New kid on the block

There's a new Pulsar in town, and it's called the N125. Bajaj already has 15 variants of its most popular model on sale currently, and this one is meant to provide a balance between performance and practicality. So, does it? Where does it fit into the Pulsar range as a whole?

There was a time when the name Pulsar felt like a rebellious murmur that resonated with riders looking for a motorcycle that looked good and had the grunt to match. It had to do all of that without breaking the bank. Today, the Pulsar nameplate can mean several different things. There's a classic range within the Pulsar model line-up for customers wanting a more old-school approach, in terms of design, at least. Funny how that works, doesn't it? It wasn't too long ago that design was new and evocative. Nevertheless, there's also the 'NS' line-up, which is prominently for anyone looking for a performance and handling-oriented motorcycle. However, I find the 'N' series the most interesting of the lot. That's because I feel it's the closest to the essence of the original Pulsar. I've ridden the complete 'N' section of bikes, which includes the N250, N160 and N150, and for the most part, I felt that they provided a good balance of everything.

Now, there new member of the Pulsar family and it is named the N125. For reference, there's already an NS125 and 125. So, how does is the N125 different? What's the point of it anyway? Let's break things down to make everything a little simpler.

Ever since I saw the first teaser drop, I quite liked the design route Bajaj has taken with the N125. The 17-inch alloy wheels and 240mm disc at the front also look quite substantial, for a motorcycle that looks quite slim in the flesh. To help it along with that muscular stance, there are covers on the telescopic forks at the front and tank extensions that are on either side of the LED headlamp. There's a nice and wide handlebar, which houses the usual Bajaj switchgear.