[nilaykmrsr]

The PRE-Purchase phase, how it all started!
I used to drive my dad’s 1985 BAJAJ Chetak to college since mid 2009. I had been pushing him for a bike since a long time but it was always postponed to a later date. As a matter of fact I was the only student in the entire university of around 4000 students who used to come to college on a Chetak. Although the scooter was in an excellent running condition even when it had clocked 72000kms my friends used to mock me for my old fashioned and over outdated ride, though I always used to laugh it off.

Finally after relentless requests by me, Dad one fine day gave his confirmation for the bike. I was asked to decide my choice by the first week of October and was given an assurance that I would get it before my birthday that falls on 20th Oct. I have three favourite brands BAJAJ, TVS and HONDA. I also like YAMAHA but their styling was not too much to my liking as far as the FZ/FZ-S are concerned.

Henceforth the search for the right bike began that would fall within the budget of around 75000INR. A friend of mine had recently (June 2010) purchased the then recently launched Bajaj pulsar 135LS. It had a reasonably good FE and styling but when I rode it I found it to be of an entirely different segment. The 135LS feels and drives almost like a commuter bike, the 135LS was phased out at that very moment.

Now I had the following major candidate vehicles in my mind:
• BAJAJ Pulsar 220S
• TVS Apache RTR 180
• HONDA CB Unicorn Dazzler
• HONDA CBF Stunner 125 PGMFi

The 220S though was out of my budget by 3000-4000 bucks, but I was still eyeing it as a potential competitor. Discussed about the same with Dad, I could not convince him about the FE of the bike which was below his levels of acceptance. The 220S hence was crossed off from the list.

Next day I decided to go and take some Test Drives myself:

Went to BM TVS first and took a test drive of the Apache RTR 180, I really liked this bike for its excellent dynamics, frugal and responsive 180cc engine, a decent driveline and the overall aesthetics. Yet the only thing that went against this bike in my mind was its driving posture. Somehow I did not feel very comfortable sitting on it. I thought this might be a matter of habit and I’ll get used to it. Anyways I took details of the on road pricing and moved on.

Next was the Honda’s turn. Went to Ess Ell Honda and TD the CBF Stunner PGMFi, although I had insisted for the TD of a CB Unicorn Dazzler but they did not have a TD vehicle of the same at that time. The Stunner PGMFi is the fuel injected version of the CBF Stunner and I would say that it has a punny 125cc SOHC mill but it feels close to a 150cc bike when it comes to the power delivery from this engine. I was quite impressed with the Stunner but here came the downside, it was priced at 71000 OTR Dehradun which was not VFM (Value for money) at all(for a 125cc bike, if at all I was going to buy one)!

Lastly I turned up at Mayur BAJAJ and TD the Pulsar 150. It only further added to my disappointment. The 2009 refresh (UG4) model has an improved sense of styling though but looks pretty ordinary and has the touch of a commuter bike to it. The engine somewhat lacked the grunt which I expected from it, overall it was a mere 6.5/10 for the 150. The 220F/ 220S were there for display which I had to overlook. Moreover the laidback attitude of the salespersons there only added to my disappointment.

But suddenly I happened to glance at a bright metallic red Pulsar 180 UG4 on display in the showroom. The sheer masculine styling of the new Pulsar 180 struck me hard; this was the refresh edition of the previous generation 180 (UG3). After a careful and long observation of the bike I found that most of the cycle parts (frame/front & rear suspension/handlebar/split seats etc.) were shared from the 220F/220S. The 180 now had fatter tyres, broader front forks (the same size as on the both the 220s and older generation 200). The same front disc brake (260mm) minus the rear disc, which I think must have been done to keep the costs in check. The overall fit and finish of the bike was found to be tonnes better than the 150.

Test drove the Pulsar 180 and man! I was hugely impressed by the superb handling of the bike which is the most important and it felt to me like ‘this is clearly the one!’. I also got to know that it delivers a FE of 40-45kmpl which relieved me a lot. The bikes revs cleanly all the way up to it’s redline and has a slick smooth 5 speed gearbox. I liked the grunt and the exhaust note of the engine too. The Pulsar 180 is on the heavier side as compared to the Apache RTR 180 but it seems that all this weight seems to keep it well planted on the road at high speeds. Price quoted for the Pulsar 180 UG4 was 71800 INR OTR Dehradun.

