I have purchased Bajaj Pulsar 220 F, on Nov 5th, 2011 saturday. It is one of those new colours called plasma Blue, which looks beautiful. It had cost me 92, 000/= including all on road.
Eversince, I started riding the bike. I can be said as first time biker, I have used only scooter and car. So, it was nearly intimidating for me becauce of its near 190kg weight and power of the bike when I switched on the ignition. I purchased this without any test ride.
Still I managed to become familiar with the bike in about one hour or 2 hours time. I myself brought out the bike from dealer premises, whose mechanics or sales men were busy with themselves with something else, leaving me and my brand new bike to myself and to my fate. I just brought the bike out on to road after making a few "chekkars" within the parking compound of the bike. Nobody cared to look at me while I brought out the bike from dealer show room Vinayaka Bajaj( not probike) giving me an impression of "do not care" attitude of the staff as well as myself loosing a "thrill" of owning it in the first few moments.
By the time of Nov 8th, (3rd day) I completed 320 km and on Nov8th I went on long journey to a piligrim place 220 km away near Jagtiyal starting at about 12 noon from Hyderabad. I returned back home in the night 11' clock.
I found the suspension very stiff, it is not at all like a smooth japanese vehicle which gives a feeling of floating(as a pillion rider on these vehicles) .
There is no vibration of rider seat but there is a vibration on pillion seat, who would definetely complain. There is no vibration of fairing or review mirrors or anywhere else.
In the first few hours engine became very hot, but later on such a problem disappeared. It quicklly picks up even at 90kmph speed. Maximum speed I touched was only 102 and that too for a brief time. I could over take cars, buses lorries etc., and the vehicle would be very stable while overtaking and also cross winds which were strong on the day, could not cause any problem while riding.
I could give a chase to Innova, many many indicas and one Swift car for whatever reason could not cope with up with my chase and let me go ahead of him. Even though cars after some time, picked up speed of 100 above and overtook my bike, I could go much ahead of them at every point on this highway wherever they had completely slowed down because much of road works are going on this highway. I could easily overtake Volvo buses etc. with this 4 day old bike.
Next morning I found that the bike was leaking oil . I took the bike for serving because by the time, I returned from this first long journey, I completed a total of 762 km.
I complained about oil leak, about red light coming on the dash when petrol is less than 4 liters but the light is NOT staying on. Finally the light stays on while only three "steps" remain on the fuel gauge picture. God knows what this means, and service book do not mention about this light.
Oil leak was corrected, they charged 475 rupees for oil etc., for first servicing.
The very second day after servicing I embarked on a long journey of 678km( up & down), which was journey from Hyderabad to Bhadra chalam. The route taken was Hyd to suryapet to Khammam to Kothagudem to Bhadrachalam. I run it almost non-stop to suryapet with tea break and then non-stop to Bhadrachalam. Two hours after, I started back from Bhadrachalam and by night 11 clock I reached back to my house completing a journey of 678 as trip "2".
I feel a light oil leak again, but it can be a chain lubricating oil. But I decided to take it to Bajaj workshop
when I get time.
What I observed is that
1) I did not get any back pain though I am of middle aged person with athletic build.
2) No wrist pain.
3) No neck pain.
4) But I felt my hands gone numb due vibration on handle bars.
5) the projector lamp is just fantastic and in very bad roads with lot of patch works from Badrachalam to Kothagudem and then to Khammam I could run this power horse at speeds of 80 and 85 kmph. I maintained an average speed of 69 or 70 in the night! up to Suryapet, . .
The projector light 55w gives a complete picture of the road. Overtaking any vehicle while there is an oncoming vehilce is easy. You do not even have to think whether you could do it or not. Rather I stopped worrying. You can give serious ego problems to many car owners, though car would overtake the bike finally. Skodas go away very easily but you can easily give serious problems to Indigo, manza, vista, bolero, volvo buses etc.,
In the city it has a high road presence and chug along with about 55klmph speed which gives a feeling that you are going slow.
You need not change gear from 50 to 120kmph speeds. No need at all. Even below 50 upto 45 also you can come down in 5th gear without touching the clutch and increase to 80 kmph very fast. Even 90 it picks up speed with great urgency as if you are in 3rd to 4th. Many times I tried to shift to 5th mistaking that it was 4th gear.
There is some mesmerism about this Pulsar, which is selling in 8 or 10 countries even with all these draw backs like very hard riding with a stiff suspension, and seat extremely hard. After such long journey like 680 km in a single ride, you would not get back ache, neck ache or wrist ache and full night sleep after in the morning I felt like I did not travel at all.
Though in the night when I came back non-stop from Badrachalam to Suryapet and then from Suryapet to Hyderabad without a break, I felt my bum was burning hot, and left hip bone gave me pain. But if the seat is very soft, you may get a back pain.
The vehicle feels at home and happy on terribly bad roads. It roars ahead with numbing vibrations on your hands with a stiff suspension. That is why I named it steel horse.
No realiability problems at all throughout these journeys day and night, village roads, hills, forest roads and super highways.
EDIT AFTER 2800 KM USAGE:
I had once an accident, where I fell on the road at speed of about 50kmph along with bike. The leg guards saved the bike, the silencer got the hit causing a dent and a hole in it. The fairing was intact except for a big scracth near the left review mirror. After the accident I travelled 450 km. without problem. After REPAIRS with new silencer, fairing, leg guards, and other small things cost me Rs.14, 000/=. Insurance cover may be up to 8, 500/= it is not yet decided.
serious faults:=
1) Lack of gear indicator, and also timer or watch on dash board.
2) Gear changing hard perticularly 2nd gear but sometimes it is smooth!
3) Vibration on the pillion seat, numbing slight very slight vibration on handles at 80 kmph.
4) mileage about 51 or 52 kmph on long journey is good enough
