car&bike Awards 2026: Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z Gets Upgrade Of The Year Title

The Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z has taken home the Upgrade of the Year title at the car&bike Awards 2026. The category saw several updated motorcycles and electric two-wheelers being evaluated by the jury before the final scores were compiled.

Contenders in the category included models such as the TVS Apache RTR 310, Ducati Streetfighter V2, Triumph Speed Twin 900, Royal Enfield Hunter 350, Simple OneS, Ather 450X, River Indie, Triumph Scrambler 400 XC and the Yamaha FZ Rave. After the jury’s evaluation, the Pulsar NS400Z emerged with the highest score to secure the award.

Also Read: 2025 Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z First Ride Review

The latest update to the NS400Z introduced several mechanical and hardware changes aimed at improving performance and riding dynamics. Powering the motorcycle is a 373cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine that now produces 42.4 bhp at 9,000rpm, up from 39.4 bhp previously. Bajaj claims the update has helped improve 0-100 kmph acceleration to 6.4 seconds, while the motorcycle’s top speed stands at 157 kmph. The engine’s rev limit was also increased, reaching 10,700rpm in Sport mode and 10,300rpm in Road mode.

The motorcycle continues with a six-speed gearbox, but was updated with a ‘Sport Shift’ software-based quickshifter, which is available when riding in Sport mode. Other updates include sintered brake pads for improved braking performance and Apollo Alpha H1 radial tyres, replacing the earlier MRF units. According to Bajaj, these changes have helped reduce braking distance by around seven per cent.

The updated Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z was launched in India in July 2025 and is currently available at an ex-showroom price of Rs 1.94 lakh.