After writing the article on the need for cruiser bikes in India, I thought of evaluating an Indian cruiser bikes. Luckily my good friend Ifti had bought a Bajaj Avenger a few days back and it couldn’t have been a better opportunity for me to evaluate this bike. So I pocketed the keys to his bike for one day and the turn of events err..turned out to be enjoyable. Here’s what I observed in this bike.

Looks -

You can’t explain its looks better than this – It got everything that a typical cruiser has.

The design of the bike is fluid and flawless. Low-rise seat, wide handle bars, forward foot riding, nice positioning of the rear view mirrors, wide rear tire and the overall chrome styling of the bike all of this adds to the cruiser’s uniqueness.

The foot pegs are pretty ordinary and if they could have been in finished in metal, that would have enhanced its look, or should I say masked its ugliness? Overall the motorbike has all the looks to turn eyeballs you definitely get the attention of people when you are cruising along, feeling like god.

Tech specs -

Before I break out the riding experience let me throw some light on the technical specs of the bike. The bike comes with a 198.8cc oil cooled DTS-i engine capable of generating 17.51 ps @ 8000 rpm and a torque of 16.78 Nm @ 6000rpm. This mighty motor is married to a 5 speed gear box.

Another feature of the bike is its wheel base of 1475mm which is the longest in the crop of Indian bikes. This undoubtedly enhances the stability and balance of the bike. The bike has a 14-liter fuel tank with 3.4 liters of reserve and the kerb weight of 154 kg. The bike is fitted only with electric start.

Initial impressions -

So I was all set to experience the Avenger, it took me some time initially to adjust to the seat position as I’m used to riding my Yamaha R15. I started the bike and shifted into 1st gear effortlessly. The bike has decent pickup and it takes off quite smoothly.

The bike accelerates very well and has nice low to mid range response. The engine is very smooth without many vibrations initially but as you begin crossing the 80 kmph mark, you feel the vibration factor coming into picture. I was able to achieve the maximum speed of 110 kmph but at this speed the engine felt like it was being choked and gave out a lot of vibration.

Since it’s a cruiser bike and is meant for cruising long distances, the bike performs best between the speed range of 50 to 70 kmph, beyond that the bike is very shaky and I would stick my head out and say it is dangerous to do speeds higher than that.

Comfort -

The seating position for the rider is quite comfortable and you get the posture you would expect from a cruiser bike. The wide saddle is very comfortable and provides adequate cushioning. The rear view mirrors are also placed in accordance to the open-chested riding posture enabling the rider to have a wider viewing angle.

However the pillion might not find the seat as comfortable as the rider since the seat is not wide enough. Also the pillion seat seems to be a bit small and if you are a big guy with a sizeable belly (which describes my passenger) then I’m afraid you might feel like being stuck in between the rider and the back support.

The riding experience -

This bike has one of the smoothest gear shifts I have come across in recent times. I was really impressed on the ease with which I was able to switch between the gears.

This bike has a 260mm front disc brake and a 130mm rear drum brake which accomplish their jobs very well. The grip provided by the tires is also good but I was a little disappointed by the suspension. The experience is not good while riding over a bumpy road and its as if the bike is throwing you off from it.

One other thing which I didn’t like is the difficulty while locking and unlocking the handle of the motorcycle. It’s a kinda tedious job and requires some practice before you perform without any hassles. Before you start the bike, first you unlock the bike (the handle lock is located at the right side below the console), take out the key. Then you have to bend all the way down to the left side where the bike’s ignition is located (which is a bit difficult to locate while you are sitting on the bike or when its dark) and insert the key in there.

The entire process irritated me. I’m firing up a motorcycle, not a space shuttle.

Another thing which I would like to see improve is the meter console, which looks dated. It is ordinary and consists of the speedometer, odometer and the trip meter. I would like to see the tachometer incorporated in it with a dash of colors.

Naz’ verdict -

In the end I would say that with not so many options available for cruiser bikes in India this is one of the best you can hav. It gives you the feel of a cruiser bike considering the fact that the bike only costs Rs 67,167 (on-road Delhi), its good VFM.

