[libranof1987]

Bajaj Freedom 125 CNG Review

Bajaj Freedom 125 CNG Pros

• A concept that can possibly revolutionize the market! Rising popularity of e-commerce and bike taxis makes a big business case for a CNG bike
• Well-engineered product; not a half-baked afterthought. Nicely calibrated CNG system
• Well-kitted for the segment. Features include LED headlamp, alloy wheels with tubeless tyres, digital instrument cluster, connected features, etc.
• Simple yet modern design language that will blend well with a variety of demographics
• Very easy to ride in the city
• Comfortable ride; tackles average broken roads effortlessly

Bajaj Freedom 125 CNG Cons

• Highway performance is mediocre
• Missing safety features such as ABS
• Many Indian cities & towns don’t have CNG pumps. Queue for CNG can be long in metro cities
• Cost cutting in a few areas such as the buttons for the instrument cluster, indicators, etc.
• As a global first-of-a-kind product, long-term performance and reliability are unknown
• Priced at a premium of ~Rs. 15,000 to 30,000 compared to competitors in a very price-sensitive segment

Introduction

A CNG bike? Wait, what?! No one really flinched when CNG-powered autos, cars or commercial vehicles were launched. But a bike somehow, felt unusual. But the more you think of it, and now that you have a product out in reality, you realize that it isn't really so unnatural (pun entirely unintended) after all. The Freedom 125 is the first CNG bike in the world. And Bajaj has done a fairly good job with it - the bike feels and runs just like a petrol-powered motorcycle that we have been so used to until now.

The Bajaj Freedom 125 is a very well-engineered and packaged product. It's got contemporary styling that is a refreshing change from the plain Jane looks that entry-level motorcycles have typically sported, offers two fuel types that have been integrated seamlessly, and offers a sufficient set of features on the top variant. In essence, the Freedom 125 could attract buyers with very varying needs.

Bajaj Freedom 125 CNG Pricing

The Bajaj Freedom 125 motorcycle has been priced at Rs. 95,000 for the base variant, which gets halogen headlights and drum brakes. For an additional Rs. 10,000, the mid variant gets LED headlights, along with a few other changes. The top variant gets disc brakes at the front, along with Bluetooth connected features for a very modest premium of Rs. 5,000 over the mid variant.

The Freedom 125 could compete with a very wide, and diverse set of rivals, with scooters such as the Honda Activa on one end, and motorcycles such as the TVS Raider, Honda SP125, Bajaj Pulsar 125 on the other, with workhorses such as the Hero Splendor, Honda Shine and Bajaj Platina also throwing their hat in the ring. How does the Freedom 125 fare? Let's talk in greater detail ahead.

[libranof1987]

Design & Styling

The Bajaj Freedom 125 has been developed ground-up as a petrol + CNG bike. It gets an exposed Trellis frame, with a wheelbase of 1,340 mm and a ground clearance of 170 mm.

The Freedom 125 has been styled smartly with a contemporary design language, a welcome departure from most entry-level motorcycles that have sported the same design for decades together. Given that the CNG tank has been neatly tucked under the seat, the bike looks no different to petrol bikes. That said, having a smaller 2-litre petrol tank frees up some space right at the front, which the seat has promptly taken up.

Subtle design elements, such as the seat extended to the far front, a flat seat profile, and baggage hooks at the rear hint at the bike's capability to be a people + luggage mover.

The Freedom 125 gets an LED headlight on the mid and top variants, while indicators are halogen on all variants.

Build Quality, Fit & Finish

The Freedom 125 has been developed as a petrol + CNG bike right from scratch. It is not a bolt-on on an existing petrol bike, nor an afterthought in terms of how well the two fuel types have been integrated.

Despite being built to an aggressive cost, the bike has been put together remarkably well, and that is evident through a very tight fit and finish. All the fixtures and panels have top paint quality, and integrate seamlessly onto the frame. You won't find loose wires, squeaks, or any parts that have a lot of play in them.

