What Happens when a Younger Brother Meets the Elder (Read: Bigger) Sibling for a brotherly get together early one fine morning? Its a Rocking Event !! And it Happened today morning !
5:30 A.M. Thursday Morning August 9th, 2007 - I get a call from Captain Nandu Chitnis. - "Its a clear sky ! Perfect day for riding." It was decided that we would be taking Captain's Pulsar 220 out again for a short spin around town as it had just come back from its first service after completing 600 odd kms. Plus Captain was to leave for the sea in a day's time and then we wouldn't have had an opportunity to ride together. Incidentally i was awake as i was mentally preparing myself for this ride. Captain asked me to get Chotu my latest weapon of nomadic invasion - The Pulsar 180 DTSi V 1, and i quickly moved and arrived at his house. The moment he came down as if by sheer stroke of bad luck it started raining. We wondered what the rain gods had against us that made him release the showers the moment we decided to step out.
Anyways, the ride was pre-planned and so we took off. After confirming how the gears on the 180 worked Captain took charge of Chotu and i got astride the 220. Captain has an amazingly disciplined sense of riding, showing the indicators even when there is only one turn on the road. We rode through some bylanes on to Pashan road where Captain gunned the throttle of my 180 and zoomed ahead. Ask me how much i resisted the temptation to take the 220 beyond 4K RPM. The max i could touch through was about 52 - 55 kmph on the 220 maintaining a steady 4K RPM. The throttle response of the 220 is absolutely amazing. There is absolutely no lag between twist of the wrist and the sudden lurch ahead.
The bike doesn't knock even in 4th gear at engine speeds as low as 2200 and speedo shoing some 16-18 kmph. I have found the Pulsars pretty prone to knocking and the gearbox being irritatingly notchy, this one was one helluva different exception. I could say the gear shift mechanism is feather touch. One flick of the toe and i find myself in a different bandwidth. Even climbing inclines in 5th gear was a breeze.
Once we crossed Chandni chowk we continued on the slightly desolate NDA road all the way till the NDA main gate. Here we sat at the visitors room contemplating if it would be feasible to ride inside NDA till peacock Bay and then back out. As long as we sat inside the weather was sparkingly clear and as soon as we came out in the open to ride, it started pouring again like crazy. Finally understanding that Gods actually wanted us to return from there we decided to turn back. Captain very politely asked his bike back, and i gave him the keys to the 220. He definitely did mention though that of all the Bajaj Bikes that have been built the 180 is perhaps the best engineered. I guess i am just lucky to have this Smart Chotu under me as of now !
We rode back same way and around Pashan i took leave of Captain as he stopped for some household chores. I promised him i would definitely be writing my experiences on the 220 and putting it on to friends today. Summing it up in following points.
1. First Impressions - This was the 2nd time i had seen the bike in daylight. The colour simply rocks. My Chotu and this 220 share the same instrument console.
2. Seating position very sporty. Feel like Rossi already. Also feels quite comfortable for crusing not much stress on wrists and shoulders. Knees also help in planting oneself on the Bike and hugging the sides.
3. Turning radius although feels little big for a pulsar. My Yezdi is worse and perhaps has a turning radius marginally larger than the Maruti Zen. LOL !!
4. Fairing Plastic feels a little flimsy. Doesn't have the rock solid feel of the ZMA fairing though.
5. Gearbox - SIMPLY SUPERB. gear changes are like Mouse Clicks !!
6. Throttle Response - Drag racing at its best. 20 Horses unleashed at ONCE !!
7. Handling - Turning and stability - Much better than any other "Plastic" bike i have ever ridden. Although I have felt equally stable only on my Yezdi's and Bullet.
Looks like there is going to be some time before anyone betters this PERFORMER !!
Way to Go - Skipper. Way to go - Sliver Hawk !!
Pics of the Bikes
Till then Keep Riding !!
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