Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z Price in Thane

I just completed 4800 kms on my NS400. Here's my experience in detail:
Pros:
1. Appearance: I like it. Though many would say it's an outdated look from the NS200, the design just stands out as with other pulsars. The problem with bajaj is they come out with really great designs and fail to deliver upgrades. The NS 400 doesn't give you the proper 400 cc big bike feel, But it does look like NS200 on protein, if not on steroids. Overall, it's a handsome-looking machine.
2. Fuel efficiency: Right after the first service I did two long rides. The first one is a 160 Km run from Bangalore to Mysore, and back. I limited the speed to 70kmph. There was a little bit of hilly terrain and hardly 10 km of city commute. The odo reflected 39kmpl, though tank to tank in was 35kmpl. The next trip was Bangalore to Coorg, 250 km one way. Same mileage performance received. My daily commute is mostly 5-10 kms and since I stay a bit on the outskirts of Bangalore(Jigani), I don't see much traffic but have to ride in 2nd gear in local markets sometimes. The ODO shows 26-28 kmpl, I believe I get around 25.
Mileage trics I feel work with this bike: a)Try to be in 70-100 kmph range and you'll easily get 35+ kmpl.
b)The sport mode slightly improves the mileage by 1-2 kmpl both on city and highway.
3. Performance: This is the cheapest 400cc in the market and it shows. We just can't compare it with any othe 400cc sports bike in the market like the ktm 400, ninja 250-300, etc. Anyone planning to get this bike with performance expectations from 400cc bikes that are 1.5+ lakh rupees expensive should rethink. The bike is amazing, rides like butter. I think of it as a really powerful 250cc. The handling is superb. Though it's much lighter than the bulky Dominar 400, it still feels heavy if you try to reverse it out in the parking lot. All the heaviness disappears as you release the clutch. All the riding modes work well and Sport mode is really where the bike shines. The performance becomes linear and you slice through the highway like the sliver surfer.
4)Features: Bajaj literally killed the competition here. Dual ABS, Ride Modes, Traction Control, Connectivity, USD forks, you name it, the bike has it all. It's a complete package. No complaints here.
5)Comfort: I have always preferred a naked bike just for the sole reason of comfort. The seating position is almost Upright with just the right bit of aggression, thanks to the wide handlebars. You do feel some pressure on your wrists after 150kms but it's bearable. The cushioning in the seats is a bit on the stiffer side but its comfortable. The suspension too follows suit. Those who know would agree that stiffer seats and suspensions are better for longer rides. The pillion seat looks small but my mom said it was comfortable for her on a 12km ride. She sits sideways.
7)Service Experience: It's always crowded. I don't know about other Bajaj service centres, but mine is Khivraj Bajaj Marathahalli Bangalore and I appreciate the way the behave till now. They listen to your concerns and connect you with the right person. 2 Months after the bike's delivery I received two calls asking about my experience with the bike and any other issues. The bike does have issues that I will cover in the cons section. The point is, they enquired about the issues and they have offered free replacement for the same. I like it. No machine is perfect, service is what makes it better.
8)Product Quality: If you have ever ridden any other baja bike before, the NS400 is going to impress you with its quality levels. Bajaj has come a long ways in terms of quality. They have learnt alot from their ventures with other brands and it's evident with this bike. NS200 and NS400 have huge differences in material quality. This a a new era for Indian bike manufacturing. Bajaj deserves praise for that. No wonder they are now able to manufacture high-quality bikes like KTM and Triumph.
Cons:
1: Vibrations: It has vibrations, and when they come they kinda irritate you. Somewhere around 4000-5000 rpm the ghandle bar buzzes and some of it can also be felt in the footpegs. It becomes smooth after 5k rpm. The vibration also causes some noise at low speeds from the headlight, front mudguard and dashboard area.
2. Display: Overall appearance is good but the UI is just okay. It lacks the sophistication you wish you should have. Poorly scattered and has too much info. But you won't mind it after a few days. The blue TFT display is pretty basic, and does the job, but has a big issue. If the bike is parked in the sun for 1-2 hours, the letters and digits become pixelated. It becomes difficult to read. I explained this when Bajaj people called but don't think they would be able to do anything about it.
3. Headlight: Everything about is is great. The only matter is that it's fixed too high. So basically The normal headlight throw is positioned at what should be at the high beam. The high beam goes way above the trucks coming from the front. So the low beam blinds the oncoming traffic. Bajaj called to inform me that they if change it at the same service centre which I have planned to do at my next service this weekend. The thing is, such things shouldn't happen in the first place. We are talking about headlights.
I think this sums up my experience to date. I'll update if something new comes up. Hope it helps other Pulsar fans make their decisions.
Thanks

