The N250 has received a healthy update, but still, it has a number of worthy competitors
Bajaj has shocked the Indian automobile industry once again by giving the Pulsar N250 a healthy update while keeping the price in check, incredibly affordable for the price-sensitive Indian market. However, the N250 still has a few worthy opponents. In the following paragraphs, we have compared the spec-sheet of the N250 with its rivals – the KTM Duke 200, Suzuki Gixxer 250 and the TVS Apache RTR 200 4V.
The N250 is powered by a 249.07cc, single-cylinder, air/oil-cooled engine that makes a peak power of 24.5PS and 21.5Nm of torque. This makes the N250 a motorcycle with torque available across the band. The KTM Duke, with its 199.5cc, single-cylinder, oil-cooled engine, makes a little bit more power at 25PS but has only 19Nm of torque, which is why it needs to be revved more. The TVS Apache, with its 197.75cc, single-cylinder, air/oil-cooled engine, makes the least power of 20Nm and 17Nm of torque. Finally, the Suzuki Gixxer, with its 249cc, single-cylinder, oil-cooled engine, makes the most power at 26.5PS and a peak torque of 22.2Nm torque. When it comes to engine preferences, here’s how our choice lines up: 1. Suzuki Gixxer 2. KTM Duke 3. Pulsar N250 4. TVS Apache 200.
The all-new KTM Duke 200 in its aggressive bright orange avatar
Moving on to other hardware, let’s begin with the braking duties of the four motorcycles. On the Bajaj Pulsar, KTM Duke and Suzuki Gixxer, the braking responsibility of the front is taken care by a 300mm disc whereas on the TVS Apache 200, it a 270mm disc that is employed at the front. At the rear, the Pulsar and Duke are equipped with 230mm discs whereas the Apache has 240mm disc. Unfortunately, the disc size of the Gixxer is unknown.
In terms of suspension setup, all four motorcycles are equipped with mono-shock at the rear. However, at the front, only the Duke and Pulsar have upside-down forks, whereas the Apache and Gixxer are equipped with conventional telescopic forks. Moving on to tyres, the Pulsar, Duke and Gixxer run on 110/70-17 at the front, whereas the Apache has a 90/90-17. However, at the rear, the Duke and the Gixxer are equipped with the fattest setup of 150/60-17, followed by 140/70-17 on the Pulsar and 130/70-17 on the Apache.
The Suzuki Gixxer in its black and grey colour variant
In terms of features, in our opinion, the Pulsar has the upper hand because it has three ABS modes along with switchable traction control and Bluetooth connectivity with turn-by-turn navigation and SMS/call alerts. The Apache gets riding modes such as Rain, Urban and Sport, which are not available on other models. Not to forget, the TVS SmartXonnect app offers a variety of information to the rider. However, in terms of safety, the Pulsar’s features are noteworthy. The Duke and Gixxer have no riding mode, ABS modes or traction control.
In our book of thoughts, the Pulsar N250 is the best value-for-money product because it has a commendable balance between features and performance. The motorcycle is meant for those who commute every day and occasionally go on weekend short rides. The second-best is the Gixxer because it is a much more capable machine on the highway and suitable for those who are into touring. Finally, the KTM is meant for those who believe in short rides to colleges or offices with occasional track days. Unfortunately, we do not recommend the TVS Apache, but as we always say, take a test ride and pick the motorcycle that you feel is best for you.
