List of 10 Best 125cc Bikes in India to Buy new one in 2024

The principal reason behind purchasing a motorbike is to cut down on commute time. In most large Indian cities, public transport tends to be extremely overcrowded. We have all heard stories of how people travel on the trains in Mumbai and the overcrowded Metro in Delhi.

In smaller cities, public transport is pretty much non-existent. As a result, you’re left at the mercy of private auto rickshaws or shared vans which tend to cram people in and only travel on specific routes.

A good 125cc bike, therefore, gives you the independence and flexibility that you need. Moreover, it is a fast, efficient, and cheap way of getting around whenever you wish. Now, add to that the sheer pleasure of the wind blowing through your hair. A good 125cc bike is not too heavy and yet packs enough power to get you wherever you want quickly.

In heavy traffic, a 125cc bike is your best friend as its slim enough to let you zip through the madness around you without having to get stuck. Besides, it consumes minimum fuel and gives you the best bang for your buck. Who needs a car when you can rule the roads like a king with your swanky new 125cc bike?

Now that you’ve made your decision, there must be a lot of confusion in your mind about what the best 125cc bike to purchase. Indeed, this is one segment with heavy competition and making an informed choice is hard work. Your friends might tell you one thing and the dealership might say something else. But don’t worry. We have done our research so that you don’t have to.

Here’s a list of the Best 125cc Bikes in India to buy in 2023:

KTM Duke 125

Main Specifications:

Honda CB Shine SP

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Read Customer Reviews: Honda CB Shine Review, Price In India & Customer Experiences

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The Honda CB Shine is possibly the highest selling 125cc motorbike in India. Indeed, this bike accounts for close to 50% of motorbike sales in India currently.

The revamped Honda CB Shine SP is an upgraded version of this bike with a few premium frills added to it. The look and feel aren’t much of an upgrade from the Honda CB Shine except for a few minor cosmetic changes. New graphics adorn areas like the fuel tank and the center-chassis which makes the Honda CB Shine SP look more “sporty” and elegant. Moreover, the handles of the bike too have been covered with a PVC-based material in order to improve the grip of the rider.

In addition, the all-analog display too has been upgraded and the fuel meter, as well as the odometer on the Honda CB Shine SP, are now all digital.

The one really positive addition to the Honda CB Shine SP is the new 5-speed gearbox. You can really feel the difference while driving on an empty road when you switch to the top gear. This pickup of the engine on this upgraded version too is pretty awesome. That said, one major drawback is that the bike’s pickup starts to lag and slow down after it reaches a speed of around 80 km.hr. While this wouldn’t be an issue for city roads, it’s a bit of a dampener for those taking their bike out on long weekend trips.

The other issue is significant especially for those that live in cities/towns that have harsh winters. The Honda CB Shine SP tends to give some trouble while cold starting and riders will need to use the choke often which is a massive inconvenience.

Overall, the new Honda CB Shine SP is quite an excellent bike and provides decent mileage along with a premium sleek look. That said, some of the hitches mentioned above could be a deal breaker for some riders.

Yamaha Saluto

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Read Customer Reviews: Yamaha Saluto Review, Price In India & Customer Experiences

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Yamaha launched the Saluto as yet another attempt to make a mark in the 125cc bikes in India segment. The fact that almost 50% of the market share in this category is held by the Honda CB Shine shows that Yamaha is fighting an uphill battle.

The design of the Yamaha Saluto shows that the company has invested a lot of effort into building it with high-quality materials. Even the paint on the bike feels resilient and has a premium finish. However, other than that, the design is fairly yawn-inducing. Indeed, for a new 125cc bike, the Yamaha Saluto doesn’t even feature any digital meters and prefers to stick to analog. That said, the brand new alloy wheels and the premium quality of the handle on the Saluto are a face saver.

