The new Pulsar really does look quite smashing – a bit too busy in places but as a whole, quite good-looking. The design is bold and bang up to date, fusing together streetfighter cues with typically Pulsar-family design elements. The motorcycle has got some amount of bulk to it and that makes it all the better. There are hints of Honda’s CB1000 at the front and a bit of Pulsar 135LS at the rear but together, the 200 NS looks quite good and importantly, it grabs eyeballs. It will definitely turn heads on the streets.
Unlike the Duke 200’s trellis frame, the Pulsar 200 NS sports a twin-spar frame that forms the backbone of the motorcycle. The split seat is comfortable and the riding position seems like it will accommodate a variety of riders. Get on the bike and it hardly takes any time at all to get comfortable - from the off, it's confidence-inspiring.
The riding position is upright and easy to get used to, while the full-size tank provides well-designed knee-recesses to latch on to while cornering. While the Duke 200 gets high-quality WP upside down forks upfront, the 200 NS makes do with beefy forks of the conventional kind coupled with a gas-charged ‘Nitrox’ monoshock at the rear made by Endurance. Since we rode it exclusively on a smooth test track, we would reserve for judgement on ride quality for later.
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