Bajaj Pulsar NS 400 will be equipped with the same chassis as the NS 200 and it will feature a 40 PS liquid-cooled engine from Dominar 400
Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director of Bajaj Auto, revealed in an interview recently that the “biggest ever Pulsar” is coming sooner rather than later. The Chakan-based manufacturer has had a busy 2023 courtesy of launches such as the Triumph Speed 400, and the third-generation KTM 390 Duke and 250 Duke, and is planning to bring in more motorcycles this financial year and beyond.
At least six updated or new Pulsars are waiting to arrive before the end of this FY or in Q1 FY25 including the highest displacing Pulsar yet. A 400 cc Pulsar has been a long time coming as Bajaj displayed the the CS 400 and SS 400 concepts nearly ten years ago at the 2014 Auto Expo. However, the company focussed on consolidating its N series Pulsars over the last two years.
In addition, the Bajaj Pulsar NS 200 and NS 160 were updated earlier this year with USD front forks. The upcoming Bajaj Pulsar 400 will be the flagship NS according to a report that surfaced on the internet. The naked streetfighter will not use the all-new 400 cc liquid-cooled powerplant found in the new-gen KTM 390 Duke or the Triumph 400 cc duo.
Instead, it will be equipped with the same 373 cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled DOHC unit powering the Dominar 400. To keep the production costs in check, Bajaj will reportedly use the same steel perimeter frame that the NS 200 sits on. The chassis will see structural reinforcements to nestle the new powertrain.
More importantly, it will likely have a lower kerb weight than the Dominar 400. It is no secret that the 373 cc mill has a lot in common with the old-gen 390 Duke’s engine and it produces a maximum power output of 40 PS at 8,800 rpm and 35 Nm of peak torque at 6,500 rpm. It will be mated to a six-speed transmission with a slipper and assist clutch as standard.
The design will be more premium than the existing crop of NS models while retaining the same lineage. It is expected to get all LED lighting, a fully digital instrument console with Bluetooth connectivity, upside-down front forks, monoshock rear suspension, and a dual-channel ABS system as standard. It will be more affordable than the Dominar 400, which costs around Rs. 2.3 lakh (ex-showroom), and will be launched in the April-June CY2024 period.