Bajaj Pulsar 125 vs Honda SP125: Detailed Comparison

Both the Bajaj Pulsar 125 and the Honda SP125, aren’t bikes that are talked about enough in the 125cc segment, for they’re not the most modern, feature-rich and aggressive looking bikes. Bajaj recently gave the Pulsar 125 a long-awaited update changing the way it looks, using a new engine, underpinnings and features. That said, both the bikes from Bajaj and Honda, respectively, sell in excellent numbers, showing that sometimes old-school is what sells as well. 

So here’s a detailed comparison between these 2 slightly underrated bikes and we hope it helps you decide which is the right one for you: 

Price & Variants

• After its recent update, the new Pulsar 125’s prices begin slightly above the SP125’s prices. While the difference isn’t nothing, it’s also not enough to be a dealbreaker. 

• The SP125 has 2 variants and that’s it, while the Pulsar 125’s lineup is spread over as many as 4 variants and there’s a good Rs 12,000 odd gap between the base and top variant. 

• While they’re stacked quite closely, if we had to pick one here, it’d be the SP125 thanks to its lower base variant price tag. 

Dimensions & Design

• Apart from width, the Pulsar 125 is the bigger bike in terms of dimensions in pretty much every way. 

• One thing that’ll immediately catch your attention is the fact that the Pulsar 125 is a lot heavier than the SP125, with the gap being upto 30kg. That’s a massive gap for two 125cc bikes and the Pulsar 125 will immediately feel like the heavier of the two, especially when you’re just pushing it around at standstill in the parking lot or in heavy traffic. 

• And that’s one of the things that makes the Pulsar 125 feel dated. In fact, it’s actually heavier than some much bigger bikes as well. 

• Design-wise, the Pulsar 125 is something that’ll appeal to hardcore Pulsar fanboys/fangirls. But it’s also a design that hasn’t been properly updated in quite a while and has started to feel its age now. 

• While the SP125 isn’t very modern-looking either, it still looks elegant enough for it to not feel aged. 

Features & Safety

• The Pulsar 125 seems to be like the more feature loaded bike of the two, especially with features like Google maps mirroring. That said, both bikes have an adequate list of features and none of the 2 will leave you wanting more especially in this segment. 

• On the whole, both bikes obviously don’t pack as many features as say the TVS Raider 125, but they’re not meant to either. They’re meant to be more simple 125cc bikes and for that, these many features sound fine. 

Engines

• The Pulsar makes a fair bit more power and at higher revs, and that’s indicative of the sort of engine it has. Its engine is the more rev-happy kind and when you wind it up, it feels quite satisfying and nice. 

• While it’s not extremely fast and doesn’t pack a lot of excitement, it’s definitely fun. 

• The SP125, on the other hand, is more about torque and ease of riding. There’s more punch at lower speeds than at higher speeds and the bike makes it clear that it prefers to be riding at a gentler pace. 

• The SP125 will therefore, also return a higher mileage figure than the Pulsar 125. 

Verdict 

Between these 2 simple 125cc bikes, it eventually boils down to what experience you’re looking for. If you’re a Pulsar fanboy/fangirl or want the Pulsar’s rev-happy engine, go for the Bajaj Pulsar 125, since the Honda SP125 won’t do it for you. 

But otherwise, the SP125 will feel like the smoother bike with bulletproof reliability and a better design, something that might appeal to more people. It’s also substantially lighter which means a lot more people in the family will be more comfortable to ride it. 

Rivals: 

Honda SP125 vs Hero Glamour X 125: Spec Comparison: The Hero Glamour X 125 has more features but the SP125 feels like the better purchase of the 2

Honda SP125 vs Hero Super Splendor Xtec 2.0: Spec Comparison: Want the Splendor tag? Get the Super Splendor. If not, you can get the SP125