I finally decided upon the Pulsar 180 UG4 after consulting a lot of friends and existing owners of the same variant. Finally I took my Dad with me on the 16th Oct to let him have a look at the bike in the showroom. Got Dad’s consent for the 180 and took the delivery of a Midnight Black Pulsar 180 UG4 on the morning of 17th October 2010.


POST PURCHASE

Styling: Once a head turner always a head turner!

The upgraded P180 UG4 variant is one handsome motorcycle of its segment. The refreshed 180 borrows a lot of critical parts from its bigger sibling the P220F/P220S. Bajaj has done a fairly good job by providing fatter front forks, broader front and rear tyres again shared from the 220. This bike stands out from the rest and has a distinct identity than the more mainstream Pulsar 150.

My score: 9/10

Build Quality, Fit and finish:

The bike with all that weight (147 kgs unladen condition) around feels fairly solid in terms of its build quality. The full duplex cradle frame is seemingly sturdy for a bike of this size, weight and performance. What I do not like is that the welding is a bit too much exposed in certain areas which are an eyesore to the otherwise handsome stance and styling of the bike.

Fit and finish is one area where Bajaj needs to work out a lot. Side air filter and battery cover panels fail to have a flush fitting with respect to the fuel tank. Locking the panels into position is a pain as the rubber grommets fail to provide a decent grip on the cover lugs.

Switchgear is good. The backlit non contact type switches are pretty much functional. The self cancelling turn indicators though sometimes tend to give trouble.

Paint quality I feel is excellent. Mine is a Midnight Black and perhaps one of the most popular colours on Pulsar.

Still Bajaj has a long way to go!

My score: 7.5/10

Powertrain and Driveline:

The short stroke 178.6cc engine does not exactly make you leap forward as is the case with the 220. It feels like a well behaved engine for the bike which does perform well when pushed hard. This engine has seen a minor power increment of around 0.5HP from the previous UG3 edition that churned out 16.7BHP. I think it must have been done to improve upon the power density of the vehicle since the UG4 weighs a lot more due to its beefed up P220 frame and upgraded cycle parts.

It feels reasonably refined under the 5000 rpm range, though things start to get on the coarser side as it crosses the 6000 rpm range. The engine is seemingly tuned for racing/drag racing etc as it reaches its peak torque condition in the latter half of its rev range at around 6500rpm to be exact.
I kept speeds below 50km/h and revs below 4000 rpm during the initial running in stage for about 3000kms to ensure a good running in of the moving parts within the engine.

The P180 UG4 has a revised set of gear ratios in the 5 speed gearbox that is shared from the now phased out Pulsar 200. The toe shift with a 1 down 4 up shifting pattern feels sporty and the ratios are a bit too much on the shorter side to my liking. The low end torque is however good enough for city driving.

I believe that the P180 has the smoothest gear shifting quality in this segment (tonnes better than the 220’s shifting quality).

My score: 7.5/10

Ride, Handling & braking:

The bike’s handling is tonnes better than the previous edition, with the fatter front 37mm forks, wider tyre footprint and improved suspension setup give a lot of confidence at high speeds. The bike behaves extremely well even on the worst kind of roads. The 90/90 front wheels and 120/80 rear wheels on 17” alloys (same as the 220 yet again) give an excellent control over the bike during hard cornering (Tyres – ‘MRF Nylogrip Zapper’)

Riding position and posture is exactly the same as in the 220. The clip on handle bars and the slightly rear set foot pegs provide a sportier ride feel to the bike. The best part being that this posture doesn’t make me feel uncomfortable during long runs. However I did take a couple of weeks to get used to it since previously I was more accustomed to the almost upright posture on the Bajaj Chetak.

The 260mm BYBRE (by BREMBO) disc brake on the front wheel bites in strong and hard and is a welcome change on the UG4. However I’m not quite happy with the lacklustre performance of the rear mechanically actuated drum. The rear brake lacks the feel and does not give too much confidence during hard braking. But I think that the rear disc brake setup from the 220F/220S is a direct fit on this bike.

