Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z road test, review

The Pulsar NS400Z’s aggressive pricing allows it to compete with motorcycles that sit four segments below it.

Published on Aug 18, 2024 07:00:00 AM

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The Pulsar for the most part, is aesthetically pleasing and carries an overall silhouette similar to its lower capacity stablemates, including the unchanged fuel tank from the NS200, a strategic choice made to control expenses. Bajaj has made the tank extensions slightly longer, giving it a mildly different appearance.

Bright LED headlamp looks great and offers good illumination.

In fact a lot of parts have been carried over from Bajaj’s existing motorcycles in an aim to make it as cost effective as possible. Though the front appears more distinctive, the rear design on the other hand looks like any other motorcycle in the NS lineup. Another notable eyesore is the exhaust, but over time I’ve made amends with its appearance and come to appreciate the sounds it creates, but more on that later.

Adjustable levers at this price point are a welcome inclusion.

It is worth mentioning that this specific motorcycle is a pre-production unit and there were signs of rust in certain areas like the swingarm and handlebar. However, Bajaj assures us that these issues will not make it to the production units. That being said, while this bike’s price undercuts some motorcycles with a lower capacity, it is worth mentioning that some of those motorcycles (particularly the Euro 250s) do feel more expensive in their quality and finish.

While the rest of the speedo is legible, the inset is hard to read.

A notable addition on the NS400Z is the coloured LCD speedometer that includes a monochrome inset for additional information. The inset isn’t very easy to read and if you want to access any of the data from this display you’ll find yourself memorising button inputs to get to the required sub menus.

Distance-to-empty readout is hidden deep within the LCD inset.

At first, I thought the bike did not have a distance-to-empty readout, but then discovered it can be found hidden deep within the settings menu in the inset display. On the bright side Bajaj has enabled riders to preprogram two shortcut buttons allowing more direct access to your preferred information. All in all, despite being well equipped with electronic aids, the poor visibility of this inset display can make tinkering with the settings a little tedious. The rest of the speedometer is easier to read, but it also has a tightly packed layout.