Pulsar AS 200 review

It was a much needed breath of fresh air for the Pulsar family when Bajaj launched the Pulsar AS 200 in May this year. Until recently, the Pulsar 220 was the only half-faired bike in its stable which was launched in 2009 as the “Fastest Bike in India”. The Pulsar 220 did really well in the market and is going strong even now. But, with the Pulsar AS 200, Bajaj wanted to shift to the new platform in line with the new Pulsar 200 NS and RS 200. So let’s review the new Pulsar on the block and see what it has to offer.

Engine and Performance

The Pulsar AS 200 gets its engine and transmission directly from the 200 NS. The Triple Spark technology with four-valves on the 199.5 cc mill develops a peak power of 23.5 HP at 9,500 RPM and maximum torque of 18.3 Nm at 8,000 RPM. The engine is liquid cooled and is fed by a carburettor. As we have already seen with the 200 NS, the engine is quite rev-happy with a close ratio 6-speed transmission. We could manage a top speed of 148 km/h but with perfect conditions, we felt the bike could push further. The quick acceleration takes the bike from a standstill to 100 km/h in just 9.5 seconds. The engine feels very refined even at high RPMs and lets you cruise comfortably at around the 110 km/h mark. Being labelled as a ‘Adventure Sport’ we felt that the gearing could be taller along with a proper overdrive on the 6th for a more relaxed feel at the top gear. The bike gave a decent 37 km/l mileage in mixed riding conditions.

Look and Feel and Build Quality

The first look at the Pulsar AS 200 immediately makes you feel that the bike has a good composed stance and a very well balanced look. Thanks to Bajaj for not over-styling the bike like the RS 200. The new half-fairing is very well designed along with the prominent projector headlights and goes really well with the overall sharp styling of the bike giving it a tourer-like look. Moving towards the back, we find that the Pulsar AS 200 borrows its styling from the 200 NS sharing the same body panels. The overall fit and finish of the bike is pretty good with decent plastic quality and panel gaps, but when you look at it closely, you just know that it could have been much better. The only true negative being the protruding side panel below the seat which annoyingly comes in the way of the thighs while being seated on the bike with legs down, a problem mostly for riders of shorter stature. Coming back to the looks, the Pulsar AS 200 will be available in three colour options, red, blue and the black that you see here. We personally the love the AS 200 in red.

Handling and Braking

The new Pulsar AS 200 sports the same steel perimeter frame from its siblings 200 NS and RS 200. Similar to its siblings, the AS 200 handles very well and feels confident on corners. The high handlebars and rear set footpegs provide a relaxed seating stance which fits well with the touring nature of the bike. The comfortable seating allows for stress free long rides on the AS 200. The suspension is set more on the stiffer side both at the front and the back. The rear mono-shock is adjustable but even the softest setting is still very stiff. But overall, the ride quality is pretty good.
The front brakes are 280 mm discs combined with a 230 mm at the rear from Bybre. The brakes help shed speed quickly and the front discs provide good feel. However, the rear 230 mm discs are very sharp and lacks feel. ABS is sadly not even available as an option. The AS 200 wheels come fitted with Eurogrip tyres which are not that great. Bajaj could have done a better job offering the same MRF’s on the RS 200.

Key features & VFM

We would have loved it if the Pulsar AS 200 came standard with ABS, but let’s look past that. Apart from its classy looks, the Pulsar AS 200 will always be known for its headlights. When those come on, there is nothing else that compare. Coming to the value for money part of things, we do not think you can get a better deal. At just above a lakh on road, the Pulsar AS 200 has performance and easy maintenance that few can come close to. For example first and second service cost around 1200 INR. Part costs are pretty easy on the pocket and regular spares too are competitively priced.

Verdict

The Pulsar AS 200 is a great package considering its price tag. It widens the Pulsar’s portfolio with a tourer styled bike but the real question is if the AS 200 is really an ‘Adventure Sport’ tourer? There is a long answer to this question but the short version is – No, it’s just not. But comparing the new AS 200 with the older 220, Bajaj have surely done a great job and put in a lot of effort to make the new range of Pulsars better in every way without burning a hole in the pockets of its customers.

Pulsar AS 200 technical specifications

ENGINE

CHASSIS

Test Riders

Sudeep Avin NijishKunal