2025 Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z review: How far has the biggest Pulsar come in a year?

The Pulsar NS400Z was Bajaj’s attempt to democratise performance in the 400cc space, and on paper, they got most things right the first time. Ride-by-wire, multiple riding modes, traction control, and a 40 horsepower engine, all wrapped in a familiar Pulsar silhouette for under two lakh rupees. That launch price of ₹1.85 lakh felt too good to be true.

But once you got riding, you quickly realised this wasn’t a polished product. It had potential. It had performance. But it also had rough edges. A vague front end. A twitchy chassis. A lack of braking confidence. It felt like Bajaj had given us the bones of something great, but hadn’t finished carving out the shape.

One year later, Bajaj hasn’t redesigned the NS400Z. It still looks the same, features the same switchgear, the same cluster, the same lines. But there’s change. Good change. Underneath that familiar bodywork lies a properly upgraded motorcycle. Let’s get into it.

2025 Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z engine and performance

The engine is still a 373cc single-cylinder unit, derived from the KTM 390 architecture, but there are revised internals, including the addition of forged pistons. Power is now up from 39.5bhp to 42.5bhp. And you feel it. From the first proper acceleration, you notice the difference. Throttle response, especially in Sport mode, is more urgent. The bike feels livelier across the rev range – not peaky or aggressive, but definitely more enthusiastic to climb. The jump is seen in the acceleration figures as well. From a standstill, it goes to 60kmph faster by half a second (2.7sec), and to 100kmph by 1.1 seconds (6.4sec). On the road, this translates to stronger roll-on performance and effortless overtaking. In most cases, one downshift is more than enough to make a move. Another change is the redline, which now goes to 10,700rpm, up from 9,700. That said, there’s likely a soft limiter in place, because every time I got near the redline, the power cut abruptly – no warning, just a clean shut-off.

As for the throttle, it still has some low-speed jerkiness. But once you pick up pace, it becomes very manageable, and the light action and predictable response make spirited riding enjoyable. What’s more impressive is the update to riding modes and traction control. There’s now a clearer difference between modes, and the traction control doesn’t cut in prematurely like it used to. I only did a few launches, but the traction control never seemed to interfere.

Even the vibrations seem to be in check this time around. They were a concern on the early bike, especially below 5500rpm. That’s improved significantly. The footpeg vibrations are nearly gone, and while there’s still a faint buzz at the handlebar and tank, it’s not intrusive anymore. I could ride all day without discomfort, and over 200km, that’s something.

2025 Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z gets a quickshifter

One major feature upgrade is the Sport Shift, Bajaj’s take on a clutchless quickshifter – but with a twist. Traditional systems use sensors to detect your throttle inputs and modulate them if required to rev match. Bajaj’s system doesn’t use those sensors. Instead, it detects the movement in the shift lever itself and adjusts the throttle accordingly. The result is a simpler system that doesn’t increase the final price by a lot. And even if it works only in Sport mode, it gets the job done. It’s smooth, intuitive, and very much in the realm of what you'd expect on a performance-oriented machine. And yes, it works both ways.

2025 Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z tyres and brake upgrades

One of the biggest complaints with the earlier model was the bias-ply tyre setup, which dulled front-end feedback and made the bike feel vague at corner entry. Bajaj has now addressed that by moving to radial tyres at both ends. My test bike came with Apollo Alpha H1s, which are honestly some of the best tyres you can get in this segment. Not only does the front offer significantly better grip, but the steering feel has improved massively.

Throwing the NS400Z into corners now feels natural. It turns in quicker, holds a line better, and is more stable mid-corner. There’s more trust in the front end, and there’s a lot more confidence to push harder. Even the rear tyre has grown – up from 140-section to 150-section, which brings added stability and confidence under throttle. The entire dynamic character of the bike feels more Pulsar-like – eager, nimble, and willing to play.

The brakes, too, have improvements. Last year’s brakes lacked initial bite and feel. This time, Bajaj has gone back to the drawing board. The ABS has been recalibrated, and sintered pads have been added. According to Bajaj, that results in up to 7 per cent shorter stopping distances. More importantly, the braking feel is vastly improved. The front brake has strong initial bite, with a more progressive lever feel. Whether it was dry tarmac, drizzle, or slightly dusty patches, the brakes inspired confidence. I was now braking later, harder, and the bike responded. Only thing I didn’t love? Fork dive. It’s quite pronounced under hard braking, and that’s directly linked to the suspension setup, which, sadly, hasn’t changed.

2025 Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z suspension

This is the one area where the bike remains stuck in last year. The 43mm USD forks and Endurance monoshock are unchanged, and while they offer plush compression damping, the rebound remains too fast. Hit a bump mid-corner or ride through poor roads at pace, and the chassis feels unsettled. You spend energy keeping the bike calm when it should be the other way around.

This was understandable last year – a new platform still ironing out its kinks. But with everything else having levelled up, the suspension is now the most obvious area in need of attention. You’ll especially feel it when you’re riding hard or braking aggressively. The chassis is close to being great, but it needs better rebound control to get there.

2025 Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z design and features

The rest of the bike remains unchanged – and honestly, that’s a good thing. The silhouette, dimensions, and stance remain unchanged, but when you break it down, you realise just how much thought was already baked into this platform.

The design, including the full-LED projector setup and a muscular tank, still holds up from last year. With a seat height of 805mm and a kerb weight of 174kg, the ergonomics are spot-on, whether you’re commuting or hitting the twisties. Even this time around, after an entire day, I didn’t feel my body complaining.

Where Bajaj really went to town was with the features – and thankfully, they haven’t dialled that back. Dual-channel ABS, adjustable levers, four riding modes (Road, Rain, Sport, and Off-road), a negatively lit LCD cluster with a secondary info screen, and even the build quality – it’s still one of the best-equipped bikes under ₹2 lakh.

2025 Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z price and verdict

The price has gone up slightly – from ₹1.85 lakh to ₹1.92 lakh (ex-showroom). But for what you’re getting now – a more refined, better-performing, and more confidence-inspiring motorcycle – the product value has only gone up. It still undercuts most of its direct rivals and feels like a more serious machine than before.

The Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z is no longer just good on paper. It’s now a proper, sorted motorcycle that does justice to its badge. The engine is quicker. The tyres make it sharper. The brakes are stronger. The refinement is better. And the few things that haven’t changed – like the ergos and the features – were already strong to begin with. Yes, the suspension still needs work. But aside from that, this is a machine I’d recommend without hesitation.