Bajaj Pulsar NS160

The Bajaj NS series was an iconic motorcycle lineup and when the series was first launched with the NS200, it showcased Bajaj Auto’s impressive performance and engineering capabilities. The NS160 is the NS200’s smaller sibling. Let’s find out whether it’s worthy of the NS badge:

Design

The NS160 retains the same design as the NS200, including the sharp and muscular fuel tank, beefy side section thanks to the exposed perimeter frame, sleek tail portion with split seat setup. The addition of the inverted fork as part of the 2023 update has made the bike look more muscular. That said, it’s still hard to differentiate it from the NS200 if it weren’t for the stickers.

Engine, Mileage & Performance

The NS160 is powered by a potent 160.3cc air and oiled cooled single cylinder engine that’s  linked to a 5-speed gearbox. The engine produces 17.2PS at 9000rpm and 14.6Nm at 7250rpm. It is happy to be revved hard, and the power delivery is slightly higher between 5500rpm to 9000rpm.

Handling & Ride Quality

With the inverted fork and monoshock, the suspension tuning is the same as the Pulsar NS200. But with less weight, the suspension feels a bit firm and as a consequence, the rear tends to toss the rider when ridden over small but sharp bumps. The bike now feels a lot more planted when riding in the city as the wider tyres have brought it a lot more stability. However, the fatter tyres has made the bike slightly less nimble, but  overall this isn’t a deal breaker.

Comfort

The riding posture is a bit to the sporty side but it's not too committed thanks to the raised clipons so riders won’t have to worry about discomfort. The slightly rear-set footpegs could’ve been positioned a bit lower as the current layout makes the lower body feel a little cramped. The seat cushioning is good enough to ensure the rider is comfortable in both city commutes and on long rides. It’s important to note that the overall ride quality might be a bit firm, especially on rough roads because of the rear suspension tuning, as mentioned earlier.

Features

Features wise, the Pulsar NS160’s semi-digital instrument cluster gets added bits like  real time mileage and distance to empty readout along with a gear position indicator. Despite these, it still isn’t on par with its modern rivals. Bajaj should’ve included smartphone connectivity with at least turn-by-turn navigation in the NS160.

Should you buy the Bajaj Pulsar NS160?

Overall, the Bajaj Pulsar NS160 is a mixed bag, and the updates have improved certain aspects at the cost of others. But justifying the NS160 as a choice is hard considering the fact that its own sibling, the Pulsar N160 does everything the NS160 does but in a nicer way, not to mention offer more features.