Modenas Pulsar NS200

From the very first look, you will know that you are looking at a machine built for a purpose. The bike has a high stance that may worry some riders. The seat is 785 mm high and shorter riders will indeed need some getting used to. Despite this, the bike is very well suited for quick maneuvers. The styling is aggressive without being too in your face. There are no shouty graphics. The compact headlight uses conventional bulbs, even for the daytime running lights under the main assembly. But when they light up, they give the bike a menacing look. The large 17” wheels shod with 100/80 52P tubeless wheels on the front and 130/70 62P tires on the rear, give it good road presence and grip. The rest of the mass seems to be concentrated in the center of the body and is compactly packed with no gaps anywhere. The compactness really comes out when you realize that you can’t find the silencer anywhere. And indeed it hides under the bike, opening right under the rider foot peg. Only the tail rides high in the air and ends in a trellis frame number plate holder. Touches like this can be seen everywhere. The water reservoir has a convenient indicator showing the water level. The instrument cluster uses an analog-digital mix. Handlebars controllers are lit up. 

This is a naked streetfighter. The rider sits high and grabs the contoured tank with his or her legs. The footpegs tie up the riding position making the riding stance aggressive. The handlebars are wide and high. This makes for quick and confident maneuvering in fast-moving traffic. This bike is most in its element on city roads. The telescopic suspension in the front and the monoshock in the rear are set for firmness. This helps in aiding handling which seems to be the whole shtick of the bike. However, its fully faired cousin, the RS 200 is the better handler of the two. The NS200 also suffers from its portly 155 kg weight. The rider needs some experience in handling heavy bikes to get the most out of it. The lack of wind protection in the front also causes some concern but that’s what you get when you ride a street fighter.

Powering the NS200 is a SOHC 4 valve triple ignition fuel injected and liquid cooled single cylinder engine. It produces a maximum power output of 24.5 PS at 9750 rpm and peak torque of 18.6 Nm at 8000 rpm. This is enough to propel it to an electronically limited top speed of 153 kmph. The engine smoothly moves through the power band using a 6-speed transmission. The power is available across the range and never feels inadequate. The mileage is also decent at 36 kmpl and the 12L tank also feels quite adequate.

The NS200 comes with 280 mm disc brakes on the front and 230 mm discs on the rear. The brakes are hydraulic single-piston arrangements and chomp down with urgency when necessary. However, there is no option of ABS available at present unlike its cousin, the RS200. But this small niggle should not be a deal breaker for anyone because of the price that the NS sells for. At RM 9222, it is hard to match what the Modenas is offering. The RS costs almost RM 2000 more than the NS and the exclusion of ABS, therefore, makes a lot of sense. The NS may not be the best out there. But for the price, it is a very good beginner bike for someone who wants to try something with more power.