![]() |
![]() Tressostar Red Cloth Bar Tape Box of Ten $60.99 Time Remaining: 15d 15h 13m Buy It Now for only: $60.99 |
![]() SAN MARCO LEATHER HANDLE Bar Tape PLUG SET COLOR RED NEW IN BOX $59.90 Time Remaining: 13d 15h 51m Buy It Now for only: $59.90 |
![]() SCAPIN HANDLE BAR TAPE RED $29.69 Time Remaining: 4d 13h 16m Buy It Now for only: $29.69 |
![]() Steel Road Bike Vintage Leather Handlebar Holes Bar Tape Wrap Wooden Plug Red $49.99 Time Remaining: 28d 15h 11m Buy It Now for only: $49.99 |
![]() SRAM Supercork Road Bike Handlebar Bar Grip Tape w Hoods Red $48.99 Time Remaining: 23d 21h 41m Buy It Now for only: $48.99 |
![]() Tressostar Red Cloth Bar Tape Box of Ten $41.99 Time Remaining: 24d 14h 11m Buy It Now for only: $41.99 |
![]() Tressostar Red Cloth Bar Tape Box of Ten $39.91 Time Remaining: 16d 9h 14m Buy It Now for only: $39.91 |
![]() Lizard Skins Red Black DSP Bar Tape $39.91 Time Remaining: 8d 10h 41m Buy It Now for only: $39.91 |
![]() FIZIK Padded DUAL Handle Bar Tape in BLACK and RED $32.42 Time Remaining: 13d 13h 8m Buy It Now for only: $32.42 |
![]() HANDLE BAR TAPE RED YELLOW $19.75 Time Remaining: 4d 13h 16m Buy It Now for only: $19.75 |
![]() Lizard Skins Red White DSP Bar Tape $36.00 Time Remaining: 20d 11h 45m Buy It Now for only: $36.00 |
![]() Lizard Skins Red Black DSP Bar Tape $36.00 Time Remaining: 20d 12h 56m Buy It Now for only: $36.00 |
![]() Lizard Skins Red White DSP Bar Tape $35.99 Time Remaining: 7d 1h 20m Buy It Now for only: $35.99 |
![]() Lizard Skins Red White DSP Bar Tape $40.00 Time Remaining: 17d 4h 55m Buy It Now for only: $40.00 |
![]() FIZIK Smooth Touch Handle Bar Tape RED New $28.16 Time Remaining: 14d 17h 50m Buy It Now for only: $28.16 |
![]() Lizard Skins Red DSP Bar Tape $34.20 Time Remaining: 20d 8h 50m Buy It Now for only: $34.20 |
![]() Lizard Skins Red 18 DSP Bar Tape $34.20 Time Remaining: 20d 10h 20m Buy It Now for only: $34.20 |
![]() SRAM Super Cork Handlebar Tape Brake Hood Set RED New $31.99 Time Remaining: 25d 13h 6m Buy It Now for only: $31.99 |
![]() SRAM SUPER CORK HANDLEBAR TAPE + HOODS RED $34.95 Time Remaining: 20d 9h 29m Buy It Now for only: $34.95 |
![]() Lizard Skins Red DSP Cycling Handlebar Grip Tape $34.93 Time Remaining: 23d 9h 47m Buy It Now for only: $34.93 |
![]() Lizard Skins Red 18 DSP Bar Tape $33.99 Time Remaining: 7d 1h 19m Buy It Now for only: $33.99 |
![]() HANDLE BAR TAPE RED WHITE BLUE $14.85 Time Remaining: 4d 13h 16m Buy It Now for only: $14.85 |
![]() COLNAGO PADDED CORK HANDLE BAR TAPE RED $24.25 Time Remaining: 23d 11h 46m Buy It Now for only: $24.25 |
![]() Lizard Skins White Red 25mm DSP Bar Tape for Fixie Road Bike $36.00 Time Remaining: 4d 7h 45m Buy It Now for only: $36.00 |
![]() Lizard Skins Black Red 25mm DSP Bar Tape for Fixie Road Bike $36.00 Time Remaining: 4d 8h 18m Buy It Now for only: $36.00 |
![]() Lizard Skins Black Red 25mm DSP Bar Tape for Fixie Road Bike $36.00 Time Remaining: 4d 13h 22m |
![]() Lizard Skins White Red 25mm DSP Bar Tape for Fixie Road Bike $36.00 Time Remaining: 4d 14h 29m |
![]() Lizard Skins Red DSP Bar Tape $33.99 Time Remaining: 7d 1h 19m Buy It Now for only: $33.99 |
