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Dec 22, 2007

23 Read this before buying the Pulsar 220 DTSFi + 2'nd Free Service Report + Wallpaper

My Pulsar 220 has completed 2500 Kms and been through the second free service. Anyone planning to buy the Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi should read this first..

Before the Fuel Injected Pulsar 220 was launched there were many disscussions (mainly on the internet) whether it was really worth to buy the Pulsar 220. Guys who had even not seen the bike in flesh were talking about its pros and cons like seasoned Pulsar 220 owners.

After completing 2,500 Kms on my Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi, I can probably tell you about its pros and cons with a bit of more conviction.

Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi Wallpaper

Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi Wallpaper


"After having seen Summer 30 times on this Earth, I now undertand that true love doesn't mean "a perfect love story.."

"True love also doesn't focus on the negatives but focuses on the positives instead.."

Before booking my Pulsar 220, I knew very well that there were a few issues with the Pulsar 220. I knew that the rear view mirrors did not provide a good view of the traffic behind you. Also that the rear disc brakes weren't that effective compared to the front discs. There were also reports of the main stand scraping on hard cornering. I also knew that quite a few owners have reported of vibrations in their Pulsar 220's.

So I knew that if I went for the Pulsar 220, then probably I would also have to visit the service center a bit more than required. Inspite of knowing this, I decided to book the Pulsar 220. After all I was in Love after taking test ride of the bike.


Ownership Experience so far:

  • The Pulsar 220 is the King among the Indian bikes in terms of accleration and performance.. Period.



  • The Pulsar 220 remains smooth till 90 Kmph.. after that, vibrations do appear but they are not unbearable. The vibes in fact tells you that the limit is being achieved and puts you in alert mode.



  • I could reach 110 Kmph effortlessly. After that it took some effort to reach 120 Kmph.



  • The bike displays impressive stability even at 120 Kmph. Attacking corners on the Pulsar 220 is a joy thanks to the well sorted out suspension and damping rates.



  • The headlights are awesome and the brightest among any Indian bike. The beam is slightly tilted towards the left (the tilt is probably there in all Pulsar 220's.. but the slight tilt isn't an issue)



  • The gearbox on the Pulsar 220 is the best among the other Pulsars. There hasn't been any false neutral and the shift quality is light and smooth. (But the feel through the gears could still improve)



  • Just the day before the 2'nd service, the battery of my bike drained out completely. Luckily I was near my friends place at that time. During the second service it was found that the RR Coil had stopped functioning. The RR Coil (shown below in the photo) is responsible for charging the battery and was replaced free of cost.

Replaced RR Coil

Replaced RR Coil


Recently I went on a road trip along with a friend of mine Rahul Devnath (we met thanks to this blog). During the trip, Rahul rode my bike and said that it didn't quite give him a new bike like feel. He said it felt a bit rough while accelerating and did not quite give him the acceleration that he was expecting from a fuel injected bike.

Thanks to his comments I took the bike to the service center and told the guys about it. They took it for a test ride and said that the bike indeed had some roughness and sluggishness while accelerating. They checked the bike with an "Electronic Diagnostic Tool" which has been provided specifically for the 220. The tool did show some error on its digital display.

Diagnostic tool for the Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi

Diagnostic tool for the Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi

Utimately, It was found that a part called "Crank Position Sensor" has to be replaced. The part has still not arrived from Pune but is expected to be replaced soon for free.

Thanks Rahul..!!



Quick Points for anyone looking to buy the Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi:

A few blokes say that there is no exclusivity in the Pulsar 220 since it almost looks like the other Pulsars (150/180/200) at least from behind.

Well, I wouldn't know about that since I don't have eyes behind my head.

But from the front, the story is quite different..

  • Vibrations appear after 90 Kmph.. but its not like its unbearable.



