, Air-cooled
Displacement: 149.01cc
Maximum Power: 15.06 HP @ 9000 RPM
Maximal Torque: 12.5 N-m @ 6500 RPM
Gear Box: 5 Speed
Wheel Base: 1320mm
Wheels: 17? Alloy wheels
Brakes: 240mm disc (front), 130mm drum (rear)
Fuel Capacity: 15L (with 2L reserve)
Dimensions: 1990mm (L), 1035mm (H), 750mm (W)
Weight: 130kgs

Looks & Design

The looks of the bike are no doubt among the best in this range. It has some uniqueness that makes it different from the mass. The most noticeable feature of this bike is its big tank with aerodynamic flaps that give a feeling of big bike. There is a very attractive 3-dimensional Pulsar logo on fuel tank that adds value to the bike. The looks are razor sharp, whether you notice it from front or rear.

It has got digital speedometer, that displays the speed, fuel status, battery indicator, distance traveled etc. There is a digital trip meter that can record data of two trips. There is side stand warning light & low fuel warning light.

The Bajaj had introduced automatic turn-off indicators in latest version of pulsar. It is very reliable and work well in sharp turning. It has got twin LED lamp at the rear that is quite sporty looking.

The electric supply is full 12V DC that gives better starting and uniform illumination at all speeds and even at stand still.

It is available in four beautiful colors- Midnight Black, Plasma Blue, Cocktail Wine Red and Misty Grey Silver.

Performance

This bike is a combination of power, style and mileage. The bike runs well at higher speed and has good grip on road. You will not get the pleasure of Enfield by riding it but still it will be a good experience. When I am on highways, 80kms is normal speed and you will not even feel it if you don’t look at speedometer.

The riding posture is very comfortable. You will not feel backache even if you ride long distance. The rear suspensions are not so effective and you will feel even small breakers and humps. Both the disc and drum brakes are very effective.

I used to drive Bajaj Caliber before this bike and compare to that I have felt that the engine of pulsar of very noisy. In my old bike, there was almost no sound in neutral condition, but in pulsar it is comparatively very noisy. But the engine sound is almost constant at all speed, and once it is running at higher speed you only feel the thrill.

Gear shifting is a major problem in this bike. Suppose you are driving at higher speed at fifth gear and shift the gear to forth position, then you will hear a prominent sound and sometime the shift is not very smooth. So normally you have to reduce the speed and then shift the gear, and then again increase the speed.

The bike is very fuel efficient-much more than I expected. I am easily getting a mileage of around 55kmpl. But I am driving in remote area so the actual mileage may differ in heavy traffic. Still you may easily get around 47-50kmpl.

Lovable features

1. Good mileage considering the high power.
2. Good grip on road and good control.
3. Looks and design.
4. Good and comfortable riding posture.
5. Comparatively good resale value.
6. Side-stand warning indicator.
7. Full black body.
8. Headlight and tail light gets on with ignition. There is no need to start bike.

Needs improvement

1. Gear shifting- It is not as smooth as used to be in other bikes. But once you are used to it, it will not be a problem for you.
2. Noisy engine compared to other bikes in this category.

Bajaj Service

The bike comes with three free services, to be completed with in six months. After that you can opt for AMC at discount rates. Personally I feel that the routine service is just eyewash and there is not much done by them. They don’t even follow the instructions written on the back of free service receipts. It’s more than a year and I have serviced my bike seven times and they never have checked air pressure, leave aside other things.

Once a small sensor (spare part) was missed somewhere and the service center make me waited for many days. Ultimately I have to make online complaint at their customer center and then they took urgent action.

Finally

Leave aside all the petty service issues (these issues may vary from center to center), this bike is just the perfect one with proof of 10 years on road. There is no other bike in this category running successfully for such a long time.

If you want to own a bike in 150cc category, just go ahead. The on-road price of the bike is in the range of Rs.72k. Check out your nearest store for exact prices.