Bajaj Pulsar N160 2-Channel ABS

The Bajaj Pulsar N160 2-Channel ABS: A Personal Take

The Bajaj Pulsar N160 with 2-Channel ABS looks more street smart as we all the Pulsar fans like me wanted it to be. You know the first generation of Pulsars, the ones that dominated bike news and probably introduced many of us to bikes in the first place. So, let’s fast forward to today and N160 which also has that grit but with a couple of touches adding up to the modern city bike. This is not simply a question of incorporating a couple of new features it is a question of raising the stakes as well as preserving that sense of what Pulsar is all about.

Design & Style

As soon as my eyes moved over the N160 that first reaction this bike does not mess about it comes straight to the point. It has the sort of muscular and solid structure characteristic to the Pulsar series but it is coated in sharp clean lines making it contemporary. Bajaj did not overdo it. It is not flashy like most bicycles which is actually one of the features that make this particular type of bicycle unique it is like that friend we all have who doesn’t try to be laid-back cool yet they are. The dual-channel ABS adds that layer of safety without weightiness while the chunky tank and the barest of striped graphics maintain the bike’s ‘tough look’. It is like the N160 did well to balance the two between brute and sophistication.

The seating is spot-on too. It is at that perfect height that is very useful when it comes to certain city stunts. I felt comfortable on it – there were no ungainly positions and no body folding up on the model. And let’s talk lights. Combined with the LED projector headlamp and those pointed DRLs the N160 is not hiding from other cars at night at all. In many ways it is unremarkable which in the context of writing is a sort of uncomplicated cheerfulness reminiscent of a summer afternoon clear, bright, and functional without any sense of attempting redeeming overload. To be assertive enough to leave everyone with the impression that you are around you do not need to flaunt.

Performance & Power

Fine, let’s roll up the sleeves and get primal on this thing, let’s take a look at the engine. The N160’s 164.82cc engine is not large by any measure, but the right hand does its work and just firmly and evenly draws the rider forward. The 5-speed gearbox shifts smoothly through the gears utterly none of this typical problem most bike makers have of gear changing. It has an instinct of its own telling me well I know you want to do this, let me assist let me help, it is like the N160 is in harmony with me. It is never boring and there is never that horrible. And that is something you can appreciate when you threading your car through the traffic-stricken city streets.

But for those of us who sit in plenty of heavy traffic with a lot of stopping and starting this bike has that just right urban wallop. The power is just right to overtake slow moving vehicles but still not over exuberant to the point where one has to struggle to manage it. Once again the dual channel ABS makes a difference here as well. Such security is what has the bike designed in such a way that one can simply drive through without worrying through sharp bends or black ice. Riding is less of a chore and much more of an entity of sorts where there’s minimal fidgeting with the bike or trying to figure out the best way to sit on it.

Braking & Handling

Sometimes you want to get real about the brakes for a minute to use the phrase of our community. We all can associate with at least one situation when you wish for the bike to stop immediately. And the N160 gets it right. I quickly realised that features like dual-channel ABS are some of those things that you likely won’t consider until it comes into play and when you would be glad it exists. I recall experiencing a little bit of instability on the test ride – the brakes dealt with it fortuitously well. Not a sudden one where the car tyres screech and the dust flies but a slow gradual one. It is the sort of confidence that would suit a bike whether one is performing stunts or not at a high speed.

Grip wise it can be seen that Bajaj did leave their sweat. The bike succeeds at this and though tight city turns are but a fraction wider than a straight line the bike handles them with ease. That now notches the experience up and there’s no wobble or feeling that you are fighting the machine. No matter you are swerving to avoid a pothole or performing a rapid turn it just works. I would have wished for more refinement because unfortunately that’s not something every bike can brag about and Bajaj nailed it here.

Why It’s Worth a Second Look

So, why the N160? Why this bike out of the dozens on the market? For me, it is simple. They said it is like playing meet a friend who has become older but also retain easy going characteristic of him or her. However, the N160 succeeds in continuing that inherent Pulsar reliability with the bonus of cool and actually useful bits. It is not aiming to be the most attractive or the most speedy bike in the market. It’s here to be unapologetic no-nonsense urban bike that understands its role and does not try to be more than that.

Well, if you are like me and you had some experience with the Pulsar series – you’ll understand what they have done with the N160. This strategy can be described as innovative but not innovative, always new but still traditional. The Bajaj Pulsar N160 2-Channel ABS is one of those products that remind why Bajaj won its fame under the Pulsar brand. It is nice to look at, it does what it is supposed to do and has enough edge to ensure you actually look forward to going out for a spin.

Is it the best one can look for? Perhaps not in all those ways but it accommodates a lot a things that can be of essence in life. A city bike for regular cyclists and, in a world of bikes that seem to be designed for just about everything except the urban environment, the N160 is perfect.