[saikishor]

This has been discussed many times by now, but even I would like to make this point now. Bajaj has truly exploited the 400cc 40hp segment. Just to list them down,
Adventure- KTM 390 Adv(and its numerous variants to choose from)
Streetfighter with electronics- KTM 390 Duke
Supersport- KTM RC390
Neo retro roadster- Triumph Speed 400
Tourer/Sports Tourer/ Power Cruiser- Bajaj Dominar 400
Scrambler- Triumph 400X, Husqvarna Svartpilen 401
Raw street naked with minimal electronics- Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z

Truly amazing to see what Bajaj has done here. They truly deserve all the praise and success for doing this.
Now I wish they update the Dominar 400. That bike still has huge potential in it. A refresh is all it needs to keep itself relevant amongst its family of other 400's. The Dominar is the oldest in Bajaj's family of 400cc motorcycles.

[gururajrv]

Somehow, contrary to everyone's preference, I never liked the NS / RS series engines at all. Those engines suit the KTMs but not the Pulsar range. Pulsar range should've been restricted to the OG DTS(F)i engines IMHO!

Nevertheless, albeit a bit late, they've launched the P400NS after a decade!

[Phoenix06]

The Pulsar has always been a great product and very popular among the youth.

If I remember correctly, Pulsar 150 was first product in the series which became the starting point for exciting new age (and affordable) bikes for the Youth, followed by Pulsar 180, 200, 220, later followed by NS 200 and others.

I had owned Pulsar 150, 200 and NS200 and I must say that I was most impressed by 200. I feel Pulsar NS200 didn’t really carry the Pulsar character.

With every Pulsar launch, what I really await are their TV advertisements. Hope they come up with great Pulsar action in new TV advertisments.

[TheHelix0202]

Personally, the brand Pulsar doesn’t do it for me anymore. It has been milked to death and beaten into the ground, and diluted to a very pale remainder of its once true blood essence.

Bajaj could have worked on fixing the terrible Dominar chassis first but no! They just plonked the 373cc KTM derived motor into the NS (already a chapp-mobile), retained the poor fit-n-finish and called it a day. More power to the masses, I guess?

I am curious to see how the suspension and brakes fare, honestly. This weird blend of high quality components with el-cheapo bits just leaves a weird aftertaste for me. Your mileage may vary.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by TheHelix0202

Bajaj could have worked on fixing the terrible Dominar chassis first but no! They just plonked the 373cc KTM derived motor into the NS (already a chapp-mobile), retained the poor fit-n-finish and called it a day. More power to the masses, I guess?

In industry, sometimes the best way to improve a product (Dominar) is to kill it and invest efforts and resources in a better product. Or go back to the drawing board. If the NS is lighter and handles way better, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. And the costly lead time that comes with it.

Cheers, Doc

[mugen_pinaki27]

That is one drool-worthy bike. I'm tempted to put down a deposit too

But some questions come to my mind:
1. How would the vibrations be? The first-gen Dominar was said to have a lot of vibes. The second-gen, too, had them albeit a little less. Personally experienced it on a friend's bike.

2. Would 174 kg be resilient against crosswinds while touring? Given the engine specs and Bajaj name tag, this bike would be touring-friendly. Perhaps, an OE windscreen might help?

3. Haven't heard of "Grimeca" brakes. Are they as potent as ByBre or J. Juan? Forum members can share their wisdom.

That said, "Exciting Times" indeed for performance enthusiasts.

[ebonho]

What is this thing a lot of members have about high speed touring on highways and the weight of a bike.

I dont get it.

I've toured on a 100 cc KB100 RTZ. Weighing 109 kg.

I've toured on a Duke 200. Weighing 131 kg.

I've toured on a Duke 390. Weighing 139 kg.

All naked street bikes.

I've also toured on bicycles weighing 9-14 kg.

Please relax. Your mind, and your gripon the handlebars. If you dont fight your bike, you will not get blown away. Any bike is built to track straight and stay upright, minus rider inputs.

And if crosswinds are on your mind, trust me, even a 220 kg bike will feel a gust the same as a lighter bike. And you're going to have to lean in and ride it out just the same. Only with a much heavier bike wind-sailing under you.

Cheers, Doc

[amit_purohit20]

I had Dominar 400 2017 model with me for a week in 2021. I was already riding an Apache RTR 180 that time. I found the bike heavy to handle. I found the steering took much more efforts and it had less flickability but was still ok to handle. The best part was the excellent midrange and the confidence the bike gave at high speeds. I sold my Apache and was in SUV's till date thinking I will never want a bike again. But dawn of 2024 year and I could not control myself of getting back to biking. This time I was sure would go for a used one to control my costs as I knew the bike would not put many miles on it as I just bought a new XUV 700.

I am 5' 7" and heavier now, so I was looking at a relaxed bike but somehow could not convince myself of a bike which weighs 170+ kgs and the power is close to just 25 hp which is not certainly a major upgrade over my Apache 180 making 17.5 hp.

I took test drive of Jawa, the bike did not feel heavy and was maneuverable but no trust on the brand so left it.
I took test drive of the KTM Duke 390 but the low end torque, high seat height and not so smooth engine turned me off.
FZ 250 was a downer for me because of the hard gear shift and the initial linear acceleration. The engine was also not smooth as I had imagined to be.
Suzuki 250 Gixxer is hardly selling in market and the issues with engine are a concern.


