[vinuchel]

This may sound really weird on why someone would ride a performance bike like NS200 as a commuter, but presently I don't have any option to purchase a new bike. I had intended to purchase a new/used commuter bike (Berhampur) but last moment, my finances decided otherwise. Also my NS200 (BS6, March 2020) model has run around 37k only which means it would be ineffective to sell the bike. Additionally I had spent around 12k on last service to make the bike like new. So here is my situation:

I have to commute 25 km one side (50km in a day in total), where road is 70% national highway and 30% rural roads. So I would like your suggestions and advice to turn my NS200 into a bike similar to a commuter bike. Following are my queries.

I had raised handlebar with handlebar risers. Are there any options to get a upright seating and riding position?

The place of foot peg, if a bit forward would be a big relief. It may sound illogical but any scope to change the footpeg position (to be like commuter bikes) would be most helpful.

Seat hardness: Had ordered a gel seat cushion from amazon. Other than that any mods to be carried out in seats? The vibration from roads is getting into the seats.

Any handlegrips good enough to damp the vibrations? Or gloves would be fine?

The chain noise (from front side where sound is like the chain is not refuses to go even after replacing new chain and sprocket. Any suggestions or solutions for a temporary fix?

I love the seating position on unicorn and if any option to make the NS200 riding and posture like the unicorn it would be very helpful to me.

In short please advice or give ideas on how to improve the riding comfort of NS200 to be like regular commuter bikes.

[BullettuPaandi]

First off, I think your expectation is a tad too much, with trying to make the NS as comfortable as a Unicorn. Anything is possible, of course, but this will take a lot of modifications done with design and machining chops. This is mostly due to difficulties involved with the foot peg modifications required. Let's not forget that the suspension setup on the Unicorn probably adds just as much to the comfort, if not more, as/than the rider triangle. All that said, I'll add my suggestions here:

1. Handlebar:
Kindly add a bit more info. Do the handlebar risers only increase the height following the stock angle, or do they also allow you to adjust the position more towards you? If it doesn't do the latter- at least not enough- there may be some room for improvement here.

2. Seat:
Seat foam and cover can be changed, added or altered, both to your preference of softness and grip, with a lining workshop. If the gel cushion doesn't work well for you, try looking into this. Only reach out to well-experienced professionals for this as this is a deceptively skillful job. It is so easy for an inexperienced person to mess up, and worse is that we wouldn't know it till we've ridden on the bike for long. Keep in mind that, you may still feel some vibrations when going with softer foams, once we put enough weight on them over time and compress them to essentially a hard foam. So, while general comfort will be better suited to you, odds are that you'll only be spared from the vibrations for, say first 15 of the 25km ride.

3. Handle grips or Gloves:
Haven't tried many handle grips or any gloves to know (had only tried grips once, which did nothing for vibrations). I myself have never gotten around to buying and using gloves. I've only recently started trying to use basic leather boots even. Clearly not an ATGATT guy. I assume may be both in combination can do something.

4. Chain noise:
Couldn't understand what you were trying to say regarding this, but given that both the chain and sprocket are new, your chain slider mat be worn out, causing it to slide on the swing-arm, making the noise.

5. Foot pegs:
Now to the hardest part. In theory, you could alter the foot peg positions with different shaped brackets and longer/shorter connecting rods and brake lines. But if an aftermarket part specifically for this isn't available, you'd have to do the machining and designing as well, which can be the harder part of the two.

If your height allows it, try to rise and flatten the seat out- along with the lining work- and rise the handlebars further and closer if needed. This will allow you to sit further back, reducing the angle your knees will be required to bend.

If that isn't viable, you'll need someone who's good at machining. You can perhaps try to use the same design of the existing bracket, and only lengthen it a little bit (downward), achieving a similar result as the flat seat mod.

At any rate, this is troublesome mod best reserved as the last resort. Also, if you couldn't manage to make any of the mods reversible, the resale value might take a significant hit anyway. But these are all the options that I can think of; hope it paints at least a faint picture of what you're looking at here.

[vinuchel]

Thanks so much for your detailed insight.
1. The handlebar risers just raise the stock handle by 1 inch so a bit upright handlebar.

2. Seat: started first step of transformation with a gel seat cushion from Sthira (found on Amazon). It is really great and now the vibration from roads and gutters are damped to a great extent. Previously I used to stop even after riding 10km but now I can do 30km nonstop.

