[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Bajaj recently launched the Pulsar N 125 in the Indian market. While a new Pulsar variant is hardly a surprise, what came as a shock to me is that Bajaj now has a 17 variants of the Pulsar in production. Yes, 17 variants!

The lineup is so diverse that it:

• Ranges from 125cc to 400cc, with 150cc, 160cc, 200cc, 220cc and 250cc in between - totalling 7 different engine displacement capacities.
• Uses six different letters to demarcate different body styles - plain old Pulsar, F, N, NS, RS, and NS Z.
• Has three different body styles in the 125cc class, with two body styles across most segments.
• Has 3 generations of products co-existing under the same sub-brand

As of November 2024, the Pulsar lineup listed on the Bajaj website and their corresponding prices are as follows:

1. Bajaj Pulsar 125 Neon - 81,843/-
2. Bajaj Pulsar 125 Single Seat - 92,883/-
3. Bajaj Pulsar 125 Split Seat - 97,133/-
4. Bajaj Pulsar N 125 LED Disc - 94, 707/-
5. Bajaj Pulsar N 125 LED Disc BT - 98, 707/-
6. Bajaj Pulsar NS 125 - 1,01,050/-
   
   150cc:
7. Bajaj Pulsar 150 SD - 1,10,419/-
8. Bajaj Pulsar 150 TD - 1,15,418/-
9. Bajaj Pulsar N 150 - 1,24,730/-
   
   160cc:
10. Bajaj Pulsar N 160 Dual Channel ABS - 1,33,408/-
11. Bajaj Pulsar N 160 Dual Channel ABS with USD - 1,39,693/-
12. Bajaj Pulsar NS 160 - 1,47,206/-
    
    200cc:
13. Bajaj Pulsar NS 200 - 1,58,976/-
14. Bajaj Pulsar RS 200 - 1,74,419/-
    
    220cc:
15. Bajaj Pulsar 220 F - 1,38,560/-
    
    250cc:
16. Bajaj Pulsar N250 - 1,51,910/-
    
    400cc:
17. Bajaj Pulsar NS 400Z - 1,85,000/-

Are they spreading the Pulsar brand way too thin?

The sales figures contradict that argument though, so Bajaj may be doing something right afterall - the figure for September 2024 alone are as follows.

Pulsar 125cc - 78,590 units
Pulsar 150cc - 31,881 units
Pulsar 160 + 200 NS - 19,655 units
Pulsar 220 - 6,880 units
Pulsar NS 400Z - 2,122 units
Total Sales for brand Pulsar in September 2024 = 1,39,128 units

Putting things in perspective - that's half of brand Activa! So they definitely are doing something right. But is it sustainable?

Are things going in the right direction for brand Pulsar? Is the strategy just to retain buyers despite cannibalism between the products of the same range? Is it time for Bajaj to bring back a sub-brand for some of these machines - May be the Discover?

[GTO]

Quite an analysis, thanks for sharing! This is more like "Pulsar" becoming a brand in its own right, and not being a sub-brand anymore. Just like "Maruti" can sell cheap hatchbacks & 20-lakh rupee Hybrids successfully, and Samsung can sell cheap 10k phones & expensive 1-lakh rupee Flip phones, Bajaj wants "Pulsar" to have enough recognition on its own, where it is able to sell 125 cc commuter bikes, as well as the bigger 160 - 200 NS range.

But it clearly has limitations, going by the sales figures of the 400Z and even 220. Those figures seem tiny for a motorcycle. Is my understanding correct?

I don't agree with such a vast spread of model-based sub-brands. Sub-brands should stand for something, and not be everything to everyone. In the car world, we have model-names being used for more than 1 car (e.g. Innova, Dzire), but their positioning is not vastly different. E.g. the Dzire Tour is the old Dzire used for cabbies, while the Innova Crysta is the same old formula, primarily targeting commercial owners, while still not being cheap.

Tata had played this game with the Indica & Indigo; different generations, an endless spread of variants, hatchback / sedan / compact sedan / station-wagon and what not...they smartly rationalized it with time.

[SmartCat]

Going by the list, those 17 variants are actually just 10 - the rest being just minor feature additions.