The low to mid range response, the pickup, the smooth gear shifts are some of the key features of the bike which I really liked. The bike is available in colors of red, blue, black and grey.I would choose black, what about you?

Bajaj Avenger Image Gallery

If you can’t view the above the slideshow, view the images at the Bajaj Avenger Image Gallery

This technology, the company claims, provides you a combination of both power and better mileage. The tumble-swirl port combination not only helps in less gear shifting in the city riding but also provides better mileage at the same time.

The fuel tank capacity is only 7.5 litre. The kerb weight of the bike is 123 Kg for the drum version and 126 Kg for the disc one.

The styling of the bike has been improved by the all new body graphics. It also comes up with a wider rear tyre this time helping for achieving better grip on the road. The digital console consists of a bright LCD screen which displays information like ODO meter, trip meter, fuel indicator and clock. There is a new feature in this bike called IMI (intelligent mileage indicator) which tells you the instantaneous mileage of the bike as you ride it. The service reminder indicator is also present in it. The on tank storage is really handy for the storage of small items like a small water bottle or any kind of documents.

Now let me come to my test ride observations. The first thing I noticed about this bike was the sound, as soon as I pushed the electric start button, for a few seconds I didn’t even realize that the bike had started!

It felt very calm and it didn’t created much sound initially. The clutch was smooth and the bike’s pickup was decent. (The pick up was not as good as compared to Honda CBF stunner PGM-FI, which I got on to last week). The bike accelerated gradually as I increased the speed and moved the gears up.

The seating position of the bike is one of a kind. It’s very much upright and you will get an open chested stance on it. Although the seating position is comfortable and will not cause any ache in your back, the same cannot be said for the foot peg position which is kind of awkward.

You would feel that your foot is resting a bit ahead than where it should be. Positioning the foot pegs a few inches back than where they are presently could have improved the seating position a bit more.

The handling of the bike was average and I don’t think riding the bike in a zigzag manner through the city traffic would be that pleasurable. Also I didn’t find the engine much refined and I could feel the noise and little bit of vibrations in it.

The gear box consists of 4 gears (shifting pattern-all up makes for easy operation) which was not smoothest of all and it could have been better. This bike comes with the option of a 240 mm front disc and has a 130 mm rear disc brake. The braking of the bike is good, but not as good as the CBF Stunner PGM-FI, but I think it is somewhat acceptable.

Overall I would call it an average bike which has a little bit of everything. The disc brake version costs around Rs.51101 on road Delhi. The bike is available in three colors which are Elite Blue, Scarlet Red and Mica Black. TVS has priced this bike at a competitive range which is around 16k less than the CBF Stunner PGM-FI and around 3k less than the top-end carbureted version of Stunner.

After taking a test ride of the powerful Apache RTR 180, I thought I should try a much lighter bike this time from commuter segment. Immediately what crossed my mind was the newly launched Honda CBF Stunner PGM-FI and I decided to evaluate this motorcycle.

My editor has already tested the standard CBF Stunner before, in case you need an introduction.

This bike has 124.7 cc engine (same as the old CBF Stunner) capable of delivering 11.6 bhp@8000 rpm which is 0.6bhp more than the previous stunner and a torque of 11.2 Nm@6250 rpm which is 0.2 Nm more than before. The weight and the dimensions of this bike are slightly different from the previous version; this one weighs 128 Kg which is 1 kg lighter than the normal bike.

Apart from the weight the width of the bike has been increased to 760 mm from 734 mm and the height has been reduced by 2mm to be at 1111mm, the wheel base and the ground clearance remains the same. The fuel tank capacity has also been increased to 13 litres now.

The main enhancement to this bike is the PGM-FI technology which improves the mileage of this bike providing more power at the same time. Honda has also provided some nice features in this model in order to enhance the safety and reduce the maintenance costs along with improving the looks of the bike.

The bike comes up with a Bank Angle sensor which cuts off the ignition and the fuel supply when the bike tilts over a certain angle. There is also a malfunction indicator lamp placed below the fuel indicator which indicates any system problems.

The bike also has maintenance free battery and viscous air filter thereby reducing the maintenance to some extent. The emission level is as low as 1/10th of BS II Norms, making it environment friendly as well. The half chain case adds to the sportiness of the bike along with the premium 3D emblem of PGM-FI.

