Bajaj Freedom 125: Features Explained

If you found petrol-powered two-wheelers to be too expensive to run and electric two-wheelers to be too costly to buy, then the Bajaj Freedom 125 is an ideal middle ground that Bajaj has introduced. This is because it is powered by CNG, which is cheaper than petrol. 

Billed as the world's first CNG-powered motorcycle, it's aimed squarely at daily commuters and delivery riders looking to minimise their fuel costs. There are three variants of Bajaj Freedom 125 to choose from: NG04 Drum (Rs 91,566), NG04 Drum LED (Rs 1,04,117), and NG04 Disc LED (Rs 1,11,604, all prices ex-showroom Delhi). The bike offers a claimed mileage of 65kmpl in petrol mode, and 102km per kg of CNG. Here’s a quick breakdown of all its features:

Convenience Features

Built around daily commuting, the Bajaj Freedom 125 packs several practical features into its design. A handlebar-mounted switch lets riders flip between CNG and petrol instantly, so a missing CNG station never leaves them stranded. But note that the petrol tank is only meant for emergency purposes, as it can hold only 2 litres of fuel. 

Connectivity comes via a fully digital Bluetooth speedometer; it shows call alerts with caller ID, missed call notifications, and phone battery status. That said, this and the LED headlight are exclusive to the mid and top variants. The console also has a gear position indicator, clock, and dual tripmeters in the mid and top-end variants. 

The base variant gets a basic digital console with a speedometer, fuel mode, CNG fuel gauge, odometer, and other tell-tale lights. Bajaj states the 2kg CNG tank fills in under a minute at any of the 7,000-plus stations across India. All variants get an idle stop-start system that helps in conserving fuel when the bike idles in traffic for a few minutes. The system shuts off the engine, and a pull of the clutch lever starts it back up. This is ideal on roads where there’s a lot of stop-go traffic.

Safety Features

Bajaj has built several safety measures into the CNG system. A protective Trellis frame houses the cylinder, shielding it from impact and adding structural rigidity. The cylinder is also PESO-certified, meaning the Petroleum & Explosives Safety Organization has cleared it, and this is a mandatory certification for equipment that holds hazardous materials (including CNG).

Bajaj also ran the full CNG kit through frontal, rear, and side collision tests, and even a truck run-over test, and the tank is safe in these assessments too. The bike only gets CBS, even in the top-end front disc variant. We’d have liked it if Bajaj offered a single-channel ABS in that variant as it would’ve improved braking performance and overall safety even more. 

BikeDekho Says

Our reviewers have found the Bajaj Freedom 125 to be very impressive for a first mass-market CNG motorcycle, praising its smooth engine and low running costs. But this is a given only if you have good access to CNG filling stations. 

All in all, the feature set is decent enough for a bike of its class, although we’d have liked it better if it came with ABS in the top variant. That said, even without ABS, the disc variant is still better than the drum ones, and this is what I’d recommend if you were to buy one. Besides, Bajaj Freedom 125 comes in five colour choices to suit your taste and preference.