![]() Lizard Skins DSP Race Bar Tape 25mm Thickness Red Wht $31.93 Time Remaining: 16d 9h 20m Buy It Now for only: $31.93 |
![]() DEDA Deluxe VENTED Handle Bar TAPE Leather look RED $24.25 Time Remaining: 22d 16h 16m Buy It Now for only: $24.25 |
![]() Lizard Skins Red DSP Bar Tape $35.00 Time Remaining: 1d 21h 28m Buy It Now for only: $35.00 |
![]() Lizard Skins Red 18 DSP Bar Tape $35.00 Time Remaining: 1d 22h 38m Buy It Now for only: $35.00 |
![]() NOS CINELLI MILANO PLUGS WITH CINELLY CORK HANDLEBAR TAPES YELLOW RED $21.95 Time Remaining: 11d 35m Buy It Now for only: $21.95 |
![]() NOS CINELLI MILANO PLUGS WITH CINELLY CORK HANDLEBAR TAPES RED YELLOW $21.95 Time Remaining: 11d 1h 2m Buy It Now for only: $21.95 |
![]() NOS CINELLI MILANO END PLUGS WITH SELEV CORK HANDLEBAR TAPES RED WHITE $21.95 Time Remaining: 11d 2h 55m Buy It Now for only: $21.95 |
![]() NOS CINELLI MILANO END PLUGS WITH SELEV CORK HANDLEBAR TAPES RED BLUE WHITE $21.95 Time Remaining: 11d 4h 36m Buy It Now for only: $21.95 |
![]() NOS CINELLI MILANO PLUGS WITH ISCASELLE SYNTHETIC LEATHER HANDLEBAR TAPES RED $21.95 Time Remaining: 12d 1h 5m Buy It Now for only: $21.95 |
![]() HANDLE BAR TAPE BBB Retro RED WHITE BLUE $9.90 Time Remaining: 4d 14h 13m Buy It Now for only: $9.90 |
![]() DEDA VENTED Handle Bar TAPE Soft PADDED Feel RED $22.27 Time Remaining: 22d 17h 29m Buy It Now for only: $22.27 |
![]() VELO Road Bike Handlebar Tape Black Red $33.99 Time Remaining: 22d 23h 1m Buy It Now for only: $33.99 |
![]() Lizard Skins White Red DSP Road Handlebar Bar Tape Set Pair Dual Multi Color $33.95 Time Remaining: 10d 9h 6m Buy It Now for only: $33.95 |
![]() SRAM Pit Stop Certified Super Cork Handle Bar Tape with Matching Sram Hoods RED $33.59 Time Remaining: 27d 4h 4m Buy It Now for only: $33.59 |
![]() NOS CINELLI MILANO END PLUGS WITH SPECIALIZED CORK HANDLEBAR TAPES RED $19.95 Time Remaining: 10d 2h 22m Buy It Now for only: $19.95 |
![]() TAPE PLUGS CINELLI GEL CORK RED $32.48 Time Remaining: 4h 3m Buy It Now for only: $32.48 |
![]() Sram Red Rival Force Road Bike Shift Brake Lever Hoods Tape Combo White $28.95 Time Remaining: 15d 8h 37m Buy It Now for only: $28.95 |
![]() Lizard Skins DSP Race Bar Tape 18mm Thickness Red $27.93 Time Remaining: 25d 18h 1m Buy It Now for only: $27.93 |
![]() Lizard Skins Red 25mm DSP Bar Tape for Fixie Road Bike $31.50 Time Remaining: 4d 5h 1m Buy It Now for only: $31.50 |
![]() Lizard Skins Red 18mm DSP Bar Tape for Fixie Road Bike $31.50 Time Remaining: 4d 8h 52m Buy It Now for only: $31.50 |
![]() Lizard Skins Red 18mm DSP Bar Tape for Fixie Road Bike $31.49 Time Remaining: 4d 12h 47m |
![]() Lizard Skins Red 25mm DSP Bar Tape for Fixie Road Bike $31.49 Time Remaining: 4d 13h |
![]() Sram Supercork Handlebar Tape With Hoods Red $31.49 Time Remaining: 22d 17h 10m Buy It Now for only: $31.49 |
![]() Lizard Skins DSP Road HandleBar Tape Red $28.99 Time Remaining: 1d 4h 55m Buy It Now for only: $28.99 |
![]() Lizard Skins DSP 25 Handlebar Tape Red White New $28.99 Time Remaining: 14d 55m Buy It Now for only: $28.99 |
