Cold start RPM jumping straight to 4,000 RPM (Idling issue) — Throttle cable or sensor/ECU?

​Hey everyone,

​A few days back, whenever I start my bike, the cold idle shoots straight up to around 4,000 RPM on its own, instead of settling at the usual 1,200–1,500 RPM range.

​A couple of my friends riding similar bikes have started facing the exact same issue recently. One of them already replaced the throttle cable, but the problem persists, meaning it isn't just a physical cable snag or tight routing.

​My bike is currently at the authorized service center to get looked at, but they typically start with basic guesswork. Has anyone dealt with this specific 4k RPM idle surge? Is it more likely a faulty IACV (stepper motor), a Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) glitch, an intake manifold air leak, or an ECU mapping bug?

​Any pointers or solutions from people who managed to fix this would be really helpful!

Hey everyone,

I own a 2026 Bajaj Pulsar N160 SS 4V, and my bike has covered only around 630 km so far.

I've noticed something that I'm a little concerned about. When I cold-start the bike early in the morning, the engine sounds very quiet, with almost no noticeable ticking noise. However, after riding approximately 20 km and allowing the engine to heat up, I start hearing a distinct tick-tick-tick-tick sound from the engine.

From what I've read, engine oil is more viscous when cold and becomes thinner as it heats up. I'm wondering whether this change in viscosity makes normal valve-train or tappet noise more noticeable once the engine is warm.

However, since the bike has covered only 630 km, I'm also concerned about whether this could indicate an issue with the tappet clearance, valve train or something else.

Could you please watch the attached video and share your experiences?

Thanks!

I own a 2026 Bajaj Pulsar N160 SS 4V, and my owner's manual recommends 20W-50, API SN, JASO MA2.

I'm considering switching from the Bajaj 20W-50 engine oil supplied by Hindustan Petroleum to a fully synthetic oil.

My options are:

- Motul 7100 20W-50

- Castrol POWER1 ULTIMATE 20W-50

- Bajaj 20W-50 (HP)

For people who have used these oils, which would you recommend for the N160?

I'm mainly looking for good engine protection, smoother gear shifts, consistent performance and long-term reliability. Is fully synthetic oil actually worth the extra cost compared with the recommended Bajaj oil?

My main concern with the Bajaj oil is that it isn't advertised as fully synthetic. Also, some previous N160 generations recommended 10W-50, whereas the latest 2026 4V model specifies 20W-50. I'm curious about why Bajaj changed the recommended viscosity. My bike generally feels good, but I sometimes notice a slightly sluggish feeling while changing gears. It doesn't happen every time, but I'm wondering whether the engine oil could be contributing to it.

Would appreciate genuine owner experiences and suggestions. Thanks!