Sure, there is evident cost rationalization (not cost cutting), be it in the MID (especially the selector button) or the halogen bulb-powered indicators, but that isn't very surprising given the segment that this bike is positioned in.

Features and Instrumentation

The Freedom 125 comes with a very modest list of features. While each of the three variants get an LCD screen for the MID, it is only the top variant that gets an inverted full LCD display (i.e. a white display on a dark background). The MID relays the typical set of information: date, odometer, speedometer, current gear, two trip meters with the average FE for each, as well as the standard information and warning signs. The mode (petrol / CNG) is prominently displayed on the top.

Unusually, while you can see the (CNG) fuel level and instantaneous FE when you're in the CNG mode, the MID only displays a rolling ticker that reads "On Petrol Mode" when you're using petrol. We were told that the petrol symbol on the top bar of the MID would start blinking when the petrol level reaches 0.5 litres to indicate low fuel.

The display on the MID changes as you switch between the CNG / petrol mode via a switch on the left stalk. But here's another unusual bit. This won't happen if the engine isn't running, or when it is, but idling. The MID will update to the selected fuel type only when there is a slight twist of the accelerator. This is intentional.

The top variant of the Freedom 125 also gets connected features that are controlled via the Bajaj app. While we didn't get to use these features, it supports call alerts with caller ID, missed call notification as well as battery level and signal strength.

The MID is fully digital, and the information display can be toggled using the button on the far left bottom.

The Freedom 125 has a USB-A port for charging devices tucked just below the MID. A USB-A port when almost every smartphone / computing device across the price spectrum, is migrating to USB-C may make it redundant pretty quickly.

Wheels & Tyres

The Freedom 125 is equipped with alloy wheels shod with tubeless tyres on all variants. While the base variant gets an 80/100 R16 profile tyre at the rear, the tyre on the mid and top variants is a 120/70 R16 unit. All the three variants gets a 90/80 R17 profile tyre at the front. Doing duty on the Freedom 125 are the TVS Eurogrip Durasprint tyres that are fairly common in the segment.

Ergonomics and Comfort

The Bajaj Freedom 125 offers a near-flat seat. Since the petrol tank capacity is only 2 litres, the seat extends from about half of the length of a conventional fuel tank to the tail end of the bike. A seat height of 825 mm offers a comfortable seating position that will allow riders of all heights to be able to firmly plant their feet on the ground. The low seat height, combined with the wide, flat handlebar make for a very easy riding posture. The seat cushion is soft and gentle on your derriere, so all in all, the Freedom 125 offers a pretty good seat in the house.

Fuel Tank Capacity & Range

The Freedom 125 gets a 2-litre petrol tank, and a 12.5-litre / 2 kg CNG tank that is placed under the seat. With a projected range of ~65 km/litre when running on petrol, and ~100 km/kg when on CNG, the Freedom 125 offers a range of ~330 km when both tanks are filled to the brim.

[libranof1987]

Riding the Bajaj Freedom 125 CNG

The Bajaj Freedom 125 gets a single-cylinder, four-stroke, air-cooled 124.58 cc engine. This engine produces 9.5 BHP @ 8,000 rpm 9.7 Nm @ 5,000 rpm. Complementing the engine is a 5-speed manual gearbox, in the standard 1-down-4-up shift pattern.

The Freedom 125's engine offers adequate performance. The bike is completely at home in the city, and you can putter around in the 2nd & 3rd gears all day. Keeping up with traffic is not difficult at all. You’ll be part of the crowd, not the fastest off the grid, but won’t lag behind.

On the highway, it stays true to its segment and you can find your place in the left lane, along with the rest of the commuter bikes and scooters.

While the engine runs without a breaking sweat most of the time it is only in a few scenarios like when riding with a pillion up a steep incline that you find the bike to be slower in the CNG mode compared to the petrol mode. In such a situation, switch to the petrol mode and that shortcoming is overcome in an instant. This is a known behaviour of CNG engines, so it's nothing out of the ordinary.