  • The Rear View Mirrors do not give a proper view (I am waiting for Bajaj to change the design)



  • The Headlight focus is slightly towards the felt (Probably in all P220s and isn't an issue)



  • Mileage 35 Kmpl (City Ride), 35 Kmpl (Highway Ripping at above 100 Kmph), 50 Kmpl (at speeds of 55-60 Kmph on the highway)



  • Expect to pay more attention to the bike and be prepared to pay more visits to the service station if required.





Positives about the Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi:

    # Handling & Stability: Awesome

    # Ride Quality: Great

    # Power & Pick Up: Good

    # Best Gear Box among Pulsars (Could still improve though)

    # 5 Years Warranty on the Engine: Couldn't ask for more

    # 35 Kmpl, even after hard ripping on the highway

    # Heads Turning at traffic stops: PRICELESS




A few blokes say that there is no exclusivity in the Pulsar 220 since it almost looks like the other Pulsars (150/180/200) at least from behind. Well, I wouldn't know about that since I don't have eyes behind my head.

But what I can tell you for sure is that, at every traffic stop my bike gets stares from everywhere. Complete strangers have accosted me and inquired about the bike. Unknown persons pass complimentary remarks like "Super Bike", "Very Good looking bike". I have come across school kids who shout "220..!! 220..!!" whenever I pass them.



And believe it or not.. this sweet little incident happened to my bike the other day.

    Day before yesterday (20'th Dec 2007) it was drizzling in Bangalore in the evening and I was on my way home from MG road on my Pulsar 220.. The Bangalore traffic was horrible as usual..

    Just then, an attractive young girl who seemed to be in a hurry approached me asking if I knew the Bus route to Kempfort (its a shopping complex near Bangalore Airport). I said I didn't know the bus route but I could drop her there if she liked..!!


    She gave a big smile and said: You can..?? And then she proceeded to climb on the rear seat of my P220.

    Finally I dropped her near Kempfort..!! Must have been a 30 min ride thanks to the Bangalore Traffic.


    [Hhmmm... It must have been the DSG Jacket and the Daijya Helmet that I was wearing..!!]




After having seen Summer 30 times on this Earth, I now undertand that true love doesn't mean "a perfect love story".. true love also doesn't focus on the negatives but focuses on the positives instead. There are bound to be differences, but what matters is how you work it out.


Therefore if you think you are worthy of true love, then go ahead book the Pulsar 220. But if you are of the "Wham - Bam - Not even a thank you Maam" type, then please look elsewhere.








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Disclaimer:

This is to remind that the Views or Opinions in the blog are entirely mine unless explicitly stated. The Views and Opinions published in this blog should in no way be related to any other person or organization associated -- directly or indirectly -- with me.




23 Comments:

Sajal said...

Oh Bhai Saab!!!! Aap toh Senti maar gaye!!!
One such incident happened with me also when I dropped a lady @ IBM Daksh on my way to office coz I new even if I have to cover 10km in opposte directions on my p200, I would still reach my office on time with 10 mins in my hand at early morning 7:00 am.

Well comming back to your feed back for P220. We all know the fighting history of the Pulsars and every serious biker would know that the Pulsars are still refining themselves. Therefore we should give Bajaj due credit for that. We can't expect them to be as perfect as the R1 or the ZX14!! Yamaha and Kawasaki have their proven quality lines and Bajaj is very well on it's way in catching up with them.

Sathya said...

Dear Payeng,

then what happened mamu, did u get any contact details of the young lass,

i like bangalore girls very much, and in chennai i think my yamaha rx100 is enough to pick up girls

Payeng said...

Nothing like that..

I was just helping out a lady in distress without expecting anything in return.

And yes, no contact numbers..


By the way, I like to ride solo and don't like Pillions.


@ Sajal..

Yes, Bajaj is surely improving.. most heartning is the fact that in case there is any issue, they are determined to satisfy the customer (me).

