It can now be confirmed that Bajaj Auto has opted to differentiate its upcoming premium offering with a completely new brand name and will be calling the bike 'Kratos 400' instead of earlier speculated 'Pulsar VS400'. The upcoming sports cruiser has been a highly awaited motorcycle and was expected to carry the now iconic 'Pulsar' brand forward in the company's stable.
With the latest development, Bajaj has clearly opted for a different approach with the 'Kratos 400' flagship motorcycle and will be hitting showrooms in November this year The move comes as surprising and something that was unprecedented considering the concept model made its debut under the Pulsar moniker.
Nevertheless, the Kratos nameplate sounds powerful no less. In fact, in Greek mythology, Kratos is the God of power and strength, and is also used as euphemism for war, i.e. Greek God of War!
Coming to the Bajaj Kratos 400, the sports cruiser will be borrowing its powertrain from the KTM Duke 390, using the 373.2cc single-cylinder engine. The motor however, is expected to come equipped with the bikemaker's trademark triple-spark technology and this could mean that the engine on the Kratos will get a different head compared to the one on the Duke. Power can be expected around 35bhp, which will be sent to the rear wheel via a 6-speed gearbox.
A 373.2cc single-cylinder will power the Kratos 400
As for the design, the Bajaj Kratos 400 will closely resemble the concept and has incorporated a host of elements on the production model. You do get telescopic front forks though instead of USDs, while dual-channel ABS can be expected to be offered as optional.
The new Bajaj Kratos 400 will be competing head on with the offerings from Royal Enfield and several other upcoming cruisers in the segment, while pricing is expected to be in the vicinity of Rs. 1.60-1.80 lakh (ex-showroom).
Certainly, Bajaj has opted for a completely different strategy as far as the Kratos is concerned and it will be interesting to see if the company will spawn the brand into multiple motorcycles, something that has been done with the Pulsar brand over the years and Bajaj now aims to do so with the V brand as well.
Apart from the Kratos 400, Bajaj will be updating the outgoing Pulsar range including the 150, 180 and 220 motorcycles for the 2017 model year. The updated bikes that are likely to get cosmetic changes will also arrive at showrooms towards this year end.
