Bajaj Auto has launched the world’s first petrol-CNG motorcycle, named the Bajaj Freedom 125. Designed to cut daily expenses for the commuter segment, the Freedom 125 is available in three variants and five colours. Initially, it will go on sale in Maharashtra and Gujarat, before being rolled out across the rest of the country. Prices for the motorcycle range from Rs 95,000 to Rs 1.10 lakh (ex-showroom).
The heart of the Bajaj Freedom lies in its powertrain, with the centrepiece being an ingeniously integrated 2kg CNG cylinder positioned beneath the seat within the bike’s trellis frame. Additionally, a 2-litre auxiliary petrol tank is located just forward of the seat. During the launch, Bajaj disclosed conducting 11 tests on the Freedom, encompassing impact and truck-runover scenarios, with the CNG tank proving resilient in all trials.
The 125 cc, single-cylinder engine delivers a power output of 9.4 bhp and torque of 9.7 Nm. The bike, which weighs 147 kg, achieves a maximum speed of 90.5 kmph on CNG and 93.4 kmph on petrol. Both fuels can be accessed through a shared flap for refueling, and riders can switch between them using a switch on the left handlebar cube.
Bajaj claims that when operating solely on CNG, the Freedom can cover up to 102 kilometers per kilogram of CNG, with a pure CNG range of 200 kilometers. Combined with the petrol tank, the bike offers a total range of up to 330 kilometers.
The motorcycle is equipped with features such as a conventional telescopic fork with sleeve protectors, a linked-type mono rear shock, and a front disc brake in its top-spec variant, complemented by a standard combined braking system. Due to the absence of a traditional fuel tank, Bajaj has been able to install what it claims to be the world’s longest motorcycle seat, measuring 785 mm. The top-tier variant also includes a negative LCD cluster with Bluetooth connectivity. The Bajaj Freedom 125 is fitted with a 17-inch front wheel and a 16-inch rear wheel, both wrapped in 120/70-section rubber (90/80- and 100/80-section on the base Drum variant). The seat height is set at 825 mm.
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