Toggling between the fuel modes in the Freedom 125 is very effortless and can be done instantly through the flick of the switch on the LHS switchgear. When switching from CNG to petrol, you will not notice any difference whatsoever. There's that milli-second lag when moving from petrol to CNG mode. Even that is so controlled that it doesn't really impact your ride experience.

One interesting tidbit: you cannot run the bike if it is completely out of petrol. The bike will automatically run on petrol mode at specific times each day, and if the petrol tank is empty, the engine will simply not crank. This has been done as a fail-safe to ensure someone isn't relying solely on CNG and gets stranded, given the thin CNG infrastructure in the country.

Gearshifts are smooth and have a typical feel to them that we are so used to on other Bajaj bikes. I did not experience any false shifts. It is fairly easy to identify gears, especially while downshifting.

Refinement & NVH

The engine of the Freedom 125 runs quite smooth and you don't feel a lot of vibrations coming in from the powertrain at the typical speeds one would expect to use this bike at. Once you fire up the bike, it is fairly evident that this isn't a typical petrol bike; the exhaust has a distinct bassy note. The exhaust note is marginally different in the petrol and CNG modes, with a typical CNG rattle that we have so often heard in CNG autos.

The engine is quite noisy and makes quite a racket! Much before you reach a considerable rpm/speed in each gear, the engine would be blaring at top volume.

Suspension and Handling

For the front, you get a telescopic fork suspension with 125 mm travel. The rear gets a link-monoshock system with 120 mm travel. We found the rear suspension to do a far better job at absorbing broken roads than the front. While the front suspension handles the average bad roads pretty well, but it struggles on anything more than the average pothole. You can hear the suspension squeak as the road conditions deteriorate.

With a kerb weight of 149 kg, the bike is extremely nimble to manoeuvre and can be ridden with tremendous ease. Given the seat height and handlebar position, you can navigate through congested city roads effortlessly.

Braking

The Freedom 125 comes with a 240 mm disc on the front brake for the top variant, while the base and mid variants get a 130 mm drum brake. The rear brake - a 110 mm drum and CBS are standard across all three variants. None of the variants get ABS or traction control.

Braking is adequate for the city. In the absence of ABS and traction control, we didn't really try out emergency or high speed braking.

[libranof1987]

Bajaj Freedom 125 CNG Images

The Freedom 125 comes in three variants. The key differences between them are the front brake (disc vs drum), headlamp (LED vs halogen) and connected features. We got the top variant (disc + LED as they call it) for the review.



The bike looks fairly well-proportioned. A headlight cover / visor could enhance the looks and make it look "larger":


Almost flat seat will make carrying luggage, or your extended family, quite comfortable and convenient:


Clear view of the front from the rider seat:


Slim front profile that extends quite linearly...


...onto the rear:


Seat extends well onto the sides of the tank. Wide and flat handlebar makes for a relaxed riding posture:


Top variant gets LED headlamp, but indicators are halogen bulbs. Note that the Freedom 125 gets the AHO (All-time Headlamp On) feature. Here are the (always on) low-beam and indicator in action:


With the high beam turned on:


Thankfully, the Freedom 125 gets powerful a LED headlight that does a good job of illuminating the road at night:


Tail-lamp also gets LEDs for the brake light, but the indicators get halogen bulbs:


MID is basic and shows date, odometer, gear position and speed. In CNG mode, it show the fuel level indicator for CNG as well as instantaneous FE:


You get two trip meters along with their respective average FE:


Surprisingly, the petrol mode doesn't show the fuel level or the instantaneous FE. Just a ticker that says "In Petrol Mode":


Top variant gets connected features that can be used through the Bajaj app. Features include call alerts with caller ID, missed call notification, along with displaying the battery level and signal strength:


Top bar of the MID displays the standard set of information and warning symbols for the headlight + high beam, indicators, neutral gear and the CNG / petrol mode. The MID also shows if the side stand is extended. Note that the bike will not start if the side stand is extended:


