Text – Mohit Soni; Pictures – Om Vaikul
2014 Bajaj Discover 125M Review
Bike Tested: 2014 Bajaj Discover 125M
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 54,780/- (Disc), 52,690 (Drum)
The Discover 125M is here to make its presence felt in the competitive 125cc segment with its usual VFM proposition.
The Bajaj Discover needs no introduction. Ever since the original Discover came out, which was a Pulsar beneath, it has become an entry level product or let’s say an even more affordable and slightly less powerful Pulsar for the masses. Years down the line, the Discover has evolved three times and in its third avatar it has taken over the urban market by storm and is still trying to impress the rural market. The older Discover had 2-valve engines which were quite efficient and affordable machines. The new Discover which looks substantial, also packs a lot more punch and a lot more value for your money. The new Discover family has also been broken down into segments which is ST, T and M. The T and ST are slightly more powerful and give more goodies. The M variants are devoid of goodies but still pack in all the practicality features which the other expensive models have. Bajaj claims that the 100M is the best selling 100cc bike in the country today and is penetrating very fast and hard everywhere, be it rural or urban. The Bajaj Discover 125M is on the same platform and offers value to displacement conscious consumers out there. Can it get the success of its younger sibling? We test ride the new Discoer 125M to find out how much MORE can it deliver.
Motor Quest: The first ever Bajaj Discover was launched with a 125cc engine in 2004 but was later discontinued. The 125cc Discover made a comeback in 2011 and the 125M replaces the standard Discover in the Bajaj commuter range.
In every angle the Discover looks substantial, the new color and paint job is excellent
Styling – The Bajaj Discover 125M looks exactly like any other from M/T/ST range of Discovers. Everything has been carried over from the last and latest Discover 100M. The chunky looking chain guard is obvious, the silencer is longer and looks sleeker while the head and tail lights remain the same. The panels are now body painted and come with graphics on it. The colour reminds me of mentioning the excellent paint job of Bajaj bikes as always. Fit-finish is also of the highest order. The new silver colour with graphic combo is a complete attention grabber. This was the first time I was asked questions by other motorists about the Discover, which rarely happened while testing other Discovers. Y-spoke alloy wheels as any other Discover are here to add visual drama. The dominant tank makes the motorcycle look swell in the eyes of a commuter and projects an image of being a more substantial motorcycle than it actually is.
Loads of things skipped over the higher spec models, essentials do exist though
Instrument Cluster and Switch Gear – Since this is the M platform of the Discover, the cluster is carried forward from the 100M. So there are a few things omitted here. The chrome rings that surround both meters, battery warning indicator and yellow markings around the speedometer have disappeared. The analog trip meter with reset button also has been dismissed like in the 100M. Solitary side indicators, DRL-ish Bajaj logo and high beam indicators are here. Switchgear is the same and the important pass light switch stays.
Upright riding position with a wide and long seat base for rider and pillion comfort
Ergonomics – The seating position of the Bajaj Discover 100M is upright. The footrests are not rear set, which means they are positioned towards the front but not entirely front set either. The narrow yet wide handlebar gives the rider confidence for tackling city traffic with utmost comfort. The rear view mirrors give an excellent view of what is behind. The seat cushioning is excellent as always and is wide and long too, offering comfort to the pillion and the rider for long distance rides.
Peppy engine feels refined and coupled to a smooth shifting gearbox
Performance – Powering the Discover 125M is the detuned version of the engine which is found in the 125T. The under-square 124.6cc engine packs 4-valves, DTS-i technology which ends up producing 11.5 BHP of power at 8000 RPM and 10.8 Nm of torque at 6000 RPM. The torque is the same as the 125T but power is down by 1 BHP. The engine is detuned with the help of revised cam, valve and ignition timing. The engine is smooth and refined, being vibration free till you reach the redline, where you will find some amount of vibrations which is minutely intrusive. The mill has very good low and mid-end punch. The engine refinement, when compared to the 125ST, is slightly ahead with good NVH overall. All this is possible thanks to lower power output from the same displacement motor.
