There is no doubt that these two homegrown commuter bikes are among the bestselling two-wheelers on the 125cc bandwagon. For that matter, both bikes boast to be under the top-five 125cc bikes in the country. The Pulsar 125 usually tops the chart.
Having said that, you can check out the list of Bajaj bikes so that you can choose one of their products based on their exact pricing and specifications.
It has been a long-time battle between these two homegrown offerings. As far as the rivals go, the Pulsar 125 and the Raider 125 go up against the Hero Glamour, Honda SP 125, and the Bajaj Pulsar NS 125, to name a few.
As for the Bajaj Pulsar 125, the company recently introduced a Carbon Fibre edition of it that gives a sportier look to the bike. In addition, it also received an option of single- and split-seat versions. The Pulsar 125 price is Rs 84,013, ex-showroom, Delhi. On the other hand, the Raider 125’s price starts from Rs 86,803, ex-showroom, Delhi.
Both are direct rivals, so let’s see how these two 125cc bikes stack up against each other.
Chassis and Engine
Like other mass-market commuter bikes, the Pulsar 125 and the Raider 125 have a similar frame. The Bajaj Pulsar 125 is structured on a single down tube frame, while the Raider 125 is built using a single cradle tubular frame. Both frames are cost-effective yet robust. They are also light in weight, and as a result, the ride quality becomes easy.
Moreover, the Raider 125 is lighter than the Bajaj Pulsar 125. The former has a kerb weight of 123kg, while the latter has a kerb weight of 142kg.
As far as the figures go, both are powered by a 125cc engine. The Bajaj Pulsar’s frame supports a 124.4cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine, which is tuned to churn out 11.64 bhp at 8500 rpm and 10.8 Nm of peak torque at 6500 rpm. It makes the rear wheel spin via a standard five-speed manual transmission.
On the other hand, the TVS Raider 125 is also powered by a 124.8cc, single-cylinder, air/oil-cooled engine, which is tuned to pump out 11.2 bhp at 7500 rpm and 11.2 Nm of peak torque at 6000 rpm. This bike also draws power from a standard five-speed manual transmission.
Check out the Raider 125 price here.
Comparing the figures, the Pulsar 125 is less powerful than the Raider 125. It might indicate better fuel efficiency as less power translates to better fuel efficiency, but you will have to consider the weight of the vehicle also. As mentioned earlier, the Pulsar 125 is a heavier bike than the Raider 125, so it should be safe to say that it might not be as fuel efficient as the Raider 125.
Having said that the 125cc iteration of the Bajaj Pulsar has a real-world mileage of 51 km/l, while, in contrast, the Raider 125 returns a real-world mileage of 56 km/l. Please note that these real-world mileage figures are as per the feedback from the owners of these two bikes. A bike, however, with a mileage hovering somewhere between 50 and 60 km/l is pretty impressive. In addition, the real-world mileage can vary with factors, such as engine and transmission combination, the local traffic conditions and individuals’ riding styles.
There are other TVS bikes as well that are fuel efficient in nature. That said, these two commuter bikes won’t make pinch your pockets, as far as running costs are concerned.
Brakes and Suspension Setups
Let’s begin with the suspension setups of these two bikes. The Bajaj Pulsar 125 has a telescopic fork at the front and a twin gas shock absorber at the rear. On the flip side, the Raider 125 also stands on a telescopic fork at the front but comes with a five-step adjustable, gas-charged monoshock suspension at the rear.
Both the suspension setups are similar in nature but the only thing that gives an edge to the TVS Raider 125 is the presence of a five-step adjustable suspension. With an adjustable suspension, the ride can manually tune the suspension either to a soft side or a stiff side.
However, these homegrown bikes are usually engineered by keeping the conditions of Indian roads in mind. But, given the TVS Raider’s price, which is nearly identical to the Pulsar 125, it has impressive offerings.
Besides that, the braking duties are taken care of by drum brakes or disc-drum brakes, depending upon the variant chosen. In addition, as you may be aware, a bike with disc brake(s) will offer a superior braking performance than the conventional drum brakes. It can decrease the chances of getting the ride into a mishap, as disc brake(s) do their best to stop the vehicle at the earliest.
Features
Both bikes boast a long list of new-age features. Please note that the features listed here belong to the top-most variant of these two bikes. The top-most variant of the Pulsar 125 comprises a semi-digital instrument cluster, which digitally shows readings of the odometer, speedometer, and clock. Further, at the Bajaj Pulsar 125 price, especially of the top-most variant, you would also get a gear shift light, a halogen headlight, a killswitch, and split grab rails.
In contrast, the TVS Raider 125 boasts a fully-digital instrument cluster, which digitally shows readings of an odometer, speedometer, clock and tachometer. Moreover, the top-most variant is equipped with mobile app connectivity, under-seat storage, LED DRLs, an LED headlight, a USB port and GPS and navigation. This bike is also equipped with ride modes and a top-speed recorder.
For added safety, both bikes have a combined braking system (CBS), which is also called synchronized braking technology (SBT). This feature can prevent the bike from skidding or making a stoppie on emergency brakings.
Prices and Variants
The Chakan-based manufacturer sells the Pulsar 125 in three variants: Neon Single Seat, Carbon Fiber Single Seat and Carbon Fiber Split Seat.
In parallel, the TVS Raider 125 has four variants: Drum, Single Seat, Disc, and SmartXConnect.
The starting price of the Bajaj Pulsar 125 is Rs 84,013, which goes up to Rs 93,638. On the other hand, the TVS Raider 125’s price starts at Rs 86,803 and it goes up to Rs 1 lakh.
All are ex-showroom prices in Delhi, as of August 2023. Please note that these prices are subject to change without any prior notice to the customer. You can, however, visit the autoX website to access the latest location-based price list for your dream vehicle. For more, visit our website or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. So, stay tuned!
