The new, smaller-engined Pulsar is coming on the 9th of December this year...
Bajaj, which has seen a significant increase in Pulsar sales in recent months (average sales in Q2 2009-10 were 45,000 units per month, as compared to average sales of 25,000 units per month in the corresponding period in 2008-09), is looking at expanding the Pulsar line-up to include small displacement bikes.
The Pune-based company has announced that it will launch a smaller-engined, sub-150cc Pulsar on the 9th of December this year. We expect this new bike to be either a Pulsar 135, or a Pulsar 125, which would be aimed directly at the very successful Honda CBF Stunner 125.
Bajaj claims that its brand vision with the Pulsar is ‘to make India a country of bikers from a country of commuters,’ and that with the Pulsar brand, it seeks to increase the size of the sports segment in the country. In the light of this statement, downsizing with the Pulsar – creating a new bike that has a smaller, less powerful engine than the current Pulsar 150 – seems to be a surprising move.
Motorcycle enthusiasts in the country have been fervently hoping for a Pulsar 250, which hasn’t happened. At around Rs 3.0 lakh, the Kawasaki Ninja 250R, which Bajaj launched in India a few weeks ago, is still out of reach of many enthusiasts who want a small capacity sportsbike. For these people, the best bet is currently the Pulsar 220 DTS-i, which costs about Rs 70,000 and is good value for money.
We believe Bajaj will be diluting the Pulsar’s brand equity by launching a smaller-engined Pulsar. Then again, we suppose Bajaj’s marketing gurus know what’ll work best for the company and a Pulsar 125/135 just might be what the company needs to take on the Honda CBF Stunner and other 125s in the country.
Of course, Bajaj also has another major ace up its sleeve when it comes to high-spec, sports-oriented 125s – it’s all set to launch an all-new 125cc KTM machine in India early next year. You can see a preview of this machine here, while the actual production-ready bike will be unveiled during the Auto Expo in Delhi, in January 2010.
4 Comments:
No, this shouldn't come as a surprise. As you yourself say, Bajaj's strategy is very clear - the Pulsar series will be its more mainstream, lower-priced bikes, while its Kawasaki and KTM bikes will cater to the higher end segment.
Honda and Yamaha etc. should be worried about the renewed Bajaj blitzkrieg...! :-)
Bajaj is ruining the credibility of the Pulsar. First it let down its fans by replacing the fuel-injected 220 DTS-Fi with a carbureted version of the bike (how COULD they do that!!!???) and now they've announced the Pulsar 135. It's all so screwed up.
Bajaj is goin down , first with fuel injected p220 to carb version while others starts making bikes with fuel injection .
now again a pulsar series whichlooks the same and less in cc , why the hell they can do it with discover or xcd ..
simply a waste of time .
more than that .. now its almost a decade old pulsar design , only facelifts ..
they should consider a completely new design ,
anyway they got ninja .. "look and learn how japaneese did it "
by wish
You're all sadly mistaken. Launching a smaller bike DOES NOT mean that Bajaj is diluting the Pulsar's credibility or brand equity, it simply means the Pulsar range is being more affordable. Come on guys, we're bikers, not marketing wizards. Let's leave the MBA jargon to the suits and let's just RIDE! :-)
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