GAGAN said...

dude...tell me you got the girl's name and number........umm...or name atleast!!;-))

GAGAN said...

about the "exclusivity" factor that you mentioned..and othe things like the rear looks the same etc.....well i dont know from which angle it actually looks the same!!There is a disctinct and exclusive look and more than that feel from every angle when it comes to P2s and P2.2s. About Bajaj's improvment..well i have always felt that raising a bar is not that tough....raising it further more and again marching ahead of it is diffcult!I really hope Bajaj keeps up and doesnt slow down. Your observation of turning heads and general comments from others makes me feel nostalgic..used to get those 2 yrs back when i rolled out my 150 DTSi (remember that with extra rear wheel spoiler) from the show room!! It will soon be termed vintage!!:))

Anonymous said...

Great Comments Yaar!!!

Good Inspiration for both Bajaj to improve the bike P220(to become Brand leader in india for quality of bike) and those Guys who plan to buy P220...

Few things as i discussed with you and agree with your comments...
- The Feel of gear shift and Accelaration can be improved...
- Mirror size should be increased and may be zero vibration for visibility
- Rear disc size should be increased similar to front disc and also it should be covered completely...also to be more effective.
- May be top speed can be improved to touch 135km in reality on road even if we get mileage of 35 kmpl

Also few question for you
- wht the max top speed of P220 on road has anyone tried more than 120 km of your top speed??
- can we adjust split handle bar like TVS Apache??
- is there reserve nob in fuel tank in P220??
- is there choke for self start for cold conditions?? like car or other bikes!!!

That all with my suggestions and questions for you!!! hope i will get reply for this!!!

So best of luck for future...keep up the good work in Gurgoan tooo....as you plan to wrap up in bangalore.....catch you nexttime when you are in namma bangaluru..:)

- Sharath Kamath (MSH Apt buddy)
>> "Dead" or "Agile" <<

Anonymous said...

Blokes !! Yea ryt..

Rahul Devnath said...

God... i coudn't stop laughning, after reading about the snag, and and then even rolled on after reading the "lady luck" quotes!! lol

Payeng said...

@ Gagan,

No bro, no phone numbers exchanged.. not even names. Some things are better that way.



@Maltesh,

Opps.. that wasn't intended at you bro.. Apologies



@Rahul,

That's what you get to read on my blog.. i.e. Authentic First Hand experiences.

Anonymous said...

Hey SP,
No issues on that.

Anonymous said...

I really like to own the P220 but a few things are giving me second thoughts, so may be you all can can advise me.

Firstly I would like to say that the flaring is just awesome, to me its the best part of the bike and the one thing that truly attracts me to it.

But a few drawbacks in my opinion are:-

1st - Why not a kick-start as well apart from the ES, there was no harm in mantaining both the start option


2nd - Why the engine, wheels, etc are not black just like P200, it would have made the bike look much more attractive.

3rd - The price is high but if the above 2 options were present then I wouldnt mind paying that extra much.

Payeng said...

Imagine if Bajaj decides to finally launch a 400 cc double cylinder bike "with Kick Start..!!"

That would be rather funny right..??


The Pulsar 200 and the 220 are the first steps for Bajaj Auto before we get biggger, multi cylinder bikes.. and that's why the absense of Kick Levers from these bikes.



About the lack of black color on the engine and alloys of the P220, there is no other option presently and guess we have to live with that.

Unknown said...

Hi Payeng,

Hope you are having Great time at Auto Expo in Delhi......Lucky Dude!!!

I know you are busy yaar!!! But reply to my msg below....i have few questions and suggestions....Hope you will reply to comments...

Enjoy...new year...with Auto Expo....Have a great year ahead...:)

MSH Apts Buddy...Hope you Remember me.....

Regards,
Sharath Kamath
>> "Dead" or "Agile" <<


Below is my earlier mail,

Great Comments Yaar!!!

Good Inspiration for both Bajaj to improve the bike P220(to become Brand leader in india for quality of bike) and those Guys who plan to buy P220...

