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Pulsar 250

I want to own and ride Pulsar 250 motorcycle, such bike is not yet in production. The bike should have Bajaj’s own 4 valve engine, not KTM derived engine. It would be better, the current 4 valve 160cc engine of NS160 is improved and used in Pulsar 250. It should have strong low end and mid-range punch to ride easily in city. Speed of 0 to 100 km/hr should come faster.

Price of the bike should be lesser than FZ250, but pickup and speed of the bike should be faster than FZ250. I don’t mind top end speed, but engine should be very relaxed in highway cruising speeds, say 90 to 100, 100 to 110 km/hr. The bike should be stable in highway.

I don’t mind not having slipper clutch, let the bike have single channel ABS. Let the bike have pulsar’s characters – say clip on handle bars, back-light switches, and preferably having monoshock.

Bike should have ladies footrest like how it is given in NS160, so that women with sarees can also claim and sit pillion comfortably. Engine should not leak oil. Even oil leaked, it should be easily resolvable by service center mechanics.

I dont mind having vibrations in higher revs/speed, but i cant tolerate oil leakage and noise from chain sprocket. So, let there be good gasket and chain sprocket in pulsar 250.

I should be healthy enough to ride this bike 200 km at a stretch or ride four hours continuously. I should be financially sound to buy this bike when or if it is launched by Bajaj.

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Had Crush with Apache RR310 – RR150

Recently, I had Crush with TVS Apache RR310. I started watching videos and reading contents about this bike. I liked the full faired look and feel of the bike.

Then, realised that, I am not going to ride 120 km/hr speed. After riding Pulsar NS 160 in different speeds, I realised my comfort zone in speed.

I am most comfortable in 50 to 60 km/hr speed, for me it is fun to ride around 70 km/hr speed. So, by and large, I cruise between 50 to 70 km/hr. That’s it.

Buying RR310, and riding it 65 km/hr speed in highway is waste of money, fuel.

So I stopped the crush with RR310.

But, if TVS produces RR150 with same hardware but with a 150CC engine, with reduced price, definitely I will consider buying it.

Internet is flooded with touring, long ride, high speed cruising, higher CC bikes. Youngsters and biking enthusiastic are wrongly motivated as speed is fun, thrill.

To be honest, everybody is unique. One philosophy cannot be applied to all. What speed is enjoyable is different from person to person.

We should not allow market, media, trend to hypnotise ourself to believe something, in which we are uncomfortable. Right now, we are forced to believe what is happy to us.

We are forced to believe what is happy to us and pursuing it.

Not everybody is a tourer, but everybody likes to buy a touring machine.

I enjoy 3 to 4 hours of sprint, not touring, not long ride.

What is happy to you is unique to you, you have to find it, rather believe or assume something and pursue it.

Try to know, what is your Sudhama in riding and speed and buy a bike according to it, don’t be hypnotized by the market and trend.

Right now, only faired 150CC bike with upright sitting posture in india is Gixxer SF, but I don’t like the look and feel.

If Bajaj produces RS150 or RS125, I will consider buying them, but RR150 is my crush.

I don’t like the lean forward sitting posture of R15 or KTM RCs. I like the full faired bike with sitting posture of Pulsar NS with moderate power and better mileage.

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What to buy – NS 160 or Hornet 2.0

What to buy NS 160 or Hornet 2.0 ? I was obsessed with NS 160 for long time. But, i am afraid to ride Bajaj bikes after having bad experience with Discover 150F. But my passion for NS 160 is not stopped until Hornet 2.0 launched.

Launching of Hornet 2.0 by Honda, shakes my obsession with NS160. Hornet 2.0 is a 180cc bile. It has better torque than NS160. It has broader rear tyre than NS 160. It has upside down forks. It has gear position indicator. But Hornet 2.0 is approximately 20000 rupees more than NS 160

NS 160 has almost same horse power as Hornet 2.0. It has perimeter frame. It has lessor torque than Hornet 2.0. It has less high speed stability compared to Hornet 2.0. It has four valve engine. It has oil cooled engine. It is approximately 20000 rupees cheaper than Hornet 2.0. It has better mileage than Hornet 2.0.

If i purchase NS 160, then i will retain my Honda shine for a while untill I settle down with NS 160 both physically and mentally.

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Nothing wrong with the bike

Nothing wrong with Bajaj Discover 150F bike.  I had severe back pain when I was riding that bike.  I tried this and that to resolve the back pain.  But nothing worked.  Without having any clue as why that bike gave me back pain, I sold that bike for cheap price.

Then I purchased Honda Shine.  No back pain with honda shine.  I am riding Honda shine for the last three years.  Everything went well.

Last six months, I am riding Shine for 50 kms up and down per day for commuting.  Saligramam to Okkiyam Duraibakkam.  I started having back pain nowdays.  I am not blaming Honda Shine for back pain.  The same bike I used ride for three years without any problem.

50 KMS ride – 5 days a week, irregular sitting posture in office, restless weekend, latenight or till midnight mobile addiction, job stress – all causing back pain.  Nothing to do with Honda Shine.

In the same way, something wrong with me, my life style, triggered back pain, when riding Discover 150F.  But, I mistaken as bike was the problem.  It was a good bike with strong bottom and midrange speed, gave 70+ km/ltr mileage in highway if ridden around 60+ km/hr speed.  I was using the bike in both city and highway. Only problem I noticed was, bike was not stable and not confidence inspiring beyond 60 km/hr speed.  I sold Discover 150F without knowing why I had back pain.

Honda shine is a good city bike, but it struggles in highway, engine feel stressed above 50 km/hr speed.  We should not push honda shine beyond 50 km/hr speed.

Now, I am looking for second bike to ride in highway.  When I searched Discover 150F in quikr, olx, I hardly see it.  Even listed but overpriced.

Today I saw an ad for Discover 150F in OLX for 18500 rupees – six year old bike. Suddenly I noticed another ad for pulsar 220F for the same price – 18500 rupees.  It is a 10 year old bike.

Pulsar 220F is a far better bike than Discover 150F.  I oscillate.  My quench for riding a bike in highway is not satisfied yet.  The crush for highway machine is still burning.  My speed is not 100 or above 100 km/hr.  My speed is around 60 to 70 km/hr.  But I want a stable machine in highway against cross or head winds.  Engine should not stressed.  It should be relaxed at those speeds.

Discover 150 F engine is not stressed at 70 km/hr speed, but not stable and confidence inspiring at those speed.

I could push Honda Shine for 70+ km/hr speed, but engine is stressed, bike is not stable and shaky in winds.

Since, I already ridden Discover 150F, I know it was stable in 60+ speeds, engine relaxed.  It matches my speed and expectation.  But, it is hardly sold in used bike market,  that too not in affordable price.  15000 to 20000 is my budget, 50 to 10 years old, spare parts should be available. Any mechanic can maintain it.  I prefer the highway machine with kick starter.

Discover 150F, pulsar 220F, pulsar 180 are my choices now.  Budget less than 20000 rupees.  I will keep my honda shine for city usage, agile, nimble, and light weight bike.