A new motorcycle from Bajaj may be in the offing soon as the automobile giant was recently spotted testing a new bike, which from the looks of it, is inspired from its CT lineup.
The telescopic fork, front disc brake, elevated handlebar, upright riding position, and alloy wheels in the new bike appear to have been taken from the Pulsar NS125, according to a source.
It appears that the rear suspension system is a monoshock. The test mule’s tank design is void of any curves. Considering this as well as the fat body panels, we believe that Bajaj has been working on this CNG bike for a while, the report added.
The test mule’s single-piece seat, though heavily covered, is in line with the trend of commuter motorcycles. Notable extras that have been noticed include a rear tire hugger, a saree guard with an integrated footrest and an engine crash guard. The likelihood of an air-cooled motor is indicated by the engine casing’s fin-like appearance.
A few months ago, certain patent filings appeared online, revealing information on a planned CNG bike from Bajaj Auto. Currently, the test mule’s picture seems to be a modified Bajaj Pulsar NS125 perimeter unit. However, the bike could be a different model since it has a unique perimeter frame that holds the CNG tank between the upper braces of the frame—a space that is typically used for the petrol tank.
Notably, CNG uses less energy than petrol. Therefore, the next motorcycle may have an engine displacement of 150cc in order to achieve performance levels and mileage comparable to a 125cc petrol-powered bike.
It’s reasonable to estimate that the next Bajaj CNG bike will not be released for at least a year or so. With affordability being the major drawback, electric bikes will likely take some time to fully conquer the Indian market. In the meantime, a CNG bike will be a feasible compromise between petrol and e-bikes.
Earlier this year it was widely reported that Bajaj had trademarked the names Bajaj Swing and Bajaj Genie for vehicles still in production. At that point, it was believed that the names were trademarked for its electric vehicles, but after the new model was spotted testing, it’s speculated that one of these names could be used for the CNG model.