With all these things in my mind I was ready for the test ride. I was given a CBR Red color bike. The bike started with a crisp sound, let me tell you at this point that this bike only has electric start and there is no kick in it (similar to the bikes like YZF-R15 and FZ series from Yamaha)

The clutch was really smooth and the pickup was good. It was a little bit beyond my expectations from a 125 cc bike (not comparing it with a 150 cc bike for sure). Another thing which I noticed about the bike was that the acceleration was smooth and linear. The bike accelerates from the 1st to the top gear in a very smooth and uniform manner. The response is good at all the revs.

This bike has a very refined engine, not a single bit of vibration from it, thanks to the handle bar weights and the FI technology.

The seating position of the bike was comfortable. It was upright and I didn’t find it that sporty. The handling of the bike was better than the previous version, the drop in weight and the adjustment in dimensions has worked. The load handling of the bike was also good and it didn’t cry after the pillion got on.

The gear shifts were smooth enough so there is nothing much I have to say here.

Coming to the brakes, the bike has a 240 mm front disc brake and a 130 mm rear drum brake. The brakes were decent, nothing exceptional, which I think is adequate for a bike of this capacity.

The overall feel of the bike was good and I would call it one of the best bikes in this segment I have ridden so far.

The bike costs Rs.67,430 on road (Delhi) which is around Rs.14000 more than its top end carbureted version. The cost for this 125cc bike could be a major hindrance to its sales considering the fact that you can get 150cc bikes in this price range.

Although there are good features in the bike, it still doesn’t have enough to lure the customers to pay this much for it. I feel that the same features in a 150cc bike at the same cost would have been worth it. Apart from the high cost, the absence of a Digital console and a much desired tachometer are major disappointment.

The bike is available in two colors derived from CBR1000RR which are CBR Red and CBR Silver Metallic.

Eying a big potential for luxury bikes in India, where tastes are changing from mass-market machines to high-end bikes, Honda and Bajaj are looking at launching new sportsbikes in the country in the next couple of months.

There had been a sudden surge in the number of International Sportsbikes brands entering the Indian market, over the past two years. Initially the trend was set by Kinetic with the launch of the 250cc, v-twin-powered Hyosung Comet in India back in 2005. Then it was Yamaha, which launched the Yamaha R1 in India and the MT-01 cruiser in 2007. Soon later followed by the Italian motorcycle giant Ducati, who launched an array of superbikes costing up to almost 50 lakhs, and finally Suzuki joined the superbike bandwagon in late-2008, with its Hayabusa superbike and the Intruder cruiser.

Honda,Bajaj don’t want to be left out in the Superbike Race

Keeping with that trend, Honda and Bajaj don’t want to be left behind. Honda now intends to provide some competition to the Yamaha R1and the Suzuki Hayabusa by launching the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade in India, in the first quarter of this year, and following will be a naked version of the bike (pictured below).

Honda also plans to launch the Honda CB1000R in India alongside it. Both bikes are expected to be priced at around Rs 9.5-10.5 lakhs, making them slightly cheaper alternatives to the R1 and the Hayabusa.

Bajaj, on the other hand, plans to adopt a different strategy – a much lower price-point.

• The Bajaj-Kawasaki collaboration will first launch the Kawasaki Ninja 250R- likely to be priced at around Rs 1.75-2.0 lakh.
• Will be powered by a liquid-cooled, 250cc parallel twin, the baby Ninja won’t fall in the same league as the R1 or Fireblade, but will offer motorcycle enthusiasts an affordable option.

• Bajaj will then launch bikes from the KTM range – 690 Duke, which may be assembled at Bajaj’s plant at Chakan.

• KTM Duke will be Powered by a high-tech single-cylinder engine
• Versatile, lightweight sportsbike, which might be priced at around Rs 3.5-4.0 lakhs in the Indian market.

• Subsequently, Bajaj may bring in the KTM RC8 -KTM’s top of the line superbike, which would rival the likes of the R1 and Fireblade. The RC8, will be imported into India as a CBU so, will not cost less than Rs 10-12 lakh.

