Oct 19, 2006 05:59 AM
6586 Views
(Updated Dec 04, 2006 02:53 PM)
For an almost-eighteen-year-old guy getting his hands on his first bike, the preferences are pretty straightforward: Looks, Performance and Desirability. And I must admit the old P180 Dtsi offered decent levels of the first two. But it was a big letdown when it came to desirability. It looked almost exactly like the P150, which meant it failed to catch anyone’s eye and seemed as commonplace as any commuter. This narrowed down my interst to two machines: the Karizma and the Avenger. That is,until I saw the NEW P180 Dtsi. The bike was so much of a stunner that one look made me go for it.
I got my new baby last week and have done about 160 kms on it. Oh, and it really makes heads turn! This definitely is the best bike reasonable money can presently fetch in India. Here is what I feel should be jotted down after ten days of experiencing my new Pulsar.
Looks & Desirability
The bodywork of the P180 is almost entirely new. Considerable changes have gone into the bike’s side and back panels, and the twin sash tail lamps are great. Add to this a digital speedometer console (which goes way beyond theKarizma’s), backlit switches, a new headlight cluster and a better looking fairing and you’ve got a real heartthrob. The paintjob too has awesome finish.The best part is that people can’t just paint parts of their P150s black and put on new stickers to make them look like 180s with black styling.
Performance
The performance is similar to that of the older 180s, though with a 125 kmph top speed claim. But I haven’t tested that myself. What I do know is that the pickup outguns that of any other bike you are likely to come across on the road– and that’s where you can show off on urban roads.
Comfort & Refinement
1) The suspensions on this bike are superb. So is the seating. They don’t exactly make our potholed roads seem like freeways, but I have sometimes felt that the ride is as smooth as that in any car.
2) Bajaj, though, can take some lessons from Hero Honda when it comes to engine refinement. The Pulsar engine does throw up a lot of noise, and is not exactly vibration-free – this is where the Karizma truly beats the P180. The Zma doesn’t cry out or rattle your bones even at speeds well past the ton; Bajaj needs some catching up here (I suppose that’s why the Pulsar 220 is coming).
3) The gearbox will take some getting used to. I did hit some false neutrals initially, and had some discomfort shifting up. But these are things of the past, and shifting gears is now almost a breeze.
Fuel Economy
In case one is really interested in knowing how much fuel the bike sips, the new digital tripmeters and the new fuel gauge make it possible to calculate fuel efficiency to near-precise figures. The fuel gauge now shows twelve blocks when the tank has fifteen litres of petrol, and I noticed that it went down three blocks when I had done about 155 kms. That means the bike returns a terrific 41.3 kms to the litre! And that too when it has rarely been ridden for more than three kilometres at a stretch, and has left city limits only when it was taken to a temple 22 kms from home.
So that’s about all on the new Pulsar 180 Dtsi. This is by no means a sportsbike, but it’s no frail commuter either. It’s a bike ideal for fast touring. To sum up, this is a close-to-perfectbike and a steal for the 66k that it comes for. And it is best enjoyed when you are young – young at heart that is!
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