Bajaj Pulsar 180 DTS-i

Launched in 2001 alongside the 150, the Pulsar 180 was the sportier of the macho Pulsar twins, giving bikers access to a sporty yet frugal motorcycle at an affordable price. Over the years, Bajaj Auto has tweaked its Pulsars, ironing out the flaws on earlier models, and even expanded the range to include the 200DTS-I and 220 DTS-Fi. Bajaj has now launched an updated Pulsar 180 DTS-i. Does the new model succeed at making its own space and can it give rivals sleepless nights? AutoCar (June ’09) took a road test to find out.

Design and Engineering
While the new Pulsar 180 DTS-i is still one handsome motorcycle, there’s little to shout about style-wise. The refreshed 180 borrows some cues from the Pulsar 200 and is now shod with the reassuringly fatter front forks from that sibling. What remains unchanged is a black dress-code for this bike’s lower cycle parts, as are sleek allow rims.

The new 180 comes with trendy Pulsar trademark digital instruments with a bold analog and white-set-tachometer and a similar large digital-and-contact-free-driven-speedometer in a commanding position on the fascia. The instrument includes an engine redline beacon as also twin-trip gauges that can be independently zeroed via a button. New on this bike are sporty clip-on handlebars, atop which are mounted a superb set of switches true to the Pulsar family. The new 180DTS-I, however get many brownie points for its powerful twin horns that often prove useful on our chaotic roads. The latest Bajaj gets new minitank extensions first seen on the Pulsar 200, as well as really smart, upmarket-looking raised letter decals. Also new is a tank pad that protects the rear of the fuel tank from getting scratched by a rider’s belt buckle. The 10 retains its flush-fitting alloy and aircraft-style-fuel-filler. While the bike could offer more functional knee recesses, AutoCar (June ’09) found its split seat and grab-bar to be welcome new additions. Also used is a sporty-looking exposed and O’ring sealed drive chain. A standout feature is the ubiquities Pulsar sharp tail section as well as smart and flush-fitted LED tail and brake light strips that make this one of the best-looking tails on any bike on Indian roads today. The new 180 also uses an extended rear mudguard that provides good illumination for its number plate. Nice paint quality, good fit and finish, as well as high level of attention to detail are obvious 180DTS-I highlights.

Engine, Gearbox & Performance
The 180 DTS-I sticks with all an all-alloy cased, four-stroke cycle

engine that’s clearly based on the earlier tried-and tested power plants. Bajaj has used its patented DTS-I technology, which ensures the engine’s twn-plugs are set to ignite together in one instant. The bike also employs ExhausTEC, or a resonance chamber sitting on the silencer that helps pack a healthy punch low in the bike’s power band. What is disappointing is that Bajaj has failed to provide this new Pulsar with fuel-injection, instead sticking to the more conventional CV carburetor tech to feed its cylinder. While straight line performance is just about identical to the outgoing model on paper despite the new 180 weighing in a few kilos more than its predecessor, the rider benefits from a relatively more refined feel now.

Throttle action is nice and light, with a quick response always at hand, and the bike revs cleanly all the way into it’s redline without any glitch. It’s a flexible engine too, with five, well-spaced gear ratios that ensure a rider need not play too much with the ‘box to extract optimal performance.

We managed to hustle the new 180 DTS-i rides on 17-inch rims front and rear, using a twin down tube frame, with its rear swing arm now fabricated from elliptical section metal instead of the rectangular steel used before. The front forks now measure a much healthier 37mm and the bike has also been shod with superior tubeless tyres at both ends, the rear a chunky 120/80 x

17-incher. And at the rear, the Pulsar 180 still uses twin, gas charged suspension. Handling feels a notch more stable in the straight line, thanks to the updated suspension and tyres with turn-in also a little heavier as a direct consequence. There’s a marked improvement in ride quality as the bike soaks up the worst of Indian roads with aplomb. The front disc brake has now been upsized with 260mm diameter rotor, giving the bike really fierce brake bite and capable of brining this 147kg motorcycle to a stop from 60kph in more than 15.6 meters. This Indian sports bike achieved cult status by virtue of not compromising economy despite it being a performance machine. The 180 is good for 43.3kpl in city conditions and 46kpl on the highway. The new Pulsar 180DTS-I is an improvement on an already decent bike. The slender boosts in power counts its weight gain and keeps performance at par with the outgoing model, which anyway wasn’t at slouch. Bajaj has surprisingly neglected to equip its new bike with fuel-injection. Still, ride and handling on the new 180 are better than before. Overall, better features and more pizzazz for almost the same price make the new Pulsar 180 DTs-I an interesting alternative to smaller 150cc bikes.