My score: 8.5/10

Fuel Economy

The bike till date manages to return a fuel economy of 42-44kmpl on highway and 38-40kmpl under city conditions. I am nearing almost 13000kms now.

My score: 8/10

Service & Maintenance

As far as the service quality of Bajaj is concerned, I would say that this is Bajaj’s biggest weak point till date. The Authorised Service Centres (Mayur Bajaj/Ashish Bajaj in DDN) are if not poorly equipped I would say have very poorly trained mechanics who know next to nothing about the vehicles. The service advisors are sort of dumb people, the only thing they know is to change the component if it can be easily repaired/reconditioned.

These guys always want to make money out of charging the customer for unnecessary expenditures/part replacements which are not required. However till date they were not able to get the better of me because I always give them a really tough time as I get my bike serviced right in front of me.

My vehicle has undergone a total of 5 services (including first 3 free services plus 2 paid ones). The last service was done yesterday itself. The maximum expenditure I have ever incurred for a paid service was around 900INR which included:

• 200 INR – General Service
• 70 INR – Washing
• 300 – Engine Oil (Bajaj DTSi 10000 SAE 20W50) 1litre
• 350 – Teflon Coating ( 3 coatings in all , rest of the two on

subsequent services within a time interval of 1 year )

After my warranty expired this year in October I switched to Castrol Activ Xtra 20W50 (Semi synthetic) oil. I found it to be of much better quality than the Bajaj DTSi 10000. A 1 litre pack of the same costs 300INR.
The last service which I got done yesterday cost me 450 bucks. This was for the first times any parts were changed which were the:

• Air filter element (Bajaj Genuine Parts) – cost 72 INR
• Spark plugs (BOSCH UR4DC, 2 qty , 63 INR/piece) – cost 126 INR

No parts have been changed under warranty. The bike comes with a 2 year/30000kms standard warranty.

First the bad bits:

• No auto choke, still using the age old manual choke
• No rear disc brakes, rear drum brake feels irresponsive at times.
• Centre stand mounted a tad too low, so much so that it touches the ground with a pillion rider seated under uneven road/rough terrain conditions
• Ill fitting rubber parts(e.g. rubber boots on the rear view mirrors), some of the plastic parts
• Problematic to drive in extremely tight traffic conditions due to the higher turning radius. Clearly NOT a commuter bike.
• The worst kind of owner’s manual (horrible indeed!)
• Unreliable Bajaj Service, a blot on the image of a company that has an otherwise excellently engineered product range.

Now the Good bits:

• A head turner, one of the most handsome motorcycles of the segment
• Punchy, rev happy performance from the engine, nice and different kind of a sound
• Slick 5 speed gearbox with excellent gearshift quality
• Excellent handling in all sorts of road conditions, thanks to the beefed up suspension setup
• Good Fuel economy that remains fairly consistent throughout the driving conditions
• The white on gray digital speedo console looks really upmarket, provides all the necessary information, adding to the sporty appeal of the bike
• The low end torque from the engine helps out in city driving conditions.
• Excellent grip from the broad tyres aids in nimble handling and heavy duty cornering
• Easy to maintain, spares not too heavy on the pocket
• Full DC electrical system with a 12V@9Ah Maintenance free battery is quite reliable especially during night time driving, the headlamp and other lights glow with a constant strength.

Overall Conclusion:

This bike was the perfect choice for me. 2 years down the line since I bought it and there has not been a single day it has given me any sort of trouble. It’s a reliable beast and I hope it would continue to serve me trouble free for many more years to come.

I’m very satisfied with the product as a whole (except for the issues highlighted above).

My overall score: 8/10

Will be adding some pics of my bike very soon for you guys, so stay tuned!

[nilaykmrsr]

Here are some pics for you as promised! Hope you enjoy them

When new (clickedon 19th October 2010)

A tribute to my older ride!! with the Chetak











Recent pics (taken today itself)







impressive, punchy 178.6cc mill, nice sound though it feels harsh on high speeds (post 6000 rpm)




Replaced the orgiginal 35/35W headlamp with a Halonix UB35/35W


Ill fitting rubber parts



260mm BYBRE (by BREMBO) front disc brake bites in strong and hard, rear drum brakes lack the feel though


The masculine stance of the bike looks awesome at least to me!