Additionally, you get individual sections for Bluetooth pairing, clock settings and warnings:


Overall quality of the MID is quite decent and the callouts are readable even in bright sunlight:


Front number plate is bolted onto the MID:


Under the MID is the USB-A port:


LHS switchgear gets the most important button - the toggle switch for choosing between the CNG / petrol mode. Along with this, you get the integrated switch for high beam / headlight flasher, indicator, horn, and a button to make a call:


RHS gets the lone ignition switch, with a conspicuous blank above:


17" alloy wheel at the front shod with a 90/80 section tyre:


16" alloy wheel at the rear shod with 120/70 profile tyre. All variants get TVS Eurogrip Durasprint tubeless tyres which are fairly common for this segment:


Top variant gets a 240 mm disc brake at the front, while the base and mid variants get a 130 mm drum brake:


Rear brake is a 110 mm drum CBS unit. This is standard across all three variants:


Telescopic fork suspension with 125 mm travel at the front:


Link-monoshock with 120 mm travel at the rear. Compared to the front, the rear suspension does a far better job on all types of road conditions, absorbing jerks effortlessly:


Brake oil indicator for the disc brake variant:


Seat is comfortable with abundant width and length. Notice how much forward it extends:


To remain compliant with RTO guidelines, the bike gets a saree guard with an integrated side step. Notice the baggage hooks on the sides - no surprises, given the potential target segment:


Conveniently placed foot pegs for the rider and pillion:


The Freedom 125 gets a dual gear level (front and back!):


The bike can be kick-started as well!


Small tank houses the fillers for both the CNG as well as petrol tank. Note the weight limit; again, a clear indication of the target segment:


CNG tank is located under the seat along with the battery and a space to store documents:


No additional storage space, there or under the seat:


Mirrors are wide enough and provide a sufficient view of the rear. They don't carry vibrations and offer a clear image:


Mid and top variants get a plastic + steel sump guard; the base variant gets one made of sheet metal. Also bolted on is the crash guard:


Main stand has been provided:


A simple, standard Key:


Interesting decal on both sides, just below the seat:

[libranof1987]

The CNG in the Bajaj Freedom 125

CNG tank has been integrated quite well under the seat:


That said, filling CNG is extremely simple and convenient. Pop open the fuel tank cover and you'll find the fillers for each of the two tanks placed side-by-side in the conventional position - on top of the tank:


Pop open the CNG nozzle cover:


PS: A pressure gauge for the CNG tank is provided at the front of the tank (just above the Bajaj logo) on the right, covered by a black rubber lid.

The attendant puts in the CNG dispenser:


When the indicator was at about the half way mark, the tank took in .38 kg of CNG, costing me a princely sum of Rs. 33.82!


Remove the dispenser and shove the nozzle back in firmly, and you're done!

The CNG re-fuelling procedure and apparatus (nozzle, cover) are the same as that on other CNG vehicles currently on sale, ensuring that there is no need for any re-tooling at the fuel pumps or re-skilling for the pump attendants:


It remains to be seen how fuel stations react to the demand for CNG from the Freedom 125 (and other potential CNG two-wheelers). CNG pumps are currently present predominantly in the urban areas and as of now, struggling to keep up with the exponentially rising number of the CNG autos, cars and commercial vehicles - not from a CNG supply perspective, but managing the queues. Hence, popularity of CNG bikes could present a logistical challenge for pumps.

Now, let's discuss the elephant in the room - how would the ownership of a CNG bike be?

The Bajaj Freedom 125 has been priced at Rs. 95,000 for the base variant, with the top variant at Rs. 1,10,000. This essentially means, the bike targets a really wide range of customers with varying purpose. For those that value the cost of running, the Freedom 125 can be rival the likes of the Honda Activa as well as the typical motorcycles used by e-commerce delivery riders such as Bajaj Platina, Hero Splendor, etc. At the same time, the contemporary styling, and overall good packaging could mean even those who are in the market for say, a Bajaj Pulsar or TVS Raider, wouldn't mind giving this bike a thought.