I think one of the reasons why Bajaj does this is because unlike cars, bikes don't take up too much showroom space or warehouse space. Logistics costs for all stakeholders is unlikely to be significant. I also suspect it doesn't cost much to launch a new "variant" from R&D point of view.

For the customer, it is equivalent to buying a custom bike:

- Choose brand (Pulsar)
- Choose style (commuter/sports/fairing)
- Choose features (dual channel ABS, USD forks etc)
- Choose engine size (big drop-down list)

[arb]

If my memory serves right Pulsar was launched starting of this millennia, adrenaline fueling dreams for high school folks like me, fanciful machines for those who could buy. By mid decade it was perhaps more affordable, I recall seeing quite a few around the coaching facilities even in smaller towns.

The affinity remained, so much so, had P180 as my bike in college though wanting the P220. Limited options, liked the top of the range, settled with what was presumably feasible. Contrast that with 17 models, it no more holds such aura. While it also means, there is plenty to choose from if you need one. More of a vehicle which serves the need than something I may want.

If I am to summaries, Pulsar from being Definitely Male the aspirational machine has become the commuter bike in this day and age. Nothing wrong per se, for those with wallets to fund wants there is no dearth of options, otherwise too Bajaj has 17 of them for you to fill your need.

~ArB

[Rajeevraj]

Personally not a fan of a sub brand getting diluted so much. When I bought my Pulsar 200NS back in 2013, it was the top model in the Pulsar line and I think they had just one or 2 other models.

Probably Bajaj has realized the value of the Pulsar brand and trying to milk it to the maximum now. I also think this is now a common approach by many manufacturers with respect to sub brands that have a high desirability factor. Like TVS has at least 5-6 variants of the Apache RTR. KTM has multiple variants of the Duke.

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Are they spreading the Pulsar brand way too thin?

Nothing new. They already have stretched it too thin for some time now. Earlier one could say they bought a Pulsar or an Apache and others would understand. At best the buyer would have to explain if they're an enthusiast to get a 180 or 200cc over the 150/160 one. Now the buyer has to explain the Pulsar engine size, body design, Colors and yet, the listeners will remain clueless. For Apache, it still remains simple and clear.

Bajaj seems to be in a tough spot where their old work horses still pull the maximum sales while the new innovations have fewer takers. It started with 200ns back in 2012 which was supposed to far better than 220f. And yet, the old Pulsars continued to remain popular to this day. The subsequent generations are not able to hold the fort.

To think of it, TVS sells the same Apache 180/200 which I test rode 12 yrs ago. They aren't trying to replace it but only refresh it.

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Personally not a fan of a sub brand getting diluted so much. When I bought my Pulsar 200NS back in 2013, it was the top model in the Pulsar line and I think they had just one or 2 other models.

They had the 125, 150, 180 (which I bought) and the 220F.

[Gansan]

A two wheeler mechanic and long time friend near my home used to say it was not easy to get spares for Bajaj bikes. For example if he tells me to get a part for my bike before the next service, I can go to the spare part shop, say "give me xxx part for Splendor" and they will give me. But for a Bajaj bike the customer can't do that. Not even the mechanic himself. He will have to remove the old part, take it to the spare shop and show it to them to get an exact match.

Too many variants for a given model.

[ToThePoint]

Bajaj has always had this habit of throwing (variants) at the wall, seeing which stick and retire which don't.

They did the same with the Discover until they realised that this doesn't work all the time and dropped the Discover nameplate all together.

Fortunately for Bajaj, Pulsar is a house hold name now, people connect to it, find it desirable and are drawn to it. Not something other nameplates could manage - be it discover, platina etc. Boxer CT and hoodibaba had those exact traits (boxer ct wasn't desirable but was a reliable workhorse) at a point in time but target audience was quite different.

Same cannot be said about the new nameplate/brand Bajaj tried to create - the Dominar. It failed gloriously to capture the imagination of people the way Pulsar did. And I think that's the hole Bajaj has found itself difficult to come out of it and hence this milking/dilution of Pulsar brand.

