Bajaj Pulsar 125

Bajaj launched the first Pulsar in 2001, and since then it has been a cult classic for people who wanted a sporty daily ride companion. To celebrate 25 years of the Pulsar, Bajaj has revamped the OG Pulsar 125. The Pulsar 125 price starts at Rs 92,990 (ex-showroom, Delhi) and comes in four Pulsar 125 variants. Refer to the table below for a variant-wise price breakdown.

You can also check the Pulsar 125 EMI options based on the variant, down payment, and loan tenure.

The intent with the upgrade was simple, keep the DNA intact while providing a fresh look. Hence, while the Pulsar 125 might look similar to its last iteration, every small detail has been redone to make the bike look fresh and retain the Pulsar essence. It gets a sharper-looking LED headlight with iconic wolf-eyed DRLs. The tank extensions are also more muscular with new tank graphics, giving it a young and sportier appeal. Thanks to the switch to a monoshock, the tail looks sporty and sleek and is complemented by a chunky exhaust.

The bike comes in five colour options: Saffire Blue, Ebony Black Ink Blue, Black Magenta Red, Fury Red, and Pearl Metallic White. Take a closer look at each shade in our Pulsar 125 colours explainer.

The Pulsar 125 features are aimed at making your commutes easier. The base model gets an LCD console, whereas all other variants get a 5-inch TFT console. Bluetooth connectivity, turn-by-turn navigation and call/text alerts are standard in all variants. It gets a Type-C charging port in all variants except the base one, but you can pay a little extra to get the accessory.

We got to sample the LCD console, which was clear to read under harsh sunlight and didn't feel cluttered. It does remind me a bit of the TVS Raider’s console, but it is a lot better spaced out.

As far as safety features go, it is equipped with a combined braking system on all trims. Bajaj should have given a dedicated single-channel ABS variant at the top, further amplifying the bike’s safety quotient.

To know in-depth about all the features, check out the Pulsar 125 features explainer.

On test, I rode the single-seat variant of the Pulsar 125. The seat was firm enough to provide adequate support for daily commutes, and the 795 mm seat height with a slightly narrow profile meant that shorter riders will comfortably land their feet on the ground. The riding posture is upright, and the handlebars are at a reasonable reach.

The key Pulsar 125 specs include a new 124.58 cc air-cooled engine paired with a 5-speed gearbox, making 12.1 PS at 8,500 rpm and 11.4 Nm at 6,500 rpm. As you crank this engine, the first thing you will notice is how smooth it feels; there are no vibrations at all until higher up in the rev range, at around 8,000 rpm. Go beyond that, and noticeable vibrations start creeping in through the handlebars. But how often are you going to be in that range? While we couldn’t test it on the base variant, the other trims have the ISG silent start system, providing an even smoother cranking-up experience. 

The performance still has that ‘Pulsar-ness’ about it. The acceleration feels predictable and smooth till 6,000 rpm, and as it crosses that mark, the engine starts showing its actual character and feels more lively. 

The bike gets three ride modes: Road, Rain and Sport, which are useful according to the condition it is being ridden, but most of the time riders will ride it in sports mode because of how exciting yet predictable it feels.

Ride it in the city, and the engine feels tractable, so much so that it can pick up pace from 30 kmph even at 5th gear, which saves the rider from frequent gear shifts. If you take it out on the highway, it gladly cruises at 80 - 85 kmph but beyond that the engine starts struggling.

Bajaj claims that the Pulsar 125 mileage is 55 kmpl when ridden in a neat manner. Given our harsh riding during the tests and shoot, the bike churned out 49 kmpl, which is commendable for the bike.

The Pulsar 125 specifications have also changed underneath, with the biggest update being the all-new single-downtube frame that is suspended on a slim telescopic fork and a monoshock. Finally, gone are the twin shocks. However, all is not smooth.

The front end takes the bumps rather well, providing no opportunity to complain whatsoever. The same cannot be said about the monoshock as it is tuned quite a bit on the firmer side. Take for instance a large speed hump. The monoshock fails to soak in the bump and tends to toss the rider off the seat when riding at a bit of extra pace. It doesn’t fare well at slow speeds either. Bajaj should give it a softer initial stroke to compensate for this firm feeling. It does get a little pliant with a pillion rider onboard. However, if your daily running is primarily going to involve solo riding, the perhaps you will need to tweak the preload settings on the monoshock.

The baby Pulsar gets a 260 mm front disc and a 130 mm rear drum setup, which provide on-spot braking. It doesn't feel very sharp or scary, as it will let you bring the bike to a stop in a confident manner. All the variants come with a combined braking system, but single-channel ABS in top variants would have been a great addition, at least as an option.

This Pulsar weighs only 131 kg, which is 15 kg lighter than the older Pulsar 125, and this is a remarkable achievement. The bike feels light, which makes it very easy to move in tight parking spots. Handling even at slow speeds feels manageable and easy to filter through city traffic, and even while cornering, it doesn't struggle and confidently holds the line. 

The new Bajaj Pulsar 125 goes up against TVS Raider 125, Hero Xtreme 125R and Honda SP 125, and our Pulsar 125 reviews cover how it performs in everyday riding.