Yamaha R15 150cc Vs. Bajaj Pulsar 220cc - Comparison

While reviewing these two bikes, its quite evident that the Yamaha R15 and the Bajaj Pulsar 220 were designed for two totally different riders. The Yamaha R15 would feel like heaven in the hands of the bloke who’s idea of fun is all about pushing it to the limit on the twisties and setting the quickest lap timings. Ride it at low revs through crawling city traffic and you will be disappointed. On the other hand, the Bajaj Pulsar 220 would make a good everyday commuting machine and a quick, competent tourer for the weekends.

My pick? Well. I see more of myself in the latter description, so I am going to go with the Bajaj Pulsar 220. However, if you look at the ratings, the Yamaha R15 is on top more times than the Bajaj. It also seems to be much better built and should hold together longer than the Pulsar, before the panels and other things start working loose. Which means that overall, test-wise, the R15 should be our winner. However, there is a proviso to this. If you aren’t going to ride fast, enjoy the R15's stellar handling and all, if you’re just going to plod to office everyday, you might just find the Yamaha just a bif too committed.

Then again, the Yamaha YZF-R15 is Rs 18,600-odd more expensive than the Pulsar 220. To riders like me, to whom speed and handling are paramount, the Pulsar isn’t even going to be on their minds after they have tested the R15. If that’s who you are, the varying prices shouldn’t really make a difference in your decision. Yamaha R15 is for you then!

Kawasaki Ninja 650R - Middleweight Bike, Heavyweight Fun

These days you can buy a bike for just about any purpose: off roading, racing, street racing, off roading AND street racing, touring, commuting, and anything else you can think of.  Unlike years past, where manufacturers had relatively limited lineups, anyone can buy any bike to do anything they'd like.  And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why we have the glorious Kawasaki Ninja 650R as an option for motorcycle enthusiasts today.

It carries a potent 650cc engine that produces roughly 75 horsepower and 45ft-lbs of torque.  Yes, that's roughly 50 horsepower less than today's 600cc super-Sport Bikes (such as the Kawasaki Ninja ZX6R or Yamaha R6), but that's exactly how Kawasaki, and the riders who adore this kind of motorcycle, want.  Unlike the super-sports, the Kawasaki Ninja 650R's 650cc power plant is a v-twin (like the Suzuki SV650R), and v-twins love one thing above all else: torque.

You will not need to rev the Kawasaki Ninja 650R to 14,000 rpm to make power, nor will you find a twitchy and barely controllable power curve either.  What you will find is a powerful and fast machine that loves to put down all of its power before 9,000 rpm, adores corners, and will take nearly every situation you throw at it will grace and civility.  That is, until you mash the throttle, lean hard into corners, and ride this bike as hard as each cc will allow.

And, after that, you'll be left with a feeling of euphoria.  It's the sensation that fans of the middleweight motorcycle are all too familiar with and it's something that every motorcycle rider, be they a cruiser fan or a crotch rocket fan, lusts after.  Pure, utter euphoria- made possible by a wonderfully balanced motorcycle that caters to its riders tastes perfectly.  Its suspension is stiff during hard riding, yet amazing compliant during cruising, and the engine can be a dormant house cat or a hell-bent tiger out for blood.  How you ride it, and how you command it to be, is how the bike will please you.

Middleweight riders adore bikes like the Kawasaki Ninja 650R simply because it is so balanced: not too much engine, just enough suspension, and surprising economy to even it up.  Quarter mile times in the mid-high 11 second range are the norm, and sub-four second 0-60 times are common.  There aren't many sports cars that can match those times, and you can bet that the sports cars that can sure can't do it while averaging 45mpg and costing less than $9,000 brand new.

Yet the Ninja 650R, with it's sexy bodywork and comfortable riding position, can do all of those things.  The riders of this bike, the lucky few who truly cherish it for what it is, know a joy that some people will spend their whole lives trying to attain.