[prajwalkashyap]

Nice pictures mate! Good going with your pulsar.

I do hope no rattles have started yet, as is usual of all pulsars.

Wishing you plenty more miles on it.

Prajwal

[ku69rd]

Congrats mate on your first bike, your opening few lines reminded me off my college days when I used to go around in Dad's Lambretta which was older than me. Good luck with your bike and nourish her well n she will return the favor back to you interest.

[nilaykmrsr]

Originally Posted by prajwalkashyap

Nice pictures mate! Good going with your pulsar.

I do hope no rattles have started yet, as is usual of all pulsars.

Wishing you plenty more miles on it.

Prajwal

Yes no rattles as of now! even i'm quite surprised!.

I take really good care of my bike maybe thats why.

In fact this is one thing that I have heard from many owners and myself observed it on many pulsars. The biggest issue being of the rattling/clicking sound coming from the Headlight assy/front fender.

Originally Posted by ku69rd

Congrats mate on your first bike, your opening few lines reminded me off my college days when I used to go around in Dad's Lambretta which was older than me. Good luck with your bike and nourish her well n she will return the favor back to you interest.

Interesting to know that you drove a lambretta!

And at times I pamper my bike leave alone nourishing!

[Technocrat]

Congrats Nilay & thanks for sharing a brilliant Review with us, rating it 5 star

My first bike was a Pulsar 180(DTSI V1 check this thread for details Link (P180 DTSi V1 VS Karizma VS Apache RTR)) as well & I too rode a Bajaj Super Excel (Which was basically a super in Chetak's body)

The 180 has transformed quite a bit over the years & has faced quite a stiff competition yet it remains one of the best VFM package for an enthusiast rider who also wants mileage & everyday practicality.

Please keep us posted on the overall ownership experience.

Ride Safe

[nilaykmrsr]

Originally Posted by Technocrat

Congrats Nilay & thanks for sharing a brilliant Review with us, rating it 5 star

My first bike was a Pulsar 180(DTSI V1 check this thread for details Link (P180 DTSi V1 VS Karizma VS Apache RTR)) as well & I too rode a Bajaj Super Excel (Which was basically a super in Chetak's body)

The 180 has transformed quite a bit over the years & has faced quite a stiff competition yet it remains one of the best VFM package for an enthusiast rider who also wants mileage & everyday practicality.

Please keep us posted on the overall ownership experience.

Ride Safe

The scooters from Bajaj were phenomenal, all of them. Had they worked out more on their refinement and upgraded their engines, the chetaks/supers would have been still alive.

As far as the Pulsar 180 is concerned, over the years it has seen a gradual shift from a reasonable high performance commuter to a purely high performance streetfighter. I hope Bajaj keeps this wonderful variant revving for many more years to come.

[Technocrat]

Originally Posted by nilaykmrsr

The scooters from Bajaj were phenomenal, all of them. Had they worked out more on their refinement and upgraded their engines, the chetaks/supers would have been still alive.

Actually, Chetak was the best of the BAL lot & that too from day 1. Truely a reliable Workhorse for many years. Another reliable workhorse was the M80. The super & its variants were for anyone who wanted a variety within BAL & also were of short height to ride a Chetak. All of them were good, very good but not the best. Atleast untill LML showed with Vespa.

The Vespa engined LMLs were much better, the LML Vespa 150 NV was better in every respect over a Chetak except for price. Baring a few flops, LML always had better looking & performing scooters.

Even after years of existence & experience, Bajaj could never produce any scooter worth competing with, NV150, Select, Select II(The Best Performance Scooter ever in India IMHO) & the Supremo (more of a Halo product which was leagues ahead of anything available at that time)

Anyways we are OT here now, just thought I would post my 2 paisa as these scooters brought back memories

[ashis89]

Nilay congrats on completing 2 years with your steed. I recently bought the P180 UG4.5 version. Mine is a Plasma blue-black bike. I am few kms short of 6k kms in covered in 5 months.

I agree with most of your points mentioned about your bike but would differ on a few.

