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Posted on: Jun 22 2007

BAJAJ DISCOVER 112

It?s all in the game, er... name. When the Bajaj Discover 125 invaded the executive segment a year and a half ago, it was perceived to be a smaller Pulsar, sporting the same DTS-i tech. Rather than revel in this perception, the Discover created a niche for itself as it offered more features than any other offering in its segment, and that too at a lower price tag.

The buyer had lot of options to pick from too, like a front fairing, electric start, disc brakes and alloy wheels. The round headlamp version even got close to 100cc bikes on the pricing front.
The one thing that kept buyers skeptical however was the better Fuel Efficiency offered by the 100cc bikes, especially its own sibling the CT 100. And with the advent of deluxe versions of these entry-level bikes, the buyers got both brilliant fuel economy as well as features and styling offered by 125cc machines. One of the reasons why the 125cc segment has failed to take off as it was hoped to.

Discover though is a household name today. And with Bajaj having failed hitherto to make significant inroads in the executive segment, it seems logical to take an established brand name like the Discover and move lower in the class, than start from scratch. Which in turn, would generate good volumes.

Engine & Transmission:
With medical advances today a heart from a defunct body can be transplanted into a needy body to give it a fresh lease life. The Discover you see here seems to have been just discharged after a successful heart transplant; and the new ?heart? appears to have adapted nicely to the new body. This tried and tested engine that carried the ?Hoodibaba? tag line, has been detuned to produce 8.51ps of power at 7500rpm instead of 9.6ps at 8000rpm in its earlier avatar. The torque developed is 9.37Nm at 4500rpm instead of 9.12Nm that the Caliber made at 6500rpm, endowing the bike with better zip. The engine having been tuned for the low and mid range Performance, coupled with Exhaustec makes this bike extremely rideable in traffic infested conditions.

Though the engine sports similar dimensions for bore and stroke, it now runs a lower compression ratio of 9.0:1.Bajaj has also gone in for a Keihin PB-16 carburettor here as on the CT 100 instead of the PB-20 used for the Caliber 115. The 4-speed gearbox is a new affair with revised gear ratios as well as a different final drive, which harnesses the engine?s new found torque characteristic optimally. It?s also among the better gearboxes from Bajaj.

Style & Build :
The Discover is a handsomely styled bike which stands out in the 125cc segment, while rivals the Fazer and Victor continue to evoke mixed response. Now when the Discover genes are transplanted into the 100cc-110cc segment it blitzes out all competition. Even in the 100cc executive bike segment the likes of the Splendor and Passion seem pre-historic in comparison.
The accolades won by Discover on the styling front say it all. As one would expect, this isn?t the stripped down variant but sports exactly the same clothes and accessories that adorn the 125 DTSi version.

The two sport identical body graphics too. You get five-spoke alloys as standard besides the rear wheel hugger, making it the only bike in the segment to sport these premiums. Switchgear is the standard unit found on all Bajaj bikes from the CT 100 to Avenger. It also retains the ?ride control? switch which acts as a throttle limiter by making the twist slightly heavier beyond a certain limit to spotlight speeds to achieve the best Fuel Efficiency at. Fit and finish is good all round though quality of materials could be better, especially the handlebar grips which leave you with chafed palms on winter mornings.

The twin pod instrument cluster is carried over as well complete with the tripmeter, further emphasising the ?no stripping? policy that Bajaj has adopted for this bike.

Performance :
Being conceived as a commuter bike nothing much is expected from the Discover on Performance stakes. But having said that, the time of 8.89 seconds for the 0-60kmph sprint, and a top speed of 84.5kmph is better than some and on par with the rest in its segment. It?s a strong motor this and it shows in the 30-70kmph roll-on times with the Discover taking 10.55s in third and 14.40s in fourth gear respectively.On the retardation front, it took 2.35 seconds and 20.20 metres to come to a standstill from 60kmph, the 130mm drums at both front and rear working well.

Fuel Efficiency:
This is the one attribute that decides fates of vehicles in the executive segment. We managed to squeeze out 62km to a litre during our city runs while the best we got out on the highway was 73kmpl. The worst she returned was 55kmpl after some spirited riding. Bajaj?s claimed figures of 101kmpl are only possible if you are a Hogwart?s graduate and invoke black magic.

Verdict:
Visually the Discover is stunning. And it is mouth-wateringly tempting not just in its segment but also the neighbouring ones, thanks to the value it packages in for the price. The Performance and Fuel Efficiency figures for instance, would satisfy most buyers in this segment, not to mention its ride and handling. Add to it alloy wheels, besides smaller details like the tripmeter and it spells value for money all the way.We believe Bajaj has a winner in the Discover 112, one that can finally break the company?s executive segment jinx.
source:indiabike.com