Bajaj Pulsar N250 Long Term Review

Bike Tested: Bajaj Pulsar N250
Kms Done: 3395 kms
Test Started at: 987 kms
Test Concluded at: 4382 kms
Mileage: 33 km/l, 37 km/l (best), 30 km/l (worst)
Fuel Consumed:- 102.87-litres
Total Fuel Cost: Rs. 10,905/-
Fuel Cost Per Km: ₹ 3.21/-

Sheer balance of ride, handling, comfort, performance and mileage, the Bajaj Pulsar N250 does hit a sweet spot!

The Pulsar N250 arrived in our long-term fleet right before the arrival of monsoon and has been a great companion for the daily commute to work. After a few planned shoots, the odometer reading stood at 1371km and since then, it just kept climbing. At first, I wished we got our hands on its semi-faired sibling but then it did not take long to change my mind. Part of the latest iteration of the Pulsar 250cc duo, the N250 we had with us was the latest Dual-Channel ABS variant. This variant is only available in the Brooklyn Black colour, and although it looks good with its red accents, I would’ve preferred the Blue colour option that was initially available with the Single-Channel ABS variant.

Bajaj Pulsar N250 Long Term Review 1 — Subtly blends in with the traffic but stand out really well out in the open

As for the looks, it does stand out and people do notice it from time to time and are, at times, even surprised seeing the Pulsar logo on the fuel tank. That’s how far the Pulsar range has come. Look at it head-on and it looks straight out of a Transformers movie. From the side, the aggressive stance is unlike any Pulsars we have seen before. Further enhancing the look is the sharp rear-end and well-finished number plate holder. Never has it ever been that I haven’t looked at the Pulsar again after parking it. It looks different and the design grows on you really well.

Bajaj Pulsar N250 Long Term Review 26 — The LED projector headlight has been one of the best; lights up the road well even during monsoon

One of the best things about riding the Pulsar on a daily basis has been its exhaust note. This is, by far, the best sounding Pulsar by a mile. It puts out a deep and sonorous exhaust note which is amplified by the intake sound as you start going higher up the rev range. Another bit that is impressive on the N250 is the light action of the clutch, which is a breeze in the city. This, coupled with the slick shifting gearbox and the tractability of the engine means going over long speed breakers, even in 3rd gear, is a piece of cake. The engine did sound and feel a bit on the gruff side initially, but kept getting better as I put on more kilometres on the odometer.

Bajaj Pulsar N250 Long Term Review 5 — Ergonomics are spot on, comfortable to do a 100 kms yet engaging to make a quick move

The dynamics are spot on with good ride and handling balance, making the Bajaj Pulsar N250 suitable for shorter riders too

Although the N250 never went out of the city limits when in my hands, it was pretty clear to me if it could be a good highway tourer or not. The quick answer to this is yes and no, both. The suspension on the N250 handles the worst of roads and rarely bottoms out. To me, it felt like Bajaj has managed to find that Goldilock’s tune for the suspension. The N250 doesn’t feel front heavy like the NS200, nor does it feel wavy to move around in the parking lot like the 220F did because of its weight distribution. The ride then, is up to the task. As far as handling goes, it feels quick on its feet and navigating through city traffic feels effortless.

Bajaj Pulsar N250 Long Term Review 11 — The split seat setup has never been sore to the bum, generous to the pillion as well

The N250 handles long fast corners with ease and it deals with mid-corner undulations well as well. But, the engine does feel strained above 90 km/hr. The sweet spot is between 70-90 km/hr, post which, vibes creep in and makes you wish it had a 6th gear. That is something that would have helped with its highway cruising abilities as well as return a higher fuel efficiency. The Pulsar N250 is a very frugal motorcycle when ridden sedately. On the daily office commutes, I’ve been averaging about 33-37 km/l and have also seen the number go as high as 49 km/l when the roads were empty but the rains limited my visibility and pace.

Bajaj Pulsar N250 Long Term Review 35 — Pulsar was the first motorcycle I ever rode, makes me think of such a long journey this has been

However, it’s not perfect and there were more than a couple of things that could be improved. Firstly, the USB charging socket ahead of the tank. The position meant I never used it during the rains as I always feared causing issue to either the charging port or my cable. The next is that it lacks the uniqueness. When Bajaj introduced the N160, people liked the fact that it looked similar to the N250. However, that also makes it lose its identity. Apart from the exhaust, badging and tyre sizes, both look identical. Next, as much as I like the illuminated switchgear, the instrument cluster can get difficult to read when the headlight is and the backlight is off. The headlight is strong and illuminates the road well. The high-beam, especially, is strong and has a good throw.

Bajaj Pulsar N250 Long Term Review 40 — Pushing it at times and yet coming back impressed, the Bajaj Pulsar N250 is really friendly

For the price, the Bajaj Pulsar N250 has it to be your one motorcycle to do it all

My biggest gripe with the N250 though, has been its brakes. Though the N250 doesn’t offer the best lever feel, there is plenty of stopping power and the Dual-Channel ABS adds to the peace of mind during panic braking situations. Our unit though, was plagued with an issue with the front brake. Using the front brake gave it a feel as if the ABS was kicking in. However, the ABS light would go off once on the move, indicating there was no error there.

Bajaj Pulsar N250 Long Term Review 19 — Only one major issue came up over the whole duration and that was the front brakes

Nonetheless, we did raise the issue and got it checked but to no avail. Another service centre visit and the issue still persisted. This meant, I had to rely more on the rear brake than on the front, which over time, became more and more annoying. The annoyance was majorly because of the fact that the riding experience would’ve been even better had the front brake issue didn’t exist.

Bajaj Pulsar N250 Long Term Review 39 — It was never a dull day with the N250, always brought a smile to my face

To sum it up, our experience with the Pulsar N250 was a hit and miss, albeit with more hits than misses. The quality and refinement levels on the N250 is a clear indicator of how far Bajaj has upped their game and have improved the Pulsar range. This did come at a cost though, as it does not feel as exciting as before. But, for someone looking for who’s not into high-speed highway touring and wants a bike that will feel at home in the city as well as the highway, the Pulsar N250 ticks a lot of boxes and is an option one should seriously consider.