Posted on

Can we tour on Pulsar NS160?

We can tour on any bike. We can tour on scooty or TVS 50 too. They don’t complain, but it is Not what they meant to be.

NS160 is a powerful, sporty city commuter with adraneline surge pick up and suitable for 3 to 4 hours of weekend sprints.

Tourer – Ride the bike for more than a day, cover 400+ kms per day, sleep at night, ride at day time. Ride for a week or days or more than a day.

Long ride – Ride 200 to 400 km in a day and stop. Single day event.

Sprint – Ride for 75 to 150 kms round trip and stop. This is done within 3 to 5 hours with or without breaks.

NS160 most suitable for weekend sprints with a decent highway speed, though it can be pushed for long ride and touring like any other machine, but it is not what it meant to be.

If you intend to ride NS160 for touring in highway, you can cruise between 80 to 90 km/hr all day without heating issue. In strong wind blast or cross wind, you can cruise around 70 km/hr. Till 90 km/hr speed, you can do overtakes at ease. NS160 is most suitable if your crusing speed is around 80 to 90 km/hr. If you intend to cruise above 100 or 120km/hr speed, you need higher CC bike. I guess, it is illegal to ride motorcycle above 80 km/hr in our country.

In my experience 150/160 CC bikes are not Tourer. For touring, bike needs to have more weight, power, torque, stability in cross or head winds and more comfort and less fatigue.

What type of rider are you? Tourer or Long rider or Sprinter. Most of the weekend rides are Sprint – start in the morning, finish before noon, cover 100+ kms with or without breaks.

If you are a sprinter, 150/160 CC bikes are perfect or An Electric Sport bike with 150 to 200+ km/charge range is sufficient.

I am a Sprinter in motorcycle riding, i enjoy it, i am not a Tourer or long rider, seldom i do long ride, but i prefer sprints and enjoy it.

Posted on

Realisation continued with Pulsar NS160 – Matured Cruising speed

Nowadays, i don’t push/compel myself ride fast, i dont control myself to ride slow. I let the speed flow naturally, automatically. I don’t keep on watching Speedo meter or RPM meter to know at what speed i am riding. I ride at the speed which is possible to the situation.

In six lane road, i cruise around 75+ km/hr. In four lane road, i cruise around 55 to 65 km/hr. In two lane or single lane road, i cruise around 35 to 45 km/hr. All these, i ride naturally – not watching speedometer. Speed is reduced or increased depending upon the road and traffic automatically without awareness. I ride with road sense and traffic sense. Just casually i ride my bike. At the same time i dont follow these strictly. Speed i ride is flexible depending upon the conditions.

I don’t control myself to ride around 50 km/hr speed in open stretch. In open stretch, l let the speed flow. I don’t push myself to ride at high speed in small or congested road.

How much speed is speed is relative. On Sunday morning, in less trafficking six lane road, 80+ km/hr does not feel as high speed. On Monday morning, in high trafficking four lane road, 60+ km/hr speed looks risky. Cruising speed varies for same biker and bike depending on road, traffic, wind blast, mood and energy level of rider, power and stability of the bike.

Surprisingly my ability, confidence has increased to cruise at 80+ km/hr speed. I am relaxed both physically and mentally at those speed. This bike dragged me out of my comfort zone and expanded my comfort zone in speed.

I should have purchased Pulsar AS150 instead of Discover 150F 5 years back. Atleast, should have purchased any proper 150 CC bike – say Yamaha FZ or Gixxer or Hornet or Apache. My highway thirst should have been quenched 5 years back itself. I would have relieved from biking obsession 3 or 4 years back. Buying Discover 150F was wrong decision if aim is to tour or cruising. Or sprinting.

For 72 thousand rupees, i purchased Discover 150F. For 72 thousand rupees, i purchased Honda shine. Now for one lakh and thirty thousand rupees, i purchased Pulsar NS160. Totally i spent around 2 lakhs and 70 thousands rupees for biking passion and for highway cruising. I sold my previous bikes for 60 thousands rupees. If i deduct this amount, then my expense is 2 lakhs for biking. If i purchased a proper 150CC sport bike 5 years back, i could have saved 1 lakh rupees.

I am not able to compromise, untill i am completely satisfied. I kept trying/changing till i am satisfied.

