Even though the 200NS was a world-class product when it came out in the year 2012, that's when Bajaj encountered the problem of discontinuity.

BHPian pranavshet recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Pulsar is an emotion for me. I was just a 7-year-old schoolboy when Bajaj released the pulsar twins in late 2001. The blue-colored pulsar 180 was my favorite. That round headlamp, muscular 16-litre tank, and huge angular exhaust gave it an imposing presence. It was like a cat among pigeons.

It single-handedly revived the fortunes of Bajaj Auto.

From 2001 to 2010 the products were originally built on the OG pulsar platform. Even with their reliability issues, people still loved it because it had a character of its own. They stood apart. They were not developed as a response to any other product but were developed to create a segment of their own.

Bajaj was at its best when it came out with 220F carbureted and the OG pulsar 200. Those bikes looked crazy. They were products that were truly aspirational for middle-class youth. Also, credit should be given to Bajaj for improving the quality and reliability of the original platform by leaps and bounds.

According to me,

Even though the 200NS was a world-class product when it came out in the year 2012, that's when Bajaj encountered the problem of discontinuity. It didn't look similar to the previous generation pulsar. Ideally, Bajaj should have developed a new-generation air-cooled engine. People didn't find 200ns as the spiritual successor of the legendary 220.

Then Bajaj committed mistakes that only Bajaj can do. They repeated all the mistakes that they made with their Discover brand. The launch of 125 cc pulsar for me was the biggest blunder that Bajaj committed in terms of brand imagery. They converted a sporty brand into a commuter brand in a single stroke. All the volume gains that the 125cc variant did were at the cost of 150cc variant.

Now they have 3 generations of brand coexisting with one another. There are so many variants of pulsars that even an ardent fan of pulsar would choose another brand out of sheer confusion. For example, there is NS 125, 125 based on the OG platform and now there will be N125. What is going on? They have the exact same story or even worse story in the 150 to 160 cc category. So many variants with little or no differentiation.

This is the pathetic level of Brand extension. They are spreading the Pulsar way too thin. I'm very much disappointed by their approach.

Even there are rumors that the recently launched 250 cc platform would be axed. How can people place trust in a brand if there is no certainty as to whether his motorcycle will be in production in years' time?

I really hope the upcoming 286cc rumored successor to P 220 will stay true to the brand ethos.

Guys, Would love to know your thoughts on this brand situation.

Till then ride safe guys.

Here's what BHPian Vikram8891 had to say on the matter:

Ok we all know and hate Bajaj for the following 2 things:

Confusing line up which blurs the boundaries Discontinuing bikes left, right and centre.

I had purchased the first gen NS 200 in 2013 and it was the first bike I bought with my own hard earned money. It was INR 96,000 back then! I loved the bike. It delivered everything I had hoped it would. Mind you it was an upgrade from the OG CBZ which I had ridden for 10 years. The NS was the first bike which got me into touring and I started reading up on good riding habits once I got it. I sold it off after 4 years to a friend who rides it to this day and it has clocked over 60,000 kms without any issues except for regular wear and tear.

The liquid cooled engine, relatively light weight and amazing acceleration were the highlights. Sure it was derived from the Duke 200 but it was very different.

One thing you notice is that whenever Bajaj goes off the script and designs something totally new under the Pulsar brand name, it flops. The only exception is the RS 200.

Other than that the Pulsar 220 still does good volume and had to be brough back from the dead because people rejected the new 250 just like the did the NS200 a decade back. Its like we keep asking for better quality Bollywood movies but then the Box Office collections clearly show that the mindless idiotic flicks make the most money.

This is not to demean the OG bikes but somehow and I have no clue why, Bajaj's success with the OG Pulsars have also become a bane for them now as any major design deviation from them results in flops. I could bet that even if they put the age old 220 cc engine in the new 250 body, it wouldn't change the sales figures but if they put the new engine in the old body it will sell.

Here's what BHPian ashis89 had to say on the matter:

You. Me. Even Bajaj might agree that Pulsar brand has been destroyed and needs to be resurrected with a strong strategy.

Three months later, Bajaj would relaunch Pulsar Lemon Matte 150cc edition and everything else would be water under the bridge.

Here's what BHPian GTX+ had to say on the matter:

I had joined my first job after graduation when dad bought me my first bike (had a hero puch earlier), Pulsar 150. The year was 2003. As you rightly said, it had awesome looks and looked quite muscular. Still does.

