How much is too much is a thought that crosses our mind every now and then. Of course for different things. And one such thought is how many Pulsars is too many Pulsars? Well, to be more precise, how many 125cc Pulsars is too many Pulsars? Confused? Well, let me tell you that right now Bajaj has three 125cc Pulsar models on sale – the regular Pulsar 125, the sporty Pulsar NS125 and the latest, the Pulsar N125, which is in between the two. Do we really need so many Pulsar 125s? What about cannibalisation? All these questions will be answered in the next few paragraphs!
Bajaj Pulsar N125: Design
There are no two ways about it! Bajaj has done a good job with the look of the Pulsar N125. The design is youthful and attractive. The new colour schemes and graphics are quite appealing and will appeal to college-goers and young professionals. The front end especially gives you the look and feel of a 150-160cc motorcycle. The sharp raked LED headlight along with the chiseled fuel tank and thick fork sleeves give the Pulsar N125 a muscular look. Viewed in profile, you see clean lines, an angled rear, a sleek grab-rail and an underbelly exhaust, which is similar to other models in Bajaj’s Pulsar line-up. The quality and fit and finish look good, but there are a few areas like the plastics, where Bajaj needs to improve a bit.
Bajaj Pulsar N125: Differences between base and top model
The Pulsar N125 is available in two variants – with and without Bluetooth. But there are a few more changes. The Bluetooth model has a digital display, an integrated starter generator and an idle start stop system. The non-Bluetooth model has a different display, and does not have ISG and does not have an idle start stop system either. One thing to note is that this is the first Pulsar model to feature ISG technology. There is a difference of 2.8 kg between the base and top model due to ISG, with the base model being heavier. The colour schemes are also different on both motorcycles and the rear tyre of the base model is 10 mm narrower than the tyre of the top-spec model. And then there is the USB charger, which is conveniently placed under the key slot.
Bajaj Pulsar N125: Engine and performance
Now Bajaj says that the Pulsar N125 has an all-new engine and an all-new chassis, which is different from the Pulsar NS125. It draws inspiration from its bigger sibling, but gets a diamond-type frame with a single-spine and the engine is a stressed member. The 124.58 cc single-cylinder, air-cooled engine has been tweaked to give it a different riding character, which isn’t as sporty as the NS125. The N125 strikes a balance between performance and practicality. The engine makes 12 PS at 8,500 rpm and has a peak torque output of 11 Nm at 6,000 rpm. Bajaj claims a power-to-weight ratio of 96 PS/tonne, thanks to the light kerb weight of 125 kg.
Upon thumb-pressing the starter, the N125 takes a while to turn over, and it starts with a nice burble. As soon as you put it in first gear and twist the throttle, there is an anaemic response till 2,000 rpm and then the motorcycle starts up and kicks up the dust. The mid-range is strong and the bike accelerates to 60-70 kmph with ease and with little or no vibration. The engine is refined and has enough poke and grunt for city riding. The 5-speed gearbox is also slick and the clutch action is quite light. In fact, Bajaj says that the force required to operate the clutch on the N125 is half that of its rivals. The motorcycle has a claimed 0-60 kmph sprint in 6 seconds, which is more or less true.
Bajaj says that the Pulsar N125 does around 60 kmph under standard test conditions, 5 kmph less in the city and 5 kmph more on the highway. All things considered, this is adequate efficiency. With a 9.5-litre tank, you can probably get a range of up to 550 kilometres.
Bajaj Pulsar N125: Ride and Handling
Now we spent some time riding the motorcycle on a tight and somewhat technical go-kart track and well, we are happy to report that the motorcycle feels nice and agile on its feet, or rather tyres! The light kerb weight along with the seat height of 795 mm makes the motorcycle easy to ride in tight spaces and even on traffic-clogged roads. The tyres also offer good grip and despite the ride being a bit harsh, it handles most of the undulations in a composed manner. The bike gets 125 mm of travel at both ends. Disc brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear also make for good braking, but we feel Bajaj could have at least offered ABS as an option. The competition does have that. The N125 has a solid ground clearance of 198 mm, which is more than enough to go over big speed breakers and broken roads.
Bajaj Pulsar N125: Price and Rivals
The Pulsar N125 without Bluetooth is priced at ₹ 94,707, while the model with Bluetooth and ISG is priced at ₹ 98,707 (ex-showroom). Considering that the NS125 is priced at around ₹ 1.06 lakh and the top-spec Pulsar 125 is priced at around ₹ 97,133, this is a reasonable price. Rivals from other manufacturers like the TVS Raider and Hero Xtreme 125R are priced between ₹ 95,000 and ₹ 1.04 lakh. So, there is not much difference in the prices of sporty-looking 125cc commuter motorcycles.
Bajaj Pulsar N125: Final Verdict
The Bajaj Pulsar N125 makes a good impression with its new design, youthful appeal, good performance and reasonable pricing. And while some might think Bajaj is overdoing it with so many Pulsar models, there is a method to this madness. Given the kind of variety and value that Bajaj offers on the Pulsar and more importantly the Pulsar 125 models, having multiple options in the same segment can prove to be very beneficial, a strategy that Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India adopted quite successfully a few years back.
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