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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.
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