Past few days were dedicated to the series of incidents reported about wheel breakage of bikes belong to Pulsar family. It was all started with few photographs posted on Facebook timeline by a user of Bajaj Pulsar RS200, the pictures were indeed shocking and intriguing both at the same time. The entire front wheel was shattered and broken in such a way that the outer rim of the wheel remained intact while the alloy spokes were broken into pieces and in fact ripped apart from the root where they were joined with the rim.
It was claimed by the person who had posted those images that he was riding the bike which is almost brand new with his wife on highway at relatively higher speed where he had to apply front disc brake all of a sudden and the result gave him the shock of his life. By looking at the pictures one can only imagine how it could felt nose diving to the tarmac at high speed. The accident took the couple to the hospital and the matter to the public.
The news was shared by some of the prominent auto media websites of the country, compelling Bajaj to respond and they did so without any delay. The company not only sent a team of experts almost immediately to attend the case but had also contacted with the victims to know their well being. However, Bajaj issued a brief statement and clarified that the matter is under investigation and the prima facie suggests that it could only happen due to a large external side impact and that their products are made of quality material and this could not happen because of poor or sub-standard material used.
The whole episode was taken by the masses pretty seriously, and why not? it is a matter of life and death. Quality is something that is always kept on stake in our country in the name of cheaper and "value for money" products. There is a big debate going on social media platforms on the same and it is further ignited by this incident. This does not stop here as adding fuel to the fire more pictures surfaced on the internet, this time it is Pulsar 200 NS with almost same scene of accident. Now people have started talking about some serious quality issues with Pulsar series of bikes, some say the suppliers are to be blamed and some the company, to allow sub-standard quality.
A grand debate is still going on various forums specially on Facebook and media is feeding the fire with more and more such pictures from different forums. An interesting turn to the tale came when another news flashed and this time it was "Yamaha", an older model Yamaha FZ's picture with almost exactly same outcome surfaced and suddenly the row remains no more Bajaj Vs Japanese bikes.
It was portrayed as another string to the saga until the owner of the Yamaha FZ came into picture and clarified that it is nothing to do with the quality but it was an outcome of sheer accident that took place with a car. The bike was banged with a car at high speed with "large external side impact" and the result was not because of applying brake at high speed. But hang on, the result was almost same? and this is something what Bajaj had to comment when they first gave their reaction.
Before the company comes out with their version based on the investigation going on, we decided to investigate the matter on our level and what we found is based on the circumstantial evidence and nothing to do with either Bajaj or the subsequent owner of the bikes. Our motive is to bring out the truth irrespective of who's at the receiving end. Representing free and fair journalism is what the most important thing for us.
Based on evidence we have with us, it is highly unlikely that such incident can happen due a "Torsional Force" applied on the wheel while braking hard at any given point of time. However, to strengthen our theory we are putting pictures of the bike belongs to one of our Editors- Shafqat. The Pulsar 200 NS which he crashed in May 2014. The bike was slammed into a pole, head on, and the result was almost same, the picture of the wheel is attached. You can see the similarities and the pattern of breakage followed. The bike was under insurance coverage, therefore the compensation for the repair is also taken from the insurance company. The photograph of the accidental bike is still in the records of the Bajaj Allianz insurance company and one can obtain the same along with the survey report of the insurance company.
The point here is not to bail out one or to accuse the other, it is a matter of believe and trust what we show to a company whose product we buy with our hard earned money. We would never liked to be cheated by any company and specially when it becomes a matter of life and death. We believe that whole episode would bring a positive change in our overall thinking, we must understand that quality NEVER comes cheap and there is a price to pay for your safety and security. On the other hand 2-wheeler companies should also take these incidents as lesson and must increase the quality standard of even their entry level offerings. They should see this as their moral duty rather than an obligation, after all a bike can be repaired but a life can not be brought back.
By: Farhan Kashif
It was claimed by the person who had posted those images that he was riding the bike which is almost brand new with his wife on highway at relatively higher speed where he had to apply front disc brake all of a sudden and the result gave him the shock of his life. By looking at the pictures one can only imagine how it could felt nose diving to the tarmac at high speed. The accident took the couple to the hospital and the matter to the public. The news was shared by some of the prominent auto media websites of the country, compelling Bajaj to respond and they did so without any delay. The company not only sent a team of experts almost immediately to attend the case but had also contacted with the victims to know their well being. However, Bajaj issued a brief statement and clarified that the matter is under investigation and the prima facie suggests that it could only happen due to a large external side impact and that their products are made of quality material and this could not happen because of poor or sub-standard material used.
The whole episode was taken by the masses pretty seriously, and why not? it is a matter of life and death. Quality is something that is always kept on stake in our country in the name of cheaper and "value for money" products. There is a big debate going on social media platforms on the same and it is further ignited by this incident. This does not stop here as adding fuel to the fire more pictures surfaced on the internet, this time it is Pulsar 200 NS with almost same scene of accident. Now people have started talking about some serious quality issues with Pulsar series of bikes, some say the suppliers are to be blamed and some the company, to allow sub-standard quality.
A grand debate is still going on various forums specially on Facebook and media is feeding the fire with more and more such pictures from different forums. An interesting turn to the tale came when another news flashed and this time it was "Yamaha", an older model Yamaha FZ's picture with almost exactly same outcome surfaced and suddenly the row remains no more Bajaj Vs Japanese bikes.
It was portrayed as another string to the saga until the owner of the Yamaha FZ came into picture and clarified that it is nothing to do with the quality but it was an outcome of sheer accident that took place with a car. The bike was banged with a car at high speed with "large external side impact" and the result was not because of applying brake at high speed. But hang on, the result was almost same? and this is something what Bajaj had to comment when they first gave their reaction.Before the company comes out with their version based on the investigation going on, we decided to investigate the matter on our level and what we found is based on the circumstantial evidence and nothing to do with either Bajaj or the subsequent owner of the bikes. Our motive is to bring out the truth irrespective of who's at the receiving end. Representing free and fair journalism is what the most important thing for us.
Based on evidence we have with us, it is highly unlikely that such incident can happen due a "Torsional Force" applied on the wheel while braking hard at any given point of time. However, to strengthen our theory we are putting pictures of the bike belongs to one of our Editors- Shafqat. The Pulsar 200 NS which he crashed in May 2014. The bike was slammed into a pole, head on, and the result was almost same, the picture of the wheel is attached. You can see the similarities and the pattern of breakage followed. The bike was under insurance coverage, therefore the compensation for the repair is also taken from the insurance company. The photograph of the accidental bike is still in the records of the Bajaj Allianz insurance company and one can obtain the same along with the survey report of the insurance company.
The point here is not to bail out one or to accuse the other, it is a matter of believe and trust what we show to a company whose product we buy with our hard earned money. We would never liked to be cheated by any company and specially when it becomes a matter of life and death. We believe that whole episode would bring a positive change in our overall thinking, we must understand that quality NEVER comes cheap and there is a price to pay for your safety and security. On the other hand 2-wheeler companies should also take these incidents as lesson and must increase the quality standard of even their entry level offerings. They should see this as their moral duty rather than an obligation, after all a bike can be repaired but a life can not be brought back. By: Farhan Kashif