About the Reviewer

I have driven 600 kms in a Single day, Engine performance is Good & my trip meter shows a fuel efficiency of 42 kmpl & I was unable to believe that it really achieves 42kmpl. But full tank basis I could see an average of 35 kmpl. The only drawback is it misses out on modern appeal and carries the same siblings NS200 looks & the chain sprocket rattles a bit as usual in Bajaj family.

About the Reviewer

1. Buying experience - Perfect!! My buying experience was very good. I bought it from Pratham Bajaj Thane. Staff was very cooperative. They gave me all insights of bike. Test ride arrangement was nice. Delivery arrangement was amazing. 5/5
2. Riding experience -
This is the only reason why I have given 1 rating to this bike. Because at the end riding is what matters. Looks, features, style all are secondary.
Bikes I have driven so far are Caliber 115 (hoodi baba - 80k km), Pulsar 150 (40k km), Avenger 220 (1k km), Pulsar 220 3k km), Dominar 400 (500km). I am a huge bajaj fan. But this is worst bike ever.
Issue no 1 - Bbalancing and this is key. When you ride any bike, balancing is the most important factor. On ns400z once you go above 40kmph speed, bike tilts towards right and handle vibrates a little. Due to this bike shifts to left. Very risky for such a powerful bike. You cant even overtake another bike or car with confidence. There is risk of shifting an hitting another vehicle. And what is the use of such power if you cant go on high speeds. On all other bajaj bikes never faced this issue. Drove pulsar 150 for 40000km. I took pulsar 150 to a speed of 110kmph on Mumbai Pune Highway. Never ever faced this issue. I have read a lot of reviews before buying this bike. Now i feel that all those are paid reviews where people say that bike has sweet spot on 100kmph.
This bike is not meant for highway. Even one strong air breeze can shift bike completely. Even lesser weighing bikes like caliber and Pulsar 150 stick to the road on highways.
Next its ergonimcs, very uncomfortable seat, stiff suspension, seating position. not even 1 star. ZERO star. if you want a Bajaj bike go for dominar but don't go for ns400.
I am not sure whether its an initial problem. but the bike gets hot. i mean super. in traffic it gets so hot that even tank starts to get heat up. cant ride this bike with shorts. Cant ride in city due to heat, cant ride on highways due to stability issue.
3. Details about looks, performance etc.
- Looks are obviously good. Thats one of the reason why we fell for this one. for performance you can read riding experience.
4. Servicing and maintenance - Its a new bike 400km drive. No experince so far. But I have good experience with Bajaj service team previously. But soon will give more detail review. Planning to ride this one at least for 5k km before giving up on this bike
5. Pros and Cons
Pros - looks, cheap cost, fancy dashboard, Bluetooth settings, etc
Cons - Worst ride quality ever. Cant ride in city due to heat, cant ride on highways due to stability issue.
Fuel meter is faulty. Bike has 12 ltr tank. after you finish 6 ltr it starts giving low fuel warning. no way to know how much fuel is remaining. you have to judge by yourself. 30 kmpl mileage and then calculate every time you refuel

About the Reviewer