The revamped engine on the Yamaha Saluto is definitely a big positive as it drastically improves the bike’s fuel efficiency. Built using the company’s proprietary BlueCore technology, the 125cc single cylinder engine on the Yamaha Saluto gives a mileage of almost 70kmpl under test conditions. The 4-speed gearbox, however, could be a bit of a downer for those that love to ride on highways and take long road trips. The other significant drawback is the lack of disc brakes which was expected on a motorbike that positions itself as a new competitor in the 125cc range.

Overall, the Yamaha Saluto is a decent bike that provides most of the standard features that you’d look for in a 125cc machine. However, with these features, it is doubtful whether it will really be able to displace the Honda CB Shine as the market leader.

Hero Glamour

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Launched first in Argentina, the Hero Glamour is one of India’s top-selling bikes in the 125cc category. With an entirely Made in India engine, the Hero Glamour is a BS-4 compliant bike in India.

With an LED tail light and all black split-spoke wheels, the Hero Glamour indeed looks super glamorous and sophisticated as its name suggests. Moreover, the all-digital gauges provide details including fuel efficiency and trip length and add to the sporty look of this bike. The higher price tag of the Honda Glamour is justified through some amazing frills such as tubeless tires and an automatic headlamp. The latter has, in fact, been made compulsory by law now.

The first minor drawback of the Hero Glamour is the pickup. When you accelerate the bike, you’ll feel the power growing gradually. Now, this isn’t necessarily a negative thing unless you’re used to the instant thrust and power of a standard 125cc bike. However, the Hero Glamour delivers a massive smoothness in the pickup as well as cruise when tested under highway-like conditions.

The fuel efficiency of the Hero Glamour is good but nothing out of this world. At around 60 km, it matches the mileage offered by its competitors. However, the one big positive thing is that the superior engine design means that you’ll get almost the same mileage even in city traffic conditions.

The Hero Glamour is a fantastic bike by itself and provides an extremely smooth and sophisticated experience for the rider. That said, the higher price tag might end up dissuading a lot of 125cc bike buyers who have cheaper and equally good options in the market.

Hero Super Splendor

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The revamped version of the Hero Super Splendor was launched around February 2017. It seems like the manufacturers while launching the bike, completely forgot about emission norms as the bike wasn’t BS-4 compliant during its launch. Thankfully, that issue has eventually been addressed.

The design of the Hero Super Splendor is plain vanilla with nothing worth writing home about. Its a standard bike design offered in the usual colors but there’s nothing that really sets it apart. For day to day use, however, the lack of an exciting design shouldn’t be much of a deal breaker. Moreover, as far as frills go, the Hero Super Splendor sports an all-analog display which is, yet again, a bit too outdated. The size of the chassis to is smaller compared to other bikes within this range. While this is of no consequence to a standard biker, it might be an issue if you have pillion riders regularly.

The other notable omission in the Hero Super Splendor is the lack of disc brakes. That said, the telescopic hydraulic shock suspension and the all-alloy wheels do compensate for that to a certain extent.

Overall speaking, the Hero Super Splendor is a decent commuter bike if you’re going to merely use it to get around the city/town. For biking enthusiasts and road trippers, however, the Hero Super Splendor doesn’t really offer anything special.

TVS Phoenix

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TVS has traditionally been associated with scooters and mopeds in India. With the TVS Phoenix, the company has attempted an entry into the 125cc range which, also, is the typical upgrade that customers who earlier used a scooter would go for. As a result, the captive market for this bike is quite banged on target.

The dashboard of the TVS Phoenix features a wide look which would remind you a bit of its moped models. The graphics and designs on this bike too are very youthful which will definitely appeal to the younger target audience that the TVS Phoenix is meant for. However, while the bike looks youthful, it cannot be called premium or sophisticated even by a long shot.

The one good thing about the TVS Phoenix is that it sports an all-digital gauge which looks nice and hi-tech. However, rather than provide digits, the speedometer features a bizarre bar graph which wouldn’t be too convenient to see especially when you’re riding at full throttle. The handlebars and switches are very ergonomically designed and are convenient to use for a rider. The all-chrome handle is also super sturdy and offers a superior grip. The TVS Phoenix also features disc brakes and alloy wheels which is a wonderful addition to a bike in the 125cc category.

