Here, we have a three-way comparison between the newly-launched Bajaj Pulsar F250, Suzuki Gixxer SF250 and Yamaha YZF-R15 v4.0
Bajaj Auto recently introduced the Pulsar 250 twins – N250 and F250 – in India. The ‘N’ is the naked streetfighter version, while the ‘F’ is the half-faired version. The latter has an extremely sporty design, and in true Pulsar fashion, it offers plenty of features at an extremely affordable price.
In the Indian market, Suzuki Gixxer SF250 is a direct rival to the Pulsar F250. Other than that, the updated Yamaha R15 (version 4.0) serves as an indirect rival to it, thanks to its soaring prices. To see what’s what, here is our on-paper comparison of these three bikes.
Bajaj Pulsar F250 v Suzuki Gixxer SF250 v Yamaha YZF-R15 v4.0 – Powertrain
Bajaj Pulsar F250 is powered by a 249.07cc, air/oil-cooled, single-cylinder engine, capable of generating a peak power and torque of 24.5 PS and 21.5 Nm, respectively. This is a newly-developed engine, and not the same one that does duty on Dominar 250 or KTM 250 Duke. It comes paired with a 5-speed transmission, and a slipper & assist clutch is offered as standard.
As for Suzuki Gixxer SF250, it is powered by a 249cc, oil-cooled, single-cylinder mill, which belts out 26.5 PS and 22.2 Nm. This makes it the most powerful motorcycle we have in this comparison. Transmission duties are handled by a 6-speed gearbox, without a slipper/assist clutch on offer.
Yamaha YZF-R15 v4.0 is the smallest bike in this comparison, with a 155cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine onboard. This powerplant is good for 18.4 PS and 14.2 Nm, and comes mated to a 6-speed transmission, with a slipper & assist clutch available as standard.
Although the Yamaha offers brilliant performance for a 150cc bike, it cannot hold a candle to its quarter-litre rivals here. The Pulsar F250 and Suzuki Gixxer SF250 are way more powerful, simply by the virtue of those extra ceecees.
Bajaj Pulsar F250 v Suzuki Gixxer SF250 v Yamaha YZF-R15 v4.0 – Features
Bajaj Pulsar F250 has a lot of features on offer, like all-LED lighting, disc brakes on both wheels (300mm front and 230mm rear), single-channel ABS, alloy wheels, a monoshock rear suspension, USB charging port, etc. Its instrument cluster is a semi-digital unit, and for safety, the manufacturer is offering single-channel ABS on the bike.
Suzuki Gixxer SF250 also gets LED lighting, single discs on both wheels, monoshock rear suspension, alloy wheels, etc. However, its instrument cluster is a fully digital LCD unit, unlike the Pulsar, and the ABS is a dual-channel unit, which is better for safety.
On the R15, Yamaha is also offering LED lighting and sporty alloy wheels, along with disc brakes (on both wheels) and a link-type monocross rear suspension. The instrument cluster consists of a fully digital LCD screen, and dual-channel ABS is also offered here. Other than that, the R15 is the only bike in this trio to get USD front forks, complete with a premium golden finish.
Traction control system is available on select variants of the R15, and quickshifter is optional. The ‘M’ version of the R15, however, gets both these features as standard, along with golden-painted callipers and 3D logos.
Bajaj Pulsar F250 v Suzuki Gixxer SF250 v Yamaha YZF-R15 v4.0 – Price
The recently-launched Pulsar F250 is the most affordable of this bunch, with a price tag of just Rs. 1.40 lakh. Surprisingly, it is significantly more affordable than Pulsar RS200, although compared to Pulsar 220F, it is a little more expensive. The new quarter-litre faired Pulsar is definitely a good value-for-money product, although the lack of dual-channel ABS hurts its case.
| Model | Price (Ex-showroom, New Delhi) |
| Bajaj Pulsar F250 | Rs. 1.40 lakh |
| Suzuki Gixxer SF250 | Rs. 1.83 lakh to Rs. 1.84 lakh |
| Yamaha YZF-R15 | Rs. 1.67 lakh to Rs. 1.79 lakh |
Suzuki Gixxer SF250 is the most expensive model in this comparison, priced at Rs. 1.83 lakh for the standard version and Rs. 1.84 lakh for the MotoGP Edition. As for Yamaha R15 v4.0, its price ranges from Rs. 1.67 lakh to Rs. 1.72 lakh for the standard version, and from Rs. 1.77 lakh to Rs. 1.79 lakh for the ‘M’ version.
All prices mentioned are ex-showroom, New Delhi