Ship of Theseus

Does the biggest Pulsar ever made also have the chops to be the best Pulsar yet? Or is it just a motorcycle put together by using parts from other Bajaj products? We took it for a spin in search of some answers

- Abhinav Jakhar

The Pulsar badge has quite a cult following in India. Since 2001, it’s meant that performance is accessible. Everyone can have it. Time after time, Bajaj has developed versions of the Pulsar that gave every rider a little more bang for their buck. I’m looking at you 220F and NS200. I think Bajaj may have just done it once again. But, is the Pulsar NS400Z just a sum of its parts, or does it have that unique Pulsar DNA? We rode it for a whole day to answer some crucial questions.

The first thing I noticed is the fact that this does look very much like a Pulsar. And that is a good thing. Maybe a little more like ‘N’ series rather than ‘NS’ series, or perhaps a neat blend of both. Whether it’s the single-piece projector LED headlamp up ahead, or the design of the 12-litre fuel tank or those in-your-face graphics, it’s all very much out there. The NS400Z is available in four colour options - Glossy Racing Red, Brooklyn Black, Pearl Metallic White and Pewter Grey.

Switchgear on the NS400Z feels premium. The arrow buttons on the left fairly easy to operate, but the menu display can be slightly confusing at first.

I personally loved the Glossy Racing Red and Pewter Grey paint job and graphics combination. Other than that, the Pulsar has an extremely sharp cuts all along its body. The NS400Z badging on the rear fender along with the belly pan with the 400 decal gives off a rather sporty appeal. The rear section with the signature Pulsar twin LED tail lamps round off the look around the back rather well.

The digital LCD instrument cluster has a fairly clear and crisp display, although it can be slightly hard to read under direct sunlight. There's also a smaller screen to the right of the instrument cluster to display average fuel economy, trip and odometer. It also comes with Bluetooth connectivity, turn-byturn navigation and a lap timer.