- My bike comes with an auto-choke and I thought it was introduced in UG 4 itself. Correct me if I am wrong. The bike starts on a single self even after lying idle for 10 days at a stretch.

- My bike has been rattling from the day of delivery itself, my bad luck.

- It has returned 40-44 kmpl in city(varies a bit due to my rding styles) and a similar 43-44 kmpl on the highway.


While buying the bike I didn't find any thread about a UG4 P180 and I was sad. Now that you have come we can share our experiences. You can also check out my thread at: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorb...ip-report.html


PS: Remove the plastic sheet from the LCD display. After prolonged use in sun, the plastic along with the glue tends to stick to the screen and leaves a permanent scar type effect on it. I have seen this on my friends' bikes.


Wishing you many more happy miles on it. Ride safe.

[nilaykmrsr]

Originally Posted by ashis89

I agree with most of your points mentioned about your bike but would differ on a few.

- My bike comes with an auto-choke and I thought it was introduced in UG 4 itself. Correct me if I am wrong. The bike starts on a single self even after lying idle for 10 days at a stretch.

- My bike has been rattling from the day of delivery itself, my bad luck.

- It has returned 40-44 kmpl in city(varies a bit due to my rding styles) and a similar 43-44 kmpl on the highway.


While buying the bike I didn't find any thread about a UG4 P180 and I was sad. Now that you have come we can share our experiences. You can also check out my thread at: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorb...ip-report.html


PS: Remove the plastic sheet from the LCD display. After prolonged use in sun, the plastic along with the glue tends to stick to the screen and leaves a permanent scar type effect on it. I have seen this on my friends' bikes.


Wishing you many more happy miles on it. Ride safe.

No, the auto choke was brought first on the 220F/220S carb and the 135LS. The 150 and 180 UG4 editions were not given the auto choke.

If your bike has an auto choke then it would have a Thermal Sensor mounted on the engine block :

Below is the pic of the typical auto choke setup on a 220F/S engine with the UCAL UCD 32 carburettor.


If you see similar setup on your 180 as well, then it does have an autochoke, otherwise it does not! The manual choke can be identified from the push/pull knob along side the carburettor.

I would like to know the source of rattles from your bike. If its coming from the front fender, then the problem might be a lose headlight assembly. Get those bolts tightened and the rattling might lessen.

One of the other sources of rattles might be a loosely mounted toolkit underneath the pillion riders seat or any other object that you may have placed there.

You seem to be getting a fairly decent FE from your bike. Give it some good care and it will continue to serve you well. Yes I will see to it that I remove the plastic film from the speedo console!

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by nilaykmrsr

No, the auto choke was brought first on the 220F/220S carb and the 135LS. The 150 and 180 UG4 editions were not given the auto choke.

Sorry my bad. I didn't know this. I think remember reading in the service manual somewhere about auto-choke. Will check it and get back.

Originally Posted by nilaykmrsr

If you see similar setup on your 180 as well, then it does have an autochoke, otherwise it does not! The manual choke can be identified from the push/pull knob along side the carburettor.

I will check and let you know. But till date I haven't used a manual choke even if there is one. My old P150 had its choke(pull type lever) on the left hand switchgear panel. Absence of it lead me to believe that its auto-choke at work.

Originally Posted by nilaykmrsr

I would like to know the source of rattles from your bike. If its coming from the front fender, then the problem might be a lose headlight assembly. Get those bolts tightened and the rattling might lessen.

The rattling comes from near the tank,front fairing area. I try putting my hands on the tank extensions/front fairing area but the vibration is never damped. So it must be something else.

Originally Posted by nilaykmrsr

One of the other sources of rattles might be a loosely mounted toolkit underneath the pillion riders seat or any other object that you may have placed there.

I already had this doubt and hence removed the toolkit. The sound from rear is a glass/metallic tinkling sound and its comes sometimes when there is a sharp jerk.

Originally Posted by nilaykmrsr

You seem to be getting a fairly decent FE from your bike. Give it some good care and it will continue to serve you well. Yes I will see to it that I remove the plastic film from the speedo console!

I always have been over cautious about my bikes and have pampered them a lot but of late I rarely get time after office hours and haven't been able to take care of my ride as I would want to.

