Life in Indian cities, where zippy two-wheelers are the kings of the road, Bajaj Pulsar series is one such brand that has won many a heart by offering value for money motorcycle products over the years.
For more than 20 years, the name ‘Pulsar’ has been a registered trademark of value and quality. That ideology comes full circle with the launch of the Pulsar N250, which promises quarter-litre excitement that is still accessible for your average Indian motorcyclist.
Design Philosophy: All Brawn
The first thing you notice in the Pulsar N250 is the massive size of the bike. This is not a motorcycle that hides in the background – it fights for attention.
The design language continues to be the Bajaj’s “Muscular Sculpture” philosophy with sharp, angular lines and a feel of coiled energy even when stationary.
The front reflects a LED headlamp that suits the name of the bike and offers both great visibility and attitude on the roadOpen ImageOpen ImageOpen ImageOpen Image.
The fuel-tank gets sporty knee recesses with calf-shaped grooves making it comfortable when ridden aggressively although losing on the visual heft the Pulsar lovers are used to.
The floating side panels enhance the layered involute design of the bike giving it a three-dimensional look which is not all that cluttered or overdone but adds lots of visual drama to the bike.
Ensuring a sporty-poised look from behind is a short compact tail section, LED tail light and short up-swept end can that adds to the modern, streetfighter look.
The machine comes in three bold color options – Glossy Racing Red, Brooklyn Black, and Pearl Metallic White, the red and white colors get golden front forks which also come with a premium feel.
The Heart of the Beast: The 250cc Powermill
Underneath the muscular bodywork lies the heart of this streetfighter – a 249.07cc, single-cylinder, oil-cooled engine that develops a healthy 24.5 PS of power at 8,750 rpm and 21.5 Nm of torque at 6,500 rpm as per ARAI figures.
This engine is the new generation and is one-of-its-kind as it delivers a good performance, along with being quite refined and efficient.
The oil-cooler is a nice middle ground between air cooling simplicity, and water cooling advantage, keeping operating temperatures under control without adding burdening weight or complexity.
The power delivery is linear and controllable with strong midrange, which is just what visitors from India (where it’s going to be sold) will love.
The engine comes mated to a smooth shifting 5-speed transmission with a slipper clutch which is a technology seen on the bigger more expensive motorcycles.
And it permits aggressive downshifts without ricocheting the rear wheel–safety and your ability to ride sportingly are much improved with this deal. It has a light clutch pull, which helps cut down on the drudgery of city riding when scraping through stop-and-go traffic.
Chassis and handling Dynamics are balanced.
The Pulsar N250 is based on a tubular frame that seems to offer a good compromise between rigidity for good handling and flex for pliancy over India’s broken tarmac.
Stopping power comes from an oversized 300mm disc with a twin-piston floating caliper squeezing the shiny discs, while thicker and fatter 37mm upside-down forks (instead of the conventional telescopic units that used to adorn older Pulsars) give better control and feedback; they look premium too.
To the rear, damping duties are taken care of by a monoshock suspension, providing a natural feel without compromising on feedback.
The suspension is set on the more sporty side, as the motorcycle’s intentions suggest, but not so much so that it lacks comfort for everyday commuting.
The motorcycle rides on 17-inch alloy wheels at both ends wrapped with 110/70 front and 140/70 rear tires to provide good grip over the tarmac.
Braking comes from a 300mm disc up front and a 230mm disc at the rear – both are assisted by a dual-channel ABS set-up which provide reassuringly good bite in adverse conditions.
Weighing in at around 162 kg (as per user experience), the Pulsar N250 has weight on side, but not in a way that is difficult to handle.
The 800mm seat height means riders of all shapes and sizes should not have a problem plonking their rears on it, and with a ground clearance of 165mm and it should have no problem handling that sudden rough patch or speed breaker with ease, or so we hope.
Technology Options: Tech Package
The 2024-2025 revision of the Pulsar design resulted in far more technology than the 2013-2014 update and has allowed the model to stay within shaping distance of the now teched-up class.
The bike comes with a full-digital reverse-LCD instrument cluster that is Bluetooth-enabled and offers features like call and message alerts, turn-by-turn navigation and ride telemetry.
For 2025, the bike also gets traction control and selectable ABS modes (Rain, Road and On-Off-Road) that let the rider set electronic intervention according to the road surface and their particular preference.
