Pulsar 150NS

Bajaj and the companies it has a stake in or is responsible for the distribution network of dominate news and generate a considerable amount of dinner-table discussions every day. Just take a look at the sheer volume of Bajaj bikes we’re all “eagerly awaiting” and you get an idea of just what a heavy-weight Bajaj is in the Indian market. The wowed us all by bringing two 400cc Pulsars to the 2014 Auto Expo. Master move considering we were all expecting the new 200SS to show up. Following that, the 200SS did show up, at lots of places, and was spied testing all over the place. This time around it is a featherweight from the NS line- the Pulsar 150NS.


We get a pretty clear look at the 150NS in this batch of spy pics

Spy pictures of the Bajaj Pulsar 150NS are pretty detailed. We get to see most of the bike pretty clearly as there doesn’t seem to have been any camo concealing parts of it. The Bajaj Pulsar 200NS has been a volume-heavy bike that has ushered in a new sense of respect for the Pulsar flagship. Expectedly, the 150NS will borrow heavily from its 200cc sibling. And from what we see so far the exteriors look so alike the 150NS could easily be mistaken for the 200NS.


The 150NS will borrow heavily from its 200cc sibling

The Pulsar 150NS unit spotted on tests used an aluminium holder for the number plate, and split grab rail as on the 200NS. The one difference that you can make out its that the 150NS test bike had a single seat, whereas the Pulsar 200NS uses split seats. Other elements such as the foot pegs, wheels, indicators, and instrument cluster have been taken right of the 200NS.


The 150NS seems to use a single seat whereas the 200NS had a split seat

The Pulsar 150 is currently powered by an air-cooled 149 cc displacement four-stroke DTS-I engine. It has a maximum power output of 15.06PS at 9000RPM and 12.5 NM peak torque at 6500 RPM. A 5-speed gearbox is used. It is worth noting here that the Pulsar 150NS engine cover says it uses triple-spark tech. This could mean Bajaj is going to feature a new engine on the Pulsar 150NS. The Pulsar 150NS and 180NS will be priced at a slight premium over their non-NS counterparts.


The Pulsar 150NS engine cover says it uses triple-spark tech

New 2014 Hero Karizma R, ZMR

Hero had informed us towards the end of last year that they would be unleashing a hot of new and improved models in the coming months. That was followed by an Auto Expo outing where they thoroughly surprised us. Two bikes from their stall caught our attention- the HX250R and Hastur. The former is a quarter litre that claims to deliver a whopping 31PS of power and the latter a 620cc representative of the aspirations of the company. Though these models were impressive, the ones we were more concerned about were the 2014 Hero Karizma R and ZMR, which seemed slightly overshadowed on the occasion.


The 2014 Karizma R has been retuned to deliver 19.2bhp

Our wait for these bikes to launch may just come to a close. Turns out the Karizma R and ZMR have begun being dispatched to dealers across and India and will be near a showroom near you any time now. This obviously means the two new bikes are headed for a launch soon and will be on sale just as soon. Hero unveiled these bikes at an event in Delhi in October 2013. They also showcased a number of their other new models at the event- such as the Splendor iSmart and the Pleasure facelift.


The 2014 Karizma R and ZMR have been dispatched from the production centre to dealers across india

The new Karizma models for 2014 look quite different from their predecessors. Though the cosmetic changes are limited to certain areas of the bike, they are considerable enough that they look significantly different. Hero has given the bike new headlamps which are oriented in a twin-pod arrangement. Graphics have been updated as well. Other elements that have undergone modifications include the handlebar, front fender, and indicators. To assist the rider with stability during high-speed sections, a wind-shield has been installed on the Karizma R and ZMR.


Hero showcased the new Karizma models at the 2014 India Auto Expo

The updates aren’t restricted to the looks of the Karizma. Hero has tuned up the engines on the bikes so the power output will be slightly higher. The Karizma R is expected to have a max power spec of 19.2BHP whereas the ZMR delivers a slightly higher 20BHP of power. The ZMR has an upper hand in that it sports fuel-injection technology. Reactions to the new bikes have been mixed, and many have expressed disappointment over the visual updates.


A look at the 2012 Hero Karizma R