Bajaj Pulsar N125 vs TVS Raider 125: Finding Our Commute King

Commuters love motorcycles that are easy to ride, pinch the pockets less for maintenance and look attractive other than being affordable. Hence, the likes of the TVR Raider 125 and the Hero Xtreme 125R have captured everyone's attention over a short span of their time.

These 125cc segment motorcycles have prioritised styling and advanced features while keeping hold of the usual traits like ride comfort, fuel efficency and drivability. Bajaj also has two offerings in this segment but both of them are on two extreme ends: the Pulsar NS125 is too sporty whereas the Pulsar 125 is too commuter-centric.  

That's where the new Pulsar N125 comes in. The middle-child in a lineup of extremes!

The Pulsar N125 in its base LED Disc variant costs INR 94,707 (ex-showroom) whereas the LED Disc variant with Bluetooth connectivity costs INR 98,707 (ex-showroom). The prices are lucrative but they also venture into the territory of the popular TVS Raider 125. 

The TVS Raider offers a great blend of performance and features while delivering impressive fuel economy. This makes it a compelling alternative to the Bajaj Pulsar N125.

Quite a dilemma? That’s where we come in. Our Bajaj Pulsar N125 vs TVS Raider 125 comparison will put these two lightweight motorcycles in the ring and find out the better pick of the two. Strap on your helmets and get ready for a in-depth ride. 

Note: Our comparison is based on the official specifications and features published by the respective brands. We are yet to test these motorcycles in the real-world. 

Also Read: Bajaj Freedom 125 CNG vs TVS Raider

Design

Although both these motorcycles are commuters, they look sportier than their conventional (and more affordable) rivals like the Honda Shine 125 and Hero Super Splendor.

The TVS Raider 125 settles for a street naked design that achieves a fine balance of sportiness and flamboyance. The bug-eyed LED DRLs, the flashy colourways and the aggressive aero elements on the tank balance out the rather conventional rear end. The Pulsar N125’s design, on the other hand, seems inspired by ADVs. It looks like Bajaj designers are taking design cues from their siblings at KTM. Looks are subjective though and both motorcycles will surely turn eyes. 

At 180mm, the TVS Raider's ground clearance is adequate for most 'Indian' speed breakers and potholes. The seat height of 780mm makes the TVS Raider an ideal machine for short riders.

On the other hand, the Pulsar N125 has a higher ground clearance of 200mm which makes it capable to handle the nastiest speed breakers and monsoon-messed tarmac. With a seat height of 795mm, the motorcycle is fairly accessible to most riders above 5’ 5”. 

Performance

In terms of performance, the Bajaj Pulsar N125 has a 124.58cc single-cylinder engine that produces 12hp at 8,500 RPM and 11Nm of torque at 6,000 RPM. So if you love pushing the engine to the redline, the Pulsar is certianly the better motorcycle to be on.

On the other hand, the TVS Raider 125 makes 11.38hp at 7,500 RPM and 11.2Nm of torque at 6,000 RPM. In our opinion, it is more suitable for calm riders because the peak performance can be obtained a good thousand RPMs earlier than the Pulsar N125 power arc.

Both motorcycles achieve peak torque at 6,000 RPM, which means they are equally matched when it comes to city riding. The TVS Raider has a 0.2Nm edge on paper but we do not believe that will make any significant difference in the real world.

Both motorcycles have a five-speed gearbox, which is standard in this segment. 

You also get 17-inch alloy wheels on both these motorcycles. These 17-inch wheels offer good ride quality and easy manoeuvrability. They have 80/100-17 tyres on the front whereas on the rear end, the Pulsar has a 110/80-17 tyre and the Raider has a 110/90-17 tyre. 

Both these machines have telescopic forks at the front and a mono-shock setup at the rear to handle the suspension duties. The braking department sees 240mm discs at the front and 130mm drums at the rear. It is worth noting that the TVS Raider offers drum brakes on both ends in its base variant whereas the base Pulsar N125 comes with a front disc brake as standard.

Features 

Both motorcycles are comparable in terms of features. The Raider 125 and Pulsar N125 are equipped with LED headlights, taillamps and DRLs, digital instrumentation and Bluetooth connectivity as standard. However, the top-end variant of the TVS Raider gets a pretty colour screen which is missing on the Bajaj Pulsar N125.

 So if you want your motorcycle to feature premium instrumentation, the TVS Raider is best for you because it offers, turn-by-turn navigation, call handling and much more. The Pulsar N125 loses out in this aspect.

Safety 

Both these motorcycles are equipped with combined braking systems but miss out on ABS.

We believe that ABS is very important for all motorcycles in India and should be prioritised over fancy digital instrumentation and connectivity features. It is time that brands start offering ABS as a standard safety feature on 125cc motorcycles. 

Conclusion

The TVS Raider 125 starts at INR 1,02,207 (ex-showroom price) and goes up to INR 1,26,477 (ex-showroom price) for the top-end variant. This is significantly higher than the Pulsar N125’s price of INR 94,707 (ex-showroom).

Although both motorcycles are largely similar in nature, it is the Bajaj Pulsar N125 that offers a better proposition with a fine balance of performance and features. The pricing ends up being the cherry on top. The Raider 125, however, is better equipped and more accessible motorcycle to live with.