Hero Xtreme 125R vs Bajaj Pulsar N125: When Commuting Needs To Be Fun

The TVS Raider 125 reignited the passion for 125cc motorcycles in the country that offer more than just a basic commuter experience. The formula worked, especially in the post-COVID-19 era when motorcyclists were open to spending more on their machines. TVS’ rivals, however, wanted a share of the market and after Hero Motocorp’s Xtreme 125R took the market by storm, Bajaj decided to employ its Pulsar sub-brand to salvage what’s left. 

Therefore, say hello to the Bajaj Pulsar N125. 

Before you scratch your heads, the N125 expands Bajaj’s 125c lineup in the performance-centric segment. Bajaj already sells the Pulsar NS125 and the Pulsar 125 in the affordable end of the market – the former is aimed at enthusiasts whereas the latter is solely meant to pamper commuters. A gap exists between these two and that’s where the new N125 slots in. 

The Pulsar N125 brings a dash of adventure bike-inspired styling and youthful performance to make daily commuters happy. But the same can be said for the Hero Xtreme 125R.

So which one should you choose as your next commuter? That’s what we are going to find out in our Hero Xtreme 125R vs Bajaj Pulsar N125 comparison. 

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

Hero Xtreme 125R vs Bajaj Pulsar N125

Design

Design is the name of the game in the 125cc commuter segment these days. While the Raider 125 played it safe with a rather conventional styling, both Hero and Bajaj have hit it out of the park with their offerings. 

The Hero Xtreme 125R goes for the highly sought after ‘big bike’ look with its sleek headlight unit, aerodynamic wing extensions on the tank and a sports bike inspired rear tail section. The alloy wheels look proportionate to the dimensions of the motorcycle and the cleverly designed saree guard makes the rear section look meaty. Whether you configure it in a stealthy black paint scheme or the vibrant red-silver combo, the Xtreme 125R sets the bar quite high for the competition. 

The Pulsar N125, on the other hand, ventures into the polarising category – you either like it or loathe it. Ditching the hunkered-down look of the N150 and N160, the N125 takes copious amounts of inspiration from the modern-day adventure tourer motorcycles. Don’t be fooled by the high-set design as the seat height is set at an accessible 795 mm, which is on par with the Xtreme 125R’s 794 mm seat height. The flashy graphics and the bold colours make up for the lack of heft in the tail section, which is further accentuated by skinny tyres. 

Although the design of a motorcycle is a highly subjective matter, we prefer the Hero Xtreme 125R’s proportionate and flamboyant design over the Pulsar N125’s skinny persona. 

Our pick: Hero Xtreme 125R

Features

Hero and Bajaj are neck-to-neck when it comes onboard goodies. The Xtreme 125R and Pulsar N125 bring flaunt negative LCD instrument clusters, which is quickly becoming a norm in the segment. However, the Hero Xtreme 125R goes an extra mile with its USB-C charging port, which makes it compatible with most modern-day smartphone models; the Pulsar N125 sticks to the good-old USB-A charging port. 

Both motorcycles also feature Bluetooth connectivity to empower smart features like notifications for calls, text messages and mobile notifications. You might either find these useful or entirely useless but it’s always nice to have additional features. 

Our pick: Tie

Safety

It seems that Bajaj has skipped the most crucial modern safety feature in the interest of an accessible starting price. The Pulsar N125 gets a disc brake at the front but misses out on ABS. Baja sticks to the conventional Combined Braking System (CBS) but it does nothing to prevent a lock-up in the event of an emergency. Hero’s Xtreme 125R also sticks to a disc/drum brake configuration but the top-end variant offers an optional single-channel ABS.

While a single-channel ABS system isn’t a failsafe solution, it still allows the rider to rely on the safer front brake more, without the fear of locking the wheels in an emergency situation. 

Our pick: Hero Xtreme 125R

Performance

On paper, the marginal differences between the engine performance mapping of both the motorcycles may tend to align preferences towards the Pulsar N125. The 124.5cc air-cooled single cylinder engine makes its peak power of 11.38bhp at 8.500 RPM and 11Nm of torque at 6,000 RPM. 

The Xtreme 125R, on the other hand, makes its peak power of 11.4bhp at a slightly lower 8,250 RPM. The peak torque of 10.5Nm is available at 6,000 RPM. 

In the real world though, both machines offer comparable performances and you won’t have an edge with either of these motorcycles. Riders will need to keep the power band at higher revs to get a move on. 

Our pick: Tie

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Price and value

Bajaj’s trump card is pricing and the Pulsar N125 benefits out of it. The base variant of the Pulsar with disc brakes will set you back by INR 94,707 whereas the Bluetooth variant makes it pricier by INR 98,707.

The Hero Xtreme 125R starts at INR 95,000 for the base variant without ABS and goes up to INR 99,500 for the version with single-channel ABS.

In a segment where every Rupee counts, the Pulsar N125 gets more favours from the average consumer in this category. However, the value quotient is higher with the top-end variant of the Hero Xtreme 125R’s top variant. 

Our pick: Tie

Hero Xtreme 125R vs Bajaj Pulsar N125: Conclusion

Our choice: Hero Xtreme 125R

The Bajaj Pulsar N125 spices up the busy 125cc category with its youthful design and a peppy engine. The Pulsar brand in itself might be enough for many households to consider this motorcycle over anything else, with Bajaj’s elaborate service network being the cherry on top. 

However, the Hero Xtreme 125R offers a polished package for motorcyclists who seek a fine balance of premium styling, a tractable engine and Hero’s reliable service network. The added layer of safety with single channel ABS on its top variant makes it a safer bet on India’s congested roads. The extra you pay for the Xtreme 125R will ensure a better long-term stint with over the roads. 

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