The young generation then was simply in awe. It was a runaway success.

I still drive my pulsar, 21 years later, though I do not dare to take it far away from house in case the cops get a wiff.

This pic was taken about a month ago. Apart from couple of external parts which I had to replace, filters, battery & tyres, everything else is original.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The Pulsar P125 could compete with the Honda SP 125, TVS Raider 125 and the Hero Glamour.

A prototype of what appears to be a new variant of the Bajaj Pulsar has been spotted testing. Reports suggest that it could be powered by a 125cc engine.

The design of the Pulsar P125 looks similar to the 150cc version. The bike has dual LED tail lights and a single-piece grabrail. It could get a sporty fuel tank with tank shrouds, a split seat, and a rear tyre hugger.

The P125 is expected to be powered by a 125cc, single-cylinder engine mated to a 5-speed gearbox. It will be equipped with a telescopic front fork and a mono-shock at the rear while braking power could be provided by a disc and drum combination.

The introduction of the Pulsar P125 would allow Bajaj to take on models like the Honda SP 125, TVS Raider 125 and the Hero Glamour in the 125cc commuter bike segment.

Source: Rushlane

The CT125X was launched at a price of Rs 71,354 (ex-showroom) in August last year.

A test mule of what appears to be an upcoming commuter bike from Bajaj Auto has been spotted in Pune. The heavily camouflaged test bike looks similar to the CT125X. Hence, it has been speculated that the bike maker could be working on a 150cc version.

The test bike has a round headlamp with the license plate mounted on top, just like on the CT125X. Similarly, the handlebar and front fork look familiar as well.

The bike is equipped with an engine crash guard, a saree guard and a rear tyre hugger. The engine, crankcase and alloy wheels are finished in black.

The CT125X was launched in August last year. The bike is powered by a 125cc, single-cylinder air-cooled engine that makes 10 BHP and 11 Nm. The engine is mated to a 5-speed gearbox. The upcoming model could get a more powerful 150cc engine.

Source: Bikewale

The Bajaj Chetak is available at Rs 1.15 lakh (ex-showroom) until stocks last.

Bajaj Auto has announced a festive offer on the Chetak. Prices of the electric scooter have been slashed by Rs 15,000 in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. As a result, the Chetak is available at Rs 1.15 lakh (ex-showroom) until stocks last.

The Bajaj Chetak uses a 3 kWh battery pack that powers a 3.8 kW electric motor. The e-scooter has a top speed of 60 km/h and can cover 107 km on a single charge. The battery can be recharged using a conventional charger in 4 hours.

The 2023 Chetak was launched in March this year. The e-scooter features a metal body and comes equipped with a colour LCD instrument console offering Bluetooth connectivity.

The Chetak competes with the Ola S1 Pro, Ather 450X, TVS iQube and the TVS iQube.

The Bruzer E101 CNG bike is rumoured to go on sale in the next 6-12 months.

According to a media report, Bajaj Auto is developing a 110cc motorcycle that can run on petrol and CNG.

Bajaj’s upcoming CNG-powered bike is known internally as the Bruzer E101, but the production version could adopt the ‘Platina’ name. The report claims that a few prototypes of the CNG bike have been built and that it is in its final stages of development.

The Bruzer E101 CNG bike is rumoured to go on sale in the next 6-12 months. Initially, the bike could be manufactured at Bajaj’s Aurangabad plant and eventually at the Pant Nagar facility as well. It is said that the company had planned to produce around 1-1.2 lakh units per annum, but has now revised its production plan to build 2 lakh units per year.

Bajaj has neither denied nor confirmed these reports. Rakesh Sharma, Executive Director of Bajaj Auto said, “We certainly want to extend this capability to cover two-wheelers which is not easy due to space, size and usage differences. We definitely want to expand the share of 'cleaner fuels' in our portfolio which includes the full spectrum of EV, ethanol, LPG and CNG. You can be sure of this in both 2WS and 3Ws - this alignment with society and government is very important for us.”

Source: Autocar India

The Sunny electric scooter could be based on the Yulu platform.

According to a media report, Bajaj could bring back the Sunny. But this time, instead of a 60cc engine, it will use an electric powertrain.

