Bajaj Discover 125 ST Review

Evolution is a fact of life and for the better part, it has always led to new and improved beginnings. When it comes to machines though, how the evolution turns out pretty much depends on the manufacturer. So when Bajaj announced the arrival of their new Discover ST, we were left guessing on what the next step for this popular commuter would be. The first glimpse pretty much got raised eyebrows from all of us. Bajaj, as usual, had got it right again. After the awesome new Pulsar 200NS, we didn’t think the company could do any wrong - and they have proved us right with the new Discover ST.

So why 125 ST when the Bajaj already had the Discover 100, 125 and 150? The Discover saga originated in 2004, and the bike was the first to move away from the ‘just a commuter’ tag in the 125 cc class. And Bajaj didn’t have to do much. A nice, sleek design complimented by a very peppy 125cc motor, the Discover was an immediate hit. The second generation of the Discover spawned 100cc and 150cc variants and gave the brand a good spread throughout the segments. The sports tourer, as they call it, is for those who commute long distances. Makes sense actually considering there are lots of people whose commutes involve in-city travel and highway jaunts as well. The ST then is pretty much the next generation Discover and it gives us a fair idea about what we can expect from Bajaj in the future.

 Designe:

While the first and second gen Discovers were more or less identical to look at, the new ST is on a different level altogether. The headlight and the front fairing are a nice blend of the old gen Pulsar and the new 200NS. The front mudguard has a nice chiselled look and adds a lot of character to the front of the bike. The newly designed tank has all the right curves, and it’s not just the aesthetics; the knee recesses accommodate the knees beautifully too, for a change. The centre panel is a silver piece of plastic which also incorporates the fuel cock and sports the “4-valves” moniker. This however is the only bit on the bike which does not really gel with the otherwise fantastic design.