Bajaj Freedom CNG 125 Review: India’s 1st indigenous Hybrid?

August 22, 2024 0 By The Editor

Bajaj Freedom CNG 125 – “The Launch Story”

Freedom to live better with unmatched savings in fuel costs:

The Bajaj Freedom CNG 125 motorcycle offers ~50%* cost savings by significantly reducing fuel expenses, as compared to similar petrol motorcycles. The CNG tank provides a range of 200+ km on just 2 kg of CNG fuel. Additionally, it has a 2-liter petrol tank which performs as a range extender, offering over 130 km of range in case the CNG tank empties, ensuring an uninterrupted journey.

Freedom to Go Green:

CNG combustion produces approximately 26.7% less CO2 emissions than petrol, contributing to mitigating climate change. Additionally, CNG vehicles emit 85% lower NMHC’s (non-methane hydrocarbons) and 43% less NOx (nitrogen oxide).

Bajaj Freedom CNG 125 – Comfort, Safety and Convenience Features

The challenge posed in creating a CNG motorcycle is the packaging, given the compact nature of motorcycles compared to cars. The Bajaj Freedom CNG Motorcycle has an integrated CNG tank and kit housed securely in a trellis frame, with proven safety through rigorous testing. A horizontally inclined engine and a Link-Mono shock system optimize space and provide a stable ride. The design features a friendly saddle height of 825mm and a narrow mid-section for easy ground contact. Despite the CNG tank, smart weight-saving measures maintain a similar center of gravity to petrol motorcycles, ensuring neutral handling and rider confidence. The mono-linked type suspension offers better wheel travel and comfort, making the motorcycle suitable for various riding conditions.

Bajaj Auto has been a pioneer in innovation with a legacy of reliable and time-tested products, that have gone on to become category definers. From introducing India’s first sports motorcycle, the Pulsar, 25 years ago, India’s first CNG 3-wheeler Bajaj RE around the same time, to being among the first to launch electric scooters in the country with the Chetak. Bajaj Pulsar is now being exported to over 50 countries and is a market leader in 20+ countries. In its 75-year history, Bajaj has been democratizing motorcycle technology, making advanced features accessible to everyone, and this commitment continues with the launch of Freedom.

Bajaj Freedom CNG 125 – Highlights

Bajaj Freedom lowers operating costs by up to 50% when compared to similar ICE motorcycles.
It has dual-fuel capability with an auxiliary petrol tank of 2 L, giving a combined range of 330 kms*.
First-in-category mono-linked type suspensions, and a long, comfortable quilted seat.
The Bajaj Freedom comes fitted with LED headlamps, digital speedometers, and Bluetooth Connectivity.
The CNG tank is compactly packed in a trellis chassis for maximum safety.

Bajaj Freedom CNG 125 – Youth Speak: Pavit Chabra’s 1st Ride Experience

Yes you read that right, the worlds first CNG bike. It boasts a 125cc engine, a tall and broad stature and an extremely long seat to obviously house the 2 kg CNG tank .100 kilometers per kilo of CNG is whats claimed by Bajaj, along with a backup 2L of petrol and a mileage of 65kmpl. The bike has a petrol reserve tank for a cng and yes it definitely baffled the world and riddled up some questions.

The bike comes equipped with Bluetooth connectivity, a USB A socket to charge up your phone and on the handlebar, is a special switch, probably only for this one bike in the world, a petrol and CNG toggle switch that can be used to toggle between the 2 different fuels. The bike comes in a variety of colours starting from a bright blue all the way to a nice sleek looking black and a gray as well.

The ride was fun, extremely comfortable, even on rough patches and as a pillion as well. The riding posture is comfortable and upright credit to the wide handlebars. A gear counter, digital display, charging port and what does this bike offer again? CNG? and a combined range of about 330 Kilometers? All for under 1 lakh in our country, ex showroom but still more efficient than anything else in its category.

Bajaj Freedom CNG 125 – Sleeper Scrambler? Design Decoded..

With a 1st in class trellis frame and all terrain tyres, the Freedom CNG shares its likeness to its swedish cousin. Staying with the times, the compact HUD and LED DRL setup give the Freedom a scrambler like appeal. Adding form to functionality is the upswept exhaust and underbelly exhaust. Complementing these elements is the comfortable quilted seat which is not only aesthetically but in reality is rather functional. Suffice to say, with the 2 bolts strategically placed front facing we have reason to believe that a flyscreen could be offered as optional accessories amongst others.

Bajaj Freedom CNG 125 – 1st ride Experience: The premise and route

This year we were invited to join Gems Bajaj for their 1st ever breakfast ride within the city limits. The short route took us through a mix of riding experiences –

Peak holiday city traffic
Narrow bylanes
Broken road patches
State highway

Bajaj Freedom CNG 125 – 1st ride Experience

Yes, like any other commuter this 125cc motorcycle breezes through the meanderings of urban chaos and hold its own on highways too! Where it actually shone was its handling prowess dodging broken patches and off-road paths. Just like any other adventure / offroad motorcycle the Bajaj Freedom CNG 125 is agile and flickable. Even toggling between petrol and CNG is seamless. Yes, there is a noticeable difference in the exhaust note in each mode. For its compact form factor the Bajaj Freedom CNG 125 has an adequately wide handlebar for easy handling.

The telescopic suspension coupled with the rear mono suspension offer optimal comfort. Adding to the convenience are the 4 loops strategically placed for those travel enthusiasts intending to bungee cord their luggage for the maiden road trip during the upcoming holidays. The all terrain tyres aren’t just a pattern, they offer that much needed functionality to go with in terms of grip and agility. Yes, we greatly missed that engine cut-off switch in the stop and go traffic conditions. We are hopeful that Bajaj Auto offers a hotfix update and closes the loop on this wholesome package.