Bajaj Freedom 125 CNG bike vs Honda Shine 125: Image Comparison

The recently-launched Bajaj Freedom 125 is the world’s first CNG motorcycle in India,The new bike goes up against commuter offerings in the 125cc segment like the Honda Shine 125. We have compared the top-end disc variant of the Shine 125 with the most affordable variant of the Bajaj Freedom 125, called the NG04 Drum variant. Here’s everything you need to know.

Design

When looking at the design, the Bajaj Freedom 125 CNG bike manages to stand out thanks to its rugged looks, with the oval shaped headlight, fork covers, and the braced handlebar. 

In comparison, the Honda Shine 125 looks a bit plain with its simple commuter design. There’s nothing much about the bike that stands out and the bike just goes unnoticed out in the streets. The Freedom 125, with its unconventional looks will surely get more attention.

Performance

When comparing the performance of both the bikes,, the Shine 125 has better figures on paper.. Its 123.94cc engine produces 10.74PS and 11Nm. On the other hand, the Freedom 125 with its 125cc, air-cooled engine only makes 9.5PS and 9.7Nm, which is 1.24PS and 1.3Nm less than what the Shine 125 offers. 

Bajaj claims that the Freedom 125 will be able to reduce the fuel costs by 50 percent thanks to the usage of CNG. But it’s yet uncertain how well riders from different parts of the country will be able to take advantage since  the CNG network in India isn’t fully developed and the CNG stations are not as widespread as petrol pumps. 

Underpinnings 

The Bajaj Freedom 125 has a suspension setup consisting of a  telescopic fork and a segment-first linked monoshock. The bike rolls on a 17-inch front and a 16-inch rear alloy wheel with an 80-section tyre. Braking duties are handled by a 130mm drum at the front and a 110-drum at the rear with combined braking system (CBS) for safety.

The Honda Shine on the other hand comes with a similar suspension setup, but it gets 17-inch alloys at both ends with 80-section tyres. Braking duties are handled by a 240mm disc at the front and a 130mm drum in the rear, with CBS. In terms of underpinnings, the Honda Shine wins as it offers better brakes.

Features 

Features wise, the base variant of the Freedom 125 gets an LCD console, but misses out on smartphone connectivity and related features.

The Shine 125 on the other hand, features an analogue instrument console which gives out all essential readouts such as speed, fuel level, trip meter and odometer readouts, and has no smartphone connectivity

Which one should you get?

When comparing the two bikes, it isn’t easy to say which one is better. Both have their own strengths. The Honda Shine 125 is a trusted bike and offers reliable performance.It’s also significantly more affordable, with the price tag of Rs.84,250 (ex-showroom Delhi). The Freedom 125 is a unique bike and comes with an unconventional design, which makes it stand out.

The bike you should get depends on your requirements. The Shine 125 is a good option if you are looking for a simple, no-nonsense bike that has proved itself to be the best-selling 125cc bike in India. . But if you are looking for something that’s a middle ground between a petrol-powered bike and EV, complete with the promise of relatively lower running costs compared to an equivalent petrol-powered bike, then the Bajaj Freedom 125 makes more sense.