• Bajaj will continue to refine and evolve its Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi.
• Major changes expected on the 220 DTS-Fi are  – styling changes, engine tweaks, monoshock rear suspension (similar to the Honda Unicorn), better brakes (Taking some inputs from the TVS Apache), and revamped instrumentation (which is aging).

So, lots of Sports biking action up ahead ! Stay tuned to IAB for then-and-there news and scoops.

IAB Comment: Worldwide, the economic crisis has made Auto-markets ‘Cold and Stale’, the Indian premium/sports bike segment on the other hand only seems to be getting hotter. This is what all of us have been longing for all these years. What do you think?

Source: India Automotive

What?            Honda CBF Stunner 125
When?           On sale now
How Much?    Rs 59,037 (OTR Chennai)

Build Quality and Styling

Bajaj predicted that people are bored with 100cc bikes and higher capacities bikes are the way to go. Starting with this strategy of replacing 100cc’s with 125′s, we had the XCD and the Flame and now Honda has given us their piece of cake - CBF Stunner. It looks nothing like the ones present in the market, it has an almost mini-Karizma look about it. So is the new kid on the block got any ‘go’ to match the ‘show?’ We find out what the buzz is all about.

They say that ‘first impression makes the best impression’ and in this case, it is 110% true. When you look at any vehicle, the first thing you notice are not the features, not the price, not the economy, nothing but the way the thing looks. You assume things are much better than they actually are once they look great. You think the Stunner should have some 200cc+ power pack and stuff, but it actually sports a modest 125cc engine. The CBF Stunner scores a cool 4.5/5 in the styling department. The aerodynamic front fairing, the girlfriend impressing stepped seat which is the first in its class, yellow springs, racy side panels all add up to make this one hell of a great bike. The Discover, XCD and the Flame are all way down in this department. The stepped seats are a welcome addition which will go down very well with your girlfriend

The bike also sports matte black alloy wheels and a potent 240mm disc brake which add to the list of features. Sorely missed are digital instrument clusters and tachometer which would have added a few more brownie points. The toe only shifter is sporty but may not go down well with aged people (which this bike is not after). The instrument cluster is a carry over from the Shine with some minute modifications. You also get the aircraft style fuel filler cap which looks cool. The front and the rear look good especially in red or yellow paint schemes that is available for this bike. The rear lights and the shape of the fairing are distinct and the indicator lamp pods look like aliens!

For a bike of such high caliber, we found that some parts were sub-standard. The choke lever was wobbling a lot on our test bike as were the switchgear which were below-par. The plastic parts around the instrument cluster felt a touch flimsy. The foot pegs are made of steel which are a sore sight as they are on aluminium mountings.The quality of parts, the paint quality are all top notch and the bike was smooth and vibration free.

Engine, Ride and Handling

The engine is a tweaked version of the unit on the Shine. The transmission though is all new and sports 5 speeds in the universal 1-down 4-up version. It puts out 11bhp @ 8000RPM and 11Nm @ 6500 RPM after the a revision of valve timing was performed on the Shine’s engine.

The engine is butter smooth as is the transmission and make light work of travel. They work seamlessly and expect decent performance and economy. You might feel a crunch in performance at low RPM’s (as torque is produced much higher) esp with a pillion and this only means dropping a gear which is a delight on this super smooth gearbox.

The ride is decent although not as spine friendly as the Discover. The handling and braking is very competent and the non-disc brake version that we test drove had adequate braking power although picking up the disc brake version is strongly recommended. Pillion comfort is a tad stiff but the pillion is seated much higher and this might pose a problem for some as getting up is quite difficult.

On the Road

Honda has come up with a real stunner of a bike. This is by far their best attempt after the Unicorn. This is sure to be a head turner where ever you go and is sure to get people talking. At Rs 50,037(on-road) for the Disc brake version with alloy wheels, it is on-par with the competition. It sports looks of a 200cc bike with none of the drawbacks save for some minor quality issues. At this price and features, the facelifted Discover comes very close but then, the Stunner wins by the tiniest of margins.

