The new Bajaj Pulsar 125 attempts to bring a dash of performance into the commuter space. Here’s what you need to know about the new machine.
Story: Anosh Khumbatta
Photography: Saurabh Botre
The latest entrant to Bajaj’s Pulsar line-up is also the smallest Pulsar to date. It shares the familiar shape of the Bajaj Pulsar 150, and the 125-cc engine has been created by shortening the stroke from 60.7 mm to 50.5 mm, while retaining the 56-mm bore from the 150.
With these changes, the once undersquare engine has been moulded into a short-stroke oversquare unit, which consequently revs up surprisingly quick for instant acceleration through crowded city streets. The engine feels smooth and refined, with minor vibrations creeping into the footpegs as you approach 70 km/h; although once over 80 km/h vibes can be felt in the bars as well.
The motor makes 11 Nm of peak torque at 6,500 rpm, while max power is 12 hp at 8,500 rpm. These may not sound like impressive figures on their own, but they put the Bajaj Pulsar 125 right at the top of the 125-cc commuter space in terms of output; the only 125 on the market that makes more power and torque is the KTM 125 Duke, and that is purely a performance machine.
The gas-charged shock-absorbers and telescopic fork do a fine job of ironing out road imperfections, while the 240-mm disc up front and drum at the rear are more than sufficient for shedding speed. The Bajaj Pulsar 125 also benefits from a combined braking system that actuates the front brake when the rear brake pedal is depressed, effectively shortening braking distances for the many Indian commuters that don’t use the front brake.
A decent effort from Bajaj to enter the 125-cc commuter space with the much-loved Pulsar brand, this is a motorcycle for those who want that slight edge in performance and the muscular look of the larger Pulsars, but aren’t ready for a larger, performance-oriented motorcycle. We look forward to spending some more time with this motorcycle in the near future. Look for the detailed first ride review in the October issue of Bike India.
Believes that happiness can be found mid-corner.
Anosh Khumbatta – who has written 216 posts on Bike India.
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