Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi bags the the first IMOTY (Indian Motorcycle of the Year) award.. What do I as an owner, think about my bike..??
Five of the top Auto publications of the country came together for the very first time to set up IMOTY (Indian Motorcycle of the Year) federation. The objective was to pick the "Most Remarkable Motorcycle launched in India" in the previous year. The contenders for the IMOTY 2008 award were: TVS Apache RTR 160, Hero Honda Hunk, Bajaj XCD and the Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi. Fuel Injection: This is a feature not just to brag about to your friends.. but to appreciate this technology, just bring the bike to a speed of about 30-35 Kmph at top (5'th) gear and then open the throttle. The way the bike pulls away without any fuss will explain a lot more than I can write in here. High Speed Highway Handling: Push the Pulsar 220 through some high speed manoeuvres on the highways to realize that you are smiling from ear to ear inside your helmet. Projector Headlamps: Mind you, these aren't just fancy show pieces on the motorcycle but are infact the Most Powerful headlights currently available on any Indian Motorcycle..!! And the fact that they do not depend on the engine speed to glow at full intensity will make you appreciate it even more. I could go on and on but let me list a few negatives too.. Riding in traffic: Thanks to its length, negotiating slow moving traffic inside the City is a pain. You can no longer cut and weave through traffic like you would on a 150 cc motorcycle. It took me some time to get used to the length of the bike. Infact there had been two instances when the exhaust on my bike had brushed other vehicles when trying to squeeze into empty spaces in the traffic. Ineffective Rear View Mirrors: The fairing mounted Rear View Mirrors look sweet. But they aren't that functional as they do not provide a proper view of the scenery behind you. Weak Rear Disc Brake: The rear disc brake is supposed to be one of the selling points of the Pulsar 220 as it is the first Indian bike to feature a disc brake at the rear. I have also had a few parts replaced so far. Although these parts have been replaced free of charge due to the 5 year warranty on the engine, considering that this is a premium product from Bajaj, Quality Control could still be improved. A 4 Valve, "Sprint" version of the Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi belting out 25 Ps of Power..!! Related Posts:
The very first IMOTY award (for 2008) goes to Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi..!!
[The news about the IMOTY 2008 award has been taken from the April 2008 Issues of Overdrive and Autocar India (Yes, they are out).
Photo scanned from Overdrive April 2008 issue]
Of late every publication having a decent readership in the country had been giving away its own version of the "Bike of the Year" awards. Infact even private TV News Channels had joined in the fray. Like they say "too many cooks spoil the broth", the purpose of selecting the most remarkable motorcycle was getting lost in the process..
I hardly used to care which motorcycle "this" or "that" magazine gave the award to. But the IMOTY award makes sense to me. Five jury members representing the top automotive publications come together to wreak their brains and decide upon a single Motorcycle as the winner.
The following publications have setup the IMOTY Federation
In the end the Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi won the very first Indian Motorcycle of the Year award.
Ok, the Bike Gurus have given their verdict. But.. What does a "Biker next Door" who also happens to be a Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi owner think about his bike..??
Of course I had fallen in love with the Pulsar 220 and that's why I had bought it in the first place. But that was like "Love at first sight" or rather "Love at first Test-Ride"..!!
Now that the intial honeymoon period is over, how do I rate the Pulsar 220..??
What do I like about the Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi..??
What do I do not quite like about the Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi..??
With the Pulsar 220, its better to ride like a civlilized rider in traffic. 
But sadly the rear disc brake on the Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi doesn't have much bite in it. This is totally in contrast to the front disc brake which has enormous bite (thankfully).
In fact the front disc does the job of bring the bike to a halt almost single-handedly. Also after using it for sometime, the rear disc starts making some annoying squealing noises.
So would I rate the Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi as the bike of the year 2008..??
I would rate the Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi (4/5). And yes, the Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi definitely deserves the IMOTY (Indian Motorcycle of the Year) 2008 award. 15-20 years down the line when someone might reminisce about the First Indian Motorcycle of The Year, I can proudly say that, "That was my bike..!!"
Future Improvements that i would like to see on the Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi:
(If the Bajaj XCD "Sprint" can make 3 Ps more with its 4 Valves, then why not an Pulsar 220 "Sprint" variant with 5 Ps more..??)
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.
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