We would love to thank Mr.P.Velu (98414 39104) and Mr.Karthikeyan (9941906720) of KUN Motorcycles Chennai for their cooperation. Without them, this report could have never happened.  They were able to give us quite a lot of info about the bike. If you are in Chennai, and after reading our report, you desire to buy one, the right person to contact will be either one of them.

Ultra Motor, the UK-based two-wheeler maker has planned to invest Rs.150 crores in India over the next three years, and what better time other than now, is perfect for checking out their products. Myself and Harry went to one of the Ultra Motor showrooms in Chennai and a series of surprises unwound.

The build up-

Right after we finished our bit with the red colored R15, where me and harry took turns to play Rossi, and points for each person we gain attention from, it was time to head to our next destination- An Ultra Motor dealership which sold electric scooters! What a shift. This was like having a midday meal in a 7-Star hotel and hours later, heading to a roadside dhaba to have dinner. We were feeling sick. 0-60 times were the hindmost thing on our minds as we chuckled and doubted whether the electric scooters could do 40, leave alone 60.

The entry-

We were cordially greeted into the showroom and the first bike which caught my attention right away was the Marathon. My goodness! Can electric bikes look so pleasant? Maybe this is some kind of a delusion, I thought to myself. It rested there, in the corner of the showroom, treated in grey and looked more or less like the Suzuki Access 125. But what the hell? It’s nevertheless an electric scooter which causes cyclists on road to look like Micheal Schumacher. “Don’t believe what you see, Jaz” I uttered to myself as the athletic looks of the marathon made me take the second, third and the fourth glance. It was good looking, no doubt.

The Marathon-

The Marathon is 48V/250 W scooter employs a Brushless DC motor to drive its rear wheel. It’s beefed up appearance and lofty seating wins all my brownie points. The lead-acid battery pack, which is maintenance-free, sits underneath the seat is a removable form, meaning you don’t need to carry the scooter to the plug point behind your TV in the drawing room. The battery slips out neatly, although it’s heavy, but with a little extra effort, it can be plugged into any of the sockets in your house with the help of a charger set which the company gives. The storage area neighbors the battery area and is of a decent volume to ingest a medium-sized hand bag. The scooter also boasts of visual enhancers like multi-reflector headlights, taillights and alloy wheels which blend in perfectly with the bike. Drum brakes are offered both on the front and rear wheels, which look puny but then, what more do you need to halt this 75 kg bike that can top just 25kph? So, from this instant onwards, my metamorphosis had commenced.

Marathon Picture Gallery

Marathon Test Drive-

I sat on to the Marathon, positioned my arms and body suitably. It felt easy, and the seating posture seemed perfect. The wide seats felt nice, just as if I was in a Honda Activa. Wait! What do I do next? I don’t hear anything. I can’t see any smoke or smell exhaust gases. Is the motor active or am I doing anything wrong?

Janagan, the chief of operations of the dealership, helped me out by turning the key and assuring me that it was OK and everything was how it’s supposed to be. I twisted the throttle, and whoosh..the torque was impressive. More than what a TVS Scooty or a small sized scooter would kick out. I progressed out of the dealership slowly, and as I opened the throttle, hmm..things didn’t actually move fast. Something which I was expecting.

To my disappointment, the Marathon, inspite of its size and features could only do 25 kph. 25?!! Yup. But then there is a brighter side to it.

The ride and handling-

The ride was astonishingly smooth. The dampers were doing an outstanding job in absorbing road shocks, and there was absolutely no vibration what so ever. It was like riding on air, and riding slowly. As I entered a sparsely populated road, I opened the taps and heard this whine from the motor under me. It was soft, but it reminded me of the noise that originates from superchargers. If Ultra could use a microphone and some speakers to amplify that noise, I would buy one just for that. It felt good. I was hooked. The only short fall was the handle bar. It felt loose and wobbly and to an extent unstable and gave you the feeling of an over-inflated front tire. Something that Ultra should work on in their prototypes of upcoming scooters.

I began thinking. Perhaps looks aren’t everything. The sound is addicting. The ride is smooth and vibration-free, but the maximum speed? C’mon. Ask him again, is it 25 Kph Janagan?

