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S. Muralidhar

AFTER much talk and hype about the world bike from Bajaj Auto, the motorcycle "breezily" entered the market early this month. Called Wind 125, to create the vision of speed and smoothness in the minds of bikers, this motorcycle has been designed and developed by Kawasaki of Japan — Bajaj's technical collaborator.

Bajaj Auto appears to have achieved two important milestones with the launch of the Wind 125. First, the company has taken another step towards expanding its partnership with Kawasaki. Till the launch of the Caliber 115, Kawasaki was largely in the background working jointly with Bajaj Auto on engine technology for the bikes.

Now, with the roll out of the Caliber and the new Wind 125, Kawasaki's contribution is increasing, as is its visibility on Bajaj's bikes. The decals on the Wind 125 and the chrome finished protection shield on the silencer scream Kawasaki, with just the Bajaj logo featured alongside.

Second, the Wind 125 will mark a new beginning for Bajaj's bike exports. Kawasaki has made the Wind 125 an exclusive world bike to be made by Bajaj in India for the domestic and export markets. Exports are being planned to countries such as the Philippines, Thailand, Brazil and Argentina. Bajaj Auto's Waluj plant has also been designated as the global hub of Kawasaki Heavy Industries for the latter's sub-250cc motorcycles.

The Wind 125 is one of the first in this cusp segment. Positioned between the 100cc commuter and the high-powered 150cc plus segments, the new bike is being advertised as offering the advantages of both these two extremes. Bajaj expects a large shift in buyer preference in favour of this segment in the long run. This is also Bajaj's first attempt at a four-stroke 125cc bike after its once popular (now discontinued) two-stroke KB125.

Wind 125 shares a number of its design features with the Caliber 115. In fact, walk into a Bajaj showroom and you may well walk past the Wind 125. Despite that fact, the new bike does look more refined and is better finished than the "Hoodibaaba". Only a closer inspection of the new bike reveals the difference that design inputs from Kawasaki has made to the new vehicle.

The 124.6cc mill in the Wind 125 is in the same basic mould as the Caliber 115, only another 13cc has been carved out. This enables the bike to generate a slightly higher 10.8 bhp of power compared to the predecessor's 9.5 bhp. Wind 125 also features a digital ignition system, a five-speed synchronised gearbox, a silent timing chain for lowering engine noise and a constant velocity carburettor for better throttle response.

Some of the differentiating features on the Wind 125 include a primary kick-start mechanism that allows the rider to start the bike even when any of the gear is engaged. While this may be a plus if your bike stalls in the middle of the road, it would still be safer starting the bike when it is in the neutral gear position.

Safety and comfort add-ons in the Wind 125 are a longer stroke "HydroDynamic" suspension, with the rear suspension continuing to be the five-step adjustable type. Brake options for the bike include a 240mm disc-brake and/or a 130mm drum brakes on the front and rear wheels.

The fuel tank is marginally smaller than the Caliber's and can hold 13 litres of petrol, including two litres in reserve.

The headlamp and fairing, which are larger on the Wind 125, and the central panel covering the battery area give a distinctive look to the new bike. The instrument cluster is sporty, though the asymmetrical positioning of the rev counter, fuel gauge and speedometer trio tends to distract attention.

On road prices for the Wind 125 range between Rs 49,000 for the drum brake option and Rs 51,000 plus for the disc brake option. Expect mileage in the region of 55-60 km per litre in the long run.

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