25 DTS-i Triple Spark Engine: Is it just a Marketing Gimmick

Is there a tangible benefit of the the spark plug used in the DTS-i Triple Spark engine of the Pulsar 200NS?

“Who knows? Just one spark plug could be working; the other two might just be a marketing gimmick.”

I recently came across the above sarcastic comment which was made for the "DTS-i Triple Spark" technology that Bajaj currently employs on the Pulsar 200NS. The Pulsar 200NS sports an engine that has the world’s only 3 spark plug for its single cylinder. Seriously, 3 spark plugs on a single cylinder engine? Is it taking things a bit too far? Is it really necessary? Is there really a benefit for the customer/biker? Or is it really just a marketing gimmick?



Bajaj was the first Indian manufacturer to pioneer twin spark plug engines way back in 2003. Twin spark engines apparently have a benefit over single spark engines as the “air+fuel” mixture is burnt more efficiently. Branded as DTS-i (Digital Twin Sparkplug Ignition), it certainly made a big impact. The proof of which is that a few years later both TVS and Royal Enfield also came out with its own versions of the twin spark technology. TVS put it in its 125 cc Flame model and currently all Royal Enfield models come with twin spark plug engines.

The third spark plug actually has a tangible benefit

According to the official video posted below, the 3 spark plugs make for efficient burning of the “air+fuel” mixture which benefits and enhances [1] fuel efficiency, [2] engine performance and in [3] adhering to pollution norms. Although I do not doubt the veracity of the official claim, it still leaves a window of opportunity for sarcastic comments. For the normal customer/biker, it hardly matters to him if all the above stated benefits are achieved by a single spark plug of by two or three.

But even if one might gloss over the fuel efficiency and engine performance part as marketing blah, the third spark plug is not a gimmick and there is a tangible benefit for the customer/biker. And here it is:

Thanks to the third spark plug, one will save around Rs. 6,000 if one has to replace the silencer assembly of the Pulsar 200NS.

Here are the (Pune) prices of the silencer / exhaust system of the following bikes (collected by me on July 26, 2012).

Model Name	Spare Part Cost for the Exhaust Assembly (as on July 26, 2012)
Pulsar 200NS	Rs. 3,000
Pulsar 220F	Rs. 8,800
KTM 200 Duke	Rs. 9,250

I once had to replace the exhaust system of my Pulsar 220, and it really hurt to spend about 10% of the bike’s cost for the exhaust. Compared to that, Rs.3,000 for the exhaust system is nearly unbelievable. How did Bajaj manage to price the exhaust system of the Pulsar 200NS so ridiculously low?

First let me explain why does exhaust systems on most bikes are costly. The exhaust gases contain byproducts of the combustion process which if released directly to the atmosphere is harmful for the environment. To control the emission of these harmful byproducts, government has set pollution norms according to which manufacturers have to ensure that their vehicles don’t exceed the set limits.

Photo Source: www.importcatalytic.com

These days all manufacturers install a “Catalytic Converter” in the exhaust system to convert the harmful gases into harmless ones. The catalytic converter is made up of a honeycomb structure that has "catalyst" substances like palladium/platinum sprinkled over the structure. The harmful byproducts gets “converted” into harmless gases as it pass through the catalytic converter.

Catalysts used in the catalytic converter are precious & expensive metals and therefore it is the presence of this catalytic converter which adds to the cost of an exhaust assembly.



According to what I know, Bajaj has incorporated the third spark plug to improve on the combustion process and reduce the amount of harmful byproducts that leave the exhaust chamber. As a result the catalytic converter required in the exhaust system is comparatively small in size. It is for this very reason why the cost of the exhaust system on the Pulsar 200NS is low.


How can you be sure that the catalytic converter on the Pulsar 200NS is minimal?

Anyone who owns/rides a modern motorcycle must have noticed the clicking / “tick-tick” kind of sound that comes from the exhaust system of the vehicle when the engine is switched off after having run for some time. This clicking/ticking sound occurs as the exhaust system and the catalytic converter structure inside it cools down at different cooling rates (as different materials are used in construction). Pick any Indian bike with a catalytic converter and this clicking/ticking sound will be present.

On the Pulsar 200NS I couldn’t’ hear this clicking/ticking sound even after extended riding. This proves that the catalytic converter used in it is really very small. The triple spark technology is NOT a marketing gimmick but actually serves a purpose and there is a tangible benefit to the customer/rider.


“Desi” ingenuity for you. Hai na amazing..??

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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.