The Freedom 125 has a range of ~330 km, so that's about a day's running for the typical Zomato / Swiggy delivery boy. How would they look at having to queue up every day to get their fill of CNG? As we've seen at most CNG pumps, the lines run really long as an increasing number of vehicles are offering CNG as an option. While autos and commercial vehicles have long been running on CNG, a growing list of passenger vehicles is now being powered by the fuel. Bajaj acknowledges the current state of the CNG infrastructure in the country and has hence, planned a staggered approach to the launch of the bike.

The CNG pump I went to joked about how they might have to allot a dedicated dispenser for two-wheelers.

While those with a very high daily running might still value the cost savings over the inconvenience of daily CNG refuelling, most others might not want the same hassle. Additionally, would optics play a role? How would a college student feel about showing up on campus on a CNG motorcycle?

Now, let's talk economics.

Bajaj claims that the Freedom 125 could bring about ~50% savings in running costs compared to petrol-powered bikes. While the operating cost may indeed work out to a near about number, achieving break-even on the higher upfront cost may depend on several factors - average monthly running, interest (if the bike is purchased on a loan), benchmark vehicle (Platina / Shine vs Pulsar) and so on. In fact, there's a good chance that the bike could draw some customers considering an EV as well.

As a parting shot, here are the Bajaj twins, quite at home at the CNG pump! And the pump attendants are mighty pleased with yet another revenue stream:


Disclaimer: Bajaj invited Team-BHP for the Bajaj Freedom 125 test-ride. They covered the expenses for this riding event.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[BullettuPaandi]

Great review! Comprehensive and well-written.

I think cutting on digital display, connected features & providing ABS instead would've been rather sensible. ABS should be mandated for all motorcycles in my opinion; it doesn't make sense to mandate based on cc. Sadly, it is a fair assumption that most of the intended users of this bike would be riding even in rains, where most of us would pause for a tea break.

But, the bike as it is still offers so much value for the money and thoughtfully put together with long seat, luggage hooks & USB charger at the front, etc. Well done!

[Iyencar]

It is pretty unbelievable that the company which designed the hideous RS200 came up with this stunning design. I was completely disinterested in the bike when news first started trickling in. However, seeing how well it is engineered and designed has made me fall in love with it. Finally, I really doubt there is going to be any hassle of lines at the pump for this. It takes barely 3 minutes to tank up. Any pump will let you cut in line, for the novelty alone. If this really is a runaway hit there still aren't going to be enough numbers to clog a pump since there is no competition offering this. Worst case, they start a separate line which would still be faster. Take a bow Bajaj.

[para_7k]

Thank you for the excellent review as usual. You have rightly pointed out that this is a wholesome product and not something done in a hurry.

It shows how much our engineers have evolved over time. This is a testament to the already good Bajaj's engineering/design capabilities.

Could you also touch upon the CNG tank safety aspect ? There have been concerns and jokes/memes as well on how the tank could explode in the unfortunate event of a crash. There is still no convincing answer.

Bajaj has done enough tests but I am also interested to know Team BHP's take on this aspect.

[TusharK]

Bajaj Freedom 125 CNG motorcycle deliveries begin

Bajaj Auto has commenced deliveries of the world’s first CNG motorcycle, the Freedom 125. The first bike was delivered to Mr Pravin Thorat in Pune.



The Freedom 125 CNG was launched on July 5. Initially, the bike was available in Maharashtra and Gujarat. However, bookings are now open at all Bajaj dealerships across India. The bike is available in three variants, with prices starting at Rs 95,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi).

The Freedom 125 is equipped with a 2 kg CNG cylinder and a 2-litre petrol tank. Bajaj claims the bike can cover 102 km on a single kg of CNG and has a maximum range of 330 km.