Imagine the discussion between the customer who walks in and the sales representative. Reminds me of this ad:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=gG6dngaQ...iCxBmAjNtyqYFb

[TejasKinger]

So I was watching the latest MotorInc First episode on the Bajaj Pulsar N125 - their take was that every Bajaj Pulsar on sale today has distinctly different audiences belonging to different parts of the country in commercially viable volumes, for instance, a Bajaj Pulsar customer from UP is completely different from a Bajaj Pulsar customer from Kerala, and hence two entirely different Pulsars to cater to two different audiences.

https://youtu.be/ZVgwftlEKyA?si=Nnvd4dq95757jsMr

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by TejasKinger

So I was watching the latest MotorInc First episode on the Bajaj Pulsar N125 - their take was that every Bajaj Pulsar on sale today has distinctly different audiences belonging to different parts of the country in commercially viable volumes, for instance, a Bajaj Pulsar customer from UP is completely different from a Bajaj Pulsar customer from Kerala, and hence two entirely different Pulsars to cater to two different audiences.

I wouldn't believe that logic. The below sales numbers are lopsided where the old gen Pulsars are bringing in ~1.2L unit sales of the total 1.4L. So these 3 models are probably selling well throughout the country. Is there data to prove that rest are popular in specific states only and why?

If this argument were plausible, we would be seeing cars with heated seats for our Himalayan states and dual zone AC for coastal ones. Also different tuned bikes for hilly regions vs. those meant for out flat lands

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Pulsar 125cc - 78,590 units
Pulsar 150cc - 31,881 units
Pulsar 160 + 200 NS - 19,655 units
Pulsar 220 - 6,880 units
Pulsar NS 400Z - 2,122 units
Total Sales for brand Pulsar in September 2024 = 1,39,128 units

I don't see the numbers for the 250 twins. Are they off the shelf?

[maddy42]

Originally Posted by Gansan

A two wheeler mechanic and long time friend near my home used to say it was not easy to get spares for Bajaj bikes. For example if he tells me to get a part for my bike before the next service, I can go to the spare part shop, say "give me xxx part for Splendor" and they will give me. But for a Bajaj bike the customer can't do that. Not even the mechanic himself. He will have to remove the old part, take it to the spare shop and show it to them to get an exact match.

Too many variants for a given model.

Vehicles like electronics are reaching the era of replace instead of repair. You would see a lot of really really old Splendors, but will be hard to find one from other brands.

[Chetan_Rao]

Bajaj used to have a clean model/variant spread. CT100 type bikes at entry level, Discover one up from there, and Pulsar as their 'premium' line.

The Pulsar moniker was diluted the day a Pulsar 125 and a Discover 150 came into existence. All downhill from there.

Pulsar used to evoke a 'Ah, that one!' sentiment (the blue shade on the 180 at launch was drool-worthy).

Now it's 'which one?', and nobody can really tell for sure anymore.

[saikishor]

One reason I can think of for this mess is, Bajaj keeps trying with new models and discontinues the old model immediately. But, the market response for most of these new models turn out to be poor, so Bajaj is forced to bring back the old model. But, I feel since they invest so much in the new model, they start to sell two models simultaneously, creating so many variants. One example I can think of is the 220F and F250.

And, ofcourse, the other reason is brand dilution, which is pretty self explanatory.

[Samarth 619]

Rajiv Bajaj himself said that they'll focus on 2 brand strategy: Discover and Pulsar. This is the obvious conclusion of their direction.

As far as cannibalisation is concerned, if two boxers reach the final round, rather both of them be from my country than not. The buyer should buy a Pulsar, no matter which one, that's all Bajaj would want.
Second reason being, choice is always good. Hence, I don't see a problem.

Brand dilution did happen when they launched Pulsar 125 in my opinion, but it isn't half as bad as KTM launching Duke/RC 125.
Though, 125cc has been hot even in the sport performance segment. There were 125cc 2 strokes in MotoGP (granted the breed was different), 125cc YZF R125 existed, making 15 bhp in the market too, and so on.


The first Pulsar was a 180. Now, they've gone upto 55cc below and upto 190cc above. Its still acceptable for a local, Indian brand.

[AulusGabinius]

I literally was laughing at this for quite some time before I saw this post, kudos to Crazy driver for doing the same analysis I was doing! I was going to make a post about Bajaj overhauling their whole lineup and going back to being Hoodibaba. Especially considering they have some great monikers like the Discover, the XCD, and those they inherited from Kawasaki back in the day to bring back. The Avenger has all the potential to becoming a mini-Eliminator (which it once was), and is just being held back. Very sad IMO.