The Pulsar 200 AS will be slotted between the 200 NS and the new flagship RS 200 with pricing expected to be just below the Rs. 1 lakh mark.
2015 will surely be the year of the Pulsars in the Indian two-wheeler industry as Bajaj Auto gears up to launch the new Pulsar RS 200 in the country later this week. Dubbed as the ‘fastest Pulsar yet’, the full-faired Pulsar will be getting a host of upgrades retaining the underpinnings of the 200 NS that is expected to offer something new to the performance segment. While the RS 200 remains one of the most awaited additions to the Pulsar lineup, Bajaj has silently also cooked up an Adventure Sport (AS) variant based on the 200 NS that will debut in the coming months.
Bajaj dealerships suggest that the Pulsar 200 AS will be launched by mid-June or early July in the country and will be slotted between the Pulsar 200 NS and the new RS 200 as a more tourer friendly option. Retaining the underpinnings of the 200 NS, the 200 AS gets a half-fairing along with a tall windscreen at the front while the headlight has also been upgraded with a projector lamp. Apart from the new half-fairing, changes are minimal to the 200 AS, save for the mudguard at the rear replacing the tail tidy. The rear tyre hugger has been given a miss.
It is still not clear if Bajaj will be making any changes to the suspension set-up for longer travel to take on undulations more effectively. The 199.5cc engine though will continue in its carbureted avatar but with the power likely to be bumped marginally to 23.70 PS, paired to the same 6-speed gearbox. In addition, the Pulsar 200 AS will get the new MRF NyloGrip Zapper tyres that replace the Eurogrip rubber seen on the 200 NS. The new Bajaj Pulsar 200 AS will be slotted between the 200 NS and RS 200 with prices to be tucked under Rs. 1 lakhs (ex-showroom). Bajaj could offer single-channel ABS on the model as well.
