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.
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
| Freedom Key Highlights | |
|---|---|
| Engine Capacity | 125 cc |
| Fuel Type | CNG |
| Riding Range | 330 km: 2 kg CNG – 200 km, 2 litres petrol – 130 km |
| Mileage | 91 kmpl |
| Transmission | 5 Speed Manual |
| Kerb Weight | 149 kg |
Bajaj CNG Bike Summary
Price: Bajaj Freedom price for its variant – Freedom Drum starts at Rs. 93,244. The price for the other variants – Freedom Drum LED and Freedom Disc LED are Rs. 1,03,229 and Rs. 1,10,055. The mentioned Freedom prices are the average ex-showroom.
Bajaj Freedom is a street bike available in 3 variants and 7 colours. The Bajaj Freedom is powered by 125cc BS6 engine which develops a power of 9.3 bhp and a torque of 9.7 Nm. With front disc and rear drum brakes, Bajaj Freedom comes up with combined braking system of both wheels. This Freedom bike weighs 149 kg and has a fuel tank capacity of 2 liters.
The Bajaj Freedom is not just India’s but the world’s first CNG motorcycle. It gets a petrol tank as well to augment its riding range and is poised to revolutionize economical commuting. The bike has been launched in three variants.
Starting with the design, it blends form and function quite seamlessly. You’ve got an LED headlight in the top two variants, dirt bike-style fuel tank, a long seat that Bajaj claims is the longest in the segment, and a sleek tail section. There’s a neatly integrated grab handle as well.
Under the bodywork, there’s a tubular trellis frame that’s suspended by a telescopic fork and a linked monoshock. This is the first bike in the segment to get a linked-type rear suspension. It rides on a 17-inch front and 16-inch rear wheel, while the braking duties are taken care of by a disc brake at the front and a drum brake at the rear. The base variant, however, has a drum brake at the front as well.
The Bajaj Freedom gets a 2kg CNG tank that’s been cleverly positioned in the central area of the bike. A 2.0-litre petrol tank is placed above and in front of the CNG tank, where you usually find fuel tanks in conventional motorcycles. Together they offer a claimed range of 330km. There is a common filler cap for both CNG and petrol and the rider can switch between the two fuels with the flick of a switch.
Powering the bike is a 125cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that produces 9.5bhp at 8,000rpm and 9.7Nm at 6,000rpm. The engine is linked to a five-speed gearbox.
In terms of features, you’ve got an LED headlight in the top two variants and a reverse LCD display with Bluetooth connectivity.
Best Bike in cng Segment