I tested the Dominar 400 UG my dream bike but the UG had gained weight like me over the past few years and it was now 194 kg kerb. With all the fluids and accessories like crash guards, saddle stay etc it was above 200 kgs. The bike seat had grown wider now thus my legs were not able to reach the ground easily like before (owner had a padded seat). I was still mad for Dominar but at my age 45 now I lost the confidence of making U turns and parking and maneuvering in tight spaces easily in a city. This also means off-roading was a big concern for me due to weight, so the sole purpose of going to Spiti or any place in Himalayas would not be as easy as a lighter bike. This made me at the last moment ditch a good deal on Dominar 400. But the mid range of the bike was something I would miss like hell especially on highways.

Finally, I settled for a lighter bike Apache again RTR 200 4v. I just transferred the RC on my name today and here is the launch of Pulsar 400 :(

For me this bike overcomes the draw backs what I felt in Dominar 400 UG:-
1) Weight which was the biggest deterrent for me.
2) Heavy steering
3) Lack of flickability
4) High cost of Dominar due to other technology and gizmos and accessories.

All I wanted was probably a comfortable bike like Unicorn with an engine of Dominar and Dual channel ABS for safety.

I think the Pulsar400 solves all mentioned above problems, just a handle bar change is required for a more comfortable posture.

Had I not made a recent purchase, I would have booked this bike straight away. Hope the real-world tests also match my predictions/ expectations about the bike's behavior.

[dhanushs]

Wow.. This does look like a definite value for money proposition. I have never owned a good nicely powered bike and I'm currently contemplating a bike just for the sake of owning a bike.

The price tag on this one is tempting that if I dont like it I should be able to sell it off at not much depreciation.

Wondering how this will fare over long distances.. Say, Chennai - Bangalore.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by dhanushs

Wow.

Wondering how this will fare over long distances.. Say, Chennai - Bangalore.

It will do brilliantly. Over much longer distances. And knowing Bajaj, even with the KTM-esque 12 liter tank, ridden smoothly, it will have a reasonably decent tank range too ... in that the rider will need to stop a lot earlier than the bike will. So its a win win.

Cheers, Doc

[Senotrius]

To add to the above point, fix handlebar risers, grip puppies and thicker foam seats. All for comfort. Should suffice for most trips along with adequate bags. Had this been made available before the Speed 400, I would have taken it for the lower weight ( vs Dominar 400), cost and good relationship i have with my Bajaj ASC technician. Triumph service is mediocre/lethargic at best.

[Kishh_Krishn]

There have been a lot of conversations on this forum and elsewhere regarding value for money, power-to-weight, just weight, comparison to Dominar/Duke 390, technology and lack of it, simplicity in instrument cluster, poor brakes, smaller tyres (and also MRF tyres), simple design, etc.

I've never been a fan of the Pulsar series, but after riding and owning multiple bikes from different era, I am so tempted to pick the Pulsar NS 400z just for its simplicity (from what is offered on the tech sheet).

The following items tick the box:

• Low cost to buy (compared to other 400cc bikes) - check
• Low maintenance - check
• Enough power and torque - check
• Fuel tank capacity (12L is sufficient to travel 350+ km) - check. We have a fuel stations almost every 50km at the least on the highways, and it is not daily that we travel 800+ kms at a stretch.
• Spare parts availability (shared between other Bajaj brands) - check
• Good & sleek look (subjective to individual) - check

Bajaj has a product for every person who wants to purchase a bike. If someone feels the 400NS is:

• Too powerful - pick something else that is less powerful
• Too expensive/not a value for money - pick a better bike in the same cost bracket
• Too light - pick the Dominar
• Too heavy - ?? 174kg kerb doesn't feel heavy. All other bikes are more or less in the same bracket.
• Want a better tech - pick the Duke 390 (if budget is not a concern)

We have a good product from Bajaj, and let's appreciate the fact that they are putting in efforts to make a powerful bike available for every buyer in multiple forms (400NS, Domiar, Speed 400, Duke 390 (I know the Speed 400 and the new Duke have different engines)).

[maheshm619]

The pricing is very tempting for a new customer. Also, notion of more CC for less amount will be a deciding factor for many buyers. There is a large herd of buyers who went to HUNTER350 for same reason, the fact that it offered a 350 for price, a little over, of a 200. After the initial craze, feedback from first lot of buyers might decide it’s future.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Senotrius

To add to the above point, fix handlebar risers, grip puppies and thicker foam seats. All for comfort. Should suffice for most trips along with adequate bags. Had this been made available before the Speed 400, I would have taken it for the lower weight ( vs Dominar 400), cost and good relationship i have with my Bajaj ASC technician. Triumph service is mediocre/lethargic at best.

I went the risers and knobby tyres route for north Sikkim. A similar ride now will be on a stock bike. Both bars and tyres. The bike just feels better (yes you can stand better with the risers, but in 7,000 km how much do you stand and how much is done sitting. Ditto for tyres).

Never had any problems with the stock saddle. Its still running the original 11+ year factory rexine.

Cheers, Doc

[VijayAnand1]

As usual, an astute and honest one by Rajiv. Seems lots are happening astern Bajaj and Triumph and interesting times ahead.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IQ4RpcdD88

Typical Bajaj, where he mentions, Somebody has discovered that the largest room in the world is the 'room for improvement and that truly resonates with the ethos and evolution of the Pulsar series here and abroad. More for less.

When asked upon development costs of this NS 400, he simply mentions the advantage platform sharing gives a company especially with respect to the gearbox, frame and engine and dev-costs hovered around 40 to 50 crores, all thanks to Bajaj and KTM's partnership the powertrain has simultaneously evolved with their global marquees, leveraging the partnership exceptionally well.

Also hinting of a twin cylinder 400cc - sub 600 mid 450 to 500 might just get the game going and evolve the Pulsar brand to galactic levels.

With Rahul clear with Triumph's priorities, things should look more interesting in the coming years with respect to this JV.

Cheers!
VJ