The Bajaj Discover 150 ST gets a new platform and all the future Discover variants will be based on this bike. Unlike the old Discover, which had conservative looks, this one goes all muscular and sporty. Just a casual glance can help you notice the new alloy wheels, headlamp cluster, muscular fuel tank and the rear Monoshock suspension.

The new DTS-i engine is claimed to have better drivability and the usual technologies like “ExhausTec” and Twin Spark are present. A 5-speed gearbox provides good fuel economy while ensuring optimum power delivery. The new stiffer chassis claims to have lesser vibrations. The new “Petal Disk Brake” enhances safety.

Other features include electric start, LED tail lamp, new speedometer, new alloys and Nitrox Mono-Suspension that improves ride quality. The specifications are as follows :

Bajaj Discover 125 ST Image Slideshow

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Bajaj Discover 125 ST Video

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Bajaj Discover 125 ST Highlights

• First sports tourer in India based on the Discover platform
• New headlamp, fuel tank muscular
• Sporty nitrox mono suspension
• 125cc DTSI engine generating 13 PS
• Bajaj will dispatch this model to the showrooms in the second half of June

Stay tuned to IndianMotosBlog.com for more details!

The 500 acre factory will have an installed capacity of producing 5 million units annually. However, 60% of this production will be export oriented.

Apparently, Bajaj is not the only company to have plans for Gujarat. Tata has already begun production of the Nano in Sanand. In the recent past, four wheeled players like Ford and Maruti Suzuki have expressed interest in the state.

The move to shift from its steady base in Maharashtra was due to a fifteen month long dispute between the company and the Maharashtra State government, which has withheld Rs 1,100 crore in sales tax refunds.

Instead, the government has demanded Rs. 600 crore from the company for nonpayment of sales tax for the year 2009-10. The motorcycle giant will challenge the notice in the tribunal. In addition to the government’s erratic behavior, the acute labor problems at the Chakan plant seems to have forced the company to look at more proactive avenues.

Launched a few weeks ago, the 650cc Ninja took everyone by storm as it was priced lower than everyone expected. Keeping the 250R’ prices as framework, people expected the Ninja to touch 6 lakh rupees, but at 4.57 lakh rupees (Ex-showroom) it was a steal!

There’s such a demand for the locally assembled motorcycle that Bajaj has suspended bookings and will resume only during the festival season. Launched just a month ago in India, this 650cc sports stands in direct competition with another new entrant in the 650cc motorcycle category, the Hyosung GT650R.

If Bajaj stops taking orders, Hyosung will benefit from walk-ins of impatient buyers. The GT650R is comparable to the Ninja 650 in many respects (except for brand value) and proves as a tempting alternative.

The Ninja 650R is powered by a liquid-cooled, DOHC, four-valve, parallel twin 650cc engine married to a 6-speed transmission proving riders with brutal acceleration.

Another safety hazard is if it is dislodged from the mounting brackets at high speeds – a very realistic possibility as a local machine shop does not take vibration and air flow as design considerations while moulding it.

To eliminate these problems, Bajaj could be pondering over the idea of fully fairing the Pulsar at the showroom level. Last week at an exhibition in Indonesia, one Bajaj dealer exhibited a fully faired 220cc Pulsar.

The kit is available for existing customers. It is sold in three pieces – side fairing, engine cover and mud guard. It is light weight as it is constructed using fiber glass.

The kit will be sold in limited numbers and primarily was to gauge feedback from enthusiasts and existing customers. The report on tmcblog adds that it could be an official accessory on the market later this year. What goes to Indonesia, must travel from India. Perhaps the Indian customer will get it before overseas customers.

Source – TMCBlog.com

Motoroids is right when they say this bike will be high on snob value and style. Though it is simply a 200cc motorcycle with features you get on a Hero Honda, Bajaj or Yamaha, the styling of this bike along with its positioning means it won’t cost under one lakh rupees. In India, the KTM brand will be sandwiched between the bigger Pulsars and the Kawasaki Ninja brand bikes.

The next generation Pulsar will share common parts and possibly the entire platform with KTM bikes. While we are not sure what will funnel down into the next Pulsar, the powertrain is a good pick.

Head over to Motoroids.com to see more spyshots and understand its features.

Bajaj holds roughly 50% market share in the sports segment with the growth-driving Pulsar brand offered with 135, 150, 180 and 220cc displacement.

It will not stop offering motorcycles in the sports segment. Indian Motos Blog reported in March that Bajaj is coordinating with KTM to jointly develop platforms for both companies. We expect the next generation Pulsar and a smaller KTM motorcycle to share a common platform.

Expected in India is a bike along the lines of the KTM125 Duke

KTM says it is working on engines displacing up to 350cc for emerging markets, especially Asia, though no launch time-frame was divulged. These engines could be developed with Bajaj’ help as low cost sports bikes have tremendous potential in Asian countries.

It’s not like Bajaj is performing poorly in other segments. The Discover brand has been equally, if not more successful in garnering marketshare in the more important commuter segment.

After the introduction of the 100cc Discover, it is giving Hero Honda Splendor a tough fight for the best selling motorcycle in India, and perhaps the world. Bajaj expects to capture 30% of the total Indian motorcycle market by the end of this year with its Pulsar and Discover bikes.

Source – MyDigitalFC.com

Bajaj could introduce Pulsars displacing up to 400cc. What we could see first could be something around the 250cc capacity with four valves and liquid cooling, mono-shock rear suspension, dual disc brakes, etc.

We already reported that Bajaj and KTM are jointly developing platforms that will cater to both companies’ needs. We might not be surprised to see KTM engines on higher displacement Pulsars next year.

Note – Display image not connected with the story and purely is for representative purpose.

Bajaj sells 1.2 lakh units of the Discover every month. With the 125cc variant, they aim to boost it to 1.5 lakh units.

Bajaj’s 100cc and 150cc Discover variants have propelled volumes to unseen levels prompting this intermediate version. The 125cc variant is aimed at giving the commuter a balance of economy and power. The stylish Discover is strapped with a 124cc air-cooled 2 valve, SOHC four stroke DTSi engine that produces 11bhp and 10.8Nm.

An 8 liter fuel tank with 1.5 liters in reserve, alloy wheels and electric start is standard on the 125cc Discover and customers will have to choose between a variant that has front disc brake and one with drums.

Visually, not much has changed on the Discover 125cc. A black powder coated engine block and graphics with the “125″ monicker near the grab rail are the only notable additions.

The Discover 125 is priced at 45,500 rupees for the Drum brake model and 48,000 rupees for the Disc brake model (ex-showroom Delhi).

The reason for the operation is simple – economies of scale. The cost structure will be simplified and improved while the end user also benefits from it.

The joint development of both companies is a low capacity KTM Duke motorcycle scheduled for series production in April 2011 at Chakan.

Bajaj hopes to penetrate new markets dominated by Japanese companies like Australia, Brazil, Thailand and Malaysia using KTM’s assistance. This could be either providing its Pulsar and Discover bikes an established dealer network or develop or tweak motorcycles with KTM’s market know-how in some of these countries. Where KTM is not present, Kawasaki will do the job in those countries. For example in Philippines Bajaj motorcycles is distributed by Kawasaki.

Source – Moneycontrol.com