TVS Raider 125 Rivals – Motorcycles under Rs 80,000

The Honda SP 125 sells like hot cakes and with interesting sales figures, the Hero Glamour poses strong competition. The recently-launched Bajaj Pulsar 125 is also quite an interesting offering. The latest entrant in the 125-cc segment is the TVS Raider. TVS did try their luck at the 125-cc segment with motorcycles such as the Victor GLX 125, Flame, and the Phoenix but failed to see the success they were looking for in the market. Now after a period of four years, TVS are back in the game with their sporty commuter – the Raider 125.

Engine	TVS Raider	Hero Glamour	Honda SP 125	Bajaj Pulsar 125
Engine type	Air-cooled, three-valve SOHC, single cylinder	Air-cooled, two-valve SOHC, single cylinder	Air-cooled, two-valve SOHC, single cylinder	Air-cooled, two-valve SOHC, twin-spark, single cylinder
Displacement	124.8 cc	124.7 cc	123.9 cc	124.4 cc
Max Power	11.4 hp @ 7,500 rpm	10.7 hp @ 7,500 rpm	10.8 hp @ 7,500 rpm	11.8 hp @ 8,500 rpm
Max Torque	11.2 Nm @ 6,000 rpm	10.8 Nm @ 7,500 rpm	10.9 Nm @ 6000 rpm	10.8 Nm @ 6,500 rpm
Starting	Electric start only	10.9 Nm @ 6,000 rpm	Kick and Electric start	Kick and Electric start
Fuel Supply	Fuel-injection	Fuel-injection	Fuel-injection	Carburettor

All four motorcycles in this spec comparison have almost the same displacement and it is the Pulsar 125 that makes the highest power output. The Raider 125 is the second most powerful bike out of the four and gets a three-valve engine. Moreover, it is the only oil-cooled motorcycle here. All five motorcycles get a five-speed transmission. The engine on the Raider delivers the maximum torque at 11.2 Nm.

Dimensions	TVS Raider	Hero Glamour	Honda SP 125	Bajaj Pulsar 125
Length	2,070 mm	2,051 mm	2,020 mm	2,055 mm
Width	785 mm	720 mm	785 mm	755 mm
Height	1,028 mm	1,074 mm	1,103 mm	1,060 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity	10 litres	10 litres	11 litres	11.5 litres
Kerb Weight	123 kg	123 kg	118 kg	140 kg

The TVS Raider 125 has the largest wheelbase among the four bikes in this comparison. It has the highest ground clearance too, measuring 180 mm and it is the same for the Hero Glamour. The seat height of the TVS Raider 125 is the lowest at 780 mm making it the ideal pick for short riders. Of all four bikes, the Glamour and the TVS Raider get the smallest fuel tank capacity at 10 litres. Out of the four, the Bajaj Pulsar 125 is the heaviest while the Honda SP 125 weighs the lightest.

Tyre and Brakes	TVS Raider	Hero Glamour	Honda SP 125	Bajaj Pulsar 125
Front Tyre Size	80/100-17	80/100-18	80/100-18	80/100-17
Rear Tyre Size	100/90-17	100/80-18	80/100-18	100/90-17
Tyre Type	Tubeless	Tubeless	Tubeless	Tubeless
Wheel Type	Alloy	Alloy	Alloy	Alloy
Front Brake	Drum	Drum	Drum	Drum
Rear Brake	Drum	Drum	Drum	Drum

The Raider is the only bike here to feature a rear monoshock. The bike gets an optional disc brake at the front and its size is the same as the remaining three motorcycles in this comparison at 240 mm. The Raider and the Pulsar 125 ride on 17-inch rims while the SP125 and Glamour get bigger 18-inch ones. While all four bikes use the same 80-section tyre up front, it is the Honda SP125 that gets the skinniest tyre at the rear.

Chassis and Suspension	TVS Raider	Hero Glamour	Honda SP 125	Bajaj Pulsar 125
Chassis	Single downtube frame	Diamond type	Diamond type	Single downtube frame
Front Suspension	Telescopic fork	Telescopic fork	Telescopic fork	Telescopic fork
Rear Suspension	Monoshock, 5-step adjustable, gas-charged	Twin shock-absorbers, 5-step adjustable	Twin shock-absorbers	Twin shock-absorbers, gas-damped

TVS Raider price in India starts at Rs 77,500 and this figure is for the entry-level drum-brake variant. On paper, this trim undercuts all its rivals but, if you look at the disc variant, it’s a different story. And the upcoming Smart Xonnect variant would be priced even higher. The Raider 125 is the most feature-loaded and the most modern-looking offering and, hence, makes a strong case for itself. While the TVS Raider does look like an interesting proposition, it would be interesting to see how it performs in the highly competitive 125-cc motorcycle segment.