Jul 05, 2016 02:01 AM
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It’s over the top and then a bit. The sides are festooned with a galaxy of scoops, strakes, textures, lines, panels and stickering that are hard to grasp. In some ways, it’s more like a painter’s palette than a painting. If you look closer, there are some details that I do actually like. The side panel with its flat mesh texture I think looks great on its own. The seats too look good. Plus all the silver bits below – peg mounts, levers et al. However, you look closer at your own risk because at the back is a tail lamp that is stunningly at odds with the rest of the bike. There’s a good idea in there – to turn the number plate hanger into a light. But the final shape is way too ornate and curvy to go with this design. As you can tell, we aren’t fans of this design. However, even we have to admit that the Pulsar RS200 has presence and it does get attention. Second, the appeal of a design is subjective and in a country as large and diverse as ours, there are sure to be people who think the RS200 is a design classic. We’ve no truck with that and to each his own. Bajaj has also priced the motorcycle well. The RS200 is Rs 1.39 lakh on-road Mumbai which makes it Rs 3,000 more than the Yamaha YZF-R15. The ABS model – the one we tested – is priced at Rs 1.51 lakh on-road Mumbai which puts it about Rs 36,000 below the KTM RC200. The only niggle in the package is the design, which you’ll have to get used to. And that much plastic bolted on a frame means a lot of potential rattles.
