With the growing demand for performance bikes, ZigWheels picks the top five within the Rs 1 lakh price bracket

Indian biking and bikers have come of age over the last decade. The decades long era of tiny 100cc commuters has now made way for one where performance is taking priority over efficiency among a large section of buyers, who perceive bikes less as a mode of transport and more of a lifestyle symbol. 

Here then are the top five most performance bikes costing less than Rs 1 lakh.

1, Bajaj Pulsar 200NS: 

The Bajaj Pulsar almost single-handedly transformed the Indian scenario by giving the masses performance at an affordable price and with the 200NS, Bajaj have managed to take it a notch higher. In its latest incarnation, the Pulsar 200NS makes 23PS of power from its 199.5cc 4-valve engine  and attains a top speed of 143km/h. The 200NS is equipped with lot of features which were unheard of in the under Rs one-lakh segment like 6-speed transmission, liquid cooling and triple-spark technology. Visually the NS looks like a butch street bike but it is an able tourer barring the wind blast.

2, Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-i:

The Pulsar 220 was the bike which made performance accessible to the masses and with 220F Bajaj continues the Pulsar tradition of performance. The Pulsar 220’s mantra of success apart from its pricing and performance is its versatility. One can ride the bike in dense traffic conditions, cruise on the open highways, corner through the twisties with ease and try some stunts if you feel the buzz. Its 220cc engine pumps out an impressive 21PS of power and 19.2Nm of torque but still returns a decent 40km to a litre of fuel, proving that performance and decent efficiency can still go hand in hand.