Bajaj Discover 125 Review, Test Ride

We ride the most affordable and efficient 125cc motorcycle from the Bajaj Stable to figure out how effective it is for the daily commute. Read more of our Bajaj Discover 125 to know if there is something more to it. 

Bajaj has launched the third Discover 125cc bike under the Discover model range following the Discover ST and the Discover T. The new model, simply named the Bajaj Discover 125, is now the most affordable and most efficient Discover 125cc motorcycle manufactured by Bajaj. And, after we took it for a spin, I’m happy to report that the new Bajaj Discover 125 is probably one of the best Discover 125cc commuter motorcycles that we’ve ridden. The new Bajaj Discover 125 looks exactly the same as its older siblings, and it gets the same chiseled and muscular fuel tank, the nicely designed sharp edge headlight, and sporty fairings. For a commuter bike, it’s not bad at all – you certainly can’t accuse it of being plain and simple. Instead, it looks attractive and fresh. With the preferences of the Indian customer changing, but with most people still not in a position to afford higher capacity performance bikes, the new Bajaj Discover 125 offers them performance, convenience, style, comfort, and efficiency, at a very competitive price – and that’s a killer combination for a price sensitive market like ours.

Additionally, the new Discover also features some very interesting technology for the Discover 125cc segment – and the most impressive is the Discover 125cc, air-cooled, TwinSpark DTS-i engine. In our Bajaj Discover 125, we found out that the engine is highly refined, and it offers the efficiency of a 100cc motorcycle, while still maintaining that extra edge on performance that a Discover 125cc engine offers. Bajaj claims that the new Bajaj Discover 125 will be able to provide a fuel economy of 76km/l under standard test conditions. But, on our test, we managed a fuel economy of around 50km/l – which is still highly impressive in an urban commute. What we also really liked about the engine is the power output. With 11.5bhp and 10.8Nm of torque, the bike performs pretty adequately. To put things into perspective, the Bajaj Discover 125 weighs 118 kilograms, and I weigh just over 115. Even with a pillion behind me, the bike accelerated easily and moved from a standstill to 60km/h with ease. Even when I tried to max out the bike, I managed to achieve 90km/h and the engine didn’t feel like it was being overworked or strained. Plus, the vibrations from the engine were not a bother at all, which shows that the bike has been built well and is quite refined. The engine is mated to a 4-speed manual transmission that works well and allows for smooth gear changes.

Because the Bajaj Discover 125 is pretty light, it’s very easy to handle. The handlebar is quite narrow, and the slim body of the bike makes it very easy to maneuver though crowded city streets without a problem. However, the clutch did seem a little tight, and my wrist did start to trouble me after some time. But, other than that, there isn’t much to complain about. It’s actually quite enjoyable, and the gas-charged Nitrox suspension, together with the long and soft seat, offers a very comfortable ride over all kinds of terrain. The brakes also work very well, but we only rode the disc brake variant that comes with an optional 200mm racing inspired petal front brake disc, and a 130mm rear drum.

By the end of our  Bajaj Discover 125, we were convinced that the new Bajaj Discover 125 is quite an effective machine, and it’s got everything a modern day commuter motorcycle should have – including some interesting graphics on the body, and some sharp looking alloy wheels. The new technology incorporated into the engine also makes it stand above other bikes in its segment. The comfortable riding position and easy maneuverability make it perfect for city riding, and, of course, it also provides impressive fuel economy. If you choose to opt for the drum brake variant, it’s got quite a value-oriented price tag of Rs. 48,500, which is quite a deal. The disc brake variant will cost you Rs. 3,000 more, which is a bargain since you can’t put a price on safety.

Please comment below to give us your feedback on our Bajaj Discover 125cc.