Not one to leave a gap unplugged, Bajaj has now come up with a value addition to the Pulsar range – the 180F. The math is simple – it goes a step further from the Pulsar 180 while still staying clear of the 220F, and the result is a motorcycle that will look exactly like the 220F as it blurs past. Well, apart from the Neon colour and graphics scheme, and the matte black paintjob, that is. As if the existing Pulsar range wasn’t confusing enough to decode in a crowd!
The Pulsar 180F gets the half-fairing from the 220F and, therefore, the twin vertically-stacked headlights as well. The 260mm/230mm (front/rear) disc combination continues from before and Bajaj has not yet equipped the bike with ABS. The 180F will sport no mechanical updates over the existing model which, by the way, will continue to be sold alongside the standard variant. Now is a good time to bring up the 180F’s reported price tag – Rs 86,500 (ex-showroom, Mumbai), which makes it just Rs 1500 more expensive than the standard 180. This does indicate the existing 180’s growing irrelevance in the segment, given that it isn’t as lucrative a proposition as compared to alternatives such as the TVS Apache RTR range and the Suzuki Gixxer, among others. Having said that, with the undoubtedly more exciting 220F (now with a single-channel ABS) being priced at Rs 1.05 lakh (ex-showroom, Pune), the 180F does justify its existence, at least from a value perspective.
On the positive side, the Pulsar 180F is now the only half-faired motorcycle in its class and it surely looks the part, although it remains to be seen how much of an impact it makes on Bajaj’s bid to revive the 180’s fortunes. The motorcycle will make its way to dealerships soon although Bajaj isn’t expected to make a formal announcement about it.
Think it’s an opportunity well taken? Or an experiment we didn’t need? Let us know in the comments.
UPDATE: The 180F does not come with ABS at the moment, and we believe Bajaj may have pulled this off as the 180F qualifies as a variant of an existing model and not a new product launch. Nevertheless, the company has till the end of March 2019 before which the bike must be equipped with ABS which will raise the price.
Azaman Chothia
Vishal Venugopal
