Dressed for disco, dances on the streets

For the past ten years, Bajaj has been dabbling with every sort of permutation and combination of features, power, engine size and mileage figures with the Discover family of motorcycles. For the customer, it is a bit exasperating to just sit and ‘discover’ between all the variants. Thankfully, it will be a lot easier on the customer now, because soon there will be just about two variants each in the three different engine-size differentiated segments. And sitting on top of this lineup are the new Discover 150 S and F variants – S being the standard variant, and the F stands for the faired version. Mechanically, the two are identical. The latter is also the one which we rode around town.

When Bajaj first launched a 150cc Discover, it looked like any other bike in the same family. There were almost no visible differences between the biggest and the smallest bike in the segment. But with an aggressive market, Bajaj has understood that differentiated styling across the price and engine segments plays a very important role in the customer’s decision-making process.

The 150S looks strikingly similar to the now-discontinued 125ST, with similar bikini fairing, analogue console and alloy wheels. But it’s the 150F that promises to stand out with its half-fairing (let’s face it, India loves faired bikes). The 150F looks quite good with a fuller front, and there are busy lines and decals all over the bike. However, the moment you peel your eyes away from the front-end, you realise that it’s the same slender profile the Discovers have always had. The faired variant comes with an analogue-digital mixed instrument console too.

However, we weren’t too impressed with the plastic build quality – they are finished well, but feel a bit light and there are bits of faux mesh on the sides that look and feel very flimsy.

Although the new Discover 150 twins cost less than the Honda Unicorn, the power figures pitch them right against the latter. The new Discover 150 comes with a reworked, 144.8cc DTS-i air-cooled single that manages to deliver a maximum of 14.5PS at 8,500 revs. The torque figure rivals the Honda’s, at 12.75 Nm, but kicks in later at 6,500 rpm (the Unicorn’s 12.75Nm comes in at 5,500rpm). This engine is mated to a 5-speed, all-up gearbox, which, by virtue of being fitted on to a commuter, has very short ratios.

Numbers aside, the Discover is a pretty decent bike to ride in the city. It feels peppy, has low-resistance, free flowing throttle response, and there’s ample power on tap at lower revs too, and gear changes are smooth. The NVH levels have been kept under control, and the bike feels quite smooth when you’re cruising at the 70kmph mark. The vibration starts creeping in as the needle climbs higher. The disc and drum combination offer good braking, although the travel on both the hand and foot operated brakes is a bit more than what you’d expect.

Nonetheless, the Discover 150 has a very comfy ride. The fairing leads you to believe that the bike may have a sporty character, but it isn’t so. It’s the same, sedate style of a Discover that the 150 twins also carry forward. The stance is upright, with a good reach for the handlebars, and the seat is long with big grab-rails at the end for the pillion. The saddle could have been a bit wider and softer.

The suspension setup, with a gas-charged Nitrox mono-shock at the rear and a pair of standard telescopic front shock-absorbers, does well to soak up potholes and at the same time doesn’t feel too spongy either.

The new Discover 150, as a platform is quite a good package in terms of riding comfort. The company claims a mileage of 72kmpl under test conditions, so we can realistically expect a healthy 50-55 kmpl at the very least. But then the question is, should you really go for the 150S or 150F after all? We’d recommend the 150S for those who’d like an upgrade (from a 100 or 110cc), but a commuter nonetheless, because of its simpler nature. The 150F is a good choice for those who want a bit of premiumness and stand-out styling.

The S variant starts at ₹52,030, and the F variant costs ₹59,034 (both prices are ex-showroom, Delhi). If, however, you just want refinement (for both engine and build quality), we’d say you’re better off with a Honda Unicorn.

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