It has been really heartening to see that even hardcore
"Pulsar" haters couldn't stop themselves from praising the new
Pulsar.
Apart from going gaga over its features like the
"Liquid cooled, 4 Valve engine and "Perimeter Frame", nearly
everyone has been impressed with the styling of the new Pulsar 200NS. So is the
new Pulsar 200NS currently the "Best Styled Naked Sports Bike in
India"?
Surprisingly, I was one of those very few individuals who at
first glance of the new Pulsar 200NS did not go WOW..!! I really don't know
why. Maybe after seeing the signature Pulsar tank for 10 years, the latest
avatar was too radical for me. But I have to say that the new design is growing
on me and the more I look at it in photos, the more it has started to impress.
Evolution or Revolution?
The Yamaha FZ was the first real challenge to the dominance
of the Pulsar when it came to naked sports bikes in India. When Yamaha launched
the FZ (16) in 2008, it made every other naked sports motorcycle in India look
a generation older including the Pulsars. Minor styling upgrades did help the
Pulsar retain its handsome lines/proportions which still appealed to a large
section of bikers. Nevertheless it was clear that the Yamaha FZ was now
becoming the choice of the new generation.
The next gen Pulsar therefore had a thin line to tread. On
one hand it had to be designed a notch above the Yamaha FZ and on the other
hand it had to carry over the lines/proportions of the Pulsar which we have
been used to seeing on our roads for a decade now.
From what has been unveiled on Jan 30, it seems that the
designers at Bajaj Auto has pulled it off. The side panels, tail section and
the way in which the rider's seat merges with the tank reminds one of the
signature Pulsar styling. The twin strip LED Tail lamps makes sure that the new
bike still doesn't get mistaken for anything elase but a Pulsar. The rear
number plate holder has been carried over from the Pulsar 135LS.
The tank is the biggest change here. The orginal shape has
been replaced with a sharper looking tank that extends right down to the
radiator shroud.
Design Details: "God is in the details"
Apart from the puffed up body panels, the FZ had wonderful
design details which really made it stand apart in the crowd. Well, at least
till the Pulsar 200NS was unveiled on Jan 30.
A closer look at the Pulsar 200NS reveals the attention to
details that has been showered while designing even minute details. The
headlamp of the Pulsar 200NS is a detailed design job. The curve, creases,
cuts, slashes and layers on the headlamp is mind blowing. The way the pilot
lamps are positioned at the bottom of the headlamp is pure evil.
A few nit-pickers are crying foul (don't know why?) that the
headlamp looks inspired ("copied" according to them) from the Honda
CBR1000R. Well, it does look similar but I don't care, in fact the headlamp on
the Pulsar 200NS has been better executed than the CBR1000R.
Even the perimeter frame of the Pulsar 200NS also has not
spared the designer's touch, it has been thoughtfully scooped and scraped and
gels well with the rest of the body.
Other small details like the footpegs, the half chain cover,
the petal shaped disc brakes, the new design alloy wheels and the radiator
shroud (not a decoy but an actual working radiator) looks like have been
sculpted by an artist and not just put together in a factory. Even the screws
and allen bolts add a touch of mechanical class to the overall package.
So is the new Pulsar 200NS currently the Best styled naked
sports bike in India? I certainly think so. All that is left is to have a look
at it in the flesh.
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