My biking quest is satisfied now thoroughly. I am very comfortable at the cruising speed of 150/160 CC bike both in highway and city.

A sedate rider is transformed to sporty or aggressive rider by Pulsar. I don’t say Pulsar NS 160 changed me, but any 150CC sport bike could have changed my riding style. To me it happened through Pulsar NS 160.

For free flow or sporty riding style, i get the mileage around 46 km/ltr.

Posted on

Realisation with Pulsar NS160 continued – More Speed

Nowadays, I am able to cruise at 75 km/hr speed comfortably in tail wind. In head or cross wind, i am able to cruise at 65 km/hr comfortably. Both body and mind is relaxed, no fear. My confidence is building up slowly to cruise at high speed.

Earlier, i thought that i could not ride beyond 55 km/hr. Now, i realised that I am able to ride at 70+ km/hr speed comfortably.

Get familiar with the bike, learn how to control the bike, learn the limits of the bike – dos and don’ts with the bike, slowly gain confidence and slowly increase the cruising speed day by day. Find a sweet spot both to me and the bike and settle there. This is the strategy.

Now, my cruising speed is increased from 55 to 75 km/hr.

Cruising speed is decided by many factors. Traffic, road conditions, tail wind, cross wind, head wind, weight of the bike, power of the bike, stability of the bike, breaking confidence of the bike, riding confidence provided by the bike, mood and energy level of rider, and confidence of rider – all influence the cruising speed of the ride. There is no fixed cruising speed for a person or bike.

My confidence is increasing day by day slowly. I will settle in the sweet spot of bike if all the other factors favouring.

Earlier, i thought to sell this bike because it is over powerful to me. That notion is changed now. For the same price – one lakh thirty thousand – I could have purchased old Dominar 400 with dual channel ABS, after gaining confidence, now thinking. ,🤔

Anyway, let me learn to cruise in high speed with the maximum limit of Pulsar NS 160. This is the bike for next 3 years or till loan emi closure.

Posted on

Chennai to Kanchipuram on Pulsar NS 160

Up and down from my home( Saligramam) to Kanchipuram is 130 kms.

I rode in 50 to 70 km/hr speed in this trip depending upon the traffic and road conditions. The road has potholes, patches here and there.

I was thinking to sell this bike since it is over powerful to me. But the trip changed my view.

Bike is excellent to ride around 55 km/hr speed or 4500 rpm. I had ridden Discover 150F and Shine around 55 km/hr speed. But the ride quality is better in NS160. More weight and more power, torque are doing some magic.

There is enough power for overtakes when needed. Pulsar NS160 is more stable when compared with my previous bikes.

Planning for 200 kms trip next.

By the way, as on date mileage i get from this bike is 57 km/ltr for my riding style.

Posted on

Datsun RediGo – Ownership experience after 5000 kms in 2020

Few long trips (Chennai to Trichy) in this car, completely changed my view about RediGo.

I usually drive around or below 2000 rpm or 70 km/hr speed. So i under estimated the power and pickup of this car. During long trips in highway i went past my sedate speed. I cruised around 90 or 100 km/hr speed with ease and without any vibrations, and the car was stable, all windows closed with AC on. From 2000 to 3000 rpm, acceleration is super. 100 km/hr speed comes at 3000 rpm. During overtakes, acceleration is excellent in this small car segment, mine is 1000cc S variant.

The peppiness, power, pickup are far better than other cars i had driven – Alto 800, Alto K10. RediGo is better.

RediGo may not be sold in numbers when compared to Altos, but it is better than Altos. This is my personal view, experience after driving the car in different speed, went few long trips.

If you want mileage drive below 2000 rpm, if you want fun, performance, peppiness then drive above 2000 rpm. Two in one.

Posted on

Cruising in Pulsar NS160

Today, i did a short ride with NS160 – around 80 km round trip. I cruised between 55 to 65 km/hr speed in highway, mostly above 60km/hr. Bike went steadily even in crosswind at these speed range. For quick overtake, i ride upto 70 + km/hr speed, then settled down. Bike inspired confidence while cruising, and overtakes.  I maintained around 5000 RPM to cruise around 60km/hr  speed. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride today. My 5 years of highway quest is satisfied. I am planning for 120 km round trip post monsoon. Probably mid or end of December, i will do this trip.