The pickup to is rather excellent on the TVS Phoenix. However, road trippers will be disappointed by the fact that this bike barely managed a top speed of 90 km/hr. While this is more than adequate for urban conditions, its a bit of a drawback for those that routinely ride on highways or go long distance.

Overall, the TVS Phoenix is a decent commuter bike and is well suited for those that need to use it for their daily ride to work and back. However, that’s pretty much the most you can expect from this bike.

Bajaj Discover 125

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The Bajaj Discover 125 is a through and through commuter bike that is designed for riding on city streets. The design and specifications of this bike are totally tailored towards that end of the market.

From a design front, the Bajaj Discover 125 lays a lot of emphasis on its slim look and chassis. While that might be great for zipping around in city traffic, the design isn’t very comfortable and ergonomic for the rider especially if the bike is heavily used through the day. The shorter length of the bike, while making it manageable and maneuverable, is going to create a lot of pain for the pillion rider.

The other notable drawback on the Bajaj Discover 125 is the gas-charged shock absorbers on the back wheel. Expect to feel a lot of strong bumps especially considering that our city streets are a bonanza of potholes. Bajaj could really have made some effort on this front to make the ride smoother by improving the suspension. Moreover, this is NOT a bike meant for road trippers or highway riders. That’s because, with a top speed of merely 80 km or so, you aren’t really going to be able to take this bike long distance.

The one crowning glory, however, is the mileage on the Bajaj Discover 125. Even under city traffic conditions, this bike gives a mileage of a good 68 kmpl.

Overall, the Bajaj Discover 125 is a great value-for-money bike especially for city and urban commuters. That said, it leaves a lot to be desired especially when compared to its counterparts in the 125cc segment

Bajaj V12

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The Bajaj V12 captured the imagination of the country when the company declared that the bike is made from the metal salvaged out of Indian Navy’s iconic aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. Indeed, its a different level of emotional pleasure and pride to be an owner of something that contains such an important piece of our country’s history.

The Bajaj V12 is a 125cc variant of the 150cc Bajaj V15 and the design shows that a lot of elements have been replicated by the company with this bike. For an ordinary onlooker, it is extremely easy to mistake the Bajaj V12 for the Bajaj V15 since the chassis, design, graphics, and even the gauges are quite the same.

A couple of design tweaks really help position this bike better. One is the slimmer wheels which are perfect for zipping around through traffic on city streets and also provide a fantastic and smooth balance to the rider. The other design tweak is the larger exhaust which gives this bike a nice firing and sound. While it is obviously not a Royal Enfield, the roar of the engine on the Bajaj V12 sounds rather pleasing.

The one puzzling fact, though, is that despite a 5-speed gearbox, the Bajaj V12 offers a top speed of merely 80 km/ph. Now while this is almost adequate for city roads, its a huge drawback for long distance riders especially those who might assume that a 5-speed transmissions implies a higher maximum speed. That said, the engine runs extremely smoothly and the pick up on the Bajaj V12 is quite efficient and consistent.

Overall, the great design and specifications make the Bajaj V12 a decent 125cc bike for city commuters. That said, the low top speed will definitely be a reason to step back and re-evaluate especially for biking enthusiasts.

Conclusion:

Now that you’ve made your decision, make sure you purchase your 125cc bike from an authorized dealership only. This is particularly important because most company dealers dole out offers and discounts from time to time. If you’re taking a loan, make sure you read the fine print and every detail regarding your EMI to avoid any surprises later. Also, we would recommend learning some basics of servicing a 125cc bike so that you don’t need to visit a garage every time for minor repairs.

And most importantly: purchase a good quality helmet with a sturdy visor. It is mandatory by law and helmets save lakhs of lives every year around our country. With proper safety and good driving habits, you’ll now soon be on your way to conquering the roads on your brand new 125cc bike.

Happy riding!