Sports Bike Lite

Red makes any machine look aggressive. Any Ferrari looks its best when it is coated in red while its two-wheeled counterpart, the Ducati, looks right and racy when bathed in the same color. It is therefore no mystery why S.C. Kymco Pilipinas chose to lend this writer an "arrest-me" bright red Kymco Pulsar Luxe to get some riding impressions.

For one thing, the red color of the bike emphasizes the large sculptured tank and minimal side panels, which at first glance, makes the average on-looker think the bike is an exotic. Coupled with the stepped seat, the low and narrow handle bar and the 5-spoke magwheels, the bike suggests the styling of the Ducati Monster, albeit with a single cylinder engine, instead of the legendary Desmo L-shaped twin. The Kymco is also smaller and lower than the Italian super bike, with a 1260mm wheelbase, an overall length of 1958 mm and a height of 1070 mm.

Its compact dimensions translate to a comfortable riding position for riders of average stature, but taller riders may find the Pulsar a bit cramped. Its narrow frame is made even more slimmer with the elimination of the twin tubes to cradle the engine, as is the norm in most motorcycles. Instead, the Pulsar uses its engine as a stressed member, with a central spine connecting a thick-sectioned single-tube front frame that’s attached to the front of the engine, and a rear triangular brace that ties the engine, seat and rear suspension together. The silver finish of the motor blends nicely with the red paint of the tank, side panels and the front fender.

The air-cooled 4-stroke 125cc single features overhead valves, capacitor discharge ignition (CDI) and an electric starter. The kick-starter is retained for back-up purposes, although during the lengthy test drive period I had with the bike, I never used it since the bike starts on cue every time. The engine delivers 11.39 Ps at 8500rpm to a 5-speed transmission connected to the rear wheel by sprocket and chain. A cross-drilled ventilated disk brake at the front and a drum brake at the rear handle stopping.

Riding the Kymco Pulsar is easy. Its dry weight of 105kgs ensures the bike is easy to maneuver and its low seat height guarantees that you are never too far from the ground. You hold onto a narrow handle bar that’s positioned low to give you a "sport bike" feel. Two round white-faced instrument pods house the 140 kph speedometer and the 11,000 rpm tachometer. Signal and bright light indicators are housed in the tach pod, while a lighted-indicator cluster below the ignition key tells you what gear you’re in or if you’re in neutral.

The bike vibrates a bit despite the 4-stroke engine layout. Since the motor is being used as a stressed member of the frame, this vibration is a bit pronounced. However, fans of big singles may find this vibration communicative since the rider can "feel" the engine better. The engine invites you to rev it up to 9000rpm while the low bars invite you to assume a café racer riding position. The bike jumps away from the line when you wring the throttle in first gear, especially if you want to get ahead of those pesky messenger boys and pizza delivery men in their 125s. Quick shifting can also be easily mastered with the Pulsar, with its light clutch and easy-to-engage shifter.

During an afternoon run at the new Diosdado Macapagal highway, I broke away from a pack of delivery boys who were eager to test the mettle of the Kymco Pulsar against their well-used rides. It was delightful to speed shift the bike while maintaining the engine at its power range, which was between 8000 and 9000 rpm. The bike topped at an indicated110 kph in 5th gear with the throttle wide open, puny by superbike standards, but fast enough for mass-produced one-eight liter singles. I felt I could get some more speed but the strong opposing winds, short highway and presence of traffic cops conspired against me.

Besides being a light, little speedster, the Pulsar also invites you to carve corners with its narrow frame and above average ground clearance. It is also a breeze to squeeze through traffic and tight spaces. However, the fixed foot pegs limit the cornering angle and may cause skidding if it comes in contact with the ground. Personally, I find these pegs protruding and obstructive (they catch the edge of my pants’ legs when I put my feet to the ground), and these will be replaced by after-market horizontally folding foot pegs if I decide to get a Pulsar.

And getting a Pulsar is easy because it will set you back by only P61,000. If you find that a little out of your current budget, you can still get it through the Kymco Livelihood Program, where your company acts as your guarantor so you could get the bike with no down payment and with the monthly amortization spread over a maximum of three years. Ask your company HR or administration officer to get in touch with Kymco to avail of this program.

Overall, the Kymco Pulsar is an enjoyable and agile light sports bike for novice riders aspiring to ride big bore sport bikes. If you plan to do a lot of riding in racetracks, think of the Pulsar as your training bike. However, if you do a lot of riding in our traffic-laden city streets, you may not want to trade the Pulsar for a big bike. It’s just too darn fun, light and useful.