Bajaj Pulsar 125 soft launched in India: Check it out on video

Bajaj Auto has already begun dispatching the Pulsar 125 to dealerships across India. Visually, the motorcycle looks very similar to the Pulsar 150 and the main difference lies in the engine (which is a smaller 125cc unit) and in braking (single channel ABS replaced with a combi-braking system). Bajaj Auto is likely to price the Pulsar 125 at Rs. 65,000, which makes it cheaper than the Pulsar Classic by over Rs. 6,000. This should give the new motorcycle enough ammunition to operate in the 125cc segment, which is dominated by commuter motorcycles such as the Honda CB Shine, the Bajaj Discover and the Hero Glamour. Bajaj will be seeking to capitalize on the Pulsar brand, which has a massive following in India. The Pulsar 125 will offer buyers the best of both worlds: a sporty commuter feel in a bike that’s bigger than other 125cc offering, without compromising on the crucial mileage bit.

The Bajaj Pulsar has borrowed the 125cc, DTSi four stroke engine. This engine makes 11.8 Bhp of peak power and 11 Nm of peak torque. It’s paired to a 5 speed manual gearbox. Higher power and torque outputs would have helped considering the fact that the Pulsar 125 is not only larger than other 125cc offerings in the market but is also significantly heavier.

Now that the motorcycle has already begun reaching Bajaj dealerships, the launch is just days away. Bookings are already open, and deliveries will begin shortly. The bike is yet another attempt by Bajaj Auto to make the Pulsar brand more accessible. The last time this happened was with the Pulsar 150 Classic, and this led to a sharp sales spike in Pulsar sales.

The Pulsar by far has been Bajaj Auto’s most successful motorcycle brand, going from strength to strength ever since its launch in 2001. While the Pulsar began its life with 150cc and 180cc models, as a sporty premium motorcycle, in a market that had the likes of the Hero Honda CBZ and TVS Fiero. While the CBZ and Fiero have long been gone, the Pulsar has transformed itself. It’s available as commuter motorcycles: Pulsar 125 and 150 while sportier offerings include the likes of the Pulsar 180, 180F, 160 NS, the 200 NS and the 200 RS. There’s talk about Bajaj expanding the Pulsar line up to include a 250cc variant. The Pulsar 250 could be launched later this year, or sometime early next year. It’s likely to be liquid cooled, and is expected to borrow the engine from the KTM Duke 250 but in a lower state of tune.