[nilaykmrsr]

Originally Posted by ashis89

I will check and let you know. But till date I haven't used a manual choke even if there is one. My old P150 had its choke(pull type lever) on the left hand switchgear panel. Absence of it lead me to believe that its auto-choke at work.

The rattling comes from near the tank,front fairing area. I try putting my hands on the tank extensions/front fairing area but the vibration is never damped. So it must be something else.

I already had this doubt and hence removed the toolkit. The sound from rear is a glass/metallic tinkling sound and its comes sometimes when there is a sharp jerk.

The 150 and 180 UG4/UG4.5 editions still have the push/pull type choke alongside the carburettor(to the best of my knowledge,I may be wrong, please check your bike).Your bike would be having that as well. Refer to the owner's manual for getting the exact location of the choke push/pull knob.

If the rattling sound comes from the front fender then its definitely a loose headlight assembly. Even I had to face the same problem when I got my headlamp bulb changed, the guy who did the job did not tighten the headlamp assembly mounting bolts properly leading to a rattling/clicking sound from the fender. I got the bolts tightened and the rattling sound vanished!

I would suggest that you should put back the toolkit as they usually come handy for carrying out 'On the run diagnostics'

[Amrik Singh]

Allow me to add up my -ve side of 2 years experience with Pulsar 180

1. If the Battery refuses to support you, there is no Kick start possible. Pushing and engaging Gear - The Rear Wheel jsut skids on the surface. So I had to push - run - jump and sit with both legs on the same side (only option to add weight), release clutch and get a start.

2. Bajaj would not take responsibility for the Battery going dead within One Year and left me to deal with 'Exide' ourselves. The Guys at Exide having checked the Battey and pronounced it 'Unservicable' instructed me to go to one of their agents to fix a temporary Battery. They were Gifted the best of swears from Punjabi Treasure, as I could afford a new battery. but not the time required to run for an uncertain claim.

3. Next, I do not know whom to blame - the unresistable acceleration and speed. I could not control myself, clocking 100+ within New Delhi (wherever I got the opportunity) during Office rush and maintaining 110 at Delhi-Gurgaon stretch. Not the speed anyone touching 59 seasons should attempt. Could not take it any longer and found the best Speed Governer - a switch-over to 1983 Bajaj Chetak, which I had not parted. No splashes from water hitting my shoes from water puddles, and avoiding cold winter wind with legs well guarded. So Pulsar takes a rest.

4. Pulsar was not liked by wife also, as a ride on Scooter shielded her from wind hitting her face (against the Cosmetic Make-up). Possibly a Girl friend on the pillion might have amused me!

5. Fuel consumption - I have not checked because no manufacturer would issue Fuel Consumption data based on the way I drive. So over 2 years and 15,000 kms, I have not bothered to check on that. None other than myself to blame.

Overall, I am happy with the machine, but regret, not going for Pulsar 220 as I was badly beaten by its acceleration and speed (once).

[nilaykmrsr]

Originally Posted by Amrik Singh

Allow me to add up my -ve side of 2 years experience with Pulsar 180
=========No splashes from water hitting my shoes from water puddles, and avoiding cold winter wind with legs well guarded. So Pulsar takes a rest.

Personally, I never had a problem due to the absence of a kick-start though I was a bit skeptical about it in the beginning. However I think that it would be a huge pain to get this beast started up if the battery goes kaput.

Bajaj Service is horrible unless you know how to tackle them! you should have called up the company and registered a formal complaint with them, the situation could have been very different.

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by nilaykmrsr

No, the auto choke was brought first on the 220F/220S carb and the 135LS. The 150 and 180 UG4 editions were not given the auto choke.

If your bike has an auto choke then it would have a Thermal Sensor mounted on the engine block :

Below is the pic of the typical auto choke setup on a 220F/S engine with the UCAL UCD 32 carburettor.
Attachment 1034660

If you see similar setup on your 180 as well, then it does have an autochoke, otherwise it does not! The manual choke can be identified from the push/pull knob along side the carburettor.

Well Nilay, my bike does have an auto-choke. I confirmed it though I couldn't find anything about any choke in the service manual.