Overview
Bajaj literally pulled a rabbit out of the hat when it showcased the Pulsar VS400 (Cruiser Sport) at the 2014 Auto Expo in Delhi. While everyone was keenly waiting for the Pulsar SS400 the cruiser offering from Bajaj grabbed the most number of eye balls. According to Bajaj officials the new Pulsar VS 400 is a leisure motorcycle which is a trend that is slowly increasing in the country. Not every biker wants a motorcycle to commute from office work, what this new genre of leisure motorcyclist’s desire is a motorcycle with good looks, aptly powerful motor so that he can enjoy a ride on weekends to relax. Until now, it was Royal Enfield with its range of products that were the only option for these consumers and Bajaj wants to tap into this market with the Pulsar VS400. The upcoming offering from the Chakan based two-wheeler manufacturer is a power cruiser which is a hybrid of streetbike and cruiser.
With respect to styling, the VS400 has the Pulsar DNA in its styling with its brute and streetfighter stance. The headlamp looks like a more chiselled and sharper version of the one found on the Pulsar 200NS while the beefy and raked out forks give the bike a badass attitude. The chiselled fuel tank with massive extensions cries out muscle whereas the chunky tyres and edge cut alloys enhance the appeal. The floating tail section screams Ducati Diavel which isn’t a bad thing as the Ducati bike is among the best looking power cruisers in the market. Powering the Bajaj VS400 will be a 375cc motor displacement motor based on the KTM 390 Duke engine. The liquid-cooled, single-cylinder motor will employ triple spark and DTS-i technology to give it the Bajaj connect. Power output figures weren’t given out but we feel it should be around 40PS and around 32Nm of torque. The powerplant will be mated to a 6-speed transmission that will be geared to better suit the power cruiser dynamics.
Expect brisk acceleration and a top whack around 150kmph which should make it the fastest mass market cruiser offering in India. The riding position will be upright and comfortable with a flat and wide handle bar alongwith centre-set footpegs. This should enable the rider in covering long distances without much fatigue. The Bajaj Pulsar VS400 employs upside down forks at front and a Nitrox monoshock unit borrowed from the Pulsar 200NS. Braking is done by disc brake at front and rear while ABS will be standard. Talking about mileage, it should be around 30kmpl which is decent given the performance. Bajaj is known for their aggressive pricing so expect the Pulsar VS400 to be priced around Rs 1.5 lakh which should make Royal Enfield a bit worried. The VS400 will debut with the first 375cc Bajaj powerplant and expected launch is by March 2016.
It’s the clash of old vs new, raw power vs charm. So, which motorcycle of these two can double up as a daily commuter and also be able to stretch its legs well while out touring?
We ride the most highly anticipated motorcycle to be launched in recent past. So what exactly is the Bajaj Dominar 400 and does it live up to the curiosity and hype?
Your Question:
ABS will be made mandatory from 2018 in India, we take a look at the 5 most affordable bikes that offer this safety tech
Despite the hike, the bike is still the best value-for-money power cruiser in India
We have just ridden the Bajaj Dominar 400 and these are our initial impressions of the bike