![]() Sram Red Rival Force Road Bike Shift Brake Lever Hoods Tape Combo Red $28.00 Time Remaining: 9d 4h 58m Buy It Now for only: $28.00 |
![]() Fizik Microtex Road Bike Bar Tape Red Glossy $30.73 Time Remaining: 26d 18h 9m Buy It Now for only: $30.73 |
![]() Lizard Skins DSP 18 Handlebar Tape Red New $28.99 Time Remaining: 24d 22h 40m Buy It Now for only: $28.99 |
![]() Token PU Handlebar Bar Tape Road MTB Bicycle Carbon 200mm 90 grms Red New $24.99 Time Remaining: 14d 2h 44m Buy It Now for only: $24.99 |
![]() Token PU Handlebar Bar Tape TK1582 Road MTB Mountain Bike Red 91 grams New $24.99 Time Remaining: 18d 13h 24m Buy It Now for only: $24.99 |
![]() TAPE PLUGS SRAM SUPERSPORT RED $29.98 Time Remaining: 24d 5h 20m Buy It Now for only: $29.98 |
![]() Lizard Skins Red DSP 18 Road Handlebar Bar Tape Set Pair $29.95 Time Remaining: 14d 6h 9m Buy It Now for only: $29.95 |
![]() Lizard Skins DSP Bar Tape 25mm Dual Color Red White $29.69 Time Remaining: 18d 17h 10m Buy It Now for only: $29.69 |
![]() CINELLI GEL CORK ROAD BIKE HANDLEBAR TAPE RED $24.95 Time Remaining: 2d 7h 24m Buy It Now for only: $24.95 |
![]() SRAM BICYCLE BIKE RED BRAKE HOODS HANDLEBAR WRAP TAPE $28.85 Time Remaining: 27d 5h 22m Buy It Now for only: $28.85 |
![]() Lizard Skins DSP 25 Handlebar Tape Red New $26.99 Time Remaining: 9d 5h 35m Buy It Now for only: $26.99 |
![]() Zipp CX Handlebar Tape Red 12622 $24.00 Time Remaining: 23d 2h 10m Buy It Now for only: $24.00 |
![]() Bike Ribbon Eleganza tape Red Black $23.99 Time Remaining: 7d 1h 27m Buy It Now for only: $23.99 |
![]() Lizard Skins DSP BAR TAPE HANDLEBAR dual two mulit color White Red $28.14 Time Remaining: 1d 19h 39m Buy It Now for only: $28.14 |
![]() Bike Ribbon Eleganza Handlebar Road Tape New in Box Red Black $26.00 Time Remaining: 5d 5h 6m Buy It Now for only: $26.00 |
![]() Lizard Skins DSP BAR TAPE HANDLEBAR Black and Red $27.99 Time Remaining: 1d 19h 39m Buy It Now for only: $27.99 |
![]() Origin 8 Double Shot Handlebar Tape Red Black $24.99 Time Remaining: 9d 3h 31m Buy It Now for only: $24.99 |
![]() Bi King BH Road Bike Handlebar Tape Wrap White Red $22.99 Time Remaining: 20d 11h 23m Buy It Now for only: $22.99 |
![]() NEW DEDA ROAD BIKE CYCLE HANDLE BAR PADDED TAPE RED $27.97 Time Remaining: 23d 1h 26m Buy It Now for only: $27.97 |
![]() SRAM SuperSport Gel Bar Tape Red $23.91 Time Remaining: 10d 9h 12m Buy It Now for only: $23.91 |
![]() LIZARD SKINS DSP BAR TAPE ROAD BIKE HANDLEBAR RED WHITE NEW $19.87 Time Remaining: 12d 6h 8m Buy It Now for only: $19.87 |
![]() LIZARD SKINS DSP BAR TAPE 25mm THICKNESS RED $27.00 Time Remaining: 11d 7h 50m Buy It Now for only: $27.00 |
| Account limit of 2197 requests per hour exceeded. |
It started about a year back with the Bajaj XCD125 that aimed to change the face of entry level bike segment completely. Besides offering 100cc fuel efficiency, 125cc performance and 150cc features for the price of an executive 100cc bike, it also forced every other manufacturer to rethink strategies for this under-exploited segment that had always been looked at as a compromise between 100s and 150s.