The bike is powered by a 125cc, single-cylinder engine that produces 9.4 BHP and 9.7 Nm. CNG is said to reduce daily running costs by 50% and amounts to fuel savings of up to Rs 75,000 over 5 years, compared to a petrol-powered 125cc bike.

Link to Team-BHP News

[surjaonwheelz]

Originally Posted by libranof1987

The Bajaj Freedom 125 has been developed ground-up as a petrol + CNG bike. It gets an exposed Trellis frame, with a wheelbase of 1,340 mm and a ground clearance of 170 mm.

The Freedom 125 is equipped with alloy wheels shod with tubeless tyres on all variants. While the base variant gets an 80/100 R16 profile tyre at the rear, the tyre on the mid and top variants is a 120/70 R16 unit.

A seat height of 825 mm offers a comfortable seating position that will allow riders of all heights to be able to firmly plant their feet on the ground. The low seat height, combined with the wide, flat handlebar make for a very easy riding posture.

• The Trellis frame seems like an instant learning from the Bajaj-Triumph bikes, looks good though!
• 16" rear tyres are a rare species? I'm not sure which other bikes have such profile tyres. I thought 17" were the industry standard now.
• Isn't 825mm on the higher side? I assume the new Himalayan's seat height is 825mm. Do you have any pictures of you sitting on the bike? (You're tall)

Originally Posted by libranof1987

Now, let's discuss the elephant in the room - how would the ownership of a CNG bike be?

Subtle design elements, such as the seat extended to the far front, a flat seat profile, and baggage hooks at the rear hint at the bike's capability to be a people + luggage mover.

The Freedom 125 has a range of ~330 km, so that's about a day's running for the typical Zomato / Swiggy delivery boy. How would they look at having to queue up every day to get their fill of CNG?

The CNG pump I went to joked about how they might have to allot a dedicated dispenser for two-wheelers.

This machine/innovation seems ideal for the fleet owners but for Swiggy/Zomato we can see some Pulsar & Apache bikes also. It'll take some time to penetrate this space! Overall, I'm impressed with the option of a CNG bike available

Happy motorcycling,
surjaonwheelz

[horseblood]

My observations:

1) This was designed to be a global product from day 1, also validated by Bajaj's intention to export it to 6 counties already.

2) I see it as a cng bike with 2 litre reserve petrol tank, since one cannot implement reserve mode in cng.

3) It will majorly help in reducing vehicular pollution especially in congested old city areas & at red light stops.

4) Introduces many new technologies to the segment like trellis frame, link monoshock etc

5) Indian Urban commuter two wheeler segment (quite a mouthful ) will never be the same again.

6) Being a first generation product, design niggles are expected (eg flimsy tank cover hinge with no water repellent gasket). So I think waiting for the next update would be a good decision for potential buyers here.

Overall I think this is a pathbreaking moment in the Indian budget 2 wheeler industry, akin to a publication in 'Nature'!

Cheers!

[stewie]

It's wild that Bajaj has unwittingly made what seems to be a Grom look alike - atleast to my eyes.
This is one of the better designs that have come out lately and i'm flabbergasted it's for a budget commuter/delivery bike.

Bajaj should think about putting in their 400cc Triumph derived engine into this.
USD forks, discs all round, better wheels/tyres and this thing will be so sweet!

[microscopic]

Originally Posted by stewie

This is one of the better designs that have come out lately and i'm flabbergasted it's for a budget commuter/delivery bike.

You have just spoken out loud what I've been thinking since I saw this bike.

It looks really good for a commuter bike. The integration of CNG tank without any weird thing sticking out is top class. Kudos to Bajaj's engineers.

Fantastic review of the bike as well. Waiting to see some initial and long term ownership reviews before buying this bike.

[alpha1]

Originally Posted by libranof1987

The bike looks fairly well-proportioned. A headlight cover / visor could enhance the looks and make it look "larger":

Older cousin of the Honda Navi?