Priced at Rs. 1.19 lakh, Keeway SR125 seems to justify its price, when taking into account all the extra goodies it brings to the table
As part of Keeway’s 8 motorcycles launch strategy in India, we got SR125. As a final installment, Keeway SR250 launch is likely to happen sometime in the near future. SR125 was previously predicted to be priced at a premium end of 125cc spectrum. At Rs. 1.19 lakh (ex-sh) it is at the pricey end of 125cc motorcycle spectrum, but not as pricey in comparison.
We have TVS Raider and Bajaj Pulsar NS125 which could be termed as premium 125cc commuters. They are priced slightly more than regular 125cc commuters and come with their own charm. Speaking of charm, Keeway SR125 has loads of it and at Rs. 1.19 lakh, one can even say that it is justifiable. Let’s take a closer look.
Keeway SR125 Vs Premium 125cc Commuters
Looks are subjective. In this case, Pulsar NS125 comes off as a sporty product owing to its NS200’s body. It is the most muscular of this lot. Raider 125 also has some muscles to flex and has a unique design. Keeway SR125 looks the most charming as it pays tribute to motorcycles of yesteryear.
Raider 125 is the only one to get oil cooling, even though it doesn’t fall into sight immediately. SR125 and NS125 only get air cooling. All three motorcycles get a 5-speed gearbox coupled with their engines. Speaking of, NS125 leads this comparo with 11.6 bhp at 8,500 RPM. Followed by 11.2 bhp at 7,500 RPM by Raider 125 and lastly, we have Keeway SR125 with 9.56 bhp at 9,000 RPM.
Torque is 11.2 Nm at 6,000 RPM on Raider 125 followed by 11 Nm at 7,000 RPM of NS125 and lastly, 8.2 Nm at 7,500 RPM on SR125. Keeway’s commuter makes lowest power and lowest torque at a higher rev range as opposed to its rivals. Raider strikes the best balance in this aspect. Keeway is lightest at 120 kg followed by 123 kg on TVS and NS125 weighs fricking 144 kg.
Despite its weight advantage, Keeway is less likely to be very peppy owing to its fatter 110/70-17 front and 130/70-17 rubber at the rear. Fatter tyres look good but increase the contact patch. Coupled with least performance at a high rev range, SR125 doesn’t seem to be appealing on paper. Both Raider and NS125 come with 80/100-17 at front and 100/90-17 at the rear.
Features & Pricing
Keeway SR125 gets spoke wheels coupled with tube tyres while the other two get alloy wheels with tubeless tyres. Owing to its platform sharing with NS200, NS125 has the longest wheelbase. Ground clearance is the highest with Raider 125. Keeway strikes back with a 14.5L fuel tank which is the highest in the segment and maybe even a segment above.
As opposed to a rear disc brake offered by Keeway SR125, Raider and NS only offer drum brakes. All three offer front disc brakes (optional with Raider). Keeway offers the largest in-segment 300mm disc at front and 210 mm disc at the rear. Owing to its old-school appeal, SR125 gets rear dual shockers as opposed to monoshock units on others.
NS125 comes off as dated, credit to its halogen headlight and analog/digital instrumentation. Both SR125 and Raider offer LED headlights and the former even offers LED blinkers as well. The only chink in Keeway’s armour might be its limited dealership network. Priced at Rs. 1.19 lakh, Keeway SR125 seems to justify its price, when taking into account all the extra goodies it brings to the table. Raider 125 starts from Rs. 90,000 and NS125 costs Rs. 1.05 lakh (all prices ex-sh).
