How many are too many? Bajaj Pulsar now has 17 different variants!

Join Date: Jun 2006

Location: Bangalore / TVM

Posts: 17,552

Thanked: 75,709 Times

Bajaj precocious launched the Pulsar N 125 successful the Indian market. While a caller Pulsar variant is hardly a surprise, what came arsenic a daze to maine is that Bajaj present has a 17 variants of the Pulsar successful production. Yes, 17 variants!

The lineup is truthful divers that it:

• Ranges from 125cc to 400cc, with 150cc, 160cc, 200cc, 220cc and 250cc successful betwixt - totalling 7 antithetic motor displacement capacities.
• Uses six antithetic letters to demarcate antithetic assemblage styles - plain aged Pulsar, F, N, NS, RS, and NS Z.
• Has 3 antithetic assemblage styles successful the 125cc class, with 2 assemblage styles crossed astir segments.
• Has 3 generations of products co-existing nether the aforesaid sub-brand

As of November 2024, the Pulsar lineup listed connected the Bajaj website and their corresponding prices are arsenic follows:

1. Bajaj Pulsar 125 Neon - 81,843/-
2. Bajaj Pulsar 125 Single Seat - 92,883/-
3. Bajaj Pulsar 125 Split Seat - 97,133/-
4. Bajaj Pulsar N 125 LED Disc - 94, 707/-
5. Bajaj Pulsar N 125 LED Disc BT - 98, 707/-
6. Bajaj Pulsar NS 125 - 1,01,050/-

   150cc:

7. Bajaj Pulsar 150 SD - 1,10,419/-
8. Bajaj Pulsar 150 TD - 1,15,418/-
9. Bajaj Pulsar N 150 - 1,24,730/-

   160cc:

10. Bajaj Pulsar N 160 Dual Channel ABS - 1,33,408/-
11. Bajaj Pulsar N 160 Dual Channel ABS with USD - 1,39,693/-
12. Bajaj Pulsar NS 160 - 1,47,206/-

    200cc:

13. Bajaj Pulsar NS 200 - 1,58,976/-
14. Bajaj Pulsar RS 200 - 1,74,419/-

    220cc:

15. Bajaj Pulsar 220 F - 1,38,560/-

    250cc:

16. Bajaj Pulsar N250 - 1,51,910/-

    400cc:

17. Bajaj Pulsar NS 400Z - 1,85,000/-

Are they spreading the Pulsar marque mode excessively thin?

The income figures contradict that statement though, truthful Bajaj whitethorn beryllium doing thing close afterall - the fig for September 2024 unsocial are arsenic follows.

Pulsar 125cc - 78,590 units
Pulsar 150cc - 31,881 units
Pulsar 160 + 200 NS - 19,655 units
Pulsar 220 - 6,880 units
Pulsar NS 400Z - 2,122 units
Total Sales for marque Pulsar successful September 2024 = 1,39,128 units

Putting things successful position - that's fractional of marque Activa! So they decidedly are doing thing right. But is it sustainable?

Are things going successful the close absorption for marque Pulsar? Is the strategy conscionable to clasp buyers contempt cannibalism betwixt the products of the aforesaid range? Is it clip for Bajaj to bring backmost a sub-brand for immoderate of these machines - May beryllium the Discover?

Join Date: Feb 2004

Location: Bombay

Posts: 71,940

Thanked: 312,798 Times

Quite an analysis, acknowledgment for sharing! This is much similar "Pulsar" becoming a marque successful its ain right, and not being a sub-brand anymore. Just similar "Maruti" tin merchantability inexpensive hatchbacks & 20-lakh rupee Hybrids successfully, and Samsung tin merchantability inexpensive 10k phones & costly 1-lakh rupee Flip phones, Bajaj wants "Pulsar" to person capable designation connected its own, wherever it is capable to merchantability 125 cc commuter bikes, arsenic good arsenic the bigger 160 - 200 NS range.

But it intelligibly has limitations, going by the income figures of the 400Z and adjacent 220. Those figures look tiny for a motorcycle. Is my knowing correct?

I don't hold with specified a immense dispersed of model-based sub-brands. Sub-brands should basal for something, and not beryllium everything to everyone. In the car world, we person model-names being utilized for much than 1 car (e.g. Innova, Dzire), but their positioning is not vastly different. E.g. the Dzire Tour is the aged Dzire utilized for cabbies, portion the Innova Crysta is the aforesaid aged formula, chiefly targeting commercialized owners, portion inactive not being cheap.

Tata had played this crippled with the Indica & Indigo; antithetic generations, an endless dispersed of variants, hatchback / sedan / compact sedan / station-wagon and what not...they smartly rationalized it with time.

Join Date: Jun 2007

Location: Bangalore

Posts: 6,889

Thanked: 48,691 Times

Going by the list, those 17 variants are really conscionable 10 - the remainder being conscionable insignificant diagnostic additions.

I deliberation 1 of the reasons wherefore Bajaj does this is due to the fact that dissimilar cars, bikes don't instrumentality up excessively overmuch showroom abstraction oregon warehouse space. Logistics costs for each stakeholders is improbable to beryllium significant. I besides fishy it doesn't outgo overmuch to motorboat a caller "variant" from R&D constituent of view.

For the customer, it is equivalent to buying a customized bike:

- Choose marque (Pulsar)
- Choose benignant (commuter/sports/fairing)
- Choose features (dual transmission ABS, USD forks etc)
- Choose motor size (big drop-down list)

Last edited by SmartCat : 11th November 2024 astatine 10:37.

Join Date: Feb 2023

Location: Bangalore

Posts: 21

Thanked: 116 Times

If my representation serves close Pulsar was launched starting of this millennia, adrenaline fueling dreams for precocious schoolhouse folks similar me, fanciful machines for those who could buy. By mid decennary it was possibly much affordable, I callback seeing rather a fewer astir the coaching facilities adjacent successful smaller towns.

The affinity remained, truthful overmuch so, had P180 arsenic my motorcycle successful assemblage though wanting the P220. Limited options, liked the apical of the range, settled with what was presumably feasible. Contrast that with 17 models, it nary much holds specified aura. While it besides means, determination is plentifulness to take from if you request one. More of a conveyance which serves the request than thing I whitethorn want.

If I americium to summaries, Pulsar from being Definitely Male the aspirational instrumentality has go the commuter motorcycle successful this time and age. Nothing incorrect per se, for those with wallets to money wants determination is nary dearth of options, different excessively Bajaj has 17 of them for you to capable your need.

~ArB