At first glance, the biggest Pulsar might look identical to the smaller NS200. However, give it a scrutinising look and the differences are recognisable. The front fascia of the NS400 looks more dramatic with prominent Z-shaped LED DRLs flanking a round projector headlamp. While the fuel tank is the same as the 200, the extensions are sharper and the radiator cowl is bulkier. Plus, the tail section is marginally sleeker, the front forks are chunkier golden units and the rear tyre hugger looks more minimalistic with its mounting points only on the left side. In a nutshell, it doesn’t really look bigger than the NS200 but has a fresher and smarter appeal to it.

This is the most feature-loaded motorcycle to have come out of Bajaj’s stable yet. It gets a ride-by-wire throttle system along with four ride modes (road, rain, sport, and off-road) and each of these modes offers varying levels of ABS intervention and different throttle responses. The power and torque output are also altered to some extent. Moreover, there is traction control which can be switched off.

The Pulsar NS400 is a likeable motorcycle on the road. The engine feels a bit mellow till 4,000rpm but starts pulling spiritedly beyond that. The sweet spot lies between 4,000 to 7,000rpm where the motorcycle feels lively and overtaking vehicles in the city is effortless. Even on the highway, you can do 100-120kmph without the engine feeling strained. The throttle response is direct, gear shifts are slick, and the clutch can be operated with a single finger.

The Pulsar NS400Z offers potent engine performance, comfortable ergonomics and ride quality, decent stopping power, and agile handling. Besides being a fun-to-ride city bike, it should also be a good touring machine but we can verify that only after a comprehensive road test review. Even the feature list is long enough to match or outdo its rivals.