The segment this year saw a lot of action with four launches so far, considering the revised Yamaha Gladiator and Bajaj Discover 135 along with the new TVS Flame and Honda CBF Stunner. The fifth comes in the form of Platina 125 from Bajaj.
Following the typical Bajaj approach of branching out variants of its already existing brands, the Platina gets a heart trans-plant from the XCD, making it the cheapest 125 you can buy in the market today. This also is a bit unexpected as the sporty silhouette of the XCD Sprint from the Auto Expo '08 is still fresh in the hack of my mind.
The bike's only distinguishing feature is the black theme that extends from the front forks and alloys to the engine and exhaust, lending the bike upmarket appeal. The slightly upswept, tapered exhaust immediately shows the XCD connection. The front fairing now houses two pilot lamps on either side, absent on the 100cc bike.
The rest of the bike remains the same and the graphics too are similar to its smaller engined sibling's. The Platina 125 also gets an electric starter as standard. The cycle parts too remain identical, the front telescopic forks and the SI shockers endowing it with a supple ride. The ergos are very commuter like, with the flat seat and tall handlebars accounting for an upright seating position that commuters will surely appreciate at the end of long haul days.
The Platina is pretty nimble in city traffic but is not really a fun tool beyond city limits. The front end doesn't feel planted at high speeds and there's not enough communication through the steering to boost confidence in its cornering abilities. Nevertheless, it stays a humble commuter for the tribe that spends hours rushing between their clients all over the city.
What sets it apart is the new engine. The 124.58cc DTS-Si (Digital Twin Spark-Swirl induction) mill has been lifted straight off the XCD and is in the same state of tune producing 9.6PS of power at 7000rpm and 10.7Nm of torque at 5000rpm. Sporting the swirl induction technology, the engine transforms the performance of the bike while keeping a check on the fuel efficiency.
The engine incorporates offset valves that impart a swirl motion to the air-fuel mixture entering the combustion chamber. This swirl generates turbulence while being compressed, leading to a more homogeneous mixture that results in better combustion. The two spark plugs are placed closer to the valves as opposed to the regular centre position to aid the cause and generate a more uniform flame front.
This not only helps extract better performance but also squeeze out more kilometres out of every drop of fuel. As per test figures, the bike takes 6.8 seconds for a 0-60 kmph dash while 8 comes in at 13.3 seconds, making it faster than 100cc bikes by a fair mar gin. The top speed I got was 91.6kmph. The engine feels very smooth and revs willingly without any vibrations. There is decent mid range to potter around the city but the top end is not very impressive.
The Platina 125 is not an out and our performer but an unstressed commuter that can ferry one briskly without fuss. The gears are well sorted and slot perfectly with a positive feel; I encountered no false neutrals during my stint on the bike. Fuel efficiency though is on par with the best among 100s.
The Platina delivered a staggering 77.9kmpl over a standard city circuit, at speeds in the region of 4 while the highway figure dropped down to 72 kmpl, testifying to its city-centric state of tune. The Platina 125 is priced at Rs.44,695, OTR, Pune, making it a most tempting proposition among the current crop of executive 100s, the Hero Honda Splendor NXG, Passion and the like. Standard alloy wheels and electric start spruce up its VFM quotient to the max. It costs about three grand less than the XCD 125 and is the Bajaj Auto weapon to slaughter the competition that the XCD missed in its course.
Visit http://BikeAdvice.in for latest news, reviews & photos of Indian bikes.












































































