Bajaj Auto recently launched two adventure bikes, the 150 AS and 200 AS. These two Pulsars aren’t off-roaders as many would assume.
When you use the word Adventure with motorcycles, one usually thinks off-roading but that’s not the case with Bajaj Auto’s recently launched Pulsars, the 150 AS and the 200 AS. While both sport Adventure in their name, they are strict on-road bikes as they come with road tyres, road suspension and nothing that would make they off-road friendly. Still, the company has gone ahead and used the Adventure Sport tag on these Pulsars because it’s the start of things to come. Yes, the company plans to launch off-road Pulsars.
Before we get too excited, Bajaj won’t be launching off-road Pulsars till the 200 AS and 150 AS are successful as these bikes are a step in that direction. If customers are seen liking this concept, then the company will bring more Adventure oriented Pulsars which would have knobby tyres, long suspension travel, higher mudguard and increased ground clearance. Till recently, the Pulsars were best related to naked street bikes but things are changing as the popular Indian brand gets into new segments and creates interesting sub segments.
Off-road bikes aren’t very popular in India, at least that’s what can be said after seeing the response to the Hero Impulse. Although a niche segment, there is no affordable off-road motorcycle and riding off the tarmac is left to those who can afford to invest in high capacity off-road bikes like the Triumph Tigers, Suzuki V-Storm or the Kawasaki Versys. KTM seems to have shelved plans to launch a locally made Adventure bike while there is no Impulse 250 on the cards. Hero will bring its replacement to the Impulse which will be based on the HX250R platform but that’s still sometime away.
