The Yamaha Saluto is the lightest motorcycle in its class, making it a peppy performer and comes with appreciable styling that will be liked by the masses.
One of the most important segments in the two-wheeler market, every bike maker is trying to gain presence in the 125cc segment owing to its popularity. The bikes here manage to provide decent performance, comfort, fuel efficiency and appreciable styling and hence make for excellent volume spinners for their respective manufacturers. While the more established players have been ruling the roost for quite some time now, Japanese auto giant Yamaha has come up with the Saluto 125cc executive motorcycle that adheres to the norms of the segment to gain a sizeable chunk against rivals.
But how does it fair against the competition? We do a quick a spec comparison to find out.
Dimensions – The Yamaha Saluto is the longest and the tallest motorcycle in the segment measuring 2035 mm and 1080 mm respectively while it is the Honda CB Shine that comes with the longest wheelbase at 1266 mm. This aids in better seating comfort with enough space to accommodate the rider and pillion. However, the Shine and TVS Phoenix also happen to be wider measuring 762 mm and 740 mm respectively, offering more space.
Engine – All the bikes share the same displacement capacity of 125cc, but it is how each of the bikes have been tuned that makes all the difference. The Bajaj Discover 125M is the most powerful bike here with 11.5 PS of power and 10.8 Nm of torque, whereas the lowest output comes from the new Yamaha Saluto churning out 8.3 PS of power and 10.1 Nm of torque. Second to the Discover is the TVS Phoenix that belts out 11 PS and 10.8 Nm of torque while the Hero Glamour produces 9.1 PS and 10.35 Nm of torque. All models come paired to a 4-speed gearbox.
Weight – While the Saluto is least powerful bike; it is also the lightest bike in the segment with a kerb weight of just 112 kgs, followed by the TVS Phoenix weighing 116 kgs, Bajaj Discover weighing 117 kgs and the Honda Shine weighing 118 kgs. The Glamour weighs the heaviest here with a weight of 129 kgs making it the slowest bike here. In terms of power-to-weight ratio, the Bajaj Discover offers impressive output while the Saluto too will make for a peppy commuter.
Mechanicals – Suspension duties are performed by telescopic forks at the front and dual shocks at the rear on all the bikes. In terms of braking performance, all the 125cc offerings come with the option of a front disc brake, save for the Saluto that gets drum brakes at the front and rear. Apart from the Bajaj Discover that runs on 17-inch alloys, all bikes in this comparison get 18-inch alloy wheels as standard.
Fuel Efficiency – While real world efficiency figures may vary, Yamaha India claims a fuel economy figure of 78 km/l on the Saluto which stands second to the highest claim made by the Hero Glamour that is said to return 81 km/l. The Discover comes third with a fuel efficiency claim of 76 km/l while the Phoenix returns 67 km/l. The CB Shine comes with the most reasonable efficiency claim of 65 km/l, also being the lowest in the segment. In real world conditions, expect all the bikes to give a mileage of 55-60 km/l easily.
Verdict – While the Yamaha Saluto comes with a very competitive price tag, it is also the least powered model in this comparison. In comparison, the Bajaj Discover 125M is almost Rs. 800/- cheaper and is the most powerful offering in the segment. Then there is the question of being proven and having high resale, this is where the CB Shine takes the cake home. Sure, Yamaha says the engine is based on the new FZ’s Blue Core motor making it long lasting but the Honda badge has a strong following in India. Nonetheless, with a strong price point, the Saluto has what it takes to build volumes for Yamaha India, even though it could have done better on certain grounds.
Further Reading –
Honda CB Shine vs Bajaj Discover 125M vs Hero Glamour
