BAJAJ PULSAR P150

Does this next-generation Pulsar continue to hold the mania that made its predecessors a household name?

- BENJAMIN GRACIAS

BAJAJ PULSAR P150 DUAL DISC

Engine: 150cc single-cylinder, air-cooled

Power: 14.5PS @ 8500rpm

Torque: 13.5Nm @ 6000rpm

Gearbox: Five-speed

Weight: 141kg

Price: 1.20 lakh ex-showroom

I still remember my first motorcycle. It was a black Bajaj Pulsar 150, a first-generation example with the round headlamp and muscular fuel tank. It redefined the sportiness of that era with its rortiness and potent 150cc motor. What I remember most about that motorcycle was that it suffered no fools. Handling was tricky at the limit and successfully extracting maximum potential from that motor was a steep learning curve. In fact, I learned a thing or two about riding from my first-generation Pulsar and when the time came to upgrade, the Pulsar 220 felt like a natural progression. The Pulsars that followed defined machismo though in a good way. This new one though seems to carve a new path for the Pulsar legacy. The new Pulsar P150 seems to prefer user friendliness which is good news for newer riders but has the potential to alienate Pulsar loyalists. So is breaking tradition a good thing here?