Right blend of performance and driveability. Loads of low and mid-end torque
Twist the wrist and despite being in top gear, the Discover 125M will pull strongly up to 90 km/hr from any given speed. Looks like all M variants will come with a 4-speed gearbox and so does this 125M. The gearbox offers smooth shifts with a short throw shifter but the clutch isn’t very well calibrated. The top speed is 5 km/hr less than the 125T which was 105 km/hr. We managed to hit 100 km/hr but it did take quite some time. Despite the de-tuning, the performance is not affected. The Discover 125M feels as sprightly as the 125ST due to a considerable weight loss of 7 kgs. Sure it does not have the top speed but the 4-speed short-geared transmission makes things (dare I say) “even more easier” than the 125ST.
Dynamics – The platforms are divided into two now. T/ST platform is #1 and M platform is #2. All M platform bikes (dimensions are the same as the 100M) have same dimensions and have engines from elder siblings which are de-tuned and then plonked into them. This being the 125M, has shorter dimensions than the T/ST variants. Weight has been reduced by 7 kgs. When it comes to dynamics, everything feels like the 100M. The shorter wheelbase and compact dimensions aid in agility while offering a good ride quality. The Discover 125M feels very planted at high speeds and takes sweepers with authority.
Stable at high speeds and while taking long sweepers, ride quality is excellent too
The right balance of handling and manoeuvrability has been achieved on the new series of Discovers bikes. Tyres are also much better than the 100M but they do screech loud when abused heavily which a regular commuter rarely does. Braking has also been improved at the front with more initial bite than the 100M (thanks to the optional petal disc), but still not as sharp as performance bikes which is surprisingly the demand of the customer in this segment. Rear brakes are more prominently used in these bikes and it performs very well.
The Discover 125M plays the value game like always, it’s a complete package
Verdict – Value, value, value. Bajaj plays the value for money game like no other. The Discover 125M ticks all the boxes. The motorcycle packs more performance than the competition, has similar or slightly more fuel efficiency than rivals and looks far more substantial and less boring among its peers. Fuel efficiency reminds me that Bajaj Auto is the only manufacturer (as of date) who is not only providing ARAI or internal test mileage figures but also real world mileage numbers. For example, for the Discover 125M, Bajaj claims a 60-65 km/l on-road mileage while the test says 70+ km/l. As a company, Bajaj has played the right role but the product needs to deliver even more. Fuss free ownership remains the only Achilles heel for the Discover brand to reach newer heights.
We always believe that the Bajaj Discover is the modern commuter everybody needs but will a country which is bound by age old traditions accept it completely? Only time will tell if the 125M strikes the right chord with buyers.
Too many Discover variants can cause confusion in the minds of prospective buyers
What’s Cool
* A commuter bike which doesn’t look boring
* Value for money
What’s Not So Cool
* Yet another Discover variant
The Discover 125M is a good looking, well performing and attractively priced commuter
Bajaj Discover 125M Specifications
* Engine: 125cc, SOHC, Air-Cooled, 4-valve, 4-stroke
* Power: 11.5 PS @ 8000 RPM
* Torque: 10.8 Nm @ 6000 RPM
* Transmission: 4-speed manual
* Top Speed: 100 km/hr
* Fuel Consumption: 60 km/l (City), 70 km/l (Highway)
* Fuel Type: Petrol
* Frame Type: Semi-Double Cradle Frame
* Suspension: Telescopic Fork (Front), Nitrox Dual Sided (Rear)
* Tyres: 2.75/17 (Front), 3.00/17 (Rear)
* Brakes: 200 mm disc (Front), 130 mm drum (Rear)
* Headlamp: HS1 35/35W
Bajaj Discover 100M Dimensions
* Length x Width x Height: 1986 mm x 678 mm x 1044 mm
* Wheelbase: 1255 mm
* Seat Height: 795 mm
* Ground Clearance: 165 mm
* Fuel Tank Capacity: 9.5-litres
* Kerb weight: 118 kgs