3. Handle grip: purchased a pair of local gloves. Feels good for the hand but grip is a bit less

Regarding chain noise and foot pegs no development. I just want my foot position to be a bit front. (Like the latest pulsar n160 which I feel is a good posture)

Any more insights and out of box ideas would be most welcome. I really like the engine and ride of ns200. You can abuse and fire up and ride comfortably at 70-80km/hr and even then mileage is 40. So i really don't want to sell the bike immediately

[sagarpadaki]

You cannot alter the DNA of the bike. NS are designed to be sporty.

Few changes that I can think of to make the ride more comfortable.
1. Pre-load setting of the rear suspension. Do a few trial and error and see which setting suits you the best. Start with the lowest setting and notch it up step by step after riding for a day or two.
2. Tyres with taller sidewall profile even if it means going down one size in width.
3. Grip puppies for handlebar.
4. Shaving half an inch of foam from the seat and installing a gel insert in the shaved off area.

[BullettuPaandi]

Originally Posted by vinuchel

I just want my foot position to be a bit front.

Could've added this on the previous post itself; not sure how I missed. But it is not recommended to alter the foot pegs' position towards front/back.

Most modern bikes use the engine as a 'stressed member'- meaning, the engine acts as part of the chassis as well. So in a modern single cradle- which I assume the NS200 is- there is usually no actual chassis towards the front. In other words, no bottom rail in between the center post and down tube; part of the engine effectively acts as this bottom rail. So no direct mounting points for the foot pegs.

This means that you'd have to alter the brackets' shape towards the front to mount foot pegs and pedals. This is not a recommended modification, as a poorly designed bracket can cause too much leverage on the actual mounting point on the chassis, causing either the bracket or the mounting point to break under use. It only gets worse if you occasionally stand and ride, which is plenty useful on highways too, to stretch while riding.

I noticed that the recently launched Classic 650 comes with such brackets from the factory that puts the foot pegs' position forward. There must be some other bikes that have such alterations, which you can look into for ideas. But if I were you, I wouldn't be so confident as to attempt designing one such on my own. The risk is simply too much for the reward.

This is why I had only suggested to extend the existing bracket design downwards earlier. But, by far, the best option if you want your foot pegs forward is rather the seat mod- rise and flatten the seat, and you sit further back.

[bpapache]

Originally Posted by BullettuPaandi

Most modern bikes use the engine as a 'stressed member'- meaning, the engine acts as part of the chassis as well. So in a modern single cradle- which I assume the NS200 is- there is usually no actual chassis towards the front. In other words, no bottom rail in between the center post and down tube; part of the engine effectively acts as this bottom rail. So no direct mounting points for the foot pegs.
.

Small correction. The Bajaj Pulsar NS 200 has a perimeter frame.
For reference about footpeg mounting: https://www.bikesmedia.in/uploads/im...sar-200-ns.jpg

[FlankerFury]

Originally Posted by vinuchel

In short please advice or give ideas on how to improve the riding comfort of NS200 to be like regular commuter bikes.

I think you'd be better off with an actual comfortable commuter like the Unicorn or N160. By modifying the NS200, you'd have neither the dynamics of the NS nor the comfort of a commuter.

Originally Posted by BullettuPaandi

So in a modern single cradle- which I assume the NS200 is- there is usually no actual chassis towards the front.

A perimeter chassis but yes your points are valid.

[Vignesh_N/A]

I know my post is not going to add much value to the query raised, but my suggestion would be not to alter the vehicle. It has been designed to do its job in a specific way, altering anything will have some sort of negative effect in driving dynamics or reliability or something else.

I see you have a liking for Unicorn which is an excellent vehicle to commute and there are many examples in the used market. And NS200 has a excellent value in the used market as well.

[Phantom 510]

Pulsar NS 200 is an engaging street fighter motorcycle that focuses on quick acceleration, strong braking and sharp handling at a vfm price tag. On the flip side, it has a firmer ride than other commuters and sporty ergos. The motorcycle has been optimised to deliver a thrilling experience without breaking the bank. It's an excellent motorcycle at what it does. Trying to make the NS 200 a comfy commuter will dilute it's sporty intent. However, if a comfortable commute is your priority then you can sell it and get a motorcycle that excels during the commutes like TVS's Ronin. Ronin packs a very responsive motor that excels in low to mid range rpm scenarios. It can pull from very low speeds in higher gears without breaking a sweat. It has a comfy ride quality and an upright riding position. Trying to make the NS 200 comfortable would be a futile exercise IMHO.