Few things as i discussed with you and agree with your comments...
- The Feel of gear shift and Accelaration can be improved...
- Mirror size should be increased and may be zero vibration for visibility
- Rear disc size should be increased similar to front disc and also it should be covered completely...also to be more effective.
- May be top speed can be improved to touch 135km in reality on road even if we get mileage of 35 kmpl

Also few question for you
- wht the max top speed of P220 on road has anyone tried more than 120 km of your top speed??
- can we adjust split handle bar like TVS Apache??
- is there reserve nob in fuel tank in P220??
- is there choke for self start for cold conditions?? like car or other bikes!!!

That all with my suggestions and questions for you!!! hope i will get reply for this!!!

So best of luck for future...keep up the good work in Gurgoan tooo....as you plan to wrap up in bangalore.....catch you nexttime when you are in namma bangaluru..:)

- Sharath Kamath (MSH Apt buddy)
>> "Dead" or "Agile" <<

Payeng said...

Of Course I remember you Sharath..


I reached 121-122 Kmph once but did not try after that.. a few people have reached around 130 kmph..

The Handle bar on the Pulsar 220 isn't adjustable like the Apache's Handlebar

Since it is a fuel injected bike, there is no Choke in the 220. Also thete is no Reserve Fuel Knob in the bike as well.



Thanks for the wishes..

I'll let you know when I come down to Bangalore..


Take care.. and Please remember that there is more to biking than "Speed" or "Top Speed"

Ride Safe..!!

Anonymous said...

hey guys im planning to buy p220...but waitin for the black theme...do u think they'l release the black edition or should i go for the regular one???

Payeng said...

I asked the Bajaj Guys about whether they have any plans of launching an "All black" theme Pulsar 220..

they told me that there are no such plans right now..

But who knows.. better go for it now.. that's what I'd say

Anonymous said...

i am also owner of pulsar 220..... rather i finished third servicing just a week ago..

till now no---problem with my speed-machine....
i like to cruise it 100km/hr and during traveling poona -bombay i did it many time..
the third servicing made me disappointed as during tank cleaning, due to labor error leak occur wwhich cause too waste of fuel...

Ankit Sharma said...

yes sir you are right i owned new pulsar 220 dtsi..and its really an eye catcher.The power is great..And i had gone to 130 without any problem not tried more than 130.its control is good..the brakes are enough strong to overcome any type of of situation.yeah i think its some parts should be reliable.in short No problem and a perfect bike for adventure lover's

Vipul Kamboj said...

I just read the review..
Its good..
Just wanted to tell that the tilt to the left of the lights is actually the design and not a designing error!!
It is done in that way so that the beam does not blind the oncoming traffic..
If you notice, you'll see that the low beam in almost all cars is more on the left than on the right..
Both are so because of the same reasons!!

Vipul Kamboj said...

I just read the review..
Its good..
Just wanted to tell that the tilt to the left of the lights is actually the design and not a designing error!!
It is done in that way so that the beam does not blind the oncoming traffic..
If you notice, you'll see that the low beam in almost all cars is more on the left than on the right..
Both are so because of the same reasons!!

Ankit Sharma said...

yes sir you are right i owned new pulsar 220 dtsi..and its really an eye catcher.The power is great..And i had gone to 130 without any problem not tried more than 130.its control is good..the brakes are enough strong to overcome any type of of situation.yeah i think its some parts should be reliable.in short No problem and a perfect bike for adventure lover's

Anonymous said...

hey guys im planning to buy p220...but waitin for the black theme...do u think they'l release the black edition or should i go for the regular one???

Payeng said...

Of Course I remember you Sharath..


I reached 121-122 Kmph once but did not try after that.. a few people have reached around 130 kmph..

The Handle bar on the Pulsar 220 isn't adjustable like the Apache's Handlebar

Since it is a fuel injected bike, there is no Choke in the 220. Also thete is no Reserve Fuel Knob in the bike as well.



Thanks for the wishes..

I'll let you know when I come down to Bangalore..


Take care.. and Please remember that there is more to biking than "Speed" or "Top Speed"

Ride Safe..!!

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