These technologies are a first for a Bajaj motorcycle in this segment and the company continues towards their constant effort of bringing advanced rider aids at a reasonable price point.
Illumination is handled by LED bulbs for superb visibility, less power draw, and longer life than conventional MX type bulbs. A USB Type C charging port also allows riders on the go to charge their devices, a nice touch for riders who are wired this way.
Real-World Performance: What You Don’t See in the Specifications
Numbers on a spec sheet are only part of the story. But out on the road the Pulsar N250 has a personality which is engaging but not overwhelming.
It pulls hard from bottom end and has a fat mid-range which allows for easier overtakes without needing to constantly change gears.
Fuel average, a very important factor for Indian riders, also is not very bad for a motorcycle having 250cc engine. The user-reported figures are somewhere around 39 kmpl in real world riding conditions and expert’s imagine it to be near 44 kmpl in ideal conditions.
And with its 14-litre fuel tank, the practical range available is more than 500 kilometers… more than enough for a long weekend of riding or several days’ city commuting.
The riding position manages a nice balance between sporty and lazy. Here the low-set clip-on handlebars create a moderately leaned-forward riding position that feels committed but not overly aggressive, while the well-padded seat brings a reasonable amount of comfort for longer rides, about a couple of hours in duration. The rear-set footpegs finish the action-capable ergonomic triangle yet offer enough space for height.
Living With Ownership: The Lay-It-Down Theory
More than endearing the rider, the truth is that ownership considerations play a significant role in selecting a motorcycle.
The wide after-sales service network in India by Bajaj makes life easy for owners with spares easily available and mechanics being acquainted with the platform.
The total cost of ownership of such a high displacement bike is still reasonable and service intervals are set at customary periods.
The engine is not liquid-cooled like many of its rivals, so it won’t require the more involved maintenance that liquid-cooling imposes, which keeps costs down.
The fit and finish is definitely a significant improvement over the previous generations of Pulsars and the switchgear feel is better, the panel gaps are more consistent and the quality of materials throughout is far better. This level of finish helps to give the bike the feel of a high quality item, despite the competitive pricing.
Market Positioning and Competition Competitive activity in the marketplace for UGS technologies is intense.
At an estimated ₹1.53 lakh (ex-showroom) today, the Pulsar N250 sits in an interesting spot in the Indian motorcycle market. It’s less costly than international quarter-liter options with more power and features than the 160-200cc bikes that have generally materialized as scorching commodities in India.
Close rivals form the likes of the Honda CB200X, Bajaj’s own Pulsar NS200, TVS Apache RTR 200 4V, and Dominar 250 too. Everyone here represents a special mix of features, but when you consider the performance, features and brand value, the Pulsar N250 is a fairly attractive overall package.
Outlook for the Future
The Pulsar N250 means more than just a new bike in the Bajaj garage and it represents vision and perspective for the legacy-forward of the storied Pulsar marque.
The new platform offers what the engineers referred to as the perfect synergy of performance and technology at an amazing value, something that is the ideal base for future development of the brand.
As the entire motorcycle world moves towards electric power and advanced rider assistance technology, it will be interesting to see what form the next generation of the Pulsar family will take.
The inclusion on the N250 of the latest in traction control and selectable ABS modes already indicate that the company isn’t afraid to climb the tech scale, so long as they can keep the value at its no-excuse core.
Bajaj Pulsar N250 : A Valiant Standard Bearer
The Pulsar N250, the Bengaluru-made motorcycle succeeds to maintain the essence of its predecessors with certain upgrades that make it compete with the rivals of the era.
What you do want is the Next Pulsar, and while it does not disappoint on the basic promise of the Pulsar – good performance being accessible – the Next Pulsar gives you all the things you didn’t imagine it would.
For the riders wanting a fun ride that gives them the thrills, but does not demand pocket burn that much when buying or maintaining, the Pulsar N250 brings itself to the fore. It’s a bike with plenty of heritage, but one that is also very much part of the future – a big ask to get right.
In a world where everyone wants to drill a hole through a needle and find their hyper-niche-market, the Pulsar N250 is just delightfully simple – doing most things well without asking anyone to completely change their life for the privilege.
And if that isn’t the ultimate strength of an offering to deliver both the practical and emotional aspects of motorcycling in a low cost, all-encompassing package to the average Indian rider, then I don’t know what is.