“It is,” he replied, however he said there were things which I required to consider before shaping an opinion. These were what he elaborated on

No need for a driver’s License/ Registration

If I can walk out of an electronics shop with a 30-inch plasma TV, why can’t I walk out of a two-wheeler showroom with a bike? Easy. It saves money, energy and more importantly time. It takes a major part of a day for a vehicle to get processed through the RTO (At least for my little sis’ TVS moped, it did). The rider doesn’t need a driver’s license either. Just the ideal vehicle for your 16 year old who wants something to go to school. Furthermore, it’ll do only 25 kph, so you don’t need to bother about over speeding, or accidents or the dangers brought about because of them.

100 Km range- Unmatched and saves headache-

The extended range comes in handy for your lengthy trips. You genuinely don’t have to bother about the batteries running out when moving little by little in a traffic jam with the lights turned on which is not the case with most of the electric scooters available in the market today. The 100km range is unparalled and as far as i know, the best in the market.

Running costs, almost nothing-

Think. For how much do you fuel your moped everyday. Be it a 50 cc or a 100 cc, fuel is the same, and the costs are increasing every single day. 10 paise per KM is what the dealership claims, and we wholly agree. 1/10 th of what it would cost for a petrol bike of equivalent performance. 1 unit of charge is what the scooter needs which costs approximately 7 rupees for which it will run 100 kms. A moped of similar size and performance will give a maximum mileage of 75 kmpl? which means I need 1.25 liters of petrol to cover the same distance, which costs around Rs 70(approx). So you can see the facts for yourself.

Eco friendly-

This is one of the crucial reasons why electric vehicles are catching up. The scooter won’t give out any noise or smoke, which earns you an eco-friendly badge. The scooter is surprisingly silent, but the muted whine from the motor is terrific. Has to be experienced to be believed.

The Velociti-

The Velociti looks more or less like the Bajaj Spirit, which was available in the market until sometime back. On 8 hrs of charge, the Velociti will take you 50 kms during which you can touch speeds upto 40 kph. It uses the same battery as that of the Marathon and is found under the seat. The motor though, is a different one. The 500 W motor is brushless DC type and similarly, powers the rear wheel. But the best bit is the disc brake up front which ensures timely stops and induces confidence into the rider. As this being a smaller scooter, and me being a 6-footer, things were a bit cramped, which needed me to sit a little further back, there by intruding into the pillion’s space. As anticipated, the storage compartment under the seat was smaller than the Marathon but the pockets up front, would come in handy to carry notebooks or files.

Velociti Picture Gallery

Velociti test ride-

The increased power meant only one thing- Fun, and wasn’t I having a ball! Especially after driving the Marathon, the Velociti felt exciting. The acceleration was considerably more, and the vehicle could go past the 25 kph mark. At one point, I was doing 40 as per the speedo. And remember, this is an electric bike!

The Disc brakes had enough bite. I could shed speed easily, which gave me confidence to push harder. The handlebar felt balanced and so was the ride. The whine from the motor was even more pronounced. This was the performance I was expecting out of the Marathon. Nevertheless, it was fun.

The down side of the Velociti-

The Velocity is capable of doing 40 kph and thus requires registration and a driver’s license for the individual to whom it is intended for. It also has a diminished range of 50km per charge. Otherwise, the benefits are the same.

The ride and handling-

The Velociti, being tinier than the Marathon, has a slightly stiff ride. This is easily observable during braking when the vehicle exhibits almost zero front dive. Otherwise, the characteristics of both the vehicles are largely the same.

Verdict

After riding both the scooters extensively, the way we conceived electric scooters changed. Yeah, maybe they can’t do a 100 k’s or accelerate to 60 in 5 seconds, but they are totally fun to ride. Part of the fun and the laughter was their low speed, I should admit.

The future is going to be all about electric vehicles. As we looked through pictures of concept vehicles from Ultra Motors, that became more clearer. Janagan claims once Lithium Ion batteries replace the Lead-Acid ones, the same Marathon scooter could do 100 kms in one single charge with a top speed of close to 80 kmph! He also added that Lithium Ion batteries take 15 minutes to recharge compared to 8 hrs for a conventional Lead Acid battery.

