Bajaj Pulsar 125

The Bajaj Pulsar 125 is the most affordable bike in the Pulsar family. But with the TVS Raider 125 largely considered to be the most exciting bike in the 125cc segment, we find out whether the baby Pulsar upholds the Pulsar brand name in this segment. 

Design

The baby Pulsar’s design language is very similar to that of the Pulsar 150, which is a good thing. The Pulsar's design has been around for more than ten years, but it still looks attractive for its target audience as they love the familiarity factor. Even though it is a 125cc bike, the Pulsar 125 still looks sporty. Its beefy fuel tank goes well with the bikini fairing and seat. The tail section is sleek, and complements the full-length end can. The Neon Single Seat variant is available in three colour options: Black Solar Red, Black Silver and Pewter Grey while the Carbon Fibre variant is available in two colour options: Blue and Red. The Carbon Fibre variant is also available with a split-seat setup, costing a premium of Rs 4,154 over the single-seat setup’s Rs 89,984 (ex-showroom Delhi) price tag. 

Engine, Performance and Mileage

The 124.4cc, single-cylinder engine in the Pulsar 125 produces 11.8PS and 10.8Nm. The bike feels fast and lively, and the typical Pulsar exhaust sound adds to the excitement. However, there's a catch – it's not the fastest 125cc bike, and we are not even comparing it to the KTM 125 Duke and KTM RC 125. In our performance test, the Glamour actually accelerated faster, which was unexpected for a Pulsar. This is in part due to the heavy 140kg kerb weight. Still, the Pulsar's engine revs quickly, and in terms of experience, it feels peppy and fun. 

One impressive thing about the engine is its smoothness, thanks to the counter balancer. In city traffic, the new Bajaj Pulsar has some of the lowest noise and vibration levels among all Pulsar models. The 5-speed gearbox works well, but shifting from 1st to 2nd can be a bit clunky, and the heel-n-toe shifter gives it a more commuter-like feel on a Pulsar. The Pulsar 125 feels comfortable cruising at 80 kmph at around 6,000 rpm, but if you go faster, the engine seems strained, and there are some vibrations on the seat, footpegs, and handlebars. Regarding mileage, the Pulsar 125 returned 57kmpl on the highway and 51.5 kmpl in the city in our real world mileage tests. 

One thing to be noted is that these observations were made on the BS4 model of the Pulsar 125, which has since been replaced by the BS6.2 model. However, the mileage figures and the motor’s performance is expected to remain more or less similar. 

Ride & Handling

The Bajaj Pulsar 125 feels easy and agile to manoeuvre in busy traffic situations. Compared to its rivals though, the TVS Raider and the Hero Super Splendor with a kerb weight of 123kg, the 140-142kg kerb weight (depending on the single-seat and split-seat variants) feels a bit heavy in those scenarios. The bike remains quite stable in fast sweeping corners and leans into them quite well. But when pushed a bit too hard, the tyres seem to lose grip. 

The bite from the front disc brake is quite good but the lever feel is quite soft. However, owners of commuter bikes might find this setup helpful in regulating the disc brake’s performance in a better manner. 

Comfort

The low seat height of 790mm means that the bike is accessible for most riders and the raised clip-on handlebars and mid-set footpegs translate towards an upright and comfortable riding position.

The telescopic fork and twin shock absorber suspension setup does a pretty decent job of absorbing the bumps and potholes on the road. But when faced with sharper bumps , rear shock absorbers’ setup feels quite firm. 

Features

Features-wise, the bike has a semi-digital display with an analogue tachometer and a digital inset that gives out speedometer, odometer and fuel gauge readings among other regular readouts. It comes with a regular halogen headlight and an LED taillight. The overall quality is decent for a bike in this category, and unique to the Pulsar 125, it's the only one in its class with backlit switches.

Should You Buy Bajaj Pulsar 125?

The baby Pulsar, impresses with its performance, looks, mileage and features. Plus, being a Bajaj, it also offers good value for money. It has good handling characteristics and provides an overall comfortable ride. So, if you are on the market for a 125cc bike with a hint of sporty performance and basic features, then the Bajaj Pulsar 125 is a good option for you. But, for just about Rs 1,000 more, you could opt for the TVS Raider’s Single Seat variant which not only gets a full-LCD instrument console but also offers sportier performance than the Bajaj Pulsar 125.