Bajaj sent out official launch invites this week confirming the next-generation Pulsar arrives on August 12, and the teaser tagline alone – “Twist Into An All-New Rush” – tells you this isn’t a sticker-and-colour refresh. I’ve had a Pulsar 150 in the family garage in some form for a decade now, so a “generation change” headline gets my attention in a way a routine facelift wouldn’t.

What’s actually launching on August 12

Bajaj has confirmed the date and released teaser imagery, but not the exact model. Two candidates are doing the rounds in Indian trade press: a next-generation Pulsar N160, spotted in a range-topping “Dual Channel Split Seat USD” configuration with gold-finished upside-down forks; and a genuinely new-generation Pulsar 150 or 125, tied to the Pulsar nameplate’s 25th anniversary – the original 150 was the bike that started the whole line back in 2001.

2026 is that 25th anniversary, which is doing a lot of work in explaining why Bajaj is making noise about a “generation change” rather than another running refresh. The two theories aren’t mutually exclusive either – Bajaj has a habit of launching several updated Pulsar variants in the same window, so August 12 could plausibly cover more than one.

What we know

  • Official launch date: August 12, 2026, in India.
  • Teaser tagline: “Twist Into An All-New Rush.”
  • A teased Pulsar N160 variant with gold USD front forks, dual-channel ABS, a split seat, and a fully-coloured LCD instrument cluster with Bluetooth and turn-by-turn navigation.
  • Separately spied Pulsar 125/150 test mules show a new front end and headlight, bigger tank extensions, revised side panels with new LED lighting, new alloy wheels, and a side-mounted exhaust – pointing at a new chassis, not just a fresh fairing.
  • 2026 marks 25 years since the original Pulsar 150 launched.
  • The current Pulsar 150 makes 13.8 bhp from a 149.5cc engine at 148 kg and starts at ₹1,11,108 (~€1,190) ex-showroom, for reference against whatever replaces it.

What’s still unclear

  • Which specific model (or models) launches on August 12 – N160, 150, 125, or some combination.
  • Full spec sheet: exact displacement, power and torque figures, and pricing for whichever model shows up.
  • Whether the rumoured flex-fuel, E85-compatible variant is part of this specific launch or a later addition.
Spec (teased Pulsar N160 variant) Value
Front suspension USD forks (gold finish)
Brakes Dual-channel ABS
Seat Split-seat configuration
Instrument cluster Full-colour LCD, Bluetooth, turn-by-turn navigation
Reference: current Pulsar 150 149.5cc, 13.8 bhp, 148 kg, ~€1,190
Teased 2026 Bajaj Pulsar N160, rear three-quarter, showing gold USD forks and split seat

Bajaj doesn’t sell the Pulsar in the EU, so this stays an India-market story for now – but the Pulsar’s underpinnings have fed export and EU-adjacent models before (Bajaj built its first adventure bike on the same 373cc KTM-derived platform Bajaj shares with Austria), so a genuinely new Pulsar platform is worth filing away even from here. It also lands the same month Honda unveiled a ten-model India lineup of its own – India’s small-and-midsize segment is having a very busy August.

I already know what I’m doing the evening of August 12: refreshing Bajaj’s press site instead of the “definitely riding this weekend” plan I made on Sunday. We’ll see which one actually happens.

When does the new Bajaj Pulsar launch?

August 12, 2026, in India, per Bajaj’s official launch invites.

Which Pulsar model is launching?

Not officially confirmed. Spy shots and dealer sightings point to either a next-gen Pulsar N160 variant or an all-new Pulsar 125/150 tied to the nameplate’s 25th anniversary – possibly both.

Is the new Pulsar coming to Europe?

No confirmation of an EU launch. The Pulsar has historically been an India/emerging-markets model, though its platform has fed export bikes before.

How much does the current Pulsar 150 cost, for reference?

₹1,11,108 (about €1,190) ex-showroom in India for the outgoing model.