To buy your daily supplies, or to get your kids to school which is hardly a few kilometers away or the gym in the evening, an electric scooter makes more sense than a normal moped. We can’t wait to get our hands on the Lithium Ion powered scooters or bikes which promise to be quick and more fun to ride.

On road, the Marathon costs 33,700/- on road in Chennai while the Velociti costs 42,000/-

We would like to thank P.Janagan, Sole Propreitor of Soody Motor, Chennai, for all his help and the knowledge that he gave us. We sure learned a lot about electric scooter, which changed our perception of electric vehicles, once and for all. You can reach Soody Motor at 044 2451 2752 or 09790710242. You can reach the ultra motor website at ultramotor.com to locate a dealer in your State.

What?              Bajaj Discover 135 DTS-i
When?             On sale now
How Much?      Rs 59,955 (OTR Chennai)

Bajaj’s Discover was launched in 2004 and what a success it has been. It was the benchmark (it still is) and many have tried to dethrone it, but in vain. Of late, it has been under threat form TVS Flame and Honda Cbf Stunner. Ive left out the Gladiator as it hasn’t set the sales chart on fire but still remains a good proposition. Also left out is the XCD which is just a step up on the Bajaj BYK in terms of size and honestly it would have met with much better success had it been a bit bigger than it actually is as any one who is tall will surely find it very small. That’s where Bajaj has positioned the Discover 135, appealing to all those who want a bike a notch bigger than the XCD.

So the Discover then, we had earlier seen the 150cc Discover at the Auto-Expo which is yet to make it, meanwhile Bajaj has found time to give it a facelift to keep it fresh. When you look at it for the first time, what catches your attention are the new fake scoops on the fuel tank something very similar to the ones found on the XCD, but they incorporate the turn indicators this time. The sides get new graphics which are quite similar to the earlier model. Also tweaked is the front headlamp fairing which is more curvacious and the transparent tinted glass is slightly raised to give a 3d effect. The black theme for the wheels, engine and all other bits and pieces in between are what we have come to expect of any Indian bike today.

Scoops with integrated indicators

Black powder coated theme

17 inch alloy wheels

The bike retains its 17in aluminium alloy wheels and Nitrox gas charged shock absorbers at the rear. I have to concede that this is the only bike which is spine friendly from this class apart from the XCD, a trademark of all Bajaj bikes. Switchgear feels as solid as ever and the other uplifting feature is the digital speedometer console very similar to the pulsars, which is the third in this segment (after the XCD and Flame).

Digital instruments are cool

Nitrox monotube gas charged shocks, second mudguard missing (tyre hugger)

Switchgear of good quality

There are some of new features on the bike but there are an equal number of features that have gone off it. The exposed chain is gone, replaced by the oridinary closed box that encapsulates the chain. Also missing is the chrome finish silencer. Bajaj removes the chrome bit when they launched the black theme in their lineup but even then there was a piece on the silencer that was made of shiny chrome. Now, even that is gone replaced by a dull aluminium finish. Alloy triple clamp has also bowed out of the new Discover range. Tyre hugger or the second mudguard is sorely missed too. All the features mentioned above are not visible to the oridinary customer unless he has a keen lookout for such minor points and overall the new Discover still is the best bet.

Alloy silencer cover

The 135cc DTS-i equipped engine is untouched and produces a class leading 12.92 bhp @ 8500rpm (13.10ps) and uses Bajaj’s famed twin spark plugs and Exhaus-Tec resonator chamber to improve low end torque. All the other technical aspects remain the same. Performance remains the same with 0-60kph in around 5sec and topspeed of 105kph (Manufacturer claims). The 240mm hydraulic brakes (optional) are confidence inspiring and is mandatory for anyone aspiring to buy this bike. A brief test drive cleared my doubts and this is still the best bike in the 125cc segment and performance is very close to that of the 150cc bikes. It is also quite nimble at 133kgs (dry weight) and its on-road (Chennai) price of Rs 59,955 is on par with the competition. So Discover makes a strong point for itself and it still the benchmark and the best in the segment.

Bajaj's trademark Exhaus-Tec improves low end torque

Aircraft type fuel filler cap missing

Bike pictures and test ride courtesy Mr B.Magudobthi KLN BAJAJ,Chennai

IAB