Updated on May 15, 2021 - In this article, we have shared with you a detailed spec comparison of the Bajaj Pulsar 125 BS6 vs the Honda SP 125 BS6. Bajaj Auto has recently launched the new Pulsar NS 125 too in the Indian market, click HERE to know more about it.
Original Article - April 20, 2020; The 125cc commuter bike segment caters to people of different age groups. Be it a college-going guy or an office-going man or even an old-aged uncle, most of the people ride a 125cc motorcycle as they are adequately powerful for daily city usage, offer good fuel efficiency, are practical and budget-friendly too. The 125cc bike segment in India was always dominated by the Shine moniker but in 2019 Bajaj launched the Pulsar 125 and it became highly popular due to its sporty character. Following it, Honda launched the Honda SP 125 to attract young buyers in India and in this article, we will be doing a spec-based comparo of the Bajaj Pulsar 125 BS6 vs Honda SP 125 BS6. Do note that we have already done the Shine SP 125 vs the new Glamour 125 comparison here.
The Honda SP 125 BS6 is the new generation model of the bygone Shine SP 125 that dropped the Shine sobriquet in the BS6 era. The Honda SP 125 was the first BS6 motorcycle from Honda in the Indian market. Bajaj Pulsar 125, on the other hand, was launched in 2019 in Neon and Split Seat avatar and recently Bajaj has also updated the Pulsar 125 Neon with a BS6-compliant engine. So, lets take a close look at the spec-comparo of the sporty Bajaj Pulsar 125 BS6 vs the youthful Honda SP 125 BS6.
Bajaj Pulsar 125 BS6 vs Honda SP 125 BS6: Looks and Colour Options
The Bajaj Pulsar 125 Neon is a sporty looking motorcycle and despite having a low-displacement motor, it gives you the swag of owning a Pulsar. It borrows its cycle parts from the Pulsar 150 and looks-wise it is completely identical to the Pulsar 150 Neon. One can only differentiate between a Pulsar 125 Neon and a Pulsar 150 Neon by looking at the engine displacement badge or through colour shades. The Pulsar 125 Neon is available in three colour options - Neon Blue, Solar Red, and Platinum Silver.
The Honda SP 125 BS6 looks very youthful, thanks to its new all-LED angular headlamps, sharp tank extensions with dashing dual-tone body graphics. The looks of the bike are subjective but undeniably it is the SP 125 which looks fresher as the body design of the Pulsar has now started to feel dated. The SP 125 comes in four different colour shades Matte Axis Grey Metallic, Pearl Siren Blue, Imperial Red Metallic and Striking Green.
Pulsar 125 BS6 vs SP 125 BS6: Engine and Transmission
| Specification | Pulsar 125 BS6 | SP 125 BS6 |
| Engine | 124.4cc, single-cylinder, fuel-injected, DTS-i | 124cc, single-cylinder, fuel-injected |
| Max. Power | 12 PS at 7500 RPM | 11.03 PS at 7500 RPM |
| Max. Torque | 11 Nm at 6000 RPM | 10.9 Nm at 6000 RPM |
| Cooling System | air-cooled | air-cooled |
| Transmission | 5-speed | 5-speed |
| Emission Norm | BS6 | BS6 |
| Mileage | 55-60 kmpl (real world) | 60-65 kmpl (real world) |
Bajaj Pulsar 125 Neon is powered by a BS6-compliant 124.4cc single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that churns out 12 PS of power at 8500 RPM and 11 Nm of peak torque at 6500 RPM, mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. The Pulsar 125 also gets fuel-injection and Bajaj's patented DTS-i technology.
Honda SP 125 BS6 draws its power from an all-new 124cc, single-cylinder, fuel-injected engine that churns out 11.03 PS of power at 7500 RPM and 10.9 Nm of torque at 6000 RPM. It comes mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox and this new engine also features HET (Hondas Eco Technology) and gets a silent start system with ACG starter motor technology.
Pulsar 125 BS6 vs SP 125 BS6: Chassis and Suspension
| Specification | Pulsar 125 BS6 | SP 125 BS6 |
| Chassis | Single down-tube frame | Diamond Frame |
| Front Suspension | Telescopic Shock Absorbers | Telescopic Shock Absorbers |
| Rear Suspension | Nitrox Gas-charged Shock Absorbers | Hydraulic Shock Absorbers |
Both the motorcycles get telescopic front forks and at the rear SP 125 gets hydraulic shock absorbers while the Pulsar 125 gets Nitrox gas-charged units.
Pulsar 125 BS6 vs SP 125 BS6: Tyres and Brakes
| Specification | Pulsar 125 BS6 | SP 125 BS6 |
| Tyre Size | Front 80/100-17 Rear 100/90-17 | Front 80/100-18 Rear 80/100-18 |
| Tyre Type | tubeless | tubeless |
| Wheel type | alloy | alloy |
| Front Brake | disc/drum | disc/drum |
| Rear Brake | drum | drum |
| Additional safety aid | CBS | CBS |
At the front, both the Pulsar 125 as well as the SP 125 gets a disc/drum unit while at the rear both get a standard drum brake. As an additional safety aid, Pulsar 125 and SP 125 also get a Combined Braking System (CBS) which means that when we apply the rear brake, the front brake will also be automatically engaged.
Pulsar 125 BS6 vs SP 125 BS6: Dimensions and Capacity
| Specification | Pulsar 125 BS6 | SP 125 BS6 |
| Length | 2055 mm | 2020 mm |
| Width | 755 mm | 785 mm |
| Height | 1060 mm | 1103 mm |
| Seat Height | 790 mm | 790 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1320 mm | 1285 mm |
| Ground Clearance | 165 mm | 160 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 15 L | 11 L |
| Weight | 140 kgs | 123 kgs |
Pulsar 125 BS6 vs SP 125 BS6: Features
Bajaj Pulsar 125 gets a semi-analogue semi-digital cluster. It gets an analogue tachometer while all the other information are displayed in a digital format. Honda SP 125 also gets an all-digital instrument cluster loaded with a lot of information and it even gets a gear position indicator. Although the Pulsar's cluster layout is very old, it still looks fresh and gives you a sporty appeal while red-lining the engine.
Pulsar 125 BS6 vs SP 125 BS6: Price
| Price (Ex-showroom Delhi) | Pulsar 125 BS6 | SP 125 BS6 |
| Drum | Rs. 69,997 | Rs. 72,900 |
| Disc | Rs. 73,120 | Rs. 77,100 |
The Bajaj Pulsar 125 is priced at Rs. 69,997 for the drum brake variant and Rs. 73,120 for the disc brake variant, all prices Ex-showroom Delhi. Honda SP 125 is priced at Rs. 72,900 for the drum brake model and Rs. 77,100 for the disc brake model and all prices stick to Ex-showroom Delhi.
The Honda SP 125 gets a very attractive design, has more features, gets a smooth reliable engine and offers better mileage. Bajaj Pulsar 125 Neon, on the other hand, is a handsome-looking comfortable motorcycle with a powerful engine, peppy performance and is priced very aggressively and thus it emerges as a better value for money proposition.
So this was a quick specification-based comparo of the Bajaj Pulsar 125 BS6 vs Honda SP 125 BS6. Which one will you pick for yourself? Do share with us in the comments below.