The latest spy images suggest that the Sunny Electric is already in its prototype stage. The test mule looks identical to the original, but look closer and you will notice a hub-mounted motor in the rear. The report states that it could be based on the Yulu platform.

The Sunny EV prototype has the same compact and simple bodywork with a round headlamp and a rectangular tail lamp unit. It is equipped with a trailing-arm front suspension, steel wheels and drum brakes. Note that the battery pack is located on the floorboard where the spare tyre used to sit.

Looking at the spy image, it seems the Sunny EV project is in an early stage of development. It has the potential to be an affordable and convenient city runabout. It would be interesting to see if Bajaj puts it into production.

Source: Autocar India

Bajaj has shared a picture of the Pulsar NS with the tagline, "The Original Legend Killer".

The Bajaj Pulsar has traditionally been the rival of the Karizma. It has had a free run ever since Hero discontinued the model. However, things are about to change.

Hero MotoCorp is gearing up to launch the Karizma XMR 210 on August 29. In fact, competition is already hotting up not just on the ground but also in the virtual space.

Taking a dig at the upcoming Karizma XMR, Bajaj has shared a picture of the Pulsar NS with the tagline, "The Original Legend Killer". Now, this comes in response to a teaser shared by Hero that shows the digital instrument console of the Karizma with the text, "Ride Your Legend".

The Karizma XMR is said to be based on a new platform powered by a 210cc liquid-cooled, DOHC engine paired with a 6-speed gearbox. While detailed specs have not been released, we can expect it to develop around 25 BHP.

In addition to Bajaj products, the factory will also produce KTM motorcycles.

Bajaj Auto has announced that it plans to set up its first overseas manufacturing facility in Brazil, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Bajaj Do Brazil.

Bajaj Auto's new manufacturing plant is expected to be installed at the Manaus Special Economic Zone in northern Brazil. It will have an annual production capacity of 2,40,000 units. Production is expected to commence in the next 12 months.

In addition to Bajaj products, the factory will also produce KTM motorcycles. Bajaj also has a tie-up with UK-based Triumph Motorcycles, which already has a manufacturing presence in Brazil.

Bajaj is the largest exporter of motorcycles and 3-wheelers in India. The company has a presence in over 90 countries. The distribution model adopted by Bajaj has served it well in these markets, but the company believes that Brazil is an exception due to its size, complexity and unpredictability.

Source: ET Auto

The new Bajaj-Triumph mid-capacity bike is expected to take on the BMW G 310 R, KTM Duke 390 and the Royal Enfield Hunter 350.

Triumph Motorcycles has released a teaser of an upcoming motorcycle, believed to be of the new mid-capacity bike developed in collaboration with Bajaj Auto. The new model will be launched on July 5, 2023.

The teaser showcases a silhouette of a retro-styled motorcycle. It has a teardrop-shaped fuel tank with a chrome fuel filler cap and a flat seat. The bike is also expected to get a circular LED headlamp with a single-pod instrument console, alloy wheels, an upside-down front fork and a rear monoshock.

Bajaj-Triumph is likely to offer two versions of its upcoming mid-capacity bike - a stylish roadster and a rugged scrambler. According to media reports, both bikes will be powered by a brand-new 400cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine.

The Bajaj-Triumph mid-capacity bikes will make their global debut in London on June 27, 2023, before being launched in India a week later.

Source: Rushlane

The Bajaj Avenger 220 Street is yet to be listed on the brand's official website.

In 2020, Bajaj Auto discontinued the Avenger 220 Street. As per the latest reports, it is now back with an updated engine. The bike is priced at Rs 1,42,029 (ex-showroom, Pune).

The Bajaj Avenger is one of the most affordable cruisers currently sold in India. It is available in two variants: Cruise and Street. The latter is also available with a 160cc engine.

The new Avenger 220 Street looks similar to the 160cc version. It has a circular headlamp with a short flyscreen, a single-pod digital instrument console and alloy wheels.

At its heart is a 220cc air / oil-cooled single-cylinder engine that develops 19 BHP and 17.55 Nm. It has now been upgraded to comply with the BS6 Phase 2 emission norms and can run on E20 fuel. The bike features conventional telescopic fork suspension at the front with rubber gaiters for added protection and dual shock absorbers at the rear.

The Bajaj Avenger 220 Street is yet to be listed on the brand's official website.

Source: Zigwheels