Bajaj Discover 125M Review: Style meets Affordability

The pros: Elegant looks, fully analog instrument cluster, good ergonomics, quick acceleration, nice handling and braking.

The cons: Engine kill switch misses, vibrates as you go high.

The crux: So, the bike is a worthy commuter and is simply like having a 125cc motorcycle at the cost of a 100-110cc commuter.

Rating

One of the oldest home grown manufacturers, Bajaj Auto Limited (BAL), has the second largest range of commuters in India. Most of the commuter bikes of the company come under Discover series, including the latest Discover 125M. The recently launched bike is based on the latest Discover platform, which was first seen with the 125ST model of the series. The 'M' in its name denotes mileage, highlighting it as a mileage concentrated commuter.



The company is promoting the bike with a tag line- “Jiyo Dana Dan” and claims that the bike is a combination of power, speed and mileage. The bike appears almost similar to its siblings- 125ST, 125T, 100T and 100M, apart from minor mechanical and cosmetic changes, which we tried to experience during our test.

Styling:



Featuring an aerodynamic design, Bajaj Discover 125M gets a very sporty style with lots of curves. The bike has an angular headlamp with sharp edges and twin-eye pilot lamps. However, it misses the chrome lining on the headlamp unit, which comes with the other premium bikes of this series. It shares the handle bar and rear view mirrors with the old Discover 100. The Discover 125M misses bar weights and hexagonal rear view mirrors, which comes with T and ST variants. Bikini fairing around the headlamp gets a transparent-black visor, giving a nice feel to the front of the bike. The analog console is the similar unit, which comes with the new Discovers, however, it misses the chrome garnishing on this one.

Fuel tank of the Discover 125M gets some masculine curves, which provide an elegant appearance to the whole bike. Semi-contoured seat looks well with the sleek rear panels and stylish aluminium grab rail. Three-step LED tail lamp gives a premium feel to the rear of the bike. Both the front and rear gets standard sized clear indicators, which looks quite decent. Body coloured side panels are sporty and gets a graphic flow design. Twin-coloured graphics on the bike are sporty and follow every panel of the bike. Aluminium rear foot-peg supports is a segment above feature in the bike and giving a nice touch to it.

The new Discover 125M features standard all black theme and has its frame, engine, leg-guard, split-spoke alloys, exhaust, chain cover, saree guard and suspension painted in black. The bike comes with the newly sculpted front mudguard with some extra curves, while the rear gets the older unit. Unlike the other simple air-cooled engines, the unit serving on the Discover 125M gets unique corrugated cooling fins. Special Y-spoke alloy wheels and petal disc brake at the front adds another class apart feature to the bike. The sporty black exhaust pipe gets a shining chrome plate, which makes it even sportier. Overall, I feel that the bike gets lots of minor changes over its siblings, yet it looks superior than many other offerings in the segment.

Switch Gear and Ergonomics:



The new Bajaj Discover 125M uses standard Bajaj switch-gear, equipped on other bikes of the series. Switch box on the right side sports the switches for electric start and headlamp unit, however, misses the engine kill switch. High/low beam, turn indicator and horn switches are mounted on the left side of the handlebar. The standard size rear view mirrors are mounted on both sides of the handlebar.

The fully analog instrument cluster of the Discover 125M gets an speedometer pod with odometer, a fuel gauge and warning lights for neutral, indicators, headlamp beam and battery power. The unit is easy to read and provides all the necessary information. However, a trip meter could make it even better.

The wide and long, semi-contoured seat is well designed and provides enough space for both the rider and pillion. Rider side gels well with the scoops on the sides of the fuel tank and side panels. Cushioning of the seat is enough, however, it could have been even better. Handlebar, seat and foot pegs are positioned to achieve an upright riding posture. Apart from being stylish, the aluminium rear grab rail is easy to reach and provides enough grip to the pillion. Overall, the bike has been designed ergonomically making it easy to ride through peak traffic hours.



Engine and Performance:



Powering the Bajaj Discover 125 M is the same 124.6cc heart, which also beats in the other 125cc variants of the series. It is a single cylinder, 4-stroke, air-cooled engine mated with a 4-speed gearbox and gets advance 4-valve and twin-spark technologies. Although the engine configuration is similar to the T and ST models, it has been de-tuned to achieve better efficiency. The engine belts out 11.34bhp of maximum power, which is 1.5bhp and 1bhp lesser than the 125ST and 125T respectively. However, it’s still better than the other offerings in the segment. Peak torque of the engine goes upto 10.8Nm at 6,000rpm, while the top power comes out at 8,000rpm.



The 4-valves per head helps the engine to enhance the performance by increasing the aspiration area. Low-end torque of the Discover 125M is quite impressive. The bike goes 0-60kmph mark in mere 6.3 seconds, however takes time to achieve its top speed, which is 102kmph. Initial power helps to accelerate the bike frequently during stop-and-go traffic, which makes it a better option for city commuting.



As we discussed, the Discover 125M is a mileage oriented commuter, the company claims to return 76kmpl under CMVR test conditions. However, it returns around 62kmpl during city rides and goes upto 70kmpl on highways (depending on riding conditions). The impressive mileage of the bike is a result of its DTS-i (digital twin spark ignition) technology. The system ensures a proper combustion process using two spark plugs, which are digitally controlled through a microprocessor.


Ride and Handling:



The most gruelling situation to handle a bike surfaces during a ride through traffic. Bajaj Discover 125M is specially designed for this purpose. Overall dimensions of the bike sits at 1986mm x 678mm x 1044mm (L x W x H), which are 49mm x 36mm x 26mm lesser than the 125T (Tourer) model. Smaller dimensions help to control the bike frequently and increases its maneuverability city rush. Reduced wheelbase of 1255mm is 50mm lesser than the other variants, which reduces the turning radius of the bike. So, you can take sharp turns easily, without leaning the bike much.



Weighing just 117kg (118kg with disc brake), Discover 125M feels light in hands and provides excellent handling. The aerodynamic design provides stability upto 80kmph, while firm hands are needed post that. Front telescopic forks and rear Nitrox shocks make a great combination. The system has been tuned at a little softer side, which feels quite comfortable. The soft suspension provide better travel, which meets with a ground clearance of 165mm, making it compatible for uneven road conditions.



The throttle gives excellent response with fine initial power, which does feel great. The engine runs quite smooth till 75kmph, however, you feel vibration around the tank and handle if pushed hard. Split spoke alloys of the Discover 125M gets Eurogrip tyres made by a trusted brand- Kenda. Size of the tires are 2.75 x 17 inch and 3.00 x 17 inch at the front and the rear respectively. Material of the tyres is quite satisfactory and provides sufficient traction and grip even at the time of cornering.



'With the great power comes great responsibilities', hence the Discover 125M comes with an option of 200mm petal disc over the 130mm drum brake at the front. We would recommend you to go for the disc version as it costs just Rs. 2,000 extra and adds a big safety feature to it. Rear gets a 130mm drum type brake, which makes the braking system stronger. The combination provides splendid braking effort to control the bike easily in both traffic and high speed riding conditions.


Verdict:



With a very sporty design and excellent fuel economy, Bajaj Discover 125M has been priced at Rs. 48,500, while you have to pay Rs. 2,000 more for a front disc brake. Ride quality of the bike is quite good and gives a fun-to-ride experience. A little extra power and reduced dimensions makes it a perfect city ride. So, the bike is a worthy commuter and is simply like having a